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 OF THE 
 
 Theological Seminary, 
 
 PRINCETON,' N. J. 
 
 C««e,,_w^...^......DmsiDn 
 
 Snelf,,^y^^^O> Section ....,,. 
 
 Book, _ N.o,„ 
 
FIFTEEN 
 
 SERMO,NS 
 
 Several Occasions, 
 
 Eight of which were nether before printed. 
 
 To which is added 
 
 A Scripture Catechism: 
 
 O R, T H E 
 
 Principles of the Christian Religion 
 laid down in the- Words of the Bible. 
 
 By the lateReverend and Learned Mr. James 
 P E I R c E of Exon, 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for John Noon, at the TVhitc Mart^ 
 near Mercers Chapel, Cheapfide, 
 
 M. DCC. XXVIIL 
 

 \THSOLOGI 
 
 
 ^-^^rifWi'^'-*-* 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 WHEN Mr. Peirce'^f Paraphrafe on the 
 Hebrews was puhli/hed^ the reader was 
 acquainted, that, befides that performance, he 
 had left behind him fo?ne Differtations on particular 
 pajfages of fcriptnre, and an EiTay on a very un- 
 common fuhjeof. 'The Differtations on fix texts of 
 [cripture foon followed the Paraphrafe : And it is 
 now about a month fince the Effay, in favour of 
 the ancient practice of giving the eiicharijl to chiU 
 dren, was publifhed. 
 
 The reader was farther incouraged to expert a 
 few of Mr. PeirceV fermons, which are now -put 
 into his hands : The firft feven of them were printed 
 in the author* s life time ; and when he publifhed 
 ihem^ he did, either in the fermons themfelves, or 
 in the prefaces which the reader will find to them, 
 give an account, as far as he jud^d neceffary, of 
 the reafons which induced him to preach and print 
 them. The eight that follow are now firfl publifhed. 
 It is not pretended, that thefe were revifed by the 
 author, as they would have been if he had defiigned 
 them for the prefs. But having been {upon other 
 accounts) left in long-hand, they could not with de- 
 cency be denied to the importunity of his friends^ 
 who earneftly defired their publication. 
 
 To thefe it has been judged not improper to fiib- 
 
 join a Scripture Catechifm, drawn up, and pub- 
 
 A 2 lifi^ed 
 
iv The Preface. 
 
 lift>ed by himfelf fome years before his death, thou^ 
 he did not think jit to -put his name to it ; appre- 
 hending, I fuppofe, that his name would not procure 
 it a more kind or general reception. 
 
 *Theje being the laft of Mr. Peirce'j papers which 
 are likely to fee the light, it may perhaps be ex- 
 felled that they Jhould be accotnpanied with fome 
 Memoirs of the life of this great and good man. 
 But I mufi be excufed from undertaking any thing of 
 that kind : And in this cafe there is the lefs need 
 of it ; becaufe a particidar account of his parentage, 
 education, places of abode, acquaintance, fludies, &c. 
 was perfeufly extorted from him while living. Me- 
 moirs, lives, and narratives of that kind are ge- 
 nerally filed with circumflantial relations of fuch 
 weighty particulars as thefe: and Mr. Peirce thought ^ 
 as I do, that the world is very little concerned in the 
 private circu7?iftances of any man^s life. But, againji 
 his fettled judgment and inclination, he was conflrain'd 
 to trouble the publick with flories of fo little impor- 
 tance, in his own neceffary defence and vindication, 
 fro?n as groundlefs a calumny as ever party zeal 
 invented and i?ideavour'd to propagate *. 
 
 His undeferved fufferings in the lafl years of his 
 life, from the unprovoked fury and malice of his a- 
 vowed ene?nies and bigoted tieighbours, as well as 
 the great uneafinefs he felt from the unexpected 
 fhinefs and diflant carriage of his cold and timerous 
 friends, need not, and indeed hardly can, be made 
 more puhlickly known, than they are already. 
 
 But there is one thing that has fallen out Jince 
 his death, which, I thi}ik, dcferves and calls for a 
 publick ?iotice in this place. 
 
 Mr. 
 
 * PoAfcript to Mr. Feme's Remarks upon the Account of 
 what was tranfaded in the aflcnibly at Eson, pag. 41. 
 
The Preface. 
 
 Mr. Peirce was hurled in the church-yard belong- 
 ing to theparifi) in which he died^ viz. St. Leonard'^ 
 ftear Exon. His furviving relations, in tejlimon'j 
 of their affecfionate and dutiful regard, were willing 
 to lay a ftone over him ; and applied to a friend in 
 'London for a proper injcriptlon. 'The followin<y one 
 in Latin was put into their hands ; and they con- 
 traUed with a proper workman, who undertook, and 
 accordingly began, to cut it in the ftone. No one 
 concerned in the affair had any notion that it was 
 neceffary to afk leave of the reverend minifter of the 
 parifh to place fuch a ftone over the grave •, thomh 
 the per fan who was i?nployed by the relations had e- 
 re5ied two tombs with infer iptions in the fame church- 
 yard. However, when the work was near finifh*d, 
 the reverend reElor gave them to know, that h^ had 
 a right to inquire into, and a power to forbid any 
 infcriptions of this kiifd, if he did not approve of them. 
 And he was fa diffatisfied with the i?ifcription de- 
 figned and prepared for Mr. PeirceV tomb, when he 
 had feen and perusal it, that he would by no means 
 he perfuaded to permit its being placed in his church-' 
 yard. 
 
 That the reader may he able to judge of the na- 
 ture and reafonablenefs of the reverend Mr. Gey'j 
 ohjeBions againft it, here follows the epitaph as it 
 was firft drawn up in Latin ; and for the fake of 
 the Englifh reader, there is fet in the oppofite page 
 a tranftation of it, as clofe and exa5i as the idiom 
 of the two languages would well admit of. 
 
 A 3 H. 
 
H. S. E . 
 lACOBVS PEIRCIVS 
 
 CLARI NOMINiS THEOLOGVS 
 qVl'lNGENIO PERSPICACl 1.IMATOQ.VE IVDICIO 
 TANTAM ERVDITIONEM BELICITER CONIVNXIT 
 VT VTRVM EXIMIIS NATVRAE DOTIBVS 
 AN INDVSTRIAE ORNAMENTIS MAGIS CONSPICVVS ESSET 
 IN DVBIO RELIQ\'ISSE VIDEATVR 
 IVVENIS STVDIORVM CAVSA VLTRAIECTVM SE CONTVLIT 
 VNDE POST Q.VINQ.VENNIVM DOMVM REVERSVS 
 INDEFESSO LABORE AT qVE , DILIGENTIA 
 OiMNI FERE tiTERARVM GENERE MENTEM IMPLEVIT 
 Q_VO AD THEOLOGIAE COGNITIONEM SVESIDII ALIQVID 
 SIBI COMPARARE POSSET 
 TANTA IGITVR OPTIMARVM ARTIVM SCIENTIA INSTRVCTVS 
 CVNCTAS SACRI MVNERIS PARTES FIDELISSIME PRAESTITIT 
 TAM ACCfRATIS CONCIONIBVS Q.VAM SCRIPTIS ERVDITIS 
 PLVRIMVM CELEBRATVS 
 VERITATIS AVTEM EXQVIRENDAE SEMPER STVDIOSISSIMVS 
 CVM IN NONKVLLIS TANDEM ACCIDIT VT SENTENTIAM MVTARET 
 PARI PRVDENTIA ET INTEGRITATE SE GESSIT 
 NAM VT ALIOS EA CELARE SEDVLO CVRAVIT 
 DVM ILLORYM INTERESSE VT SCIRENT HAVD CREDIDIT 
 
 SIC CVM PRIMVM VVLGARE NECESSARIVM IVDICAVIT 
 NVLLO SVC COMMODO AVT INCOMMODO ADDVXI POTVIT 
 
 C^'O MINVS PVBLICE PROFITERETVR 
 H INC IN Q.VORVNDAM OFFENSIONEM FORTE INCIDENS 
 
 QV'IBVSCVM ANTEA CONCORDITER VIXERAT 
 CVAl RELiqvAJNl VITAE PARTEM lAM MAGIS PRIVATAM 
 
 SIBI VERO HAVD MINVS LABORIOSAM 
 
 NEQ\'E ALUS MINVS VTILEM TRANSIGERE STATVERAT 
 
 SACRIS UTERIS EXPLICANDIS SE PRAECIPVE ADDIXIT 
 
 tVI PRAECLARO OPERl CVM Q.VATVOR ANNOS IMPENDERAT 
 
 PARTIBVS Q,VIBVSDAM EDITIS C>,VAE INGENII 
 
 ET DOCTRINAE PERPETVA ERVNT AlONVJMENTA 
 
 LEII'ALI MORBO CORREPTVS PIE PLACIDEQ.VE DECESSIT 
 
 in SAL. APRILIS A. D. IS\ DCC. XXVI 
 
 AlTATIS SVAE LIII 
 
^ Jiere lies 
 
 James peircb 
 
 feem to have left it doubtful 
 
 /whether his excellent endonvments of nature 
 
 or acquired abilities rendered him more covfpicuous 
 
 he <was educated at the univerjity of V TKECHT 
 
 from whence returning home after Jive years 
 
 by indefatigable labour and diligence 
 
 he furnified his mind with mofi parts of literature 
 
 that might be of fervice to him 
 
 in the fiudy of divinity 
 
 atid having gained fo great a knowledge of the bejl arts 
 
 he very faithfully dif charged all the parts of his f acred office 
 
 and was equally celebrated for his accurate difcourfes in the pulpit 
 
 and his learned writings 
 
 but being always a mojl diligent inquirer after truth 
 
 happening in fome things to change his opinion 
 
 he aSied with equal prudence and integrity 
 
 for as he carefully concealed his fentiments from others 
 
 while he thought it was 7iot their concern to know them 
 
 fo when he judged the difcovery of them necejfary 
 
 KP views of advantage or difadvantage could prevail with him. 
 
 not to profefs them publicly 
 
 by this meaxi fallifig under the difpleafure of fome 
 
 with whom he had before lived in friendfiip 
 
 dejlgning now to fpend the remainder of his life more privately 
 
 tho not with lefs labour to himfelf 
 
 nor benefit to others 
 
 he applied himfelf chiefy to explain the facred fcriptures 
 
 in which excellent work having fpent four years 
 
 and puhliped fome parts of it 
 
 which will be perpetual monuments of his abilities and learning 
 
 beirtgfeized with a fata! dijlemper he pioujiy and calmly expired 
 
 on the XXX of march jm. ncc. xxvi 
 
 m the LI 1 1 year of his age 
 
 A 4 
 
viii The Preface. 
 
 Soon after the reverend Mr. Gey*j prohibiim, 
 a 'particular friend of the deceafed waited upon hifn^ 
 to defire his reafons for it. His firjl anfwer was, 
 that he was not hound to give any reafons : But at 
 lengthy in converfation, he did condefcend to offer 
 fome ohjeoiions. Hefirjl quefiion^d the truth of a faSl 
 exprefsly offer ted in the epitaph^ viz, 'That Mr. 
 Peirce carefully concealed his fentiments from 
 others, while he thought it was not their "con- 
 cern to be acquainted with them : But this he 
 feejn'd to give up, when he was affured, that Mr. 
 Peirce had not indeavouf d to make profelytes to his 
 opinions before the time of his eje^itnent. But then 
 he ohje5fed to thefe words, nuUo fuo commodo aut 
 incommodo adduci potuit quo minus publice 
 profiteretur, that is, no views of advantage or 
 difadvantage could prevail with him not to pro- 
 fefs them publicly. The reverend Mr. Gqj faid, 
 this was a great fault in Mr. Peirce ; it was here- 
 tical ohftinacy ; and it was a point of confcience 
 with him not to have him recommended for this to 
 pojierity in his church-yard. It was farther obje^ed, 
 that in the infcription he is faid to have been fcriptis 
 eruditis celebratus, that is, celebrated for his 
 learned writings ; and [ome of thefe, the reverend 
 re5lor ohferved, were againf the church, and fome 
 againfi orthodoxy ; and therefore he could not be 
 eafy to have them well fpoken of in any place under 
 his care and infpe^ion. It would be thefatne thing, 
 he added, as though he himfelf fJoould recommend 
 Mr. Peirce for thofe faults. 
 
 It was afterwards requejled, that he zvould give 
 leave to have the foUozving words infcribed an the 
 idmh, viz. Here lies the reverend, learned, and 
 pious Mr. James Peirce. But the reverend 
 re^or would by no means be perfuaded to confent to 
 thdi \ fayingi that Mr. Peirce could not be reverend, 
 Z bccmk 
 
The Preface. ix 
 
 hecaufe he was not lawfully ordained ; and that he 
 was not pious, hecaufe he taught errors. I think 
 he Jhouldhave added., and that he was not learned, 
 hecaufe he did not take directions from the reverend 
 minifler of his parifh what books he fhould read. 
 I gravely and feriou(ly declare^ that according to the 
 heft judgment I could ever form of him, from a long 
 and very intimate acquaintance, his learning fnight 
 as reafonahly have been called in queftion as his 
 fiety. And I really can have no more doubt, that 
 he had an habitual -prevailing awe and reverence 
 of God upon his mind, a fincere and ardent love to 
 truth, and a fteady uniform regard to virtue, than 
 I have that he could read. However, for the peace 
 and quiet of the reverend Mr. Gey'^ confcience, the 
 infcription on this great and good 7nan*s tomb in his 
 church-yard is only this ; Mr. James Peirce's 
 Tomb, 1726. 
 
 // has not been a very unconunon thing to meet 
 with grievous lamentations and heavy complaints from 
 the reverend clergy of the eftablifjment, on account 
 of the fqueamifjj fcrupulous conjciences of the poor 
 dijfenters. I verily think I have heard thofe people 
 called narrow-foul^ d, precife, hypocritical, and other 
 fuch hard names, for pretending fcruples of confci- 
 ence, in f?iatters that feem as nearly to concern con- 
 fcience, religion, their acceptance with God, and their 
 future happinefs, as the permitting infcriptions on 
 tomb-ftones. 
 
 Hard and much to be lamented is the fate of every 
 honeft diligent inquirer, who has the misfortune to 
 entertain any fentiment in religion, that is not em- 
 braced and countenanc* d by the majority of the reve- 
 rend gentlemen round about him. While he thinks 
 it necejjary, or mo ft prudent at le aft, to conceal fuch 
 his opinion,, and keep it to hi7nfe}f, he jkall be loudly 
 {cfled upon to (peak out \ and his filence fkall he 
 
 rejre^ 
 
X 
 
 The Preface. 
 
 reprefented as crafty hypocrifyy infincere dealings and 
 wicked guile. When the circumftances of the cafe 
 alter, and, partly perhaps by that very clamour it 
 felf, the man is induced to think, it becomes him 
 declare his jentiments more explicitly, let the declara- 
 Hon he made ever fo modejlly, and plainly attended 
 with the circuinfiances of difinterefiednefs and felf- 
 denial, and therefore with all the appearances of im- 
 partiality and uprightnefs, it fhall deferve no better 
 a naim. than hercdcal obftinacy. 
 
 Every fnan is fallible and liable to miflake. A 
 ferious fenfe and frequent confi deration of this Jhould 
 teach all of us modefly -, and, one would think, Jhould 
 prevent fuch harfh cenfures and unkind treatment of 
 thofe who differ frovi us. Would the reverend 
 Mr. Gey be content to forego aU his title and claim to 
 piety and goodnefs, if in the courje of his miniflry he 
 Jhould happen to have taught errors, and publijhed 
 fentiments that are not exactly conformed to truth, 
 and agreeable to the nature of things ? 
 
 l!he death even of an enemy is wont in a gene- 
 rous fpirit to move the tender efi paffionSy and to put 
 an effectual flop to the workings of envy and hatred ; 
 at leafl among laymen, and in differences of a civil 
 nature, it has been obferv'd to have this effel^ ; but 
 I find it is the nature of that heat which is raifed 
 by religious contefls among divines to be more intcnfs 
 and more lafiing. 
 
 I cannot indeed fay that this conduEl of the reverend 
 Mr. Gey is altogether without a precedent. It is no- 
 torious in what manner Dr. Cheynel treated the in- 
 comparable Mr. Chillingworth, the glory of his age 
 and nation, at the time of his interment. Tou have a 
 particular account of it wrote by hijnfelf with an air of 
 infult and boafting, in a fmall tra3', intitled Chil • 
 lingworthi Noviffima. There he tells the univerfity 
 <>f Oxford, and the whole kingdom, " That he himfelf 
 
 " tvouUl 
 
The Preface. xi 
 
 " would have nothing to do with hmyng of him », 
 <' that he did permit others, who had a better opi- 
 " nion of him than he had, to bury him ^ ; the dead 
 <« to bury their dead out of his fight % ** this he 
 permitted, as he fays, *' out of mere humanity * ; 
 " but that the burial of an afs, and a funeral fer^ 
 mon on Jer. xxii. i8, 19. would have been more 
 " fuitaUe to Mr. ChillingworthV merit ^ " And 
 accordingly, lefi he fhould have been fufpeEied of too 
 much moderation, and have been thought not to have 
 fhewn a due abhorrence of Mr. Chill ingworth and 
 his principles, he indeavours to jufiify his permijjiony 
 by the account the facred hijlorian gives of the 
 chara^er and burial of SsluI ', " fVho, tho* hewas 
 " forfdken of God long before his death -, though the 
 "= fpirit of the Lord departed from him, though hs 
 " cbnfulted a zvitch, and by her the devil at Endor, 
 *' and an evil fpirit froin the Lord took poffeffion of 
 " him, was, all this notwithjianding, folemnly bu- 
 " ried. f " Mr. Chillingworth had, in his lafi 
 hours, deftred that fome part of the office for burial 
 in the Common-prayer book fhould be read over him : 
 'This Dr. Cheynel ivould not allow, that there might 
 he no affurance expreffed of his refting in Chrijl, or 
 hope of his refurreEiion to eternal life s. 
 
 A^^)', he more than infinuates that it was his 
 opinion, as well as that of fome others, " 'That 
 " he ought not to have been buried in any refpeSt 
 *' like a chriftian, ^ *' for fuch remarkable reafons 
 as thefe, viz. " Becaufe he would not make a full 
 " and free confeifon of chriflian religion, ' " that is, 
 what Dr. Cheynel thought the chriflian religion ; 
 And " becaufe he was an here tick, ^ " and had pub- 
 lijh*d a book againft the truth, and againfi the 
 
 church, 
 
 ^ Chilling. Nov. pag. 59. ^ pa^. ^2. ^ ibid. Sc fag. 60. 
 ^ Pfg- $2- *" P-'^g- 60j 6r. ^ pag.'6i. « pag. 53. ^ pag. 49. 
 ' itud. ^ pag. 50. " ■ 
 
xii The Preface. 
 
 church ^, " ^ rotten and a cur fed hook ", tending 
 «< to fubintroduce errors and dafnnahle her eft es ", and 
 " which therefore he thought worthy to be buried 
 *« with its author. '* 
 
 'The behaviour of this rigid preshyterian divine, 
 on this occajion, has been generally condemned as 
 very indecent and inhumane. I know not any body 
 who has been hardy enough to pretend to vindicate 
 it. His beji friends have thought, the only thing that 
 could be offered to abate the cenfure fuch extrava- 
 gance deferved, was, that the dotor was difordered 
 in his brain *'. // is very furpriftng that there fhould 
 appear any thing beauiiful or attra^ive in this be- 
 haviour, or in any degree worthy of ijnitation. How 
 much more juftly has it been reprefented to the world 
 by that ornament and bleffmg to his country, and 
 true friend to mankind, the excellent lord bifhop 
 of Sarum ; as teaching us all this good leilon, 
 that the lame heat and zeal in every fort of 
 chriftians will produce the fame fatal effeds, 
 and that the fame thing cannot be amiable in 
 our felves, which we condemn in all others, 
 when pradlifed againft our felves p. 
 
 Thefe are indeed poor mean methods of expr effing 
 refentment or difregard, and altogether ineffectual 
 to the end propofed. For, as among all parties and 
 perfuaftons, there are ?nen, whofe memories no in- 
 fcriptions, no marble can preferve, or tranfmit with 
 honour to pojlerity j fo the righteous man, of every 
 denomination, the man eminent for virtue and knoiv- 
 ledge, goodnefs and extenfive ufefulnefs, without the help 
 of epitaphs and tomb-fones, nay, in defpite of all 
 M-natured attempts to leffen his influence while liv- 
 ing, and pour contempt upon him when dead, will be 
 had in everlaftine; remembrance. It 
 
 <? 
 
 stion, fij^. 8 17. ^ Ep. ofiJ^w.-'or's [no'vV Billiop of ^arumu^ 
 J-.ott£r to Dr. Sri^pe, ^ng 41, 43, 
 
The Preface. xiii 
 
 // would he an unfeigned pleafure to me, to fee 
 man'j divines in the chriftian church as well qualified 
 and difpofedfor publick fervice, as the worthy author 
 of the following fermons wai in his day ; and I 
 heartily wi/h, that when or wherever, in what 
 country, in what age, or of what denomination 
 foever, any fuch do arife, they may, living and dying, 
 meet with more kind, generous and grateful treat- 
 ment, than fell to his unhappy lot. 
 
 Benjamin Avery. 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 An ufeful miniftry a valid one. 
 
 2 Cor. III. 3. 
 
 Foraj7nuch as )(? are ?namfeftly declared to he the epijlle 
 of Chrijt, minijlred by us, written not with ink, 
 hut with the Spirit of the living God ', not in tables 
 cfjloncy hut in fiejhiy tables of the heart. pag. i 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 Presbyterian ordination proved regular. 
 
 2 Tim. II. 2. 
 
 And the things that thou hajl heard of me among ma- 
 ny witnejfes, the fame commit thou to faithful men, 
 who /hall he able to teach others alfo. P- 39 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 The curfe caufelefs. 
 Prov. XXVI. 2. 
 
 As the bird by wandering, as the fw allow hy flyings fo 
 the curfe caufelefs Jhall not come. . P- 90 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 The evil and cure of diviiions, 
 
 I Cor. I, 13. former parr, 
 /j Christ divided ? p. 1 14, 
 
 20 SER- 
 
The Contents. 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 John I. 46. 
 
 Arid Nathanael [aid unto him. Can there an'j good 
 thing come out of Nazareth ? Philip faith unto him. 
 Come and fee, P- 141 
 
 SERMON VL 
 
 I Cor. III. II. 
 
 For other foundation can no man la'j, than that is laid, 
 which is Jefus Chrifi. P- 172 
 
 SERMON Vir. 
 
 Chrift's kingdom advanced by peace?, 
 
 Isaiah XI. 13. 
 
 ^he envy alfo of Ephraim (hall depart ; and the ad- - 
 verfariesofjudahfhallbe cutoff: Ephraim fhall 
 not envy Judah, and Judah fhall not vex Ephra- 
 im. p. 189 
 
 SERMON VIII. 
 The ri^afonablenefsofferving God with our 
 ^' beft. 
 
 Gen. IV. 4. 
 
 And Abel, he alfo brought of the firjllings of his flock, 
 and of the fat thereof And the Lord had refpeSi 
 unto Abel, and to his offering. p. 2x7 
 
 3ERM0N IX. 
 
 The acceptablenefs of ferving God with our 
 
 beft. 
 
 And Abel, he alfo brought of the firftlings of his flock, 
 and of the fat thereof . And the Lord had refpecl 
 unto Abel., and to his offering. ' P- 239 
 
 SER. 
 
Wl 
 
 The Cqntents 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 The nature and advantage of a well-ordered 
 converfation. 
 
 Ps4L. L. 23. latter part. 
 
 •And to him that ordereth his converfation aright, 
 'II IJbewthe jalvation of Cod. p. 162 
 
 ^SERMON XT. 
 
 The furprifing condefcenfion of Hod in 
 dwelling with men upon earth, 
 
 2 Chron. VI. 18. former part. 
 
 But will God in ver'^ deed dwell with men on the 
 earths P- ^85 
 
 SERMON XII. 
 
 The nature and defign of Chrift's commi/Ii- 
 on to his apoitles. 
 
 Matt. XX.VIIL 20. former part. 
 
 Teaching them to ohferve all things whatfoever I have 
 commanded you. p. ^oy 
 
 SERMON XIII. 
 
 The fufferings of the apoflle a furtherance of 
 
 the gofpel. 
 
 Philip. I. 12. 
 But I would ye fhould under/land, brethren, that the 
 
 things which happened unto me, hwve fallen out ra- 
 
 SER- 
 
The Contents^ 
 
 SERMON XIV. 
 How St! Tmil was known to be fet for the 
 defence of the gofpel. 
 
 Phil. I. 17. 
 
 But the other of love ^ knowing that I am fet for the 
 defence of the gofp el ' V'i^7 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 
 J'he diftinguifli'd honour of aged piety; 
 
 Prov. XVI. 31. 
 
 ^he hoary head is a crown ofgkr'j^ if it be found in the 
 way of righteoufnefs. V- 3^7 
 
 A Scripture Catechifm ,• or, the principles 
 of the Chriftian rehgion laid down in the 
 words of the bible. p. 4 1 j 
 
 An 
 
An Ufeful Miniflry a Valid One, 
 
 BEING A 
 
 SERMON 
 
 PREACHED AT 
 
 EXON^ May th^ 5th, 1714. 
 
 AtaMEETiNG of the 
 
 UNITED MINISTERS 
 
 O F 
 
 Devon ^«^Corn wa hu 
 
 a G o R. III. 5. 
 
 Por as much as ye are manifefily declared 
 to he the epflle of Chrifi^ minifired by 
 m^ written not with ink^ but with the 
 Spirit of the living God j not in tables 
 offione^ but infiefhly tables of the hearts 
 
 1 
 
 •^ H E R E are rriatly fubtil devices , Serm. I, 
 whereby the enemy of mankind in- ^^''^T'^ 
 deavours to hinder the fuccefs of the 
 gofpel. Among others, this is no in- 
 
 con fiderable one : That he incourages prejudices 
 againft the perfons, whom Chrift is pleafed to 
 
 B fend 
 
^ An Ufeful Miniflry a Valid One. 
 
 Serm I fend upon this noble defign of turning finnera 
 
 v^Y^^ f^om the evil of their ways to God. He knows, 
 if he can weaken their reputation by falfe afperfi- 
 ons, or render their authority fufpefted by fome 
 fhew of objedtions, they will be little regarded, 
 and he fhall be the more fecure of his prey. 
 
 This flratagem has been diligently plied of late, 
 but it is a very old one •, which however Ihould 
 not be efteem*d the more venerable or worthy of 
 imitation by thofe who pretend the greateft 
 refpeft for antiquity. We may trace it as 
 
 ASs vii. high as Mofes*s time, who, when he fuppofed his 
 
 »5, fipf. brethren would have tmderjlood, how that God by 
 his hand would deliver them, and therefore indea- 
 vour'd to fet two of them at one again who ivere 
 Jlriving, met with this repulfe from him that did 
 his neighbour wrong ('as fuch perfons are always the 
 moft impertinent and cavilling) Who made 'THRE 
 la ruler and a judge o'Vea us ? 
 
 But, waving inftances of this nature under the 
 old difpenfation, we may eafily obferve the fame 
 craft has been continually working from the be- 
 ginning of the new. The Priefis and the Levites 
 fcrupled the authority of the great forerunner of 
 
 John i.z$. our Lord. Why bapizejl Thou, fay they, if Thou 
 be 7iot That Chrift, nor Elias, neither That Prophet? 
 But more unreafonable were they, who dealt in. 
 the fame manner with our Lord himfelf, prag- 
 matically afking him that queftion, which from 
 his works they might have eafily refolved them- 
 
 lWatth.xxi. felves : B^ what authority dofi Thou thefe things ? 
 
 i 3. And who gave Thee this authority ? 
 
 And now you have heard the commilTion of 
 our Lord was call'd in queftion, you may well 
 exped it fhould afterward be with the difciples, 
 as it had been before with their mafter. The 
 moft famous and eminent of them could not 
 2 efcape 
 
An Ujeful Miniflry a Valid One. 5 
 
 fcfcape the like treatment. We need not wonder Scrm. I» 
 at what has happen*d in our time, if we do but '-OT^ 
 obferve, how the apoftle Paul^ who was inferior 
 to none in gifts, zeal, diligence or fuccefs, was 
 forc*d to vindicate his authority to fome chrifti- 
 ans, who, though they were well acquainted 
 with him, yet gave way too much to the infinu« 
 ations of crafty and felfifh men, who had crept 
 in among them, and call'd his authority in que- 
 ftion, indeavouring upon the ruins of his reputa- 
 tion to eftablifli their own. It might have been 
 expedted, that He ^ if any man, fliould have 
 been fecur'd from fuch ufage, not only by the 
 miracles which conftantly attefted his apojllejhip^ 
 but by his inoffenfive behaviour, who fo little 
 fought himfelf in any of his labours, and ufed not 
 to depreciate or contemn the indeavours of 
 others ', nay, who rejoiced in the fpreading the 
 gofpel, when thofe who were enemies to himfelf 
 Were imployed in doing it : Which is a temper 
 very foreign to many in our days. So7ne, fays he, Phil.i 15, 
 preach Chrijl even of envj andftrife, and fome alfo of&*<^* 
 good will, The one preach Chriji of contention^ not 
 fincerely , fnppofing to add affliolion to my bonds : 
 but the other of love, knowing that I am fet fir the 
 defence of the gofpel. IVloat then ? Notwithflanding 
 every way^ whether in pretence^ or in truths Chrifi 
 is preached ; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and I 
 tvill rejoice. How reafonably might one of this 
 temper have expected others fhould have forborn 
 all attempts of undervaluing him ! But they, 
 who have the beft authority themfelves, are ob- 
 ferved to be ordinarily leafb noify and clamorous 
 about the authority of others. 
 
 The Corinthians, to whom this epiille was ient, 
 were a church of the apoftle PauV^ own plant- 
 ing ; with whom he had fpent a confiderable 
 B 2 time : 
 
4- ^ Ufeful Minifiry a Valid One. 
 
 Serm. I. time : And yet now in' his abfence fome arrogant 
 ^y^f^^ pretender had rais'd bafe prejudices in their minds 
 againft him. This gave him occafion to fpeak 
 much in his own vindication in both his epiftles 
 to that church. He imploys a variety of argu- 
 ments to juftify to them his authority ; and, 
 among odiers, he here makes ufe of one very 
 likely to convince them, it being drawn from 
 ifimewhat they felt in their own breafts ; mz. Iht 
 juccefs of his min'ifir'^ upon them. 
 
 In the firft verfe of the chapter he begins very 
 artfully and handfomly to clear himfelf of an ob- 
 jection, which feems to have been made againft 
 him upon the account of his manner of writing 
 in his former epillle to them. T>o we, fays he, 
 begin again to commend our f elves? q. d. " You 
 greatly miftake, if you imagine it a pleafant 
 thing to me to be fpeaking of my felf. I 
 lliould have wholly abftained from every thing 
 of that nature in my former epiftle, and ill 
 this, had I not feen it neceflary to clear my 
 felf of fome imputations, which might hinder 
 the ufefulnefs of my miniftry." He adds. Or 
 need we, as [ome others, epijlles of commendation to 
 you, or letters of commendation from you? q. d. " If 
 '* I were feeking my felf, or were chiefly folici- 
 " tous to make an intereft for my felf among 
 " you, I might ufe the little arts of infmuation, 
 " fo happily pra6lis*d by the falfe teachers, who 
 " have obtain' d the applaufe and admiration 
 " they defir'd among you, and in order to it 
 *' have taken care not to come without letters to 
 " recommend thcin. But I am above thofe 
 *' things, and have no need to commend my 
 *' felf, or to be commended to you, or by you.'* 
 And that he might make them fenfible how need- 
 lefs any formal reccmmendatiopwas for him, he 
 
 2 adds. 
 
An Ufeful Miniflry a Valid One, 5 
 
 adds, Te are our epiftle^ written in our hearts ^Strm. I, 
 
 known and read of all men^ q. d. " Ye are your \^^^r*^ 
 
 " felves my cleareft epiftle, and the commen- 
 
 *' dation I more value my felf upon, than any 
 
 *' that men can give me under their hands. 
 
 *' You your felves lufficiently commend me to 
 
 <* the world ; who, by obferving what you 
 
 ** are, may form a judgment concerning me. 
 
 " In your converfation, as in letters patents, all 
 
 " men may read what commijfion and authority I 
 
 *' have.'* And then in the words of the text 
 
 he gives them a reafon, why he accounted them 
 
 -fuch a commendation of himfelf. For as much as 
 
 ye are manifejily declared to he the epifile of Chrifi, 
 
 minifired by us, written not with ink, hut with the 
 
 fpirit of the living God ; not in tables ofjlone, but in 
 
 flejhly tables of the heart. In fpeaking to which 
 
 words I fhall do thefe three following things. 
 
 I. I will reprefent to you, what it was in the 
 Corinthians, that manifefily declared them to he 
 the epiftle of Chriji, viz. Their unfeigned 
 converfion to chriftianity. 
 
 II. I will fhew you, how by their converfion 
 they were manifefily declared to be the epiftle of 
 Chrift, 
 
 III. I will inquire, how far it is warrantable 
 for us now to efteem any as the epifile of 
 Chrift •, and to form a judgment by fuch a 
 kind of rule, as that which the apoftle here 
 goes upon.^ 
 
 I. J will reprefent to you, what it was in the 
 
 Corinthians, that manifeftly declared them to be ths 
 epiftle of Chrift. Now that was their unfeigned con- 
 verfion to chriftianity. Nothing elfe can be under-, 
 ftood as refer r*d to here. For it was fomewhac 
 B 3 ^fea?. 
 
6 An Ufcful Mmftry a Valid One, 
 
 Serm. I. effeded by the Spirit of God, in the effeding 
 
 VY'V which he made ufe of the apoltles miniftry, as 
 
 is exprefly aflerted in the text ', mimjtred^ fays 
 
 he, by us, written not with ink, hut with (that* is, 
 
 hy) the fpirit of the living God. And what can we 
 
 imagine that to be, but their converfwn ? Befides, 
 
 it was fomewhat obvious and plain to be difcern'd y 
 
 which not only their fellow chriftians, but all 
 
 Others who had any knowledge of them, might 
 
 cafily perceive, and could hardly avoid obfer- 
 
 ving. To which purpofe he fpeaks of them in 
 
 the foregoing Verfe, as an epijile known and read 
 
 cf all men. And fuch their converfion was. The 
 
 alteration made in them was too great, not to 
 
 command the notice and admiration of all about 
 
 J Cor. them . They had been Gentiles, carried away tin-, 
 
 ^"' ^' to dumb idols, even as they were led. But now- 
 
 they were convinced of the unreafonablenefs of 
 
 Ch. vi;i. the worjfhip they formerly paid them ; and knew 
 
 4j (>' that an idol is nothing in the world (has nothing of 
 
 Godhead in it, and that the Deity it reprefents 
 
 is liditious) and that .there . is none other God but 
 
 one •, and fo to them there was 720-w but one God 'ths 
 
 pather, of whom were all things, and they in him ; 
 
 and one Lord Jefus Chrifl, by whom were all things, 
 
 I Then", and they by him. They were now, with the Thef- 
 
 i. S'iiO' falonians, turned to God fro?n idols, to ferve the living 
 
 <}nd true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven. 
 
 And as they had embraced a new ohjeSf, fo. 
 likewife a new manner of worjJoip \ offering all 
 their worfhip through Jefus the mediator, in a 
 fubjeftion to whofe ordinances they voluntarily 
 put themfelves. They became the fubjefts and 
 fervants of a new lord, and aded by the direcfbi- 
 on of a new law, intirely oppofite to their former 
 manner and courfe of life. The change of their 
 4}otions woul^ have been a fmall matter, had not 
 
An Ufeful Miniflry a Valid One, n 
 
 their new notions influenced them to a more re-Serm. I.- 
 gular and orderly converfation. Had they re- v<^V"V 
 tain*d their old vices in the profeffion they made 
 of a new religion, they would have brought a 
 difgrace upon that, and have gain'd little repu- 
 tation to themfelves. But the change was truly 
 glorious, and evidenced the noblenefs of that re- 
 ligion they turn'd to, when they abandon*d all 
 their former impieties, and enter*d upon a ftri6l 
 courfe of piety and virtue. In this cafe , the 
 greatnefs of mens former enormities, inftead of 
 leflening, adds to the reputation of that religion, 
 by which they are reclaim'd fr-om tliem. For 
 who can forbear admiring and praifmg that reli- 
 gion, which of a fud^en turns the worft of men 
 mto the bell ? Now this was the cafe of thefe 
 Corinthians. Their city had been for a long time 
 remarkable for debauchery. "Their fituation be- 
 tween two feas gave them a vaft advantage above 
 any city in Greece for trade, that had render'cj 
 them exceeding wealthy ; and their wealth had 
 fed their luxury , intemperance and lafciviouf-^ 
 nefs : So that there were few, if any cities, which 
 did equal Corinth in the diflblute and fenfual lives 
 of its inhabitants , who were indeed infamouf 
 enough to become a prov-erh among the Greeks, 
 And we are not to think thofe Corinthians., who 
 became converts to chriftianity, had efcapM the 
 contagion of the place, any more than their fel- 
 low citizens, who' fliU per filled in their oldreligi-. 
 on. We are certain of the contrary, by the acr. 
 count given of them in the other epillle. K,now i Cor. v»» 
 y not thai the unrighteous JhcMnot inherit the king-9i io> i V, 
 dofn of God ? Be not deceived, neither formcators^ 
 mr idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeininate, nor 
 ahufers of themfelves with mankind, nor thieves, nor 
 covetou^s, mr drunkards, nor revilers, nor extorti-^ 
 B, 4 9^ersy 
 
8 An Ufeful Miniflry a Valid One. 
 
 Serm. I, oners, Jhall inherit the kingdom of God. Andfuch 
 ^^^Y^were SO ME OF TOU: But y are wajhed, 
 Sec. And when he fays, fuch were fome of 'jou, he 
 leems to mean, that feme of them had been bad 
 enough to be chargeable, if not with all, yet 
 with feveral of the worll and vileft of thofe vices ; 
 or however, it is certain, he did not fpeak only 
 ai fome with a defign of excepting the reft, aa 
 free from all thefe abominations. This appears 
 by his mentioning idolaters, which was unquefti- 
 onably the charafter of every one of them before 
 their converfton. Now for fuch vile and profligate 
 wretches to become fober, temperate, chafte, 
 juft, devout j and, in a word, exemplary in all 
 thofe duties and virtues which were moft oppo- 
 fite to their former vices, was an illuflrious 
 change indeed, and moft worthy to be mention- 
 ed, as it is in the text, as a noble commendation 
 of their prefentdifpofition and behaviour, and of 
 the means whereby it was brought about. The 
 
 1 Thefi; fame of fuch faith as theirs toward God, could 
 . nor hut fpread abroad in ever'j place. Such eminent 
 
 Rom. ^^^' olg^i^fice muii ccf?ie abroad imto alhnen. 
 
 ' ' Their church, it muft be own'd, notwith- 
 
 ftanding all the time and pains the apoftle had 
 fpent among them, had ftill fome fpots and ble^ 
 mifhes in it, the marks of its imperfeft militant 
 ftate. For however he commends them, he re- 
 proves them too j and it appears by his reproofs, 
 there were fom.e very diforderly perfons among 
 them. But, in the main, they were an excellent: 
 church, and thought worthy of much commen- 
 dation for their conformity to the rules of the 
 gofpel. See how he commends them in the ge- 
 TiCral, even when he was about to blame therri 
 
 iCpr..xl,2, foi« a particular diforder. Now I praife you, bre- 
 thren^ fays he, that yon rcmmhr vis in all things., 
 " ' ' andi 
 
An Ufeful Minifiry a Valid One, 9 
 
 md keep the ordinances as I delivered them to 'jou. Serm. I, 
 There were fome hypocrites without doubt in ^'^V^ 
 ^hat^ as there always will be in cver-j church: 
 But the church was to receive her denomination 
 from the major part, which was found and good 5 
 and, at the writing of the former epiftle, when 
 the diforders were at the worft, deferved to be 
 fpoken of in fuch high exprefllons. / thank my 1 Cor. i' 
 God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which 4j Sj^a 7* 
 is given you by Jefus Chriji ; that in every thing ye 
 are enriched ky him, in all utterance, and in aU 
 knowledge : Even as the tejlimony of Chriji was re- 
 ceived among you. So that ye come behind in no gift^ 
 waiting for the coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift. In 
 which words, he thanks God not only for the 
 miraculous gifts which that church had plentifully 
 received, and which, 'tis acknowledged, render- 
 ed their converfion the more remarkable , buc 
 likewife for their holinefs and piety. This appears 
 by his mentioning their waiting for the coming of 
 our Lord Jefus Chriji, which is an ufual defcripti- 
 on of a chrijlian converfation. And well it may 
 be fo, fmce Chrill's coming, where-ever it is 
 believed and ferioufly remember'd, as it is by ali 
 thofe who wait for it , muft neceflarily make 
 men holy in all manner of converfation. And I 
 conceive it is upon the account of their holinefs, 
 and not their extraordinary gifts, they are com- 
 mended in the text, and ftiled the epijlle ofChriJl. 
 The laft words of the verfe feem to confine the 
 expreflion to this fenfe, wherein he fays, ^his 
 epiJlle was written not in tables of fione, but in fiejlfiy 
 tables of the heart: Which certainly refers not to 
 their miraculous gifts, but wholly to the law of 
 Chriji -, the writing of which is compar*d to, and 
 prefer'd before the writing of the law, which God 
 eav^ to Mofes. But tlvls leads me to confider, 
 
 II. How 
 
lo An Ufeful Miniflry a Valid One> 
 
 Serm. I, 
 
 s^^y^i*^ 11. How the Corinthians^ by their converfion, 
 
 were manifejliy declared to be the epijlle of Chrijl. 
 Now this exprelTion may import thefe two 
 things. 
 
 I . That Chrijl was the author of their conver-t 
 fion. An cpiflle is faid to be his, by whofe di- 
 rection 'tis penn*d and drawn up. In like man- 
 ner, when their converfion is fpoken of under 
 ihe metaphor of an epiftle ("of which, a reafon 
 will be prefently given) *tis mod properly attri- 
 buted to Chrift as the author and compofer of it. 
 The apofties were tender of the honour of their 
 hord^ and cautious of afTuming any thing to 
 themfelves, left they Ihould feem to derogate 
 irom him. And fo this apoftle fpeaks of himfelf 
 only as an amanuenfiSy imploy 'd by Chrift in wri- 
 ting the epiftle. Minijlred, fays he, by us; 
 written not with ink, but by the fpirit of the living 
 God. And therefore, in the next verfe but one^ 
 . he adds : Not that we are fujficient of our felves, to 
 think any thing as of our felves ; but our fujficiency is 
 cf God, who alfo hath jnade us able miniflers of the 
 new tejiament. However he had been imploy*d, 
 yet he neither was, nor would be thought to be, 
 the principal caufe of that blelTed work : No,^ 
 he look*d upon himfelf, and his companions in 
 % Cor. lii. preaching the gofpel to the Corinthians, as mini- 
 ^j, 6j 9. jlers by who??i they believed, even as the Lord gave to- 
 every man. And whatever induftry they ufed in 
 planting and watering, yet the luccefs was wholly 
 , to be afcribed to God, who gave the increafe. Irv 
 their preaching, they were labourers together zvith' 
 God, or rather perhaps of God -, that is, imploy-^ 
 ed by him •, whence fuch as were converted by 
 their nuniftry were to be look'd'upon as God'^i 
 hufbandry,^^ as God's building.. 
 
 The 
 
An Ufeful Minifiry a Valid One. 1 1 
 
 The work is too great to be accomplifh'd by Serm. I, 
 Jiuman Ikill. The charms of eloquence, and W"*^. 
 the ftrength of reafon and argument alone can 
 never aflWage boiflerous paflions, conquer impe- 
 tuous defires, and win the finner bewitch'd to 
 his lulls, to an unfeigned and chearful fubjedi- 
 on to the law of God. How often do we fee the 
 ilrongeft arguments from everlafting rewards 
 and punjlhments prove ineffedual ! Nay, ar- 
 guments drawn from fuch things as finners re- 
 gard, have very little force upon thofe, who are 
 Urongly addifted to their I'jfts. The mifery 
 and want extravaganices threaten them with, 
 either by their natural tendency, or their ofFen- 
 fivenefs to their bell friends, will not conquer, 
 nay, frequently net fo much as curb and reftrain 
 for a little time their inclination to them. Vicir 
 ous inclinations are the moll unreafonable things 
 in the world, and therefore fomewhat more than 
 bare reafon and argument is necelTary to reftify 
 a mind inflav'd by them, and to form it to a di? 
 vine likenefs. This is only to be effeded by a 
 mighty power. Whence 'tis fo commonly in 
 the fcripture afcribed to the Holy Spirit ; as 'ti^ 
 particularly in the text ; Written not with ink, hut 
 ^y the Sprit of the living God. 
 
 But it may be here inquir'd : Would it not, 
 upon this account, have been mofl proper to 
 have ftiled thefe Corinthians the epiflle of the Holy 
 Sprit ? 
 
 I anfwer : We are here to confider in w^at 
 quality the Holy Spirit adls, and that is, as the 
 vicegerent and deputy of our Redeemers who pro- 
 mis'd, when he was leaving the world, to fupply 
 the want of his own prefence with his difciples in 
 perfon, by his Spirit, and to be thus with them al- Mattfi. 
 W«}',_ cym unto the end of the world. So that what ^^*"'. ^ 
 "' ' the 
 
12 An Ufeful Minifiry a Valid One. 
 
 Serm. I. the Spirit now does, he does in the name and 
 'fc'Or**^ behalf of Chrift ; and our Redeemer now ac- 
 complifhes all his work in this world by his Spi- 
 rit. Wherefore though the Spirit was the im- 
 mediate author of their converfion, 'tis without 
 any manner of impropriety afcrib*d to Chrift, 
 and they are called the epifile of Chrijl, 
 
 2. When the apoftle calls the Corinthians, up- 
 on the account of their converfion, the efijlle of 
 Chrifl, he means, that Chrift had thereby made 
 fome declaration of his mind. We confider ai; 
 epiftle as a fignification of the mind of the wri-p 
 ter : And fuch did he look upon the Corinthians 
 in their converfion to be ; which, I conceive, is 
 the true reafon why he makes ufe of this meta- 
 phor. And without ftraining it, we may fay 
 they are reprefented as the epiftle of Chrift, or a, 
 declaration of his will, upon a double account. 
 
 I. Becaufe they were by their converfior\ 
 form'd into the mind and will of Chrift. He has 
 made a declaration of his will in his wordj froni 
 which we are to learn our religion, and to which 
 we are to have recourfe as to a fure ftandard, in 
 the examining and trying every doftrine. But 
 little notice is taken of this by a carelefs world ; 
 who will not be at the pains of learning what our 
 religion is, out of the perfe6t rule of it. Chrift 
 therefore has taken care in a more cafy way to 
 give them fome notices of it -, and by changing 
 the hearts and lives of finners , he lets before 
 their eyes examples of the religion he has inftitu- 
 ted, and fhev/s the world what the defign of his 
 goi^el is. This is a likely means of abating 
 thdr unreafonable prejudices, and winning them 
 to an attentive confideration of the revelation he 
 has left us. For if men will allow themfelves to 
 make- any ferious reflexions, they ipuft be fen- 
 
 fible 
 
An Ufeful Miniflry a Vdid One. 15 
 
 lible of an extraordinary excellency and loveli- Serm. L 
 nefs in a truly chriftian converfation. When the ^^^'Y^ 
 rules of the gofpel are copied out fairly into the 
 life, the luftre of them is too great not to ftrike 
 the beholders with admiration. This Ihould 
 make chriftians careful to live up to their rule, 
 that, as our Saviour fays, their light fnay foJbineM&t,v,iii 
 before men, as that they may fee their good works, 
 and glorify their Father who is in heaven. 'Tis no 
 unlikely thing, that fuch as at prefent do notohey i Per. ig, 
 the word, may without the word by beholding the^*^* 
 good converfation of chriftians be won , firft to a 
 liking, and then to an hearty embracing chrifti- 
 anity. So that the circumfpedt deportment of 
 chriftians is a compendious kind of declaration of 
 the mind of Chrift to an inconfidera.te world ; 
 who may by beholding it learn what fobriety, 
 temperance, humility , meeknefs, felf-denial> 
 equity, charity, mercifulnefs, truft in God, re- 
 fignation and devotednefs to his will, and, in 
 ihort, what univerfal holinefs Chrift expedts m. 
 his difciples and followers. 
 
 We are led to this fenfe of the exprelTion by the 
 laft claufe of the text, wherein the apoftle com- 
 pares^their converfion to the giving of the old law, 
 and fays, this epifile of Chrift was not written in 
 tables of ft one, but in flefhly tables of the heart, q. d. 
 " This is a more excellent and noble way, which 
 *' Chrift has taken to write, and, as it were, 
 «* -puhlifh his law. He has deeply ingraven it up- 
 '* on, and made it an inward governing princi- 
 *' pie of your hearts and all your actions which 
 *' proceed from them •, by means whereof all 
 " that converfc with you may eaftly come to the 
 " knowledge of it." 
 
 It cannot be objefled reafonably againft this 
 fenfe, that the expreffion is too great for the 
 {-, thing i 
 
14 An JJfeful Minifiry a Valid One. 
 
 Serm. I. thing -, fmce that is fometimes fet forth in the 
 vy'^rv-/ holy fcriptures by more lofty expreflions than the 
 
 Czl iv. 1 6. epiftle of Chrijl: Such as, Chriji for?ned in chrifiians^ 
 Eph.ii1.17. jjj^j^ Chrijl dwelling in them. True chriftians theft 
 are the epijlle of Chrijl •, when their converfation 
 is conform'd to the rule of the gofpel, and ap- 
 pears a kind oftranfcrip of the mind and will of 
 Chrift. 
 
 2. The Corinthians are here call*d the epijlle of 
 Chrijl upon the account of their converfion, be- 
 caufe Chrift thereby fignified his mind concern^ 
 ing the apoftle, and gave a tejlimonial of his com- 
 miflion and valid authority. Te are^ fays he, the 
 epijlle of Chrijl^ miniflred by us, q. d. " Chrift de- 
 *' fign*d, by making ufe of me in converting 
 *' you, to give an atteftation, and fet as it were 
 " his feal to my miniftry. He has made it evi- 
 •' dent that he fent me, by his working together 
 *' with me.** 
 
 And what argument could be more proper to 
 eftablifti his authority wicu the Corinthians than 
 this ; of the truth of which they muft be fuppo- 
 fed to be well afilir'd? Compare herewith his 
 manner of ars-uing with the fame church in his 
 t Cor. IX. other epiftle to them= ylfn I not an apojlle ? Am 
 '> ^' / not free ? Have I not feen Jefus Chrijl our Lord ? 
 Are not you my work in the Lord ? If I he ?iot an 
 apoflle unto others, yet doubtlefs I am to you : For the 
 feal of mine apojlleJJjip are ye in the Lord. Where 
 he appeals, as he does in the text, to the happy 
 fuccefsof his miniftry among them-, to their be- 
 ing his work in the Lord-, and therefore ftiles them 
 the jeal of his apojllejfjip ; and argues, that though 
 his apoftlelhip ftiould be doubtful to others, yet 
 it could not be fo to them, fince they had the 
 fame evid^rce of it they had of their own chrifti-*, 
 aniry. 
 
 And 
 
An Ufeful Minifiry a Valid One, 1 5 
 
 And thus likewife he argues elfewhere in his Serm. I. 
 fccond epiftle ro them. Since ye feek a prdof of -O""^^ 
 Chrifl fpeakbig in fne, which to you-ward is not weak^ i Cor. xiS. 
 hut is mighty in you — — Examine your felves whe- 5j ^* 
 ther ye be in the faith *, prove your own felves. He 
 judg*d their being in the faith an evident proof 
 of Chrift's fpeaking in him, and owning him z.% 
 his minifter. 
 
 And when in the text he calls them the epijik 
 cf Chrifl y written not in tables ofjtone, but in flejhly 
 tables of the heart i he certainly intimates, that as 
 God's writing the law in tables of jlone was an at- 
 teftation of the commifTion ofMofes, to whom he 
 deliver'd them, to carry them to the people ; {o 
 the Corinthians were to look upon Chrift's wri- 
 ting his laws in their hearts, as an atteftation of 
 his commifllon, whofe miniftry he was pleafed to 
 make ufe of in doing it. And upon this account 
 he calls them his own epiftle in the foregoing verfe, 
 whom he calls the epiftle of Chrift in the text. Te 
 are, fays he, our epiftle \ that is, written in my 
 behalf: Ye are the epiftle by which Chrift has 
 been pleafed to recommend me. 
 
 Now his argument here is of this nature. 
 You Corinthians have been effedlually prevail'd 
 upon to relinquifti your idolatrous and wicked 
 courfe of life, and to turn ftncerely to God by 
 Chrift. This happy change was too great, no- 
 ble and difficult to be eftei5ted by any human 
 fkill and power, and muft therefore have been 
 the work of the Redeemer. Chrift, who has 
 wrought you to this, has done it by my miniftry. 
 But it is not to be thought, he would thus concur 
 with, or make ufe of a miniftry, which he did 
 not approve. And therefore I may well efteem 
 hh converting you by my means as an atteftati- 
 on to my miniftry, and may look upon you as 
 
 mani- 
 
i6 An Ufeful Minifiry a Valid One. 
 
 Serm. I. manifejily declared to he the epiftle of Chrijl^ writteit 
 v^'Y^^ in my behalf, whereby he does in dffeft ratify 
 and feal to you, and to the world, my miniftry 
 and apoftlefhip. 
 
 And thus I have indeavourM to explain the 
 apoflle's meaning, and clear his reafoning to you. 
 And doubtlefs thefe 'things were written^ and arc 
 in the fcriptures handed down to us, for our learn- 
 ing ', and therefore 'tis not improper for us, 
 
 III. To inquire. How far 'tis warrantable for 
 us now to efteem any as the epiftle of Chrijl, and 
 to form a judgment concerning the minillers of 
 the preferit time by fuch a kind of rule, as that 
 which the apoflle here goes upon. There would 
 have been lef} occafion to treat of this matter, 
 had not fome men appear'd fo earneftly defirous 
 of condemning the miniftry of their neighbours* 
 Of whom it may well be faid, as 'tis of fome 
 <3al.iv.i7.who troubled the Galatians ; l^he'j zealotifty affeSi 
 'jou^ hut not well -, "jea, the'j would exclude yoUy 
 (fome copies read us — — To exprefs our cafe we 
 may join both •, for they would exclude both you 
 and us *, jou from the church ; and us from thd 
 miniftry) that 'jou 77iight affe^ them, and confine 
 your refpefts to them. I fuppofe every one will 
 allow, that 'tis very defireable, fome certain 
 fcripture rule fhould be propos'd to examine 
 men's pretenfions by, and that it fhould be fuch 
 an one as is level to the capacities of all, fmce 
 every chriftian is to judge and choofefor himfelf, 
 what miniftry to fit under. Now with fuch a 
 rule, I thirtk, the difcourfe of the apoftle herd 
 fupplies us. For if we may judge by the fuccefs 
 and ufefulnefs of any miniftry, that is a thing li- 
 able to the obfervation of the meaneft chriftian, 
 "vvho is difpofed feriouily to inquire what miniftry 
 he fhould prefcrj I 
 
An Ufeful Minifiry a Valid One, 1 7 
 
 I Ihall briefly comprifc my fenfe of this matter Serm. I. 
 in thefe following propofitions : L/VNJ 
 
 1. *Tis certain, when our Lord eredled a 
 church, he defign'd to continue it to the end of 
 the world. This is evident by his promife, that 
 
 the gates of hell Jhould not prevail againft it. Matth. 
 
 2. As Chrift will have a church, fo he will ' 
 have a minifiry in it through all ages .of the 
 world. For the proof of which I need only ap- 
 peal to that exprefs text ; He gave fome apojlles ; Eph. W: 
 and feme, prophets \ and fome, evangelijls •■, and^^^^^^^^* 
 fome, pajlors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the 
 faints, for the work of the minifiry, for the edifying 
 
 the body ofChriji : Till'we all come in the unity of the 
 faith, and of the knowledge of the fon of God, unto a 
 perfe5i man, unto the meafure of thejlature oftheful- 
 nefs of Chrift. 
 
 3. If Chrift has a miniftry for the edification 
 of his church, then that miniftry may ht known 
 and diftinguijh'd. Were there no marks , by 
 which the church could diftinguifli the officers 
 he has appointed for their edification , how 
 ihould they know to whom they fliould apply 
 themfelves, or in what method they fhould feek 
 their edification ? As Chrift the great Shepherd 
 has appointed fhepherds under him to feed his 
 flock, (o he cannot be fuppofed to have left his 
 flock wholly at uncertainties, who they are, to 
 whom they fhould commit themfelves in order 
 to their being fed. 
 
 4. The true minifters of Chrift's church, in 
 the firf planting of it, were diftinguilh'd by 
 fome marks, by which thofe in fucceeding Ages 
 cannot be known. When the firft foundations 
 of the chriftian church were to be laid, and 
 Chrift's minifters were fent forth to fpread a 
 hew religion in the world, not only extraordina- 
 
 C ry 
 
1 8 An Ufeful Mimfiry a Valid One. 
 
 Serm. I. fy degrees of wifdom, holinefs and courage, but 
 w-'yv^ an extraordinary atteftation of their commifTion 
 was necefiary. Hence the apoftles, who were 
 firft fent forth, were indow'd with a power of 
 working miracles, and difcerning fpirits *, which, 
 together with all fuch extraordinary operations 
 of the Spirit, are long fince ceafed, and confe- 
 quently cannot be the marks of the true mini- 
 ftry in the prefent age. There is no church or 
 miniftry now in the world, which pretends to 
 thefe, except the church of Rome, which has 
 been detefted in fo many of her forgeries, that, 
 inftead of advancing, Ihe has funk her reputati- 
 on with all wife m.en, by pretending to therru 
 Among Proteftants there are none, who appeal 
 to zny fuch evidence of their commiflion. 
 
 5. Since thofe extraordinary gifts, which the 
 apoftles appcal'd to as evidences of their com- 
 mifTion, are univerfally ceas'd, 'tis but reafon- 
 able the pretenfions of minifters fhould now be 
 cxamin'd by any other evidences they appeal'd to, 
 and particularly by this offuccefs. For certainly 
 they did not attempt to eftablilh their authority 
 by any weak and infufficient arguments. And 
 indeed by appealing to the evidence , which 
 did not depend upon their extraordinary gifts, 
 they may be underftood to diredt chriftians, 
 how to judge of mens pretenfions in all the fol- 
 lowing ages of the world. And confequently 
 it cannot be thought unreafonabie for chriftians 
 now to lay a great ftrefs upon this argument 
 from fuccefs , fince the apoftles themfelves 
 did fo. 
 
 6. Though the fuccefs of the apoftles and 
 firft minifters of the chriftian church might, 
 upon the account of fome circumftances, have 
 an advantage above that bif the minifters of 
 
 fuc- 
 
An UJeful Minifiry a Valid One. 1 9 
 
 fucceeding ages ; yet the 7nain reafon, why fuc-Serm. t« 
 cefs was an argument in the behalf of their mi- ^-OT^*^ 
 niftry, will hold good to vindicate any fuccef- 
 ful miniftry to the end of the world. The num- 
 ber of their converts, and their being converted 
 from Gentilifm and the groffeit idolatry, muft be 
 own'd to be circumftances which greatly in- 
 hanc'd the fuccefs of their miniftry : But ftill 
 the principal reafon, why fuccefs was an attefta- 
 tion of the apoftle*s commiflion, was, that from 
 the fuccefs it appear'd Chrift own'd their miniftry 
 by making it effecftual , the work being too 
 great to be wrought by any but himfelf. Now 
 this is true in all ages, and the converfion of a 
 finner, and the eftabliftiing and improving him 
 afcerwardj muft now as neceffarily be the work 
 of Chrift by his Spirit, as at firft. And there- 
 fore fuccefs muft as really argue the interpofiti- 
 on of Chrift now as ever. And if his interpofi- 
 tion was formsrjy, it muft be fiill an evidence of 
 his owning and authorizing any miniftry. 
 
 7. There is the more reafon to argue the 
 validity of any miniftry from the fuccefs of it, 
 becaufe this is an argument from the principal 
 defign and end of the office. I cannot eafily ima- 
 gine by what better rule we can judge of the 
 goodnefs of any thing, than by its intire tenden- 
 cy and ufefulnefs to promote the chief- end of it. 
 This was the main reafon of the inftitution of the 
 miniftry, that fmners might be converted, and 
 faints edified. That miniftry therefore, which 
 contributes moft to the effe6ling thefe things, 
 muft , without all queftion , be the miniftry 
 which the author of the inftitution does moft 
 approve. 
 
 As that religion muft be beft, which is beft 
 
 contriv*d in its doctrines , rules and motives 
 
 C 2 to 
 
lo An Ufeful Minifirji a Valid One. 
 
 Serm. I. td make men univerfally holy ; and the chrifti-» 
 '^■^'V^*^ an religion has in this refpedt vaftly the advan- 
 tage above any other ; to that miniftry feems 
 always to me mofl approv'd of Chrifl , and 
 therefore fitteft to be chofen by chriftians, which 
 is beft adapted to promote true chriilianity^ and, 
 by the blefling of Chrifl, is made moft effectual 
 to that end. Nor can I apprehend it dangerous 
 for chriflians to have a regard to this rule in 
 making their choice. For, however, they may 
 find themfelves puzzled with the fubtilties of a 
 difpute, and may perhaps be at a lofs what to 
 think of a particular mode and ceremony, whe- 
 ther it be pleafing to Chrifl, or no •, yet that 
 an univerfal holinefs, which is the image of God 
 and of Chrifl, is pleafing to him, mufl be pafl 
 all doubt and queflion with them. And there 
 will be good reafon for them to judge the mini- 
 f Cor ^^^^ ^^^ labourers together with God (or of God) if 
 ill. 9* they can evidently difcern their people are God's 
 hujhandry, are God's building. 
 
 This evidence from fuccefs may be much 
 Hrengthen'd by various other circumflances, 
 which chriftians will eailly obferve to attend a 
 fuccefsful miniflry, and whereby Chrifl, who 
 would not have his people be at a lofs about the 
 means of their edification, will take care to re- 
 commend to them that miniflry, which he befl 
 likes, and will mofl own. Give me leave to 
 name a few of thefe. 
 
 I. Without all doubt, a competent meafure 
 of fcripture knowledge, a profeflion of the true 
 fiith, and a renouncing fuch opinions as are in- 
 confiftent with chriflianity, always accompany 
 the miniftry which Chrifl owns with fuccefs. 
 It Tim. Such are requir'd to be apt to teach •■, but how 
 ni. z. can they be fo, if they are unacquainted with 
 
 the 
 
An Ufeful Minijlry a Valid One. 1 1 
 
 tlie very rule of their teaching ? The fcripture is Serm. I. 
 profitable for doctrine, for reproofs for corre5fion, "-^"^ 
 for inJtru£iion in righteoufnefs . 'That the man of God - Tim. lii. 
 (or minifter of the gofpel) may he perfeof^ through- ' ^^' 
 ly furnijhed unto all good works. 'Tis defireable, 
 they, who are defign'd to teach others, Ihould 
 be, as Timothy was, brought up from their Ch. v. 15. 
 childhood in the knowledge of the holy fcrip- 
 tures. And if men profefs and preach any thing 
 inconfiftent with the main eflential dodrines of 
 chriftianity, they fubvert mens fouls, and can- 
 not be the means of faving- them. Chrift owns 
 not fuch with fuccefs : But they are grievous Afls xx. 
 solves, that fpare not the flock. 'Tis therefore a ^9' 
 necefiary qualification of true minifters, that 
 they hold faft the faithful word, as they have been Tit. i. 9. 
 taught., that they may be able by found do£frine, both 
 to exhort and to convince the gainfayers, 
 
 2. I cannot but think, an apparent regularity 
 of life and converfation is one qualification of 
 the minifters, whom Chrift is pleafed to own 
 with fuccefs, and whom chriftians fhould choofe 
 to adhere to. I am fure, this is abfolutely ne- 
 cefTary, if we may judge by the epiftles to Ti- 
 mothy and Titus ; the author of v/hich thought 
 it very proper alfo to mention the regularity of 
 his own behaviour, when he would recommend 
 himfelf to the Thejfalonians. Te are wiineffes., fays i Theff^ 
 he, and God alfo., how holily., and jufily, and un- "• ^^* 
 blameably we behaved our felves among you that be- 
 lieve. Men will never be heartily concern'd to. 
 fpread that religion, which they have not rhem- 
 felves cordially imbrac'd. Hypocrites may 
 crowd themfelves into the miniflry., as well as 
 into the church., and may demean themfelves fo 
 as to pafs undifcern'd: And in that cafe it may 
 pleafs God to render their miniftry fuccel^ful. 
 C 3 Cha- 
 
'20. 
 
 An Ufcful Mint fir y a Valid One, 
 
 Serm. I. Chanty teaches us to judge men fincere in their 
 v^V^^ pretences, till they evidence the contrary. And 
 it were fad indeed for the church of God, it 
 their edification were fo precarious, as abfolute- 
 ly to depend upon the internal holinefs and 
 fincerity of their miniftcrs. God therefore, 
 out of a regard to his own inftitution, and that 
 charity which he approves in chriftians , 
 may fucceed the miniftrations of fuch. But 
 when thefe hypocrites pull off the mafk, and 
 retain not any longer the outward lliew of ho- 
 linefs and piety, but become openly and Icanda-? 
 loufly loofe, they forfeit all claim to the refped; 
 and charitable opinion of the church of God, and 
 are to be avoided by all ferious chriftians. Now 
 'tis not in this cafe charity, but downright folly 
 and madnefs, for men to think they may fafely 
 put their fouls under their care ; fmce 'tis noto- 
 rious they take no care of their own. And as all 
 hypocrites invading the ofHce are unapprov'dof 
 God, fo when their hypocrify is made manifeft 
 to all, and 'tis therefore apparently the chriftians 
 duty to forfake them j I cannot think , God 
 does any longer own them with fuccefs upon 
 thofe , who through a fupine negligence and 
 iloth remain contented under their ipiiniftry , 
 v/ithout feeking out after a better, as they are 
 bound to do , at the peril of their precious 
 fouls. 
 
 3. Where-cver Chrift owns a miniftry with 
 fuccefs, the main tendency of it will evidently 
 be to promote the mojl momentous and indifputa- 
 ble matters of religion, and not the Witlt peculia- 
 rities of a party. There are fome things , of 
 which we may fay what is faid of meal : They 
 J Go;-. commend us not to God ; for neither if we ufe them,, 
 Yi'-- S' ars vyf the better j neither if we ufe them noty are 
 
 we. 
 
An Ufeful Minijlry a Valid One, a^ 
 
 we the worfe. And where things of this nature Serm. I. 
 ( to fpeak the mofl favourably cf them ) are Wy^ 
 much dwelt upon, and urged with the greateft 
 vehemence, 'tis vifible what the fuccefs is. A 
 minifter*s judgment may be right concerning the 
 lawfulnefs or unlawfulnefs of lefs fubftantial 
 things which are matter of debate j and yet, 
 the allowing an undue proportion of his minifrry 
 and his zeal to them, may very much hinder 
 his promoting thofe ends, by which the fuccefs 
 of any miniftry is chiefly to be difcern'd The 
 great and effential things , that conftitute the 
 kingdom of God (that kingdojn of God, which, our ^"^^ xvii. 
 Saviour fays, cometh not with ohfervation , or*'' 
 pomp and fplendor ; hut is within men) are not ^om. xiv. 
 7ne at and drink, hut righteoufnefs, and peace, andjo'j^''^^^* 
 in the Holy Ghoji. For he that in thefe thijigs ferveth 
 Chrijl, is acceptable to God, and approved of men^ 
 There is no party, but a man may be moulded 
 into the notions and forms by which *tis dillin- 
 guifh'd, and yet remain unacceptable to God. 
 But there is no party of chriftians, wherein 
 righteoufnefs, and peace, and joy in the Holy GheJ}^ 
 will not evi^nce a man a true fubjeft of the 
 kingdom of God, a fervant of Chrift, and moft 
 acceptable to both. 
 
 The defign of the miniftry is to renew depra- 
 ved fouls, to reftore them to a likenefs to God 
 in rio;hteoufnefs and holinefs, and fo to fit them 
 for a blifsful and eternal abode in his prel'ence ; 
 and, in order to thefe things, to gain them ta 
 an unfeigned and intire fubjedlion to the media- 
 tor. The fuccefs of any miniftry lies in obtain- 
 ing thefe ends, and without that all a minifter*s 
 pains are loft. And as that miniftry , which 
 dwells moft upon thefe things, is moft adapted 
 tp. its proper end^ fo 'tis noc hajd to obferve,^ 
 C 4 tba.ti 
 
a 4- An Ufeful Miniftry a Valid One, 
 
 Serm. I. that the bleffing of Chrift moft attends and 
 \yY>^ profpers k. 
 
 4. The fuccefs and ufefulnefs of any miniftry 
 will then be more eafiJy judg'd an evidence of 
 its validity, when the oppojition made againft it is 
 built moft upon weak ZLnd fallible authorities, and 
 but little upon the holy fcriptures. The whole 
 of a chriftian's religion is in his bible, and when 
 he is requir*d to walk by any other rule than that 
 
 Gal. ii. of divine revelation, by thofe who would feem 
 5j 6. to he fomewhat, whatsoever they are, it jnufi make- 
 no matter to him, he is not to give place to them by 
 fiibje^ion, no, not for an hour. If he finds a mi- 
 niftry .agreeable to the holy fcriptures, he may 
 be fatisfied in choofing it, without inquiring whe- 
 ther fathers, fynods, or magiftrates approve it. 
 And it will always be an argument with me of 
 the validity of any miniftry, when I fee the fierce 
 and crafty adverfaries of it at a great lofs for 
 fcripture arguments to overthrow it. 
 
 5. The argument from fuccefs receives an 
 additional ftrength, when that fuccefs is obtain'd 
 by a miniftry, notwithftanding many worldly 
 difcoiiragements which attend it. ItAas been or- 
 dinarily the lot of God's moft faimful fervants 
 to meet with little countenance from men. The 
 world lies in wickednefs, and the ftream ufes to 
 run ftrongly againft thofe who teftify againft the 
 wickednefs of it. 
 
 A perfecuting fpirit is a fhrewd fign of an ill. 
 caufe ; and thofe men, whofe weapons are carnal, 
 and who defire to inforce their difcipline by op- 
 preffion, manage their warfare in a very different 
 manner from the apoftles. But to be ufcd hard- 
 ly and unkindly, to be defpifed and perfecu^d 
 for confcience Hike, yields a ftrong prefumption 
 of a man's finceriiy, and that he is accuftom'd 
 
 to 
 
An Ufeful Minifiry a Valid One, a 5 
 
 to the pradbice of the duty of felf-denial, which Serm. I. 
 our Lord has declar'd abfolutely neceflary in all w^^^^s/ 
 
 his difciples. And when they, who have no 
 carnal weapons to back their arguments, but 
 meet with a violent oppofition from their neigh- 
 bours , are favoured with the moll fuccefs in 
 their miniftrations, 'tis a fign of the goodnefs of 
 their warfare, and that their weapons are^ thought Cox, x./^, 
 not carnal^ yt might') through God, to the pulling 
 down firong holds. The divine power is more 
 confpicuous, in converting fmners, when there 
 are no worldly advantages on the fide of truth 
 to recommend it. 
 
 It cannot be thought unreafonable to lay fome 
 ftrefs upon this, fmce the apoflle in this very 
 epiftle argues from fome fuch conliderations the 
 preferablenefs of his own miniftry to that of his 
 competitors -, and fpeaks as though an excefs in 
 fuffering were a full proof of a fuperiority in 
 office. Are they minifiers of Chrift ? (I fpeak as a Ch.xi,i}; 
 fool) I am more : In labours more abundant, in 
 jlripes above 7neafure (or more exceedingly) in 
 prifons more frequent, in deaths oft, &c. 
 
 I forbear to mention, as I might, other cha- 
 raflers of a true miniftry, but proceed to appl-j 
 what has been faid in thefe three following re- 
 fledlions. 
 
 I. If by fuch things, as thofe infifted on, the 
 validity and goodnefs of any miniftry may be 
 difcern'd, the objections againft our miniftry are 
 certainly of no moment •, but our claims and pre- 
 tenfions muft be fupported by much better and 
 ftronger arguments, than are theirs who objed: 
 with fo much fury againft us. As often as I fe- 
 rioufly confider the ftate of our prefent differen- 
 ces, and review the little obfervation I have 
 
 made 
 
56 An Ufeful Miniflry a Valid One, 
 
 Scrm. I. made in the world, I am forc'd to fall in and 
 v/'V*-' finifh all with that determination : fit anima meet 
 cum "puritanh anglicanis. And 'tis a confiderable 
 pleafure and fatisfadlion to me, to find my felf 
 join'dwith thofe on earth, with whom, my con- 
 fcience tells me, 1 cannot but defire to be num^ 
 ber'd at the great leparation of the laft day. 
 
 I am fenfible this argument may feem invidi- 
 cuSy and many will be apt to think it carries in 
 it an air of boafiing, and fo of vanity and folly. 
 Bur they, who will be forwardeil to cenfure our 
 argument, have, of all men, moft reafon to be 
 fatisfied with the apology, which, with the apo- 
 sCor. Itle, we make for our felves. For if we are Z'^- 
 ^f^^' come fools in gloryi?tg, we may well expe6t they 
 fhould hear with our foll^j^ iince they are them- 
 felves the perfons who have compeWd its. I hope 
 it will be no offence, that we fliew our felves 
 tender of the reputation of our miniflry. If we 
 were as indifferent about that as we fee many 
 are, we fliould have little reafon to complain of 
 any perfons judging us unworthy of the chara- 
 €ttr. I am lure none can have reafon to be of- 
 fended, that in a place, where we are affauked 
 with fo much violence, we defend our felves, 
 and for a juftification of our miniflry appeal with 
 the apoflle to the ufefulnefs of it, humbly re- 
 quelling our adverfaries, if they think fit, to 
 put their miniflry upon the like trial. 
 
 Let then the lives and converfations of our 
 people be compar'd with thofe of their neigh- 
 bours •, I am fure we need not fear the fentence 
 of any indifferent and impartial judge. Nay, 
 our advcrfiiries themfelves mufl give it in our- 
 favour, if they will but honeflly own, by what 
 rule they guefs at the chara6lers and principles, 
 of flrangers when they happen into their com,- 
 
 pany. 
 
An Ufeful Miniflry a Valid One, ay 
 
 pany. Let them but frankly declaise, on which Serm. I^ 
 fide they ordinarily fufpecfl the fwearer and the n-/"V^sJ' 
 
 drunkard to be, and what opinion they enter- 
 tain of fuch as abftain from, and ihew an abhor- 
 rence of thofe vices. 
 
 I own we are not free from hypocrites. What 
 church ever was from the beginning of the 
 world ? Nor are we clear in our affemblies of all 
 loofe perfons •■> but I verily think our communi- 
 ons are not ordinarily to be reproach' d for perfons 
 openly fcandalous and profane. Thofe of fuch 
 a character muft belong to another, if they are 
 of any communion ; for no intereft of a party 
 prevails with us to receive or keep them know- 
 ingly in ours. No one, that I know of, charges 
 us with fuffering the deifts and open debauchees 
 to thruft themfelves in to receive the Lord's 
 fupper among us, as a qualification for offices 
 and places of profit and trufl, to the fcandal of 
 our funftion, and the vileft proilitution of the 
 moft facred of all our Lord's ordinances and 
 inftitutions. When fuch as have been brought 
 up among us become loofe and vicious, they 
 know they can't exped: to be eafy in our com- 
 munions, and therefore foon leave us j and, I 
 hope, without our regret, unlefs we could fee 
 them mend among us. And the ufefulnefs of 
 our miniftry is confirm'd by this common obfer- 
 vation : That fuch as leave us ordinarily grow 
 worfe, and they who come over to us frequently 
 grow better. 
 
 Farther i were not our people free from the 
 horrid fins, which are fo prevailing in the land, 
 their adverfaries would not fail to make them 
 hear of them, and would have lefs occafion to 
 charge them fo often with fufpedled crimes only 
 without evidence j and the cry of hypocrify 
 
 would 
 
2 8 An Ufeful Minifiry a Valid One, 
 
 Serm. I. w^ould be much weaker, and the charge of par- 
 V'^V^^ ricular vices and immoralities , that could be 
 proved, would be much louder. Were I'canda- 
 lous perfons as rife in our communion , as in 
 theirs, they would not triumph at the rate they 
 fbmetimes do ; when they think they have got 
 an advantage by a particular perfon*s difgracing 
 his profeffion. Single inftances of immorality 
 among us would then be as little taken notice of 
 as they are now among them. In fhort, li fo- 
 hrieiyy righteouf?iefs and godlinefs, are the great 
 things, which ihe grace of God teaches, and the 
 ■ ^race of God is there bell learn'd, and confe- 
 cpafently befl taught, where thefe things are moft 
 prevailing •, we may fafely venture the reputa- 
 tion of our -miniftry upon this iffue, what com- 
 munion thefe" things are moft to be found in ; 
 and that notwithftanding the vaft inequality of 
 oi|r numbers. 
 
 When our intereft was very great in the na- 
 tion, and it was thought neceifary to weaken, 
 and ( if poffihle ) deftroy it, perfecuting, and 
 the incouraging vice and debauchery, were 
 judged the moft proper methods in order to it. 
 And when i?iiqmty abounded, our intereft with 
 that 6f religion, or plain comnion chriftianity 
 (for we plead for no other) confiderabiy decli- 
 ned , and our miniftry became lefs fuccefsful 
 ,than it had been before. And yet I doubt not 
 but the greateft ftiare of the little religion and 
 piety, that has continued in the nation, has been 
 owing to that miniftry which is at this day fo 
 much defpifed and viliiied. And doubtlefs the 
 methods, which our adverfaries then took, dif- 
 eover'd plainly enough what opinion they had 
 of us, and that their difpleafure againft us was, 
 becaufe they thoyght we had too m.uch religion j 
 
 aU 
 
An Ufcful Minifiry a Valid One. 29 
 
 although God at the fame time permitted their Serm. L 
 fiiry, that by his righteous judgments he might v^'V""^-", 
 rebuke us for having fo little , and finking fo 
 much below the piety of our anceftors. 
 
 Farther ; if men will calmly confider thefe 
 things, the other circumftances I mention'd, 
 will, I doubt not, be found to accompany and 
 recommend the miniftry I plead for. 
 
 I. Our adverfaries themfelves pretend not, I 
 think, to charge us with holding opinions con- 
 trary to the chriftian faith. They are pleafed 
 indeed to make a Ihew of defpifing us as meanly 
 qualified. And 'tis no wonder, if under our dif- 
 advantages there are fome, whofe attainments in. 
 learning are lefs than one would defire in a mi- 
 nifter. They ought not however to bear hard 
 upon us •, confidering how much worfe it hz.^ 
 been with themfelves, and that there was a time^ 
 when many illiterate tradefmen were put into 
 the miniftry among themfelves, whofe publick 
 performances were only reading prayers and ho- 
 milies ; and confidering efpecially that notwith- 
 ftanding all their prefent advantages, 'tis much 
 worfe with them Itill. For, I hope, the greater 
 part of tbofe, who come to he ordained among us, 
 are not ignorant to a degree not to he apprehended hy 
 ihofe^ who are not obliged to know it j and that the 
 greateft -part of knowledge is not that to which they 
 are the greatejl Jlrangers^ I mean the plainefi parts 
 of the fcriptures. I am well fatisfied, if there 
 could be found any fo ignorant among us, they 
 could not fay in excufe of their ignorance, That 
 their tutors never me?ition the reading of the fcrip- ' 
 tures to them. We have none fo unacquainted 
 with the fcriptures, as that they can give no account, 
 or at leafi a very imperfett one, of the contents even 
 of the gofpels. We have none, whofe ignorance is 
 
 fuch. 
 
go An Ufeful Mimjiry a Valid One. 
 
 Serm. l.fucb, that in a well regulated fiate of things thej 
 V'V^^ would appear not knowing enough to be admitted to 
 the holy facrament. I hope, [o grofs an ignorance 
 ■ in the fundamentals of religion has not fpread it felf 
 fo much among thofe of our fide, who ought to teach 
 others, as that they Jieed that one teach them the firfi 
 See Bifhop principles of the oracles of God. Such kind of in- 
 o/Sarum'jfufficiency they will not charge us with, as they 
 ¥ref. to his J^now we can them, upon the evidence and tefti- 
 Tafi.care^ Hiony of an excellent perfon, who has an oppor- 
 ' tunity of knowing it, and is fo honeft and fair 
 not to diifemble that fad truth, which he is 
 forc'd, with all good men, grievoufly to be- 
 wail. 
 
 2. Our minifters are not loofe and dforderly in 
 their behaviour. When any become fo, they 
 foon fink their reputation, and their miniftry is 
 quickly at an end among us. Or, if it be not,* 
 the people only can be to blame, who, as they 
 ought, fo they have it in their power eafily to 
 rid themfelves of it. And 'tis unreafonable wc 
 Ihould be reproach'd with any vicious perfons, 
 whom we have rejefted ; at leaft, it will not be 
 very modeft for thofe to upbraid us, who have 
 been fo kind as to receive them to officiate in 
 their own church. 
 
 3. Nothing can be more evident to thofe^ 
 who are at all acquainted with our miniftry , 
 than that it aims at promoting the great and ef- 
 fential things of our holy religion, viz. the ex-^ 
 plaining and urging upon men repentance towards 
 God, faith in our Lord Jefus Chrift, and an uni- 
 Verfal obedience to his laws. 
 
 We have plainly difcover'd a greater concern 
 
 to make our hearers good chrijlia'ns, than zealous 
 
 party men. And, to fpeak freely, I think we 
 
 have been almoft univerfally guilty of an error, 
 
 2 though 
 
An Ufeful Mlniflry a Valid One. 5 1 
 
 though 'tis an error (as they fay) on the right Serm. I. 
 hand : That we have wholly, in a manner , ^^'V^ 
 wav'd in our fermons the matters in controverfy 
 between us and our adverfaiies, which though 
 they are of little moment, if compar'd with the 
 other, yet doubtlefs are of too great moment to 
 be quite left out of our difcourfes. Herein, I 
 think, we have been injurious to our own inte- 
 reft and that of truth. 
 
 But if we confider what courfe has been taken 
 by many of our adverfaries, their error will ap- 
 pear to have been much worfe. The heat of 
 their zeal againft us has confum'd their difcreti- 
 on, and their very miniftry it felf The tenden- 
 cy of a great part of their fermons has been not 
 to inform but abufe mens judgments, and in- 
 flame their anger and wrath. They have not 
 only lavifli'd away their miniftry upon the leaft 
 ufeful fubjedls, but by their preaching have ren- 
 der'd their hearers of a more malicious and inve- 
 terate, that is, of a more unchriftian fpirit than 
 they would otherwife have been. 
 
 4. With what weapons have our adverfaries 
 managed their oppofition againft our miniftry ? 
 Thofe who are vers'd in our controverfy cannot 
 but obferve a great fcarcity of fcripture argu- 
 ments, wliere our adverfaries Ihould have been 
 moft copious in them, confidering what great 
 ftrefs they are pleas'd to lay upon the things ; 
 for what reafon they can tell beft themfelves. 
 One chief aim of their managers feems to be, to 
 lead men from the fcriptures to fathers and conn- 
 cilsy not becaufe their conftitution is not con- 
 demn'd by them, but becaufe they know the 
 people have neither time, nor capacity to ex- 
 amine thefe ; and fo when they have got them 
 into fuch a wood, they hope eafily to bewilder 
 and loole them in it. *Tis 
 
5^ An Ufefal Minifiry a Valid One. 
 
 5erm. I. 'Tis vifible, the little narrow intereft of a 
 ■;^^y^>m^ party runs through all that fome men meddle 
 with, and fpoils much good, which fome of their 
 defigns would otherwife probably produce, and 
 in the advancement of which, if they were gene- 
 roufly purfued, we Ihould readily join with them. 
 I appeal for the truth of what I fay, to their ma- 
 nagement of charity fchools^ and their [ociety for 
 propagating the gofpet : Concerning which I mud 
 fay, 'tis great pity good defigns fhould be fpoil- 
 ed, and that men fhould give fo much occafion 
 that their goodJJoould be evilfpoken of. 
 
 I would not here be mifunderflood, as though, 
 while I make this comparifon, I defign'd to con- 
 fine the fuccefs of the m.iniftry to that of any one 
 fingle denomination among us. I perfuade my 
 felf, there are among the minifters of all par- 
 ties, thofe, who prefer the moft important mat- 
 ters of religion to the lelTer things, by which 
 their party is diftinguiih'd. And where the ap- 
 pearance is fmalleft, we will not eafily be per- 
 fuaded that their cafe is not better than that of 
 the church ofSardis, which, notwithftanding all 
 ■ her faults, deferv'd this teftimony of our Lord : 
 Kcv.iii. /^.'Thou hafi a few names even in Sardis. So glori- 
 oufly does charity overcome and triumph over 
 that unreafonablenefs, unmercifulnefs and cruel- 
 ty that oppofe it. Would to God our adverfa- 
 ries, who feem to have a very defeftive noti- 
 on of that virtue, the name of which they fo 
 much magnify, would fo far lay afide their pre- 
 judices, as to look abroad among their neigh- 
 bours, and learn from them, what that charity 
 t Cor.xiii. is, which fiiffers long^ and is kind, which neither 
 4» 5j 6, 7-envieth, nor is rafh, which Jeeketh not her own, is 
 not eafily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in 
 iniqiiity , which heareth all things , indureth all 
 
 things^ 
 
An UJeful Miniflry a Valid One\ ^ J 
 
 things^ hopeth all things, and fometimes hopeth a-Serm. I. 
 gainft hope. For our part, we can truly fay, ♦•V!^ 
 when we fee minifters unblemifh'd in their repu* 
 tation, and zealous in their indeavours to pro- 
 mote the great ends of our holy religion, we 
 heartily rejoice ; we defire not they fhould be 
 forbidden, or any ways hinder'd, much lefs that 
 fire Jhould come down from heaven and confiime them, 
 though xhty follow not with us: May they go on 
 andprofper. For fince they work the work of the 
 Lord, even as we alfo do, and in the main walk by 
 the fame rule with us, why fhould we not wifh, that 
 peace may be on them, as we doubt not, they alfo 
 do on us ? But give ine leave to fay, that thefe, 
 though the ornaments of their communion, can 
 add but little reputation to the angry generation, 
 who are fo free in condemning us. My reafon is 5 
 becaufe they are afham'd of all fuch, and number 
 chem on our fide ; who own our felves not dif- 
 pleas'd at our having them, and all honeft and 
 good men reckon'd in the fame interell with our 
 felves. 
 
 5. Finally -, The bittereft of all our adverfa- 
 ries themfeves cannot be difpleas'd, if of the laft 
 circumflance, which ferves to recommend a mi- 
 niflry, we fpeak with fome kind of triumph j I 
 mean, our being embarrafs'd with ail vifible dif- 
 ccuragements. For we can bear them record, they 
 have been always induftrious to furnifh us with 
 it, and have been willing we fhould keep this 
 argument intirely to our felves. And for our part, 
 we are contentedly deflitute of thofe fecular ad- 
 vantages, without which, we apprehend, their 
 caufe would foon fmk to the ground. We envy 
 them not their tithes and large revenues. Though, 
 our fubfiitence is meaner and more precarious, 
 yet 'tis the more fatisfaftory to us, becaufe it 
 D comes 
 
54 An Ufeful Mimflry a Valid One. 
 
 Serm. I. comes in juft the fame honeft way it did to the 
 ^•V-Nm' apoftles and firft minifters of the chriftian church. 
 We repine not, that we have no fpiritual courts (as 
 they call them) to inforce our difcipline with a 
 temporal power. If the authority of Chrift will 
 not make men regard us, we own we are not dif- 
 pos'd to drive a trade in excojnjnunkations and ab^ 
 folutions, which yet (I promife you) is like to 
 prove a very profitable one, as foon as ever the 
 people can be inflav'd into the belief of the priefts 
 abfolute power of forgiving fins. And while our 
 confciences are clear, and tefbify we have not at 
 the hands of men deferv'd them, we glory in the 
 . P .. hardlhips formerly or lately laid upon us. fVe 
 jQ^ ' 'take pleafure in infirmities^ in reproaches^ in necejfi* 
 ties, in perfecutions, in dijlrejfes for Chrijl*s 
 i Cor. v'lj^ke. We hope we have in all things ap- 
 43 5? 8, ^, proved our f elves as the minifiers of God, in much 
 patience, in affii^ions, in necejfities, in difi:reffes, in 
 imprifomnents, in tumults, by honour anddijlmiour^ 
 by evil report arid good report : as deceivers and yet 
 true, as unknown and yet well known. And fince 
 fuch things are fupposM to inhance and embellilh 
 the character of a minifter, we take the liberty 
 to fay of our adverfaries, uire they minifiers of 
 Chrifi ? we are more. 
 
 2. If the fuccefs of any miniftry is an evidence 
 of the goodnefs of it •, this may very well be ap- 
 plied to thofe in the miniflry •, and may ferve to 
 dire5f them in their aims, and quicken them in 
 their indeavours. Let us, my brethren, make 
 it our chief aim to form our hearers to the mind 
 and will of Chrift. In what pain was this great 
 apoftle of the Gentiles for the fuccefs of his mini- 
 Gal.iv'.ip.^^y- My little children, fays he to the Galatiansy 
 of whom I travail again in birth^ until Chriji be 
 i Cor. \\ formed in you. He tells his Corinihians '■> he was 
 2> 5« jealous 
 
4n Ufcful Minijlry a Valid One. 3 5 
 
 jealous over them with a godly jealoufy^ hecaufe he hadSQrm. !• 
 efpoufed them to one hujhandy that he might -prefent wOTV 
 them as a chafte virgin to Chrifi : But he now 
 fear*d, left by any tneans, as the ferpent beguiled Eve 
 thro* his fubtHty, Jo their minds Jhould be corrupted 
 from the fimplicity that is in Chrift. So earneilly . 
 intent was he upon this defign, that he gave him- 
 felf wholly to the preaching of the gofpel, as 
 the moft likely way to promote it ; and there- 
 fore left the work of baptizing^ as an inferiour 
 part of his office, to others, and thanks God he 
 had baptized very few among the Corinthians, left jCoj..i i<: 
 any Jhould ftiy he had baptized in his own name \ 
 that is, left any fliould fay he was fetting up a 
 little faftion or party of his own, and debafmg 
 the inftitution of Chrift (as we fee men do) to ad- 
 vance it. He tells us exprefly : Chrift fent him mf^^^^' ^^< 
 to baptize, but to preach the gofpel, i. e. He fent 
 him not fo much to baptize as to preach. This 
 was his chief work, and therefore he applied him- 
 felf moft induftrioufly to it, A very different 
 temper certainly his was, from what appears in 
 fome men, who, were it not for us, and to pre- 
 vent their peoples coming after us, would not 
 care how little they preach'd the gofpel -, but as 
 for baptizing, Oh ! by all means, they would 
 ingrofs it to themfelves ; and rather than fail, 
 they will do it where 'tis wholly needlefs, having 
 been done before •, and fo they make Chrift*s or- 
 dinance ferve to lift men into, and promote the 
 little intereft of their own feft. So ambitious are 
 they of doing that, of the defign of which this 
 apoftle could not imagine himfelf fufpeded with- 
 out the utmoft indignation and abhorrence. But 
 I muft do this angry generation (who have lately 
 begun this pradlice) the juftice, as to own they 
 now begin to treat both facramencs impartially, 
 and with equal reverence ; . for the other facra^ 
 D 2 ment 
 
An Ufeful Miniflry a Valid One] 
 
 I. ment has been vilely proftituted by them for a 
 longtime. But let us, my brethren, follow the 
 example of this blefled apoftle, and layoutouf 
 care, in the firft place, upon the great and effen-^ 
 'tial matters of our holy religion. Let us -preach 
 
 Col. i. 17, Chrift, the hope of glor'j^ warning every man, and. 
 
 iSj ip. leaching every ?nan in all wifdofn, that we may pre- 
 fent every inan perfeEl in Chrifi Jefus : Herein alfb 
 let us labour, Jiriving according to his working in usl 
 Let us earneftly indeavour to convert /inner s it otri 
 the error of their ways, and to confinn, efiallijhy 
 and improve the faints. And in order hereunto^ 
 let us fervently implore the aids of the divine 
 fpirit, who alone can crown our labours with fuc- 
 cefs -, and fo write the laiJus of Chrifi upon the 
 fiefhly tables of our hearers hearts, as that they 
 may evidently appear to be the epifile of Chrifi 
 in our behalf If we can obtain many fuch fr<f- 
 dentials, we may patiently bear the infults of our 
 adverfaries, and reft fatisfied in the evidence we 
 have, that our miniftry is acceptable to God. 
 
 3. And now, in the laft place, let me apply 
 what has been faid to you, who are our beloved 
 
 iCor.iu 4. j.^^^^^^ You fee, my brethren, w^^^ /r^//, what 
 confidence we have through Chrifi to Godward con^ 
 cerningyou. Wecanboaftofmanyof you. Woiild 
 to God we could fay fo of you all. We are griev'd^ 
 when we perceive that we labour in vain as to 
 
 Gal.iv. 19. any of you. We earneftly long, and travail as it 
 •sv.ere in birth, until we fee Chrifi formed in you. 
 
 zCor.vi.i.j^j^^ ^j workers together with God, we befeech' you 
 ^Ifo, that ye receive not the > grace of God in 
 ■vaini ' We warn you, that you delude not 
 your felves with a formal profefiion ; that 
 you think not an: ordinary- attendance on our 
 ^■niniftratioiis is all you fliould look after. Our 
 jnftruelions will do you no good, if you will not 
 •t^y your felves ferioufiy confider thetn, and turn 
 jnsi.. them 
 
An Ufeful Minifiry a Valid One, 57 
 
 them intQ importunate petitions. Pray then forSerm. I. 
 the fandifying operations of God's fpirit, that -OT's- 
 he may write the laws of Chrilt in yotir hearts. 
 Then ihall you be the epiJlleofChrifiy which we 
 ihall have reafon to blefs God for. We doubt not 
 God has already done this in many of you, and 
 WQ glorify God for your profeJfedfuhje£tion to the go f- » Cor. ix; 
 'pel ofChrift. But this we ijoifh^ even your perfection. 1 3- 
 We claim no authority, we defire no refped, ^^°i"- ^"''' 
 but for your benefit, which we would gladly^' 
 adapt all our miniflrations to ; being earneftly 
 defirous to do all things^ dearly beloved^ for your edi~ , q^^ ^^j 
 fying. And therefore this we befeech you^ brethren^ 1 9. 
 and exhort you by the Lordjefus^ that as ye have xlhz^Av. 
 received of us fcripture diredions, how ye oiigot ''• 
 to walky and to pleafe God, fo ye tvould abound more 
 and more. . We cannot be in any pain as to your 
 opinion of us •■, for however we fhould not be 
 minifters in the efleem of others, who avoid us, 
 and condemn us, without knowing us ; yet our 
 minifiry will be indifputable with you, v/ho are 
 our work, and the feal of our miniftry in the. Lord. 
 If we may find our minifiry fuccefeful upon you, 
 to increafe all the graces of God's fpirit in you, 
 we fhall think we approve our felves the miniflers 
 of Chrifl, and fhall be eafy and patient under the 
 cenfures and reproaches of unreafonable men. 
 
 Let me now therefore befeech, nay, require 
 you all by the refpecl you profefs to have for us, 
 that you make your 'profiting appear to all men-. 
 Your other refpeft, whatever it be, will not fitis- 
 fy gs without this :, for we feek not yours but you. » Cor. xii. 
 By this you will fecure your own reputation as 14. 
 chriftians, and ours as the miniflers of Chrift a- 
 mong you. We fear not the fophip-y of our 
 adverfaries, which we have eafily detected •, may 
 we but fee our felves more fecur'd with argu- 
 ments from your condud. Upon you therefore, 
 » D 3 dearly 
 
^8 An Ufeful Minifiry a Valid One, 
 
 Serm. I. dearly beloved, we leave the honour and reputa- 
 
 ,„^-VN-' tion of our defpifed miniftry. See that you fairly 
 
 and fully vindicate it, by demonitrating the ufe- 
 
 fulnefs of it, mtht fohriety, righteoufnefs^ and^pJ- 
 
 linefs of your lives and converfations. You know 
 
 that well-doing is prefcrib'd as the ready way to 
 
 I'Pct^i.i^.fui to filencs the ignorance of fooUjh men: and no 
 
 doubt it will flop the mouths of gainfayers, or make 
 
 them appear foolifh and extravagant in their 
 
 tph.v. i^.oppofition. See then that you all walk circum- 
 
 fpe5lly^ not as fools hut as wife. Exercife your felves 
 
 Acts '^^^' ' j^gygifi daily ^ to keep confciences void of offence to- 
 
 ■p^ll'^lj^, ward God and toward men. Work out your falva^ 
 
 a Pet. i. < tion with fear and trembling. And giving all dili- 
 
 ^, 7, 8, gence, add to your faith, virtue j and to virtue, 
 
 lOj i;. knowledge \ and to knowledge ., temperance ; and to 
 
 temperance^ patience s and to patience, godltnefs ;' 
 
 and to godlinefs, brotherly kindnefs -, and to brotherly 
 
 kindnejs, charity. For ifthefe things are in you, and 
 
 abound, they make you that ye/foall neither be barren, 
 
 2ior unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jefus 
 
 Chrifi. And if ye do theje things ye fhall never 
 
 fall : for fo an entrance jhall be minifired unto you 
 
 abundantly, into the everlafling kingdom of our Lord. 
 
 and Saviour Jefus Chrifi. And then neither your 
 
 not having epifcopal baptifm, nor your failing 
 
 at your graves of having the kind and charitable 
 
 words fiid over you, which ufe to be faid over 
 
 fwearers, drunkards, whoremongers and thieves, 
 
 ihall be able to keep you out from thence. 
 
 ' Thefe therefore are the things we in treat you 
 
 to mind for your own fake, and for ours ; and 
 
 in thefe accomplifh'd in you, wedefire to rejoice 
 
 both now, and in the great day. For what is our 
 
 ^■. 7ht^. il hope, or joy, or crozvn of rejoycing ? Are not ye 
 
 i9.i io. ^rjgyi jfi f}jg prefence of our Lord Jefus Chrifi at his 
 
 soming ? For ye are our glory and joy ^ 
 
 Pres^^ 
 
J? 
 
 Presbyterian Ordination frovd regular. 
 A 
 
 SERMON 
 
 Prc^ch'd at an 
 
 ORDINATION. 
 
 PRE Face 
 
 THE world is fo wellflock'd with fermons 
 of all forts, that 1 am fenfible it has 
 little occafwn for any of mine. That 
 which J lately puhUjh^d, intitled, Aa 
 yfeflil miniftry, a valid one, had as much right as 
 mofi to the common -plea for printing fermons ; 
 the importunity of friends. But I knew, if the i^x- 
 mon needed an apology, the ufing fuch an one could 
 do it no fervice, and 7night bring in the reputation 
 of my friends to fuffer together with my own : For 
 which reafon, I mentioned nothing of their requefiy 
 either in the title page, or in a preface. ^'Twas 
 ihe unhappinefs of that fermon to be mifunderjhood 
 by fnme : And. upon them I lay all the blame of the 
 P 4. ' worlds :■ 
 
46 
 
 The Preface. 
 
 world's being troubled with this. For to fay the 
 truth, the reafon why I lately preached, and now 
 fublijh this fermon, is not fo much to gratify the 
 requeji of friends, as to vindicate i?iy felf, and that 
 truth which fame were pleased 4o think I had relin- 
 quijh'd. 
 
 Every one knows what a mighty fiir our adver- 
 faries have made about ordination, confining the 
 minijlry to thofe who have a 'prelate's hand laid upon 
 them, whatever the fpirit is which rules in their 
 hearts. "Their way of managing the controverfy about 
 ordination, has been, what they would certainly 
 have chofen, if they had deftgn'd to puzzle the cojn- 
 mon people, rather than inform them. I was wil- 
 ling to let our people fee, they have no need to trou- 
 ble themf elves about what they bring from fathers, 
 and councils : and that there is a fhorter way of 
 trying the pretences of epifcopal and dijfeniing mini- 
 
 ' fters, . / am the better pleas' d with what I have 
 
 fuggefied to our people ; becaufe I have only followed 
 the, ej^ample 'of our blejfed Saviour, who has dj- 
 rcofed his followers to difcover falfe teachers by their 
 
 Matt. vVhfridts, without mentioning any thing of their mijfion. 
 
 iSj c?'^'- Beware of falfe prophets, which come to you in 
 iheep's cloathing, but inwardly they are raven- 
 ing wolves. Ye Ihall know them by their fruits : 
 Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of 
 tliiftlcs ? even fo every good tree bringeth forth 
 good fruit , but a corrupt tree evil fruit. A^^ 
 good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither 
 cart a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Eve- 
 ry tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is 
 hewn down and cafb into the fire. Wherefore 
 by their fruit ye Ihall know them. And with- 
 out ail ckubt, this is a warrant to the people of 
 England, to beware of a great part of thofe who 
 'hsuld invalidate all pur minijlrations. For if loofe-r 
 
 vefi 
 
The Preface^ 4.1 
 
 nefs and debauchery ; iinthankfulnefs to God and 
 man for the greatejl deliverances -, /owing jlrife and 
 contention ; the ftirring up to [edition^ rapine and 
 facrilege ; jhe in cour aging rebellion agai?ift the beji 
 of kings ; and the prevaricating both with God and 
 man in fubfcriptions, prayers, and the mojl plainy 
 exprefs and folemn . oaths •, if thefe, I fay, are not 
 fruits bad enough to prove men falfe prophets, and 
 to teach us to beware of them, I can*t conceive what 
 life our Saviour's rule can be of. My defign^ 
 therefore, being to teach men to judge of minijlers 
 pretenfwns by Juch a kiiid of 7'ule, I purpofely wav^d 
 the whole hufinefs of ordination. 
 
 Some have overlooked the nature of that Succefs 
 I argued from, in the fermon, which is no other 
 than the forming Clirift in men, fo as that the'^ 
 become the epiftle of Chrift. Some have thought 
 the apoftle could not prove his apoftlefJoip by fuccefs ; 
 hecaufe then every fuccefsful minifter would be proved 
 an apoftle. A fhort anfwer to which, and to other 
 objeofions of the like nature, is fufficient : That fuc- 
 cefs only proves men to be what they pretend to, 
 and not what they do not. 
 
 But the greateft caufe of my being mifunderftood„ 
 is, that fame of my readers have fiot diftingtiifh' d 
 between a valid and a regular miniftry j but ima- 
 gined my argument was difign^d to prove the re- 
 gularity of a miniftry by the fuccefs of it. 
 
 What my feniiments are of a regular miniftry, 
 and fomc of my reafons for my opinion, may be 
 ften in the enfuing fermon. They feem very plain 
 to me, and I am not without hope, they may be of 
 fervice to fuch, whofe prejudices are not fo ftrovg 
 as to hinder an impartial examination. But how- 
 ever fatisfy'd I am in the courfe I have taken, I 
 cannot invalidate the mini ft rations of all thofe, who 
 are of another mind -, nor would I venture to re- 
 ' " " • ' hdptizi 
 
41 The Preface. 
 
 baptize perfons, who had been baptized before hy fuch 
 as aoied without that folemn ordination, without 
 which I Poould not dare to a5l as a mimjier »zy 
 [elf. And truly^ when I obferve how the apoftle 
 
 iTin " < ^^ ^^ "^^^^ begins his advice to Timothy, telling 
 'him, that charity is the end of the command- 
 ment, T«? Tstg^f^sAjetf, either the minifterial 
 
 ver. 1%, charge, as the word is ufed •, this charge I com- 
 mit unto thee: Or the gQfpel in general ; I fay^ 
 when I ohferve this, I find my felf much inclined 
 to yield to the influence of charity, in judging of 
 the validity of perfons minijlrations. Nay, I thinks 
 I am ordered to do fo by that very compreheyifive 
 
 'iCor. xvuifjjun^ion : Let all your things be done with 
 
 ^■"' charity. 'Tis really Jhocking to ?ne, becauje it car-, 
 
 ries in it an injurious reflection upon the goodnefi 
 of God, to imagine, that he will merely for the 
 want of a ceremony in a minifler's ordination, o- 
 ptittcd not through wilfulnefs, but mijlake, damn him,_ 
 though he has all the other qualifications of a Tninifler, 
 and damn all thofe who attend his minijlrations, how 
 chrifiian foever their temper and converfations are. 
 To fuch a length have the furious bigots of our time 
 carried their uncharitable and wicked principles, 
 invalidating the minifterial a5ls of all prot eft ants 
 but themfelves, and difowning the chriftianity of all 
 dijfenters, and conftgning them over, as a parcel of 
 heathens, to the everlafting flames. 
 
 'Tis not eafy to think thefe men believe themfelveSy 
 when they ajjert, we are no chriftians. I am fure 
 their aEiions evidently contradioi their affertion, and 
 fix upon them the charge of- the vileft hypocrify. 
 *Tis, I think, a certain truth, and never contefted 
 in the proteftant world ; that the dfcipline of the 
 church only extends to the ?nembers of it ; and that 
 thofe who were never in it, are not liable by excom- 
 viunications to be caft. out of it. In former times it 
 
 ufed 
 
The Preface. 
 
 nfed to he alleged, that baptifm made per Jons mem- 
 hers of the catbolick church ; and that the baptifm 
 adminiftred by dijfenters made men members of ths 
 eftablijhed church, becaufe that alone was the catho- 
 Ikk church in England. Andfo the poor dijfenters 
 had it very granjely proved upon them, that they 
 were members of the catholick church of England, 
 and liable to her cenfures, &c. But after we were 
 deliver'* d from that opprejfwn, and that occafional 
 do5frine was rendered ufehfs -, they pleaded, vJe ne- 
 ver were members of the catholick church, jind 
 yet thofe men who fo earnefily cotitended, we are no 
 chrifiians, have of late been as earneji in firiving 
 to bring us into our former bondage to their fpiri^ 
 tual courts ; and were the contrivers of the firfl 
 draught of the fchifm-bill. 'Tzvould be happy for 
 lis, if they would fhew any confifiency and fincerit'j 
 in their t?'eating us. If they dcfire to have us fub- 
 jeHl to their ecclefiafticcil courts, let them own, we 
 are qualified to be fo, by being baptized members of 
 the catholick church : Or, if they deny our baptifm 
 and our chriflianity, let them hearken to common 
 fenfe, and the example of the primitive church, who 
 never pretended thus to exercife difcipUne^ and to 
 cenfure and excommunicate perfons not being of the 
 church, and who fcorn*d to receive any part of 
 their maintenance fro?n heathens, here ticks, or fchif- 
 7na ticks. Were it left to me to determine which of 
 thefe two they foould choofe, I fhould certainly prefer 
 the latter, i'he advantage of which is obvious •, and 
 the prejudice I fhould efteem inconfiierable. For tho* 
 I heartily love all fiber and moderate men of the- 
 eflahlifh^d communion, yet I fhould very little regard 
 the ill opinion of the furious generation. For if they 
 onl\ are the true church i?/ England [as they pretend) 
 and the refi are of no church j / am fure the church 
 wud be in juji fuch a temper as bijhop Burnet (peaks. 
 
 0} 
 
 43 
 
44 
 
 The Preface. 
 
 of in thofe remarkable wordsy which Jhall conclude 
 
 jSpol for ibis Preface, " And I will boldly fay this, that 
 
 the Chur. tc if the church oi' England y after fhe has got out 
 
 ®^^^ « of this ftorm, [its danger in king James*; reigri] 
 
 "will return to hearken to the peevifhnefs of 
 
 *' fome fowr men [in hearing hard upon the dijfen^, 
 
 ters'] " ihe will be abandon'd both of God and 
 
 " man, and will fet both heaven and earth 4^ 
 
 *' gainfl her, --'-V. 
 
 2 Tim. 
 
45 
 
 IM. 
 
 IL 0. 
 
 -And the things that thou hajl heard of 
 me among many mtne[fesy the fame 
 commit thou to faithful men^ vpho 
 ■ jhall he able to teach others alfo. 
 
 WHAT this apoftle fays of the Sermon 
 creatures delign d for our rood, jj 
 that may we fay of perfons fet \^v^^ 
 apart to the facred office : They ^ ^-^^ j , 
 are fan^ified by the word and prayer. Every reH- ^. 
 gious fervice is to be performed with prayer ; 
 and the moll folemn prayer, even that which is 
 join'd with falling, is proper to accompany the 
 feparation of perfons to the work of the minillry. 
 So when the Holy Ghoji required Barnabas and Saul Afb xiii, 
 to be feparatedto the work^ whereimto he had called'''-^ 5- 
 them^ it was done by fajting and prayer^ and impo- 
 fition of hands. And in imitation of that example, 
 we have fet apart this day to fuch exercifes, that 
 we may the more folemnly feparate a perfon to 
 that work, to which we truft God has call*d 
 him. Our bufmefs now is to recommeud him 
 to the blefling of God in Our prayers •, and to 
 initiate and authorize him in the name of God, 
 to the difcharge of all the parts of the facred 
 fun(5lion, by that ancient fign of benedi6lion, 
 which was pradis'd under both the old and 
 
4-6 Treshyteruin Ordination proved regular, 
 
 Sel'tnon new teftament upon extraordinary and folemri 
 11. occafions. 
 
 v/v^w In the work of prayer, that is, the bflfering 
 up earneft fupplications to God for a blefllng 
 upon his perfon and labours, who is now to be 
 fet apart to minifter in the church of Chrift, 
 and more particularly among you, I hope you 
 are all heartily concurring. I am fure 'tis every 
 one's concern, who defigns to fit under his mi- 
 niftry, to do fo. This you are daily to pray 
 for ; and more efpecially fhould you do it now, 
 that the united fen^our of our hearts may give 
 the greater force to our prayers, and render 
 them the more eftedlual and prevailing for him 
 in his entrance upon his work. 
 
 This then fo far isyour ad as well as burs : 
 but the authoritative feparating and commifTion- 
 ing him to the work is not your a6l, but prima- 
 rily the Lord's, and fecondarily ours, aiSting in 
 his name. And that you may fee, we aft herein 
 according to the will of God, his word is now 
 to be joyn'd with prayer. And having this part 
 of the work devolv'd upon me, I ihall indeavour 
 to fhew you the grounds and reafons of thefe 
 our proceedings.' In order to which, I have 
 made choice of the words read to you. jind 
 the things which thou haft heard of me among many 
 witnejfes^ the fame commit thou to faithful inen^ 
 who pjall he able to teach others alfo. This di- 
 rection relates wholly to the invefting minifters 
 in their office : As may be eafily imagin'd upon 
 e bare reading of the text, and will more fully 
 appear, when we confider the feveral things con- 
 tain'd in it. 
 
 It can't be an inftruftion to Timoth^^ how tp 
 
 deal with chriflians in general. An aptnefs to 
 
 learn and pradtife is fufficient in them : But the 
 
 2 ability 
 
^reshyterian Ordination proved regular, aj 
 
 ability to teach others, which he infills upon, Sermoit 
 Ihews he fpeaks of fuch as were to be intrulled n. 
 with an office, even that office which Chrifl ap- »-^'V>^ 
 {jointed in his church : Who gave Jome apojiles ; £ j,_ j^, 
 dndfome prophets •, and [ome pajlors and teachers ; 1 1, \x[ 
 for the perfe^ing of the faints^ for the work of the' 
 minifiry, for the edfying of the body of Chriji. But 
 it is ellewhere reprefented as very abfurd to fup- 
 pofe, that thefe things belong to all the mem- 
 bers of the chriftian church. For that is plainly 
 the meaning of the apoftle's interrogation ; Are j cor xli. 
 all apoftles ? are all prophets ? are all teachers ? 29. * 
 
 This being premis'd concerning the defign of 
 the words in general, I fhall confider thefe three 
 things in them. 
 
 I. The qualifications requir'd in fuch as were 
 to be admitted to the facred office : They 
 were to be faithful men, and able to teach 
 others. 
 
 II. Who was to judge of their qualifications, 
 and authorize them to the office. And that 
 was 'Timothy : The fame commit thou. 
 
 III. The account here given of the inveftiture 
 or commiffion they were to receive. They 
 were to have ihofe things committed to them^ 
 which Timothy had heard of the apofile a??wng 
 many witneffes. 
 
 I. The qualifications requir'd In fuch as were 
 to be admitted to the facred office : They were 
 to be faithful men, and able to teach others alfo. 
 Whoever are fuppos'd to have the power com- 
 mitted to them of judging, whether men are 
 qualify 'd for the office ; thefe are unqueiliona- 
 bly the qualifications they are to look after. 
 And where there is' a fair appearance of both 
 
 the 
 
48 Treshyterian Ordination proved regular. 
 
 Sermon the things mentioned, the text is a fufficient 
 II. warrant to fet them apart to the office, if they 
 t/'VNJ are willing to undertake it. 
 
 I. They muft be faithful men. The word 
 faithful in our own language, as likewife that in 
 the original to which it anfwers, is ufed to 
 exprefs fometimes mens being believers^ and fome- 
 times their being trujly. I don't fee, why we 
 may not allow it here, to include both fenfes. 
 I am fure, if one be principally defign'd, the 
 other muft not be excluded, but fuppos*d. 
 
 I. This may import, that thofe who are ad- 
 mitted to the office Ihould be believers. Thus ; 
 the fame word is ufed, when Chrift's words to 
 John XX. ^Thomas are related by the evangel ift : Be not 
 *^* faithlefs, but believing. So we frequently read of 
 
 the faithful, or the faithful in Chrifi Jefus, by 
 which are meant believers. 
 
 The neceffity of this is very obvious. That 
 which is neceffary in a private chriftian to give 
 him a right in the fight of God to the commu- 
 nion of the church, muft be much more ne- 
 ceffary in a minifter to qualify him to undertake 
 the facred office. Is there not a manifeft ab- 
 furdity in fuppofmg this a needlefs qualification 
 of a minifter ? What is the defign of the mini- 
 ftry, but to inftrudt men in the chriftian faith, 
 Eph. iv. and to build them up in it, till we all come in the 
 *3« unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son 
 
 of God, unto a perfe^ man, unto the meafure of 
 the ftature of the fulnefs of Chriji. Can you ima- 
 gine any man fit to teach others that truth, 
 which he believes not himfelf? "Would you ever 
 fend a perfon to perfuade another, of that which 
 you knew to be difagreeable to his own opi- 
 nion ? You are fenfible, though he fhould have 
 fuch a command over himfelf, as to be able 
 
 to 
 
Vresbyterian Ordination proved regular* 49 
 
 to difTemble his own fentiments, he would be Sermon 
 very heardefs in his attempt to convince the IL 
 perfon you fent him to. And fo *tis in the cafe ^"-^"V^ 
 before us. He that does not believe the gofpel 
 himfelf, will not be very folicitous to make 
 others do fo, unlefs he is afted by fome bafe 
 and unworthy aims, and defigns to make a gairi 
 of godlinefs. 
 
 Befides, faith is one of the main fprings of a 
 chriftian's life and motion, and has a fpecial in- 
 fluence upon all he does aright in religion. This 
 gives him the greateft incouragement in the dif- 
 charge of his duty, while by faith he looks to 
 the invifible world, and realizes the promifes 
 which God has made to thofe who diligently 
 and faithfully ferve him. This is the great 
 means of his receiving fupplies of inward ftrengtli 
 for the performance of every good work, while 
 in the exercife of it he has recourfe to Chrifl, 
 depends upon Him, and derives fuitable commu- 
 nications from Him. For the life he lives in //^<? Gal. ii. xo, 
 fleJJj, he lives by the faith of the Son of God: And^^^" "'' ^ 
 Chrifl dwells in his heart by faith* And if it be 
 fo neceflary for an ordinary clwiftian, it mufl be 
 much more fo for a miniiter, who may expedt 
 . to meet with greater oppofition from the devil 
 and the world -, and whole work, being more 
 hard and difficult, requires more confiderable 
 meafures of divine aid, in order to the right 
 performing it. 
 
 Nay, unlefs men arc found inthefaith^ that is, 
 throughly acquainted with the dodrine of the 
 gofpd, they are very unfit for this office. The 
 flock is apparently in greater danger of being 
 infected with the errors of fuch, than with thofe 
 of private chrifl:ians. A grievous error in a 
 teacher, may defeat the chief deflgn of the mi- 
 E niftry. 
 
50 Tresbyterian Ordination proved regular. 
 
 Sermon niftry, to build up chriftians in the faith -, and 
 II. may very much advance a quite contrary one. 
 '"-'^y^ Thus when Hymeneus and Philetus erred concern- 
 z Tim. 11. ^^^ fjjg truths fayiffgy ^^^ refurre^ion was already 
 ^"^^ ^ ' pafl, their word did eat as a canker ^ and they 
 overthrew the faith of fome. 
 
 This qualification of a minifter is frequently 
 commended in the fcripture. The apoftle infifts 
 upon it as neceflary in the loweft officers in the 
 church. The deacons, according to his diredi- 
 1 Tim. iii.on, muft be fuch as hold the m'^jter^j of the Faith 
 ^' . in a ;pure confcience. A good minifler of Jefus 
 ' *^* ' Chrifi, m his account muft be one nourijh^d up 
 in the words of faith and of good doolrine. He there- 
 fore highly efteem'd T^i?nothy^ becaufe he was 
 ^Tim.i.').perfuaded the unfeigned faith, which dwelt in his 
 grandtiiother and mother, was in him alfo. He 
 ver. 1 3. urges him to hold fajl the form of found words, 
 which he had heard of him, in faith and love, 
 a Tim. i. which is in Chrijl Jefus : And gives him this di- 
 ^ ' ^^' reftion, in order to his warring a good warfare, 
 that he Ihould hold faith and a good confcience. 
 And he fpeaks^of this as a commendation of 
 Ch. li, 7. his own miniftry : / am, fays he, ordained a 
 preacher, and an apofile, a teacher of the gentiles 
 in faith and verity. 
 
 The apoftles had the gift of difcerning fpirits, 
 \ and were able to know who were believers, and 
 
 fit for the miniftry, and who were not. Nor 
 is it improbable, that fo eminent a perfon as 
 ^i7nothy might have the fame gift. It is certain, 
 it was beftow'd upon others befide the apoftles : 
 For, whereas the apoftles had all manner of ex- 
 traordinary gifts of the fpirit, this was granted, 
 1 Cor. xii. to fbme who had not all of them. To one is 
 i", io. given by the fpirit the word of wifdo?n, to another 
 ff.ie working of miracles, to another prophecy, to ano- 
 I ther 
 
Treshyterian Ordination proved regular, 5 i 
 
 ther difcerningof Jpirits. The apollles fix*d mi- Sermon 
 nillers in the churches by the help of this ex- II. 
 traordinary infight into men, trying them by the\y\^><J 
 fpirit, as an ancient * writer of thofe times tefti- 
 fies. And \^ 'Timothy h'xd the fame ability, with- 
 out all doubt he ufed it in like manner. But 
 none now upoa. the earth can pretend to tliis.. 
 They who convey the office may be millaken,: 
 and appoint fuch as God does not : And they, 
 may do it innocently •, for God only knows the 
 hearts of men. All that we can go upon in 
 trying and judging of perfons in this refpedl, is 
 their knowledge, profeffion, and the manner of 
 their life and converfation. We can hear what \ 
 
 profelTion men make -, we are able, upon dif- 
 courfe and examination, to judge what know- 
 ledge men have of the chriftian dodtrine. And 
 this ought to be inquir'd into. Thus, when 'tis 
 requir'd, that thofe who were to be conftituted 
 deacons, fhould hold the 7?iy fiery of the faith in i Tim. iii, 
 a pure confcience, 'tis immediately added, And9i 10. 
 let thefe he firjl proved, then let them ufe the office 
 of a deacon, being found blamelefs. 
 
 This then fhews, what reafon we have to 
 require of fuch as are to be admitted into the 
 miniftry, a profeffion of their faith, and why 
 that is made among us at the time of ordina- 
 tion. It feems not improbable, that fomewhac 
 like to this was pradis'd in the ancient church. 
 For then it was ufual for the new chofen biffiop 
 to fend letters with copies of the confeffioa of 
 their fiith to fuch bifhops as liv'd remote from 
 them : The defign of which was, that knowing 
 vdiat faith they profefs'd, and proir.is'd to preach, 
 they might teftify their communion with them. 
 It is not unlikely they would be as defn-ous to 
 E 2 jarisfy 
 
 i Clem. R. Epid. i. ad Corinch. c. 41, 
 
5 1 7rcshyterun Ordination frovd regular. 
 
 Sermon fatisfy their ordainers, as their brethren who liv'd 
 II. at a greater diftance from them : And therefore 
 
 wy-^^ at the time of their ordination, ufed to make fome 
 declaration of their faith. Certainly the copies 
 they fent abroad contained what they had declared 
 at their ordination, either in fome confeffion pre- 
 vious to the impofition of hands, or in the fermon 
 made prefently after, of which great notice ufed 
 to be taken. And I will venture to fay this in 
 the behalf of our method ; that if a profeffion of 
 faith is to be made, I think 'tis very reafonable 
 it lliould be drawn up by him who is to make it. 
 Farther, as men are too often hypocritical in 
 their pretences, and profefs that faith they are 
 ftrangers to, as appears by their contradicting 
 their profeflion by the notorious irregularities 
 of their lives ; we are not to be fatisfy 'd with 
 a bare profefTion, unlefs the faith men profeis 
 is evidenc'd by a fuitable and pious converfation. 
 And in this matter we ought to be very ftri<5t. 
 Miniflers are to be examples to the flock, and 
 fuch things are not fufferable in them, as might 
 perhaps be in a good meafure excufible in pri- 
 vate chriftians. There fhould be fome flngular 
 degree of perfection in him, who is to be an 
 example for imitation. Minifters therefore are 
 
 1 Tim. iii. efpecially requir'd to be vigilant, foher, and of good 
 
 ^3 "• behaviour, and to be Osgood report. This was one 
 inducement to the apoftle, if not to ordain T^imo- 
 th), yet to take him as his companion and partner 
 in travelling and preaching the gofpel, A£isx\\. 2. 
 1. When 'tis requir'd, that fuch as are in- 
 tr Lifted with the office fhould be faithful, hereby 
 is meant they fhould be trup-j -, and it is com- 
 mon for us to ufe the v^ or d faithful in that man- 
 nes. Thus God is frequently fpoken of as faith- 
 ful, where the fame wordisufed. And thus the 
 
 apoftle 
 
Tresijterian Ordination provd regular, 5 5 
 
 apoftle fpeaks of himfelf : He counted ?ne faithful^ Sermon 
 putting me into the fninijiry. II. 
 
 There is a moft awful and important truft "-^'''^ 
 committed to minifters. They have a trull ''^""* '• 
 lodg'd in them for God, and for the good of the 
 fouls of men -, they had therefore need be faithful 
 and honeft in the difcharge of it. Whence the 
 apoftle fpeaks in that manner : Let a man fo ac- i Cor. iv. 
 count of us ^ as of the miniflers ofChriJl, and Jlewards '' ^* 
 of the ?nyjieries of God. Moreover, 'tis required in 
 Jlewards, that a man be found faithful. The truft 
 lodg'd in them as ftevvards, is to publifh the 
 whole mind and will of God, and they are 
 oblig'd to be faithful in keeping back nothing 
 from the people, that may be profitable to them. 
 Of which fiithfulnefs we have in the author 6f 
 this epiftle a noble inftance and example ; who 
 thus appeals to the Ephefians, among whom he 
 had preach'd : Te know froin the firfl day I came Afts x\-. 
 into Afia, after what fnanner I have been with you ^^^^9-, 20, 
 at allfeafons, ferving the Lord with all humility of^^^ ^ ' 
 mind, and with many tears, and temptations which 
 befel me by the lying in wait of the Jews : And how 
 I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, 
 but have fJjewed you, and have taught you publickly, 
 and from houfe to houfe ; tejlifying both to the Jews, 
 and alfo to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and 
 faith toward our Lord Jefus Chrift. IVljerefore I 
 take ycu to record this day, that I am pure from the ' 
 
 blood of all men. For I have not fbunn^d to declare to 
 you the whole counfel of God. And whoever keeps 
 back any thing that is profitable, and docs not 
 publifli the whole counfel of God, a6ts not the 
 part of a faithful minifter of Chrift. 
 
 And as a fiithful minifter is to publifh the 
 
 whole counfel of God, fo he is to publifh that 
 
 only i and not to mingle fancies of his own, or 
 
 E 3 preach 
 
5 4- ^reslyterian Ordination i^rov^d regular. 
 
 Sermon preach the traditions of men, or in his preaching 
 II. make thofe things neceflary which Chrift has 
 v.^'V"^ not made fo. The commiflion which Chrift has 
 Matthew given his minifters, is to teach people to ohferve 
 xxviii. 2.0, all things whatjoever he has commanded them : And 
 he that goes beyond that, goes beyond his com- 
 miflion, and is not faithful in his preaching. 
 The apoftles therefore, who were faithful, kept 
 to this rule, -And did not (as one of them declares 
 z Pet. i. in the name of all) follow cunningly devifed Fables ; 
 J^' as is too often done by men, who are defigning 
 
 to make a gain of godlinefs, whereby they indea- 
 vour to fet up themlelves, and fchifmatically 
 rend the communion of the church. For who- 
 ever keeps not to the fcripture as his rule, and 
 makes more neceflfary than Chrift has done, takes 
 the readieft courfe to break the peace of the 
 church. And ftrifes and divifions are in this 
 cafe unavoidable, unlefs others will betray their 
 truft in not oppofing fuch incroachments. Mini' 
 fters are intrufted by Chrift with an authority 
 for the good of the fouls of men : And they are 
 p Cor. X. ^Q yfg jj- faithfully for their edification^ and not for 
 ^..•^" their dejlruofion. And a faithful minifter ous^ht 
 not to part with that truft, which Chrift has 
 committed to him. If he gives it up into fuch 
 hands as it does not belong to, or as will not or 
 cannot execute it, he betrays his truft. K 
 
 And as he is not to part with his authority, 
 fo nor is he on the^ other hand to ftretch and 
 iniarge it, by claiming more than Chrift has 
 given him. Chrift has made his minifters ftew- 
 ards to give his people meat in due fealbn, to 
 difpenfe his gofpcl, and to ufe his appointed 
 difcipline to infofce his laws and precepts : But he 
 has never intrufted them with a defpotical power, 
 por has he made his people fubje(fl to their 
 . ' • arbiT 
 
Treslyterian Ordination frovd regular, 5 5 
 
 arbitrary laws and commandments, that they Sermon 
 ihould be their flaves, and tamely crouch under II. 
 all the burthens they will do them the honour *>^V'^*' 
 to lay upon them. Chrift exprefly caution'd 
 his apoftles againft this tyrannical difpofition, 
 however fome men pretend to ground it upon 
 his commiflion. 7'e know, fays he, that the princes Matt. xx. 
 of the gentiles exenife dominion over them, and they ~'^> ^^• 
 ibat are great exercife authority upon them : (They 
 rule their fubjefls with a high hand, and ac- 
 cording to their own will and pleafure.) But 
 it jJoall not he fo among you. Chrift has made his 
 minifters rulers, but not arbitrary ones. He 
 has given them a power to put his laws in ex- 
 ecution i but not to enaft any laws of their own, 
 which are not fubfervient and neceflary in order 
 thereunto. The apoftles therefore claim'd no 
 fuch power ; fee how this apoftle fpeaks : Not '- Cor. i. 
 for that we have dominion over your faith, hut are ''^' 
 helpers of your joy, q. d. " We pretend not to 
 " a power to diftate to you of our own heads, 
 *' and impofe upon you a neceflity of believing 
 " what Chrift has not aflured us of, and given us 
 *' commiflion to publifh. We have no autho- 
 " rity in controverfies of faith, to determine 
 " what Chrift himfelf in his life-time, or by his 
 *' fpirit fmce his departure, has not determined. '* 
 The elders and rulers of the church are forbid- 
 den elfcwhere to exercife an arbitrary authority j 
 and to lord it over God*s heritage. i Pet. v. 3. 
 
 Let me add, that minifters of the gofpel have 
 a truft committed to them in all thofe gifts, 
 which qualify them for the miniftry. Thefe 
 gifts are all derived from Chrift, the great head 
 of the church, as we are affur'd, Ro?n. xii. Eph, iv. 
 I Cor. xii. And fo there is a faithfulnefs requi- 
 fue in a minifter in the ufmg them, for the 
 E 4 honour 
 
5 6 Treshjterian Ordination fYovd regular . 
 
 Sermon honour and fervice of the giver of them. And I 
 II. am ready to interpret thofe pafTages of the 
 ^'^V^^ apoftle, Rom. xii. 3, 6. to this purpofe. For I 
 fay., through the grace given unto me., to every man 
 that is among you., not to think of himfelf more highly 
 than he ought to think., but to think foberly^ accord- 
 ing as God hath dealt to every man the ineafure of 
 faith. Hojving then gifts., differing according to the 
 grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us 
 prophefy according to the proportion of faiih. Where 
 what we have render'd the meafure of faith, and 
 the proportion of faith, might pehaps be better 
 render'd the ?neafure of the truft, and the propor- 
 tion of the truft ; that is, that truft which God 
 is pleafed to commit to us. It being evident the 
 apoftle is there fpeaking of the diverfity of God*s 
 gifts in thofe wliom he imploy'd in his church ; 
 this interpretation feems not difagreeable : And 
 the {tnh then will be, that men fhould not pre- 
 tend to greater things than God has intrufted 
 them with , but Ihould faithfully ferve him, 
 according to their capacities, and the gifts he 
 has committed to their truft. And thus it ad- 
 mirably agrees with the direftion of another 
 
 I Pet. iv. apoftle : As every man hath received the gift, even 
 
 lOp II. p jninificr the fame one to another, as good flewards 
 of the inanifold grace of God. If any man fpeak, 
 let him fpeak as the oracles of God : If any man mi- 
 mfter, let him do it as of the ability which Godgiveth. 
 And the feventy interpreters feem to have ufed 
 the word in this fenfe, i Cor. ix. 22, 26, 31. 
 Where what they have render'd IvTr'iTf., our 
 t:ranflation renders in their fet office, but the mar- 
 gin of our bibles in their truft. And there being 
 fuch a. truft lodg'd in minifters, the apoftle had 
 
 ? Ti'ra. vi, juft caufe to fay to Timothy : O Timolby, keep that 
 
 ifi. ' ' zvbicb is C07n?nitied to thy truft. 
 
 And 
 
Treshyterian Ordination frovd regular. 5y 
 
 And all thofe who are approv'd of Chrift ih Sermon 
 the facred office, are thus faithful : They may, 11. 
 with the apollle, thank Jefus Chrifi our Lord^ who ^y^'y>^ 
 has inabled them, for that he hath counted them ^ T""« »• 
 faithful, putting them into the minijlry. This they '^' 
 receive from Chrift, together with their com- 
 miflion ; obtaining mercy of the Lord to he faithful, i Cor. vii. 
 And a noble commendation is given of minifters, V' 
 when they are faid to be faithful. j'-'.' ^* 
 
 If it be here inquir'd, how can it be known Eph. VJ* 
 whether men will prove faithful? The know- ii. 
 ledge of their fiiithfulnefs in their office depends 
 upon the tryalofthem in it: How then fhall 
 we be able to difcern who thefe faithful men are, 
 to whom we may commit the office ,? I anfv/er ; 
 that from a perfon*s behaviour in a lower ftation, 
 a probable conjediure, and reafonable prefump- 
 tion may be formed how he will behave himfelf 
 in a higher. This apoftle has taught us to 
 argue after this rate ; when he requires in a 
 biffiop that he be one that ruleth well his own houfe, j Tim. iii. 
 having his children in fuhjeolion with all gravity, 4, 5. 
 giving this reafon for his infifting upon it : 
 For if a man know not how to rule his own houfe, 
 how fhall he take care of the church of God. And 
 therefore that rule of our blefled Lord muft here 
 take place : He that is faithful in that which is Luke xvi. 
 leaf, is faithful alfo imnuch : And he that is unjujl 10. 
 in the-leafi, is unjufi alfo in much. Such a man as 
 in the ftation of a private chriftian has not been 
 faithful in the difcharge of his duty to God, or 
 in his dealings with man, is not to be counted 
 worthy of the office. If he is not a man of ho- 
 nour in all his dealings, but given to tricking and 
 deceiving •, if he has fhewn himfelf m.ean and 
 felfiffi in his defigns ; if he appears to be ad- • 
 dieted to flattery, or to want courage and refo- 
 
 lution 
 
5 S Treshjterian Ordination frov^d regular. 
 
 Sermon lution to bear him above the fear of men, and 
 11. to make him fteddy in his duty ; he promifes 
 
 y^'V^^ but Httle faithfulnefs in the minifterial office ; 
 there is too much reafon to conclude he will be 
 biafs*d by mean confiderations in the dil'charge 
 of his duty, and will want that impartiality and 
 Uncerity which are requifite in the charader of 
 a minifter. Great regard therefore is to be had 
 to a perfon's reputation and good name, when 
 he is to be ordain'd to the minillry. The apoftles 
 had refpedt to this, 'when they appointed the 
 
 Afts vi. 3- choice of the feven deacons : Wherefore^ brethren., 
 fay they, look ye out among you [even men of good 
 report^ full of the Holy Ghojl, i^c. And this is re- 
 quired as a qualification of a perfon to be or- 
 
 I Tim. iii.dain'd : That he Jloould have a good report of them 
 
 7. that are 'without. And the condition is not hard 
 
 and unreafonable ; fince an honeft and truly- 
 chriftian behaviour will gain the praife and 
 commendation of the very enemies of chrifti- 
 anity. 
 
 2. The other qualification which the apoflle 
 requires in perfons to be ordain'd is, that they 
 he able to teach others alfo. He that is to be ad- 
 
 1 Tim. iii. mitted to the office muft be apt to teach. A 
 
 *• man may be faithful, and yet unfit for the office, 
 
 as not having a fufficient ability to inftruft others 
 in the chriftian do6lrine. Now here, I conceive 
 fach things as thefe are neceffary. 
 
 I. A very good degree of knowledge in that 
 word and do6lrine which they are to teach. 
 The reafon of this is evident : The office of 
 minifters is to teach others, and certainly then 
 they ought to have a degree of knowledge above 
 the common fort, who are to be taught by them. 
 • And how will they be able to declare to their 
 hearers the whole counfel of God, if they are not 
 
 them- 
 
Treshytcrian Ordination frovd regular, 5^ 
 
 themfelves acquainted with it ? I only fpeak Sermon 
 now of a knowledge of the mind and will of II. 
 God : For that is all that as miniilers we are **'OPs-' 
 
 oblig'd to teach. We are with this apoftle to 
 profefs no other knowledge among our people, 
 but that of J ejus Chrijl, and him crucified. The i Cor. ii.i, 
 knowledge which a miniiler has, which is no 
 way fubfervient to this, is meerly ornamen- 
 tal. The fcriptures then are to be diligently 
 ftudied by him who is to teach T>thers : In 
 thefe he is to be throughly vers'd. This ex- 
 cellently fitted Timothy for the miniftry, that from 
 a child he had known the holj fcriptures. The rea- 
 fon is plain, becauie by them he gain'd the 
 moft certain and ufeful knowledge, and was com- 
 pleatly furnifh'd for his whole minifterial work. 
 For all fcripture is given by infpiration of God, t Tim. iii. 
 and is profitable for do^rine, for reproof, for cor- i5ji*5ji7. 
 region, for inflruulion in righteoufnefs ; that the man 
 of God (or minifter of the gofpel) f?iay be perfeof^ 
 throughly furmfifd unto all good -works. 'Tis true, 
 a man may profit by a minifter who is inferiour 
 to himfelf in knowledge -, becaufe the profiting 
 of a chriftian does not always lie in his gain- 
 ing more knowledge than he had before, but 
 in his being brought under a m.ore lively fenfe 
 and powerful influence of that truth, which he 
 was well acquainted with before. And yet the 
 ignorance or weaknefs of a minifter will bring 
 both his perfon and office into contempt. 'Tis 
 therefore highly requifite that perfons ftiould 
 be tried, and that an account fhould be taken 
 of their knowledge and underftanding in fuch 
 things, as it is a minifter's bufinefs to teach, and 
 fo they fhould be admitted to the office. 
 
 2. A good perfuafive -way of reafoning feems 
 reqijifite to an ability to teach : That a man 
 
 ftiould 
 
6o Treshyterian Ordination prov*d regular. 
 
 Sermon iliould have a dexterity to infinuate himfelf into 
 II. the minds of his hearers, by explaining and re- 
 V^'Y'>.-' commending things according to their true na- 
 ture and importance. By this means he will be 
 able at the fame time both to inftrucSt and move 
 thofe who attend his miniftrations, which doubt- 
 lefs are the great ends of preaching. Befides, 
 this will fit him for another ufeful part of his 
 work 5 the defending the truth againft gain- 
 Tit, i. 9, fayers, whom he is b'j found do^rine both to exhort 
 and convince. We may expeft the religion of the 
 bleffed Jefus, and more efpecially in its native 
 plainnefs and fimplicity, will meet with many 
 adverfaries •, whofe oppofition will chiefly be 
 made againft the rulers and governors of the 
 church. And therefore 'tis very fit they 
 ftiould be furnifh'd to refute and convince 
 them. 
 
 3. This ability to teach requires a good mea- 
 fure oi Jkill and prudence^ that applications may 
 be made to perfons fuitably to their refpeftive 
 cafes. This teaching is to be taken in a large 
 fenfe, as comprehending all the feveral ways of 
 it, fuch as (befide the bare explaining the truth) 
 reproving, rebuking, exhorting, comforting, i^c. 
 as there is occafion. There is a difference in the 
 flate of thofe under a minifter's care : And as 
 their office is appointed for the advantage of 
 all, fo the word is to be applied to the feveral 
 cafes of all : Neither finners nor faints are to be 
 neglefled •, but the one fhould be awaken'd, and 
 the other incourag'd : The weak are to be 
 ftrengthen'd, and the declining to be rais'd : 
 The feveral duties of rich and poor, of parents 
 and children, of hufbands and wives, ofmafters 
 and fervants, are to be inculcated upon them : Of 
 all which we meet with good examples in the 
 
 fcrip- 
 
Tresbyterian Ordination provd regular. 6 1 
 
 Icriptures. And certainly the doing this aright Sermon 
 is a work of prudence. II. 
 
 With what folemnity is this prefs'd ? I charge ^^^y^ 
 thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jefus Chriji, ^ Tun.iv. 
 who fh all judge the quick and the dead at his appear- *' ** 
 ing, and his kingdom : Preach the word ; be injlant 
 infeafon, and out of feafon ; reprove, rebuke, exhort 
 with all long-fuffering and do£frine. And fo again. 
 Now we exhort 'joii, brethren, warn them that are i Thef. v. 
 unrul'j, comfort the feeble-minded, fupport the weak, H« 
 he patient toward all men. Which I am ready 
 to think in that place does primarily relate 
 to the rulers of the church, upon whom he 
 afterwards lays that charge : / charge -^ou by ver. j/. 
 the Lord, that this epiftle be read to all the holj 
 brethren. 
 
 And as fuch things are fo neceflary, who can 
 doubt, whether the training up perfons in learn- 
 ing is an excellent advantage to prepare them 
 for the office. God does not now miraculoufly 
 indow men with gifts, and therefore fuch helps 
 cannot be unferviceable. A learned education 
 muft be a conliderable afliftance, where 'tis 
 fandlify'd by the fpirit of God -, though with- 
 out that the moft learned will be unfit for the 
 office. 
 
 4. A tolerable elocution at leaft is necelTary in 
 order to a perfon's being able to teach others. 
 Whatever improvements a man has made in 
 learning and holinefs, yet a defefl here v/ill be 
 fuch a hindrance to him, as will render him un- 
 fit for the office. If God did immediately fentl 
 and commiffion perfons, he were to be depended 
 upon for the redreffing natural infirniities ; as in 
 the cafe o^ Mofes, Exod. iv. lo, ii, 12. and of 
 Jeremiah, Jer. \. 6, 7, 8, 9. But as this is not 
 to be expe(5ted in our c!ay, 'tis evident a regard 
 
 iliould 
 
6i Treshyterian Ordination proved regular. 
 
 Sermon fhould be had to this kind of ability and capa- 
 II. city of a perfon for the work of the miniftry. 
 
 II. I come now to confider'-, who was to judge 
 of men's qualifications for the facred office, and 
 to authorize them to it. Now that was Ti>«o/^y : 
 7'he fame coimnlt thou. And this I the rather 
 take notice of, that I may fhew you the grounds 
 and reafons of our pradice ; and that we have 
 good warrant for what we do as minifters in this 
 matter. And there is the more reafon for my 
 doing this, becaufe our pradlice is oppos'd by 
 two forts of perfons. 
 
 1. Some lodge this matter wholly in the body 
 of the people. 
 
 2. Some lodge It only in a diocefan bifhop. 
 The firft fort may be refuted by this text : And 
 the objeftions of the latter from it, will admit 
 of an eafy folution. 
 
 I. With reference to the firft fort I fay, the 
 infpir'd apoftle lodges this in 'J'i77iothy^ a perfon 
 in office, and fo not in the church, or body of 
 the people. 'Tis, I think, remarkable, that 
 tho' the epiftles to the churches are many more 
 in number than thofe to particular perfons in 
 office (there being but three fuch in all) yet ic 
 is only in thefe latter any direftions are given 
 about conftituting minifters. Tmoth'j and 'Titus, 
 perfons in office, have it recommended to them, 
 to take care that thofe who were ordain'd, ffiould 
 be fo and fo qualified : Why fliould nothing of 
 this nature be fuggefted to the people in the 
 epiftles direfted to the churches, if they were 
 the conveyers of the office '^. I have not yet been 
 able to meet with any tolerable anfwer to this 
 ob]e6lion againft that fcheme. You fee plainly 
 thefe epiftles to Timoth-j and TituSy are to dircft 
 
 them 
 
Presbyterian Ordination frovd regular, 6g 
 
 them how to behave themfelves in the church Sermoi) 
 of God, in the difcharge of their office : For II. 
 this end the qualifications of fuch as were to be "XV^ 
 appointed officers are fet down *, and they are 
 required to be cautious in appointing them ; /<? 
 £07ntnit thefe things to faithful men, able to teach 
 others, to lay hands fuddenly on no man, &c. What 
 can all this fignify, if they were only to ad: in 
 the churches name -, and the church it felf gave 
 the minifterial office to whom fhe pleas'd by 
 her choice ; and Timothy and 'Titus had nothing 
 elfe to do upon the choice, but immediately 
 ordain (or rather teftify the churches ordination 
 of) the party cholen ? If they were not to lay 
 on hands fuddenly, then certainly they were not 
 to admit a perfon to the miniftry, without being 
 themfelves fatisfied concerning his qualifications, 
 even altho' the church had aftually chofen him : 
 And how then can the people be the rightful 
 conveyers of the office ? 
 
 They, who are difpleas'd with us, as claiming 
 a greater power to minifters than belongs to 
 them, build, I think, upon this as their main 
 fiippofition : That the community or body of 
 the church has receiv'd from Chrill the power of 
 the keys, or has the whole power of all admini- 
 ftrations lodg'd in it felf 
 
 Now this feems not clear to me. For as the 
 apoftles were the foundation upon which theEp^'Ji--^- 
 chriftian church was built, it is but reafonable 
 to imagine the foundation was firil laid before 
 the fuperftru6lure was rais'd ; and that their 
 office was appointed, and their comm.iffion given 
 them before the chriftian church was properly 
 form'd : For it was prefently after gather'd by 
 them. And if Chrifl defigned to lodge fuch a 
 power in the body of the people, it will feem 
 
 ftrangej 
 
^4- Treshytcrian Ordination proved regular. 
 
 Sermon ftrange, that when he appointed the firft officers 
 II. of his church, (for the date of the apoftles full 
 
 lyV^^ power as rulers in the chriftian church muft be 
 from the commiffion Chrift gave them after his 
 refurrediion) he fhould take fuch particular care, 
 that none of the people fhould be prefent, and 
 that he might fpeak to none but the apoftles, 
 whom he conftituted his minifters, and the rulers 
 of his church, and who moft certainly receiv*d 
 not their power from the people. This is not 
 a matter to be (lightly pafs*d over, now the 
 enemies of the miniftry boldly alTert, that the 
 promife given the apoftles, together with their 
 
 Matthew commiffion, Lo I am with you always to the end of 
 
 xxviii. 20. ijr,g ^orld, as much belongs to the people as to 
 minifters. 
 
 I would not be mifunderftood, as claiming 
 more for minifters than is their due. I don't fay, 
 the fame thing is not promis'd to all the faithful 
 members ot Chrift's church : 'Tis certain 'tis 
 elfewhere in fcripture -, nay, and 'tis imply'd 
 here. For if Chrift is with his minifters to affift 
 and fucceed them in their office, he muft be 
 with his people too. But this I affert ; that 
 thofe words of Chrift are a promife of his fpecial 
 prefence with faithful minifters, and belong only 
 remotely, and by confequence to the people. 
 For if it be made evident, Chrift joyn'd not the 
 people with tlie apoftles, I can't think any one 
 will doubt that the promife is not only to the 
 apoftles, but their fucceffors. The expreffion 
 of being with them always to the end of the 
 world, manifeftly carrying it beyond the days of 
 the apoftles themfelves. For I can't perfuade my 
 felf that any fenfible perfon will be mov'd by the 
 criticifm of rendring the ^wTiXeict t» dicov©-, not the 
 end of the w&rld^ but; the end of the age, fince the 
 
 ex- 
 
Treslyterian Ordination frovd regular, 6 5 
 
 expreflion is fo conftantly us'd by the fame evan- Sermon 
 gelift for the end of the worlds Mac. xiii. 39, 40, 49. II. 
 and xxiv. 3. There's one text may be objcded *«^V^ 
 againft what I affert concerning this expreflion 
 of 2u)'74Ae<rt n dtuv©-^ that it always fignifies the 
 end of the world : And that is Heb. ix. 26. Biit now 
 once in the end of the worlds coj (TvyliheiA ■^Z dicovuv^ 
 hath he appeared to pit away Jin by thefacrifce of 
 hmfelf But I anfwer ; there is a difference be- 
 tween (TvvliKeiA TK ateov®-^ and ff\Jv\iKeiet <t^ cltecvm, 
 
 Mr. Jofeph Mede has taken notice of this, and ac- 
 cording to the diftin6tion he obferves is made in 
 the ftile of the fcripture, when the end, or tenni- 
 7ms of time is meant, 'tis exprefs'd in the lingular 
 number : So $^*'t« H/ziep-, John vi. 39, 40, 44, 54. 
 and xi. 24. 'ij^<*7©- xa<(;:?V, i Pet. i. 5. But when a 
 continuation or longer fpace of time is fignified, 
 then the plural number is us'd. So Ixctlot xo'-">i, 
 I Pet. i. 20. s^aTtf/ ^y.i^i, Heb. i. 2. 2 Tim. iii. i. 
 j^^s ii. 17. t/V«(£^/ Kcu^oi^ I Tim. W. i. Nor can it 
 be objefled here, that according to this obferva- 
 tlon the text fliould be cm av/lzht^.aui -^ diuvuv. 
 'Tis fufficient without exprefling both in the plu- 
 ral. So e'^' i^ctTtj -r?/ «//if fe-r, 2 Pet. iii. 3. I ihall 
 therefore only Ihew, the people were not join'd 
 with the a:pollles in the firft making of the pro- 
 mife. Arid this, as I faid, appears by the care 
 our Lord took, they fhould not be prefent at the 
 making of it. Thus juft before our Saviour's 
 coming and giving the apoftles their commifli- 
 on, 'tis exprefly taken notice of: Then the eleven Matthew 
 dijciples went away into Galilee. Now this was^^vih. i6. 
 no cafual thing, but by the fpecial dire(5lion and 
 appointment of Chrift. For this being a matter 
 of fpecial importance , our Lord's heart was 
 much fet upon it, and therefore before kis Death 
 he made the appointment of this very meeting of 
 
 F his 
 
66 Treshyterian Ordination proved regular. 
 
 Sermon his apoftles. 'Twas to them, and them only, he 
 II. fo fpake : But after I am rifen again, I will go be- 
 ^y^/"^ fore 'jou into Galilee. Nay, and it feems proba- 
 Matthew ble by the evangelifl's exprefiion, that he had 
 xxvi. 32. appointed the particular mountain , where he 
 Matthew would meet them. 'Then the eleven difciples went 
 sxviii. 16. away into Galilee to the mountain ivhere Jefus had 
 appointed them. Who can doubt the reafon of 
 this was the bufmefs he intended to meet them 
 about •, -viz. the giving them their commiiTion ? 
 Nay, and not content with this appointment be- 
 fore his death, he is remarkably careful to re- 
 inember them of it after his refurreftion, that fo 
 they might not fail of meeting him there. For 
 this reafon, firft an angel fends them word of it. 
 f er. 7. Go quickly, tell his difciples, he is rifen from the dead*, 
 and behold, he goeth before you into Galilee ; there 
 Jhall ye fee him, Lo ! I have told you. So likewife 
 Markxvi. in the parallel place, But go your way, tell his di- 
 /• fciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into Gali- 
 
 lee ; There Jhall ye fee him, as he faid unto you : 
 And then prefentiy after Jefus himfelf appears to 
 Matthew fend the fime meffage unto them. Go tell my bre- 
 xxviii. lo.thren, that they go into Galilee, and there fiall 
 they fee fne. So that I take it to be a great mi- 
 ftake of a late learned commentator ; that he 
 fuppofes, it was at this time Chrift appeared to 
 the five hundred brethren at once. It could not be 
 at this time, fmce Chriil's care was fo remark- 
 able that all his apoftles, and none elfe, fhould 
 be prelent. *Tis evident therefore, the promife 
 was peculiar to them j and to them, and not to 
 the people, was that commiiTion given, which 
 was to laft to the end of the world. 
 
 And if we look into the hiftory of the apoftles 
 management, we may learn from thence how 
 tl.ey underftood that commiiTion. They, or 
 
 fuch 
 
'preslyterian Ordination prov'd regular. 67 
 
 fuch as were ordain'd by them, always conftitu- Sermoii 
 ted perfons officers in the church. We read of II. 
 the laying on of the hands of the prepytery^ but lie- ^•"'^y^ 
 ver of the laying on of the hands of the people : ^ '^*"** ^^' 
 Nor do I find the leaft intimation, that the apo- ^'^' 
 files afted in the peoples names when they or- 
 dained minifters, nor is there any prefcription gi- 
 ven to 'Timothy^ Tilus, or any other minifters of 
 the gofpel to do fo. 
 
 There arc two arguments which are urged in 
 favour of this opinion, which I fhall briefly con- 
 fider. , 
 
 I. The firft is taken From Jo^s xiv. 23. And 
 when they had ordained them elders: Which our 
 brethren pretend fhould be rendered, JVhen thej 
 had ordained the?n elders by the fuffrage of the people. 
 And therefore, fay they, the "ordination was the 
 peoples a6l, being perform'd by their vote or 
 lufFrage. 
 
 In anfwer to which let it be cdnfider'd, who 
 were here the ordainers, viz. Paul and Barna- 
 bas i whether there were any fuffrage of the peo- 
 ple, thefe perfons ordered the affair. But far- 
 ther j though the word yjrieylov^y-i is fometimes 
 ufed by Greek authors in the fenfe infifted upon, 
 and the etymology of it certainly refers to the 
 common way of peoples giving their fuffrage or 
 vote among the Greeks by lifting up the hand ; 
 yet 'tis ufual for words in tradt of time to vary in 
 their fignification from their etymology : And 
 fo this word is very frequently put for conftituting 
 or appointing in general, without regard to any 
 fuffrages given by the people. And thus we find 
 its compound is ufed by this fame writer : i/f«z A&x.^o, 
 God raifed up the third day, and fhew'd him openly, 4i' 
 not to all the people, hut unto witneffes chofen before of 
 
 God ( 'ur^'/.i}ieifi/lori\uh'Oii ■vsro -ri Oii ) eV£ii tO US who 
 
 F 2 did. 
 
68 Treshyterian Ordination prov'd regular. 
 
 Sermon did eat and drink with him after he was rifenfrom 
 II. the dead. And fure none will think the apoftles 
 
 yv^ were chofen by fufFrage -, although it*s certain 
 <z?e?%«^79i'«>' as much refers to the peoples fuffra- 
 ges as does the other. 
 
 And that this criticifm is too weak to fupport 
 the opinion I am arguing againft, may appear 
 by comparing another place of fcripture, where 
 ordination is fpoken of, and it is made the aft of 
 Titus without any the leaft hint of the fuffrage of 
 
 Tit. i. 5. the people. For this caufe left I thee in Crete, that 
 thou mighteft fet in order the things that are wanting^ 
 and ordain (x:c47it?")V»?j elders in ever 'j city, as I ap- 
 pointed thee, I fee not therefore any evidence, 
 that the power of making or ordaining minifters 
 is committed to the people. And that is the on- 
 ly thing I argue againft, having no inclination 
 to difpute their liberty of choofing them. I am 
 abfolutely againft minifters lording it over God's 
 heritage, and their impofing a particular mini- 
 fter upon a people without their approbation. 
 And fince the extraordinary gift of difcerning 
 fpirits is ceas'd in the church, and none can now 
 pretend to aft by an immediate revelation in this 
 matter, I think ic unrealonable, people ftiould be 
 depriv'd of their liberty of /efufing any perfon 
 proposed to them. This they always had in the' 
 ancient and purer times of the church, as' 6very 
 one muft acknowledge who knows any thing of 
 church hiftory. They who boaft fo much of 
 their conformity to the primitive church will not 
 eafily find any thing therein of the rights of pa- 
 tronage. This is founded upon afts of parlia- 
 ment, an agreeable rule enough for a parliamen- 
 tary church : But has not the leaft countenance 
 from the holy fcriptures. I difpute not therefore 
 ■againft the peoples being interefted in the choice 
 
 of 
 
 
Treshjterian Ordination proved regular. 69 
 
 of their minifters : But only argue that their Sermon 
 choice conveys not the office ; that the judging 11. 
 of mens quahfications, and ordaining them, be- "-y^^-^ 
 longs to fuch as God has call'd to the facred of- 
 fice ; fuch only being required to ordain elders, 
 and to be careful not to lay hands fuddenly on 
 any man, and to commit the office to faithful 
 men, who were able to teach others. 
 
 2. The other objection I fhall take notice of 
 is ; if minifters are die conveyers of the office, 
 then what ffiall the people do, when minifters 
 are themfelves profligate and vile, unfit for feri- 
 ous chriftians to hold communion with, and re- 
 folv'd to ordain none but thofe of their own 
 ftamp ? Or what fhall a parcel of chriftians do, 
 if by the providence of God they are caft upon 
 fome defolate ifland, where they can have no ac* 
 cefs to minifters ? If they muft have the ordinan- 
 ces of Chrift, they muft have minifters ; if they 
 muft have them, they muft make them, fince 
 they can take no other way to have them. 
 
 I anfwer -, this is not a fair way of arguing, 
 from extraordinary cafes to ordinary. For ic 
 muft be held always for certain, that the fub- 
 ftance always takes place of a circumftance and 
 ceremony •, and that a command about the 
 means muft not hinder the obferving a greater 
 command about the end. Here's an abfolute 
 command to worfhip God, not to join in idola- 
 trous worlhip, ^c. This command muft of in- 
 difpenfible neceffity be obferv'd •, and when the 
 command about the means, that are ordinarily 
 ncceflary to that end, cannot be obferv^l, yet 
 ftill the great thing injoin'd (to which the other 
 only is a means) is not to be negle<fled. So that 
 here perfons give way to neceffity, and do that 
 which they would not, if they could ufe ordina- 
 F 3 ry 
 
yo Tresbjterian Ordination prov\l regular. 
 
 Sermon ry regular methods : And without all queftion 
 11. the miniftrations of fuch perfons would be every 
 
 VV***-' way juft and warrantable. But what is this to 
 the ordinary cafe of the church? Or how can 
 fuch cafes be a rule for them ? Is it not neceflary 
 the command about the end and the means fhould 
 be both obferv'd when they can ? 
 
 Let me fliew you the weaknefs of this way of 
 arguing, by giving you an example of it in ano- 
 ther inllance or two. You know Chrift has ap- 
 pointed in his fupper" the ufe of bread and wine j 
 fuppofe now it fliould be argued the wine is not 
 neceffary, but we may ufe ale, or any other fuch 
 liquor inftead of it ; and this reafon fhould be al- 
 leged, that chriicians, it they were cafb upon, 
 an illand where they had no wine, might make 
 ufe of any other, the beft, liquor they had, in the 
 adminiftration of the ordinance, rather than ne- 
 gledl to celebrate the memorial of Chrift's death -, 
 and therefore fmce it might be ufed then , it 
 might likewife at any other time, when wine 
 might be had. Would not every one fee the 
 ^ . weaknefs of the argument ? And is not the cafe 
 
 the vviT^ ^^^^^y parallel ^ * Again, God commanded the 
 
 ting this, -(r ^■"; 
 
 there accidentally fell into my hands a MS. life of Mr. Nicholas Levsrtorr, 
 of Sc. Tuily in CcrnwaU, drawn up by Mr. Charles MoreiotJ, which gives 
 fo axsft an account of the like cafe to that I have inention'd, and that 
 in the objedion, that I can't but think it worth tranfcribing : " Two 
 '' EiigUjb men were left on the backfide of Cuba, where they continued 
 above a year, and law no man but each other : Their food was po- 
 
 " tatoes and fruits. One of them, when he went to land, had a 
 
 bible in his pocket, and this they read very much. In reading' 
 ' and difcourfing about the Lord's Supper, they fell into confideration, 
 whcthtr one of them might not (in their circumftancesj adminifier 
 that ordinance ? They concluded in the affirmative ; and lb with wa- 
 ter inflead of wine, and potatoes inftead of bread, they fblemnly per- 
 form'd it; and (as they affirm'dj found much comfort and eftablifh- 
 ment thereby. Yet afterwards when they return'd, they found a- 
 fcruple of confcience about the matter, and propos'd it to d-vers mini-; 
 :.^ Tiers.'! And^ ifimiftakenot^ to Mr.-i.ex'fr/i'/; himfslf, ' 
 
Tresbyterian Ordination proved regular, 7 1 
 
 Ifraeliks to keep the fire continually burning onSermoii 
 the altar, which he at firft miraculoufly kindled, II. 
 and he oblig'd them to ufe that in confuming ^-OTV 
 their peace-offerings, ^c. Now if this were a 
 juft way of reafoning, how eafy would it have 
 been for the priefts to have then argued : It is ve- 
 ry poffible this fire may happen to be put out : 
 Some foreign enemy may invade us, deftroy the 
 altar, and carry away both priefts and people^ 
 and this fire be wholly loft, muft it then for ever 
 after be utterly unlawful to ufe any other fire ? 
 And muft all facrificing then ceafe ! Since thea 
 in fuch a cafe it were lawful to ufe other fire, why 
 may we not make ufe of it now or at any time ? 
 The cafe I have here put into the fuppofuion is 
 what afterward adtually happen'd, and the Jews 
 themfelves acknowledge they loft the fire from 
 heaven at the deftru6tion of the firft temple, and 
 had it not in the fecond, and therefore were 
 forc'd to make ufe of other, and they were inno- 
 cent in doing this in a cafe of necefTity, when 
 the facred fire could not be had ; as they would 
 not have been, if they had taken that liberty 
 while that fire v/as kept burning ; as Nadab and 
 y^bibu found to their coft, although the argu- 
 ment might as plaufibly have been urged by 
 them as in theprefent cafe. I think therefore, I 
 may conclude there is no ftrength in thefe obje- 
 ctions, and that the committing the gffice to per- 
 fons, belongs to thofe who are themfelves in 
 office. 
 
 2. There are others who oppofe us in claiming 
 the power of ordination, pretending it belongs^ 
 not to us , but to perfons of an higher order. 
 Their notion is this : That there is one fort o£. 
 minifters, who have a power of reading prayers 
 and homilies, of preaching and ?.dminiftring fa- 
 F 4 cram en ts J, 
 
7 ^ ^reshjterian Ordination provd regular. 
 
 Sermon craments, but have not the power of ordination 
 II. and government committed to them. They fay 
 
 V/'V^<-*' this belongs to one fingle perfon in every church, 
 that is, in every diocefe, which often compre- 
 hends in it a vaft number of congregations, not 
 in the fame city or town, but very diftant from 
 one another. Thus, for inftance, we have one 
 prelate in England, whofe diocefe (that is, whofe 
 church, wherein he is fuppof^d to have the fole 
 power of ordination and government^ not only 
 contains in it feveral hundred parifhes in England, 
 but likewife extends to all our colonies in both 
 the Indies. One would think the bare relation 
 offuch an opinion were a fufficient expofing ir, 
 and that it fhould not need any folemn confutati- 
 on. A man muft have a more than ordinary 
 meafure of credulity, who can believe this to be 
 according to the inftitution of Chrifl," and the 
 platform which obtain'd in the p^rimitive church. 
 If I did not plainly perceive the motives, I fhould 
 be aftonifh'd to behold fuch a conftitution made 
 the fubjedt of fo mqch adiniration and triumph. 
 'Tis ftrange men can vindicate this, and yet at 
 the fame time condemn th6 pope (as proteftants 
 with good reafbn ufe to do) for undertaking an 
 impoflible thing, in affuming to himfelf to be the 
 pallor of all the'churches in the world. 
 
 Our queftion now' is ; whether Chrift has him- 
 felf, or by his ' apoftles , inftituted one office, 
 which has the power of preaching and admini- 
 {Iring facraments without the power of ordaining 
 and governing v and another, wherein both pow- 
 ers are veiled in the fame perfons ; or whether in 
 every diocefe there is only one perfon who has 
 the power of ordination and government, and 
 that all other minifters thereili have not that 
 power. This we abfolutely deny, while our ad- 
 •■ • ■ verjiiries 
 
Presbyterian Ordination provd regular. 7 3 
 
 verfaries with great earneftnefs would obtrude Sermon 
 the belief of it upon us. How little there is of 11. 
 fcripture to eftablifli fuch an opinion, is evident ^•^'Y^^ 
 by the argumenxs they are pleafed to ufe in the 
 controverfy. 
 
 Their greatell argument is fetch'd from Timo- 
 thy and Tilus. Ti?noihy they fay was bifliop of 
 Epbefus, and Titus of Creie j and thefe had the 
 fole power of ordination and government in their 
 refpeftive churches ; and that is the reafon why 
 fiich particular dirediions, as that in the text, are 
 given to them, and they are required to ordain, 
 and to look after the qualifications of the perfons 
 to be ordained, and to receive accufitions againft 
 luch as were ordained, ^c. This (as they alTert) 
 plainly fliews, Ti?nothy and Titus were fuperior to 
 ordinary prelbyters , and confequently they 
 alone, and not the prefbyters, had the power 
 of ordination. Now the prelates, fay they, are 
 the only fuccelTors of Tiinothy and Titus ; and 
 prefbyters are of another order, the fucceflbrs of 
 luch as were ordained by Ti?noihy and Titus^ and 
 therefore the prelates only have the power of or- 
 dination and government. I will comprehend 
 my anfwer to this argument in thefe following 
 particulars. 
 
 I. We grant Timothy and Titus were fuperior 
 to other minifters ; but then we affert, they had 
 no fuccefTors in that wherein they were fuperior 
 to them. 'Tis certain, Timothy was an evange- 
 lifl, and therefore requir'd to do the work of 
 one : But watch thou in all things, indure affliotions, i Tim. iv. 
 S the work of an evangelijl, make full p7'oof of thy mi- ^' 
 niftry. Had he been inferior to the evangelifts, 
 'twould have been as improper to call upon him 
 to do the work of one, as it would be to call up- 
 on a common prefbyter to do the work of his 
 
 dio- 
 
74 Treshyterian Ordination proved regular.. 
 
 Sermon diocefan. 'Tis a plain cafe, the evangelifts were 
 II. not ordinary and common minifters, but of a fu- 
 perior chara6ler. The order in which they are 
 let down fufficiently evidences this : And he gave 
 fome apoftles : and jome -prophets : and fome evange- 
 lifts: and [ome pajiors and teachers. Apoftles there- 
 fore, prophets and evangelifts, are fuperior to 
 paftors and teachers, and yet 'tis of that rank on- 
 ly our diocefan bifhops are pretended to be. 
 
 It feems plain to me, that all thofe perfons, 
 who were fuperior to paftors and teachers, had! 
 a double character : That which was ordinary 
 and ftanding in the church •, and fo they were all 
 preft)yters or bifhops, for thefe are the fame iri 
 fcripture, our adverfiries themfelves, many of 
 them, being judges : Their other chara6ler was 
 extraordinary and peculiar to them, not defign'd 
 to be tranfmitted to any fucceflbrs. 'Tis there- 
 fore to" no purpofe to argue from the fuperiority 
 of apoftles and evangelifts to ordinary minifters. 
 "We own they were fuperior •, their extraordina- 
 ry gifts neceflarily made them fo : But what does 
 this ftgnify to fuch as appropriate the name of bi- 
 fhops to themfelves in our day ? "Whatever di- 
 ftinguifti'd them from ordinary minifters ceas'd 
 with them, and the other ftanding part of their 
 charadler is common to every rightly ordained 
 preftiyter. 
 
 And certainly if the apoftles themfelves were 
 not of fuch an order, as our modern bifhops are 
 pretended to be^ neither could the evangelifts be 
 of it. Now had Chrift defign'd his apoftles 
 fhould be officers in his church according to the 
 epifcopal fcheme, he ought to have appointed 
 each of them to prefide over fome one chiych i 
 for 'lis the ftanding maxim of that fcheme; Inhere 
 can be but one bWoop in one church : Whereas no. 
 
TreshyterianOrdimtton provd regular, 75 
 
 jefs than eleven, to whom prefently after Chrift's Sermort 
 afcenfion a twelfth was added, were at firft con- II. 
 ftituted, and for fome time remained the rulers c/V^ 
 and governors of that church, having all an 
 equal power and authority. So that the apoftles 
 were evidently in their ordinary capacity, pref- 
 byters ; that is, fuch kind of officers as might 
 be more than one in one church. 
 
 2. Tmothy was never what they call bifhop 
 of Ephefus ; and l^itus of Crete. They refided 
 there for fome time to fettle matters in thofe 
 churches, and to put them into a good order ; 
 and fo they did in other places, as 1'itus in Dal- z Tim. W: 
 matia -, and 'Timothy in Macedonia^ Cvrinth, and '°' 
 TheJJalonica, and therefore they may as well be ^^ ^ ^^^' 
 Ilyl'd bifhops of thefe. Farther, How could Ti~ I'cor. iv; 
 mothy be bifhop of Ephefus, according to the 17. 
 modern way of fpeaking, fmce we are fure there i Theff.Iii 
 were other bifhops to rule that church ^ Thus ^' 
 the prefbyters are. call'd : Take heed unto your j^^, 
 /elves, and to all the flock over zvhich the Hoh Ghofi 
 hath made you h'ljhops. Where our tranflators 
 have, contrary to their own way of rendring 
 the word, tranflated it over-feers rather than hi- 
 Jbops, prudently, without all doubt, confider- 
 ing it would found odd to epifcopal ears, that 
 more perfons than one in a church fhould be 
 ftyl'd bifhops, and have the government of the 
 church committed to them as fuch. 
 
 There is no reafon therefore to think Timothy 
 was bifhop of Ephefus, And indeed his being an 
 evangelift, would make one ready to conclude, 
 he did not fix his refidence there : Since the 
 bufmels of fuch feems to have been to travel from 
 one place to another ; and to flay no longer at 
 any particular place, than was neceflary for the 
 
 right fettling the church in it. 
 
 WhaJ 
 
yfi Treshyterian Ordination proved regular. 
 
 Sermon 3. Whatever was the fuperiority of Ti?notby to 
 II. thofe he ordain'd, *tis certain they were to have 
 
 WV*^ the power of ordination and government. Our 
 adverfaries grant thefe go together. Now that 
 they had the power of government is plain by 
 the apoftles reafoning about their qualifications : 
 
 I Tim. ill. One that ruleth well his own houfe, having his chil- 
 
 4> 5' ^fgfi in Juhje5iion with all gravity. For if a man 
 know not how to rule his own houje^ how Jhall he 
 take care of the church of God ^ 
 
 4. *Tis very improbable, that the apoflle was 
 now fending direftions to 'Timothy how to behave 
 himfelfas the bifliop ot'Ephefus, becaufehe feems 
 not to have been at Ephefus when he fent to him, 
 nor was he about to fend him thither, but he 
 adlually calls him quite another way. Timothy 
 was not at Ephefus at the writing this fecond 
 epiftle •, as appears by Chap. iv. 13. And Ty- 
 chicus have I fent to Ephefus. What need to 
 mention this to Ti?nothy, if he were then at 
 Ephefus ? He would not need notice of it if Ty- 
 chicus were the meflenger, by whom the epiftle 
 was fent : Or if he was fet out before the wri- 
 ting it, he would come before the epiftle, and 
 the notice given would be too late to fignify any 
 thing. Of the fame fending of Tychicus we read 
 
 "Fph. vi. in the epiftle to the Ephefians. But that ye ma'j 
 alfoknow 7ny affairs^ and how I do -, Tychicus, a 
 beloved brother, and faithful ?ninifler in the Lord, 
 jljall make known to you all things, whom I have 
 fent unto you for the fame pur pofe, that ye 7night know 
 cur affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts. 
 And had Tifnothy been then there, fuch was the 
 apoftle's love and affedlion to him, that he would 
 not have fail'd to have taken notice of him par- 
 ticularly, and to have fent him a falutation. 
 Befides, had Timothy been there, they would 
 
 have 
 
 io, 21. 
 
Tresbyterian Ordination proved regular. 77 
 
 have hadlefs needof thecomfortof 7'^r/?;Vaj's com- Sermon 
 ing. And 'tis as plain, the apoftle was not fend- II. 
 ing any order to T'itnolhy to go to Ephefiis : For v^V^^ 
 he fent for him to come to Rome to himfelf. Do » Tim.ij. 
 thy diligence to come jhortly to me. 'Tis moft pro- ^' 
 bable Timothy was at l^roas at the time when this 
 epiftle was fent to him ; fmce he is defir*d, not 
 to go and fetch, but barely to bring with him 
 what the apoftle had left there, ^he cloke that ver. 1 3. 
 J left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comeft^ 
 bring with thee^ and the books ^ hut efpecially the 
 parchments. So that in this fecond epiftle there 
 can be nothing to eftablilh his being bilhop of 
 Ephefus^ but all the diredtions given him fhould 
 rather ftiew that he was biftiop of 'Troas than of 
 Ephefus. 
 
 5. When the apoftle gives directions in his 
 epiftles to Timothy^ now to behave himfelf in or- 
 daining elders, (^c. the reafon of his doing fo is, 
 becaufe Ti?nothy, as an extraordinary perfon, {viz. 
 an evangelift) was to have the chief hand there- 
 in •, but this does not imply, that none who 
 were with him had the power of doing the fame 
 thing. Many think that when the firft epiftle 
 was written, 1i?nothy was at Ephefus, fetting that 
 church in order. And if wc take that for grant- 
 ed, and therefore allow that particular directions 
 are given him in the management of the affairs 
 of the church -, yet there is no reafon to think 
 he was to aft alone, but that the other bifliops 
 of that church had a power to perform the fame 
 adls, and were to join with him ; fmce they 
 were, as I obferv'd before, the governors of that 
 church, and had been conftituted fo before that 
 epiftle was written. J never find any ordination 
 in the whole new teftament, which was per- 
 form*d by a fingle perfon i nor can I think any 
 I fuch 
 
7 8 Presbyterian Ordination proved regular , 
 
 Sermon fuch ordination would be regular. And if the 
 
 • II. apoille had a hand in the ordination oi'Timoth% 
 
 ^3^'>r^ and he fpeaks of that, and not of laying on 
 
 hands to give the Holy Ghoft, when he fays : 
 
 a Tim. i. Wherefore I pit thee in remembrance^ that thou ft'tr 
 
 ^^' up the gift ofGod^ which is in thee^ hy the putting 
 
 on of my hands : yet, notwichftanding that fuppo- 
 
 fition, 'tis certain he did not do this alone, but 
 
 Jt Tim. iv. had others to join with him. Negle^ not, fays 
 
 '*"*• he, the gift that is in thee, which was given thee 
 
 hy prophecy f with the laying on of the hands of the 
 
 ^refbytery. And therefore though timothy as an 
 
 evangelift, diftinguifh'd from other prefbyters 
 
 by extraordinary gifts, would have the chief 
 
 hand in all ordinations, yet 'tis unreafonable to 
 
 think he would ordain alone ; fince he could not 
 
 but remember an apoftle would not do fo, but 
 
 join'd the prefbytery with him, at the time when 
 
 he was ordain'd himfelf 
 
 Our adverfaries here farther urge, that tho' 
 the prefbytery might join with Paul or Timo- 
 thy in laying on of hands, yet they could not 
 rightfully lay on hands alone. And this they 
 pretend is evident from thefe diredlions fo pecu- 
 liarly given to Tijnothy, whereby he is requir'd 
 to commit the things he had heard to faithful men.y 
 to lay hands fuddenly on no fnan, &c. Why, fay 
 they, fhould he have this charge fo peculiarly 
 given to him, if the presfby ters by their office 
 had the fame power ? This fhews that Timothf^ 
 concurrence was neceffary, and that the convey- 
 ance of the office depended upon him, and that 
 the reft could do nothing without him. 
 
 Befide what has been already faid, I will fhew 
 you the weaknefs of this way of arguing, by 
 trying how it will hold, when apply'd to ano- 
 ther place of fcripcure : And certainly if it be 
 
 mi 
 
^reshyterian Ordination provd regular. 79 
 
 not juft in the one, it cannot be fo in the other : Sermoft, 
 Now I very much miftake the opinion of our 11. 
 adverfaries, if it does not lead them to condemn ^*Or^ 
 the fame kind of inference from another texti 
 The words I refer to, are thofe which Chrift 
 fpake to Peier, when the reft of the apoftles 
 were prefent. And I will give unto Thee the /^^j^'j Mattheistr 
 of the kingdom of heaven \ and whatfoever xhoufhalt^'^'^* ^^* 
 hind on earthy /ball he hound in heaven ; and what- 
 foever thou fhalt loofe on earthy Jhall he loofed in 
 heaven. They m.ay as well infer that whac 
 Chrift there fays to Peter was peculiar to him^ 
 and did not belong to the other apoftles, be- 
 caufe Chrift fpeaks lb peculiarly to him, and that 
 when the others were prefent ; as they can infer 
 from Paurs fpeaking fo peculiarly to Tif?iothyy 
 that the things he commends to him belonged 
 folely to him, and not to all the other preft)y ters 
 of the church. And the cafe is really the fame. 
 For as Timothy would be among other preft>y- 
 ters, fo would Peter be among the other apoftles, 
 their Speaker, ProlociUor, or Foreman \ if I may 
 make ufe of thofe terms, which are fo familiar 
 in our own language. He was the firft or chief 
 apoftle, and before the apoftles departed from 
 Jerufalem to fpread the gofpel in the world, he 
 was continually the mouch of the whole body 
 of them when he was prefent. The fame might M"J^^J. 
 be faid concerning Chrift's command to him, ^ ^» *^''^* 
 -^MncxxldLvly to feed his lambs, andhis Jheep. 'Tis 
 a very general interpretation of the ancients i 
 that what Chrift there fays to Peter, he fays 
 to all the apoftles. And fo in like manner fay 
 I, whatever dire6lions Paul gives to Timothy, he 
 gives to all the preft^yters who were with him. 
 And there is full as much fenfe in the papifts 
 pretending from Chrift's words, that Peter had 
 
So Treshytcrian Ordination frov\l regular. 
 
 Sermon a fupreme power of binding and loofing above 
 11. all the other apoflles, as there is in our adver- 
 
 S^V^/ farles arguing from Paul's words, that Timothy 
 had a fupreme power of ordaining and governing 
 above all the prefbyters who were with him. 
 
 6. The power ofadminiftring facraments, the 
 figns and feals of the covenant of grace ; and 
 more efpecially the power of blefling and fan6ti- 
 fying things, to reprefent, feal and apply the 
 body and blood of Chrift, is fo very great, that 
 it is not eafy to fuppofe a greater power is 
 lodg'd in any men, than what they have who 
 receive this. There ought therefore to be clear 
 evidence and full proof, that thofe whom Chrifl 
 has intruded with this power, have not all other 
 powers whatever, which Chrifl has lodg'd in 
 any of his minifters. But I mufl confefs, I ne- 
 ver yet could fee any tolerable proof of it : 
 ' Nay, they who are moft concern*d to produce 
 it, can't themfelves agree about it ; but run 
 into a multitude of ways to confirm their opi- 
 nion, which are very inconfiflent with each o- 
 ther : And 'tis with much more folidity and judg- 
 ment they confute one another's particular 
 fchemes, than they cftablifh the great doftrine 
 they ftrive to maintain. I hope upon the whole 
 of what has been fa id, I may conclude, that as 
 the power, of ordination belongs to thofe in 
 office, fo it belongs to all thofe who have the 
 office of preaching and adminiftring facraments 
 committed to them. And therefore I proceed 
 to the lafl thing I propos'd to confider in the 
 words ; Which is, 
 
 III. The account here given of the inveftiture 
 or commiffion perfons were to receive. They 
 were to have thofe things committed to them 
 "which Timothy had heard of the apoflle among 
 
 many 
 
^reslyterian Ordination provd rebulaf, 8 c 
 
 many witnefles. And hefe three things offer Sermon 
 themfelves to our confideration. II. 
 
 1. What was to be committed, viz. The ^^y^\n^ 
 things 'Timothy had heard of the apoflle. 
 
 2. Who were thefe witneffes, among whom 
 he had heard them ? 
 
 3. What this committing thefe things does 
 import ? 
 
 I. What was to be committed, viz. The 
 things Ti?nothy had heard of the apoftle. No 
 doubt the things he had taught Timothy., were 
 fuch as he was very induflrious in teaching every 
 where, and fuch as he inculcates upon Timothy 
 in his epiftles to him. This expreffion may- 
 take in thefe following particulars. 
 
 I. The dodrine of the gofpel, and the great ^ 
 
 things of our falvation. The apoftles were fenc 
 abroad to preach Jefus Chrift, and reprefent to 
 the world what he had done and f.ilfer'd to fave 
 fmful men. This they perform'd with great 
 application and diligence, preaching peace by Jefus Ads x. 56. 
 Chrifi. The apoftle had taught Timothj a form ^ J''"* ^* 
 of found words, that is, an orderly fcheme of ^* 
 chriftian do6lrine, which he requires him in this 
 epiftle to hold fafi. This had been committed to 
 him, and he was required to commit it to others. 
 And the next words may be underftood to refer 
 to this : T'hat good thing which was comjnitted tov^^'- H" 
 thee, keep by the Holy Ghoji, which dwelleth in 
 us. 
 
 1. This exprelTion muft comprehend the pre- 
 cepts of the gofpel, together with their fandli- 
 ons. Teaching them to obferve whatfoever I /^^i;^ '"Matthew 
 co?nmandedyou, fays Chrift when he fent forth his^^'-'^"- *^* 
 apoftles. And fo this will take in all the evan- 
 gelical rules of life and converfation, and of re- 
 ligious vvgrfhip, which the apoftle frequently 
 G recom- 
 
8i Treslyterlan Ordination proved regular. 
 
 Sermon recommends to 'Timothy in his epiftles, ordering 
 
 II. him to ;put them in mind of them, and charge 
 
 v^Vw chriftians to obferve and keep them. To which 
 
 purpofe we meet with many expreflions. ^hefe 
 
 1 Tim. ly. things command and teach : Thefe things give in 
 '^' charge that they may he hlamelefs : Of theje things 
 
 2 Tili.'i'i P^^ ^^^^^ ^^ remembrance, charging them before the 
 24. Lord, &c. 
 
 3. The things he had heard muft comprehend 
 the difcipline of the church ; thofe diredions he 
 had given him for the right ordering and ma- 
 nagement of the church. The apoftle had doubt- 
 lefs inltrudled Timothy in thefe things, before he 
 fent him out to do the work of an evangehft ; 
 however he now inculcates them again upon him, 
 and delivers them in writing for the benefit of 
 the church in all after ages : And he tells him, 
 I Tim. iii ^^V ^^ wrote thefe things to him, viz. That [he - 
 i^, 15. 'might know how to behave himfelf as a pillar and 
 ground of truths in the houfe of God, which is the 
 church of the living God. 
 
 Thefe were the things Timothy had heard : 
 And it will not be amifs for us to take particu- 
 lar notice of whom he had heard them ; the 
 things, fays he, which thou haft heard of me. The 
 apoftles were capable of giving a fure rule both 
 of faith and pradice in all things, and therefore 
 minifters were bound to receive what they deli- 
 ver'd, and to teach it to others. The apoftles 
 themfelves were fent forth only to teach what 
 Chrift commanded. They deliver'd no other 
 rule to their followers, than they receiv'd from 
 Chrift, having his fpirit to guide them infallibly 
 into all truth. And this is the ground of that 
 authority which their writings ought to have in 
 all ages of the church. If they had publifh'd 
 only their own opinion, and had not deiiver'd the 
 
 mind 
 
Tresbyterian Ordination p'ov^d regular. S5 
 
 niind of Chrift, they would not have dcfervM Sermon 
 the regard which has been paid them. But they II. 
 had the ftiind of Chrifi, and could prove by the --'-w^ 
 miracles they wrought, they deliver^'d nothing ^ ^^^- "• 
 but his mind. Hence this apoftle charges Timo- l^L. ... 
 thy : Bui continue thou in the things which thou hafi \.^ 
 learned^ and haft been ajfur'd of, knowing of whom 
 thou ha^learn^d them. The apoftles gave a certain 
 and infallible teftimony of the truth of the things 
 they deliver'd ; fo that perfons might be aflur'd 
 thereof, knowing they learnt them of perfons 
 divinely taught and guided. And upon that ac- 
 count is their word a fure rule to all chriftians, who 
 are oblig'd to he ?nindful of the coimnandments of the^ Pet. iii. 
 apoftles of our Lord and Saviour. It belonged there- -• 
 fore to them to fpeak with fuch authority as 
 other minifters can't, except they have the writ- 
 ten word clearly warranting them. See hov/ this 
 apoftle fpeaks to Tifnothy : I charge thee therefore i Tim. vi; 
 in the fight of God, who quickneth all things, and ^ 3j H« 
 before Jefus Chrift, who before Pontius Pilate wit- 
 Tiefjed a good confeffion, that thou keep this command- 
 ment without fpot, irrebiikaUe, until the appearing 
 cf our Lord Jefus Chrift. No regard is to be paid 
 to the commands of minifters, who have not an 
 infallible authority to back them. We are no 
 farther to obey minifters, than we can fee rea- 
 fon for their injundtions. The reafon why the 
 apoftle expefled to be obey'd by the Corinthians 
 was, becaufe he received of the Lord what he de- i Cor. xi. 
 liver" d to them. And we are bound to hearken ^3- 
 to men in all fuch things, as they can Ihew us 
 they have receiv'd of the Lord. But when they 
 bring us things which they have receiv*d rf fa- 
 thers, councils, convocations, or the civil ma- 
 giftrate, and would from thence prefcribe us a 
 rule how to worfhio God, we beg their excule, 
 'G 2 'Liil 
 
84 Treshyterian Ordination proved reguhf. 
 
 Sermon 'till they fliew us fome betted authority for 
 
 II. their commands. We are fure we have juft rea- 
 
 v^-^V**^ fon to inquire, fVhence are thefe things ? Are the^ 
 
 Matrhew jy^^ heaven^ or of men ? If they pretend they are 
 
 X3CI. 2.5" jyQj^ heaven^ we will gladly receive them, as foon 
 
 as they will vouchfafe to prove them to be fo : 
 
 But if they fay they are of men, we defire them 
 
 to reft contented with this fhort anfwer : That 
 
 Matthew we have one mafier, even Chriji : And in thefe 
 
 xxiii. ic. things call no man mafter upon earth. 
 
 2. Who were thofe many witnefTes among 
 whom Timothy had heard the things here refer'd 
 to. A learned gentleman thinks no witnefies are 
 here fpoken of, and by altering the pointing of 
 the fentence and a fingle accent, renders the 
 words to this purpofe : The things which thou haji 
 heard of me at large, tefiifying them, commit them, &c. 
 But fmce our own rendring may be defended^ 
 and thefe witneffes feem mention*d elfewhere by 
 the apoftle, I fee no necefTity of our embracing 
 that ingenious conjeflure. 
 
 Some then by the witnefies underftand not any 
 
 perfons, but only fuch things as attefted the 
 
 truth of the chriftian do6brine, particularly the 
 
 miracles wrought by Chrift and his apoftles. 
 
 Others think hereby may be meant fuch perfons 
 
 as confirm'd the truth which Timothy had heard. 
 
 And fo thefe witneffes may be the apoftles who 
 
 \ were Chrift's chofen witneffes to the world. Thefe 
 
 ,f were many, abundantly fufficient to atteft the 
 
 matters they declar'd themfelves eye-witneffesof. 
 
 And with them then may be joyn'd all thofe who 
 
 had feen Chrift after he was rifen from the dead, •. 
 
 and fo were witneffes of his refurredion, a moft 
 
 eminent proof of his dodbrine : And they, you 
 
 1 Cor, XV. know were many : For he was feen of above five 
 
 6. hundred brethren at once> 
 
 But 
 
^reshyterian Ordination proved regular. 8 5 
 
 But I cannot but prefer that interpretation , Sermon 
 which makes thefe witnefles to be the perfons, 11. 
 who were prefent, when timothy heard thofe ^^>^V^^. 
 things from the apoftle , to which he here re- 
 fers. If this related to nis preaching in general, 
 then the witnefles mull fignify thofe who were his 
 hearers at the fame time with 'Timothy. But I 
 can't eafily perfuade myfelf that this is his mean- 
 ing. Timothy, had been his companion in travel,, 
 and had convers'd with him frequently alone, 
 and by that means gain'd a fuller information in 
 divine things : And it feems not probable he 
 would dired: him to commit to others nothing 
 but what he had learn'd of him in a publick au- 
 dience. I conceive therefore, he here refers ta 
 fome charge he had laid upon ymo//^)' before many 
 witnefles. And thus the mention of thefe many 
 witnefl^es is of fome confiderable importance ; •" 
 
 which otherwife it feems not to be. I think then, 
 as the apoftle was now giving Timothy directions 
 about ordaining men. to the work of the miniftry, 
 fo he puts him in mind of his own ordination. 
 And 'tis as tho' he had faid to him, " Oh Ti~ 
 " mothy, thou canft not but remember, what a 
 " charge I laid upon thee, when thou wafl: thy- 
 ** felf ordain'd : What the things were which I 
 *' injoyn'd thee then to teach and preach. There 
 " were many prefent, who were witnefles of 
 " thefe things, and can teftify agaiafl thee, if 
 " thou haft forgotten them, or art not careful 
 "■ to aft according to that flFi6l command I rhea 
 *s gave thee, and to difcharge thy truft with 
 " faithfulnefs. And as thou art to conftitute 
 *' others in the fame office thou waft then put 
 " into thy felf; make the charge I then gave 
 *' thee thy pattern, and the fame things I com- 
 ^* mitted to thee, commit tliou alfo to others.'*^ 
 [G 3, This 
 
86 Treshyterian Ordination proved regular. 
 
 Sermon This interpretation feems to be confirm'd by an- 
 il, oilier pi ace, where many witneffes are fpoken 
 ^-'V^ of,, whom I take to be the fame with thofe in the 
 text -, the perfons prefent at Ti?nothy*s ordination, 
 I Tim. \], Fight the good fight of faith ^ lay bold on eternallife^ 
 ^2.' whereunlo thou art alfo called, and hafi profefs d a 
 
 good profiffion before many witneffes. 'Tis reafon- 
 able to fiippofe, this good profefiion he refers to 
 was made by 'Tifnothy, either at his baptifm or at 
 his ordination : And fince 'tis more likely the 
 apofile was prefent at his ordination than his 
 Afts xvi. baptifm- (for indeed he feems to have had no par- 
 1,2.. ticular know! edge of him, till he was commended 
 to him by the brethren at Lyfira and Iconiumy 
 tho' He was a difciple, and confequently baptized 
 before) we have more reafon to think he would 
 refer to the profefiion made at his ordination, as 
 a thing he was acquainted with, than that at his 
 baptifm, when he was not himfelf prefent. Be- 
 fides, the exhortation he is here giving Tfwc/^y 
 may well be underftood to be direfted to him as a 
 minifter, fmce 'tis the continuation of an exhorta- 
 tion begun in the preceding verfe, which is ad- 
 drelTed to him as a man ofGod, by which, I think, 
 is generally underftood a minifter of the gofpel. 
 Now this frofejfwn then was made before many 
 witneffes, who alio heard the charge the apoftle 
 laid upon him. And it could not but have a 
 confiderable influence upon 'Tiniothy to confider, 
 how many eyes were upon him ; how many 
 would obferve it now, and be able to teftify a- 
 . gainft him in the laft day, if he departed fronii 
 the folemn prefeffion he had made, or neglefted 
 to b<-have himfelf according to the ftrid; charge 
 Sivcnhim. 
 
 i.the rather mention this, that you may fee, 
 how very probable 'tis the apoftles ufed pretty 
 
 much 
 
Tycshyterian Ordination proved regular » 87 
 
 much the fame method we do. However, 'tis not Sermon- 
 bare probabilities we ground our praftice upon 5 11. 
 but fomewhat of this nature is requifite, in order ^-iO^rvj 
 to our trymg and forming a judgment con- 
 cerning perfons, when we commit the ofRce to 
 them. 
 
 3. What is the import of this expreflion : Cojn-- 
 mit thou thefe things. *Tis evident this does not 
 fignify a bare teaching and preaching thefe 
 things. Timothy was to do that to fuch as were 
 not faithfuJ, in order to their becoming fuch ; 
 he was to inftrudl tliofe who were not able ta 
 teach others. This therefore imports, 
 
 1. An authorizing and impowering perfons, as 
 minifters of the gofpel, to teach thefe things, or 
 the giving them a warrant to do fo.. Minifters 
 treat with men in God's behalf, and aft in his 
 name, and therefore it is very agreeable they 
 fliould be folemnly authoriz'd to their office. 
 And thofe words of the apoftle feem here very 
 pertinent: Hozv /ball they preach, except they ^(?Rcm.x.if. 
 fent?_ And fince perfons are not now fent by 
 Chrift himfelf immediately, *tis but reafonable 
 
 to fuppofe the moft juft and regular way of 
 their being fent, i^ when they are authorized by ^ 
 thofe in whofe hands that power is plainly 
 lodg'd : And who they are I have fliew'd you 
 already. 
 
 2. 'Tis not a bare authorizing them, but a lay- 
 ing it upon them as a iblemn charge and truft, a 
 binding and ingaging them to teach thefe things. 
 So that the very committing the things to them 
 makes a great alteration in their circumilances, 
 and learves them under a, ftrid obligation to do 
 the work, as ever they would approve them- 
 felves faithful to God, and true to the vows and. 
 promifes they made. They are allowed of God to i Tbef. ii. 
 "^ G 4. ^^4- 
 
88 Treshjterian Ordination proved regular. 
 
 Sermon he put in trufi with the go/pel, and therefore are to 
 II. fpeak^ not as pleafmg men, hut God who trietb their 
 
 And thus I have confider'd the feveral things 
 propos*d from the words. I ftiall conclude with 
 thel'e three reflexions. 
 
 1. Hence we may fee what to judge of fome 
 perfons, who refufe to receive their commiflion 
 this way. If the method Chrift has appointed is 
 fuch as I have defcrib'd, then without all doubt 
 the miniflry of fuch is far from being regular. 
 'Tis hard to imagine the people fhould in every 
 particular church be qualified to judge whether a 
 man is fufRciently accomplifh'd for the miniilry, 
 and therefore 'tis not eafy to allow they are in- 
 truded with anabfolute power of conveying the 
 
 • office. And tho' it be unreafonable, unchriflian 
 and barbarous to confine men by temporal pe- 
 nalties to any particular minifter ; yet the in- 
 ftilling into the people fuch a conceit of their 
 power, and efpecially the putting it in practice, 
 not only threatens mifchief in its own nature, 
 but has been found by experience to be very pre- 
 judicial to truth and piety, and very deflruftive 
 of all order and peace in the church. 
 
 2. Hence we may fee what need miniflers have 
 of divine grace and help. The reaf in why care 
 is to be ufcd, that the office may be committed 
 only to faithful men, is becaufe faithfulnefs is fo 
 abfolutely neceffary in the difcharge of the work. 
 And the greatnefs of the trull, and the extent of 
 that faithfulnefs which is requifite, may convince 
 us how difficult a matter 'tis to be a faithful mi- 
 nifter. This fliithfulnefs inufl attend a minifter 
 in his ftiidying, his praying, in fecret, as well as 
 in the congregation, in his preaching, in his ex- 
 horting, and eipecially in his admonilhing, re^ 
 
 proving 
 
Treshyterian Ordination frovd regular. 89 
 
 proving and cenfuring offenders. And when this Sermon 
 is connder'd, who can forbear crying out with IL 
 the apoftle ; ff^o is fufficient for thefe things ? If v^V^^ 
 we are faithful we may well fay with him, We - ^^ "• 
 
 vu. 
 
 have obtained mercj to lie faithful : And by the grace ^ X 
 of God we are what we are. ^ ^^ 
 
 3. It hence follows, that the grace and help of — xv. lo, 
 God, whereby minifters Ihould be made faithful, 
 ought moft importunately to be fought both by 
 themfelves and their people. 'Tis efpecially for 
 the peoples fake faithfulnefs is requir'd in fuch as 
 are to be ordain'd. Their profit and edification 
 is not a little concern'd herein ; and therefore 
 fhould they pray that God would make their mi- 
 nifters faithful. And I am fure minifters have 
 need to pray in like manner for themfelves -, not 
 only from the regard they have to the welfare of 
 their people, but from a concern for their own 
 fouls. Their own falvation depends upon their 
 faithfulnefs in the miniftry. And difmal indeed 
 will their doom be, if through their unfaithful- 
 nefs the fouls of their people ^^ri/?? in their iniquity , 
 and their Hood is required at their hands. 
 
 Ihe 
 
9° 
 
 The Curse caufelefs. 
 
 S E R M O N 
 
 Preach*d at 
 
 ElOiV, Jan. 50,1777. 
 The PREFACE 
 
 IT will feem Jlrange to fome io meet with a 
 fermon of mine upon this occafion, L never* 
 could fee reafon to think the ftn of the day was 
 a national one, that flooidd oblige us tofafi yearly 
 Jo long a time after it. And the chief purpofes to 
 ■which 'tis generally apply* d, were never any incou- 
 ragement to me to faft with thetn^ or pay any religious 
 regard to the day. 
 
 But it happened this year to fall on the day of our 
 weekly lecture, when it was my turn to preach. I 
 thought therefore it would not he improper to fay fome- 
 what in our own vindication, at a time when we were 
 every where infulted and ahus'd. The fermon was 
 composed and preached without the leaft intention of - 
 printing it •, but being earneftly defir^d by many of the 
 hearers to let it appear in the world, I have given 
 way to their importunit'^, 
 
 PROV. 
 
n 
 
 P R o V. XXVI. a: 
 
 As the bird by wandering^ as the 
 fwallow by ftying ; fo the curfe caufe^ 
 lefs /hall not come, 
 
 ^ P ^ H " ^ IS the cuftom of his pretended holi- Sermon 
 ■ nefs, the man of fin, once a year III. 
 I to curfe us, among the reft of thofe, WVvJ 
 K whom he is pleas'd to count here- 
 ticks, in the moft folemn manner, by bell, book, 
 and candle. I wifh his example was follow'd by 
 none but thofe of his own church. But, alas \ 
 'tis fad to obferve, how addicted furious and 
 angry men are to love curfing, rather than 
 blefling i and with what pleafure fome men 
 thunder out their fevere cenfures, and bitter im- 
 precations againft their innocent neighbours. And 
 did they fcatter their fire-brands, arrows and death, 
 only when they were in /port, and over their 
 profane .cups, and in their merry meetings, 
 their impiety would be far lefs than *tis, when 
 they attempt to fand:ity their malice by bring- 
 ing ic into their worfhip, and venting it in 
 the name of God himfelf It has been for a long 
 time the cuftom of many to fajl this day in the 
 year for firife and debate, and to fmite with the 
 firfi of wickednefs. And we, all of us, are gene- 
 rally reprefented as the vileft mifcreants, and the 
 abomination of God, with a defign to inflame 
 
 againft 
 
9^ The Curse caufekfs. 
 
 Sermon againft us the hatred and vengeance of men.; 
 III. And in this cafe, when the foundations of juftice 
 W^Vv^ and charity are overturn*d, what fhall the righte- 
 ous do ? Or, where iliall they feek for refuge 
 and comfort, but in the providence of the great 
 God, who keeps the ordering all events in his 
 own hand ; and who will not intruft men with 
 an arbitrary diftribution of all the curfes they 
 would be as glad to iniiid, as they are to de- 
 Heb. X. nounce ? Vengeance belongs to him, and he will 
 30. _ _ recompence. And there is no evil in the ciiy, and 
 Kmoi 111. ^^^ j^^^^ jy^^jy ^^^ ^^^^ -^i^ Neither the rafh judg- 
 
 ^ ments, nor the falfe reprefentations, nor the 
 
 cruel imprecations and threatnings of angry men»" 
 Ihall be able to hurt us, if we are fecure of 
 God's favour. A confcience void of offence will 
 make us eafy in our expedlation of a blefling, 
 when we are flunn*d with the loudefl noife of 
 curfmg. For, as Solomon afferts in the text, 
 'The curfe caufekfs Jhall not come. 'Tis upon this 
 claufe of the verfe 1 intend to infift, for our in- 
 couragement and comfort on the prefent occa- 
 fion.- But the connexion of it with the former 
 part of the verfe being obfcure, and the latter 
 claufe having fome ambiguity in it ; I think it 
 will be necelTary to give fome account, in the 
 iirft place, of the general meaning of the. 
 words. 
 
 In the Hebrew there is often a difference be- 
 tween, the text and the margin, the Chethib and 
 the Keri : and tranflators take the liberty of 
 following fometimes the one, and fomecimes 
 the other •, and *tis often hard to judge which 
 is befV, the Jews pretending both tO be owing 
 to the infpir'd writers. Thus it is in the laft 
 claufe of the text, which, according to one 
 reading of the original, may be render'd thus :. 
 
The Curse caufekfs. 9^ 
 
 So is the curfe caufelefsy it Jhall not cofne. And ac- Sermon 
 cording to the other reading, thus : So is the III, 
 curfe caufekfs, it Jhall come upn him-, that is, ^«Op^ 
 Upon the perfon, who without caufe denounces 3fc<7 
 it. Now the meanihg of the former claufe of ^^ 
 the verfe ■will be rliffcrent according as we fix 
 upon the one, or t'other reading of the latter. 
 If we read it. As the bird by wandring, as the 
 f^allow by flying -, fo is the curfe caufekfs, it jhall 
 not cofne *, the fenfe will be this : That the 
 curfe caufelefs is a wild and uncertain thing, as 
 much at random as the flying of a bird ; that 
 it as eafily flies over our heads without doing 
 us any hurt, as a bird does ; or, that it is as 
 eafily avoided by us, as a fnare is by a bird that 
 is upon the wing. But if we take the other 
 reading of the words, As the bird by wanderings 
 as the fwallow by flying •, fo is the curfe caufekfs^ 
 it Jhall come upon him •, the meaning will be ; 
 that as a bird by wandering expofes it felf to 
 danger, fo does a man by caufelefs cur fin g of 
 his neighbour s the mifchief falls upon himfelf. 
 And we may obferve, the wife man reprefents 
 telfewhere the neft as a place of fafety for a 
 bird ; and fpeaks of it as expos'd to danger, 
 by leaving and wandring from its neft *, As a^^^y^ 
 bird that wandereth from her nefl -, fo is a man xxvi. 8.; 
 that wandereth from his place. Either of thele 
 fenfes is moft juft and true, and we need not to be 
 folicitous which to prefer. 1 confefs the latter 
 feems to me more agreeable to Solomon's ufe 
 of the comparifon here mcntion'd. But then 
 that fenfe implies the other. For if the curfe 
 falls upon him who denounces it, then it does 
 not upon him againft whom 'tis denounc'd. 
 In fpeaking therefore to the text, I ihall, 
 
 I. 
 
5^" The Curse caufekfs. 
 
 Sermon I, Inquire, when a curfe may be faid to be 
 
 III. caufelefs ? 
 
 iV'W II. I fliall fhew you, that the curfe with 
 
 which we are ordinarily loaded on this day, 
 
 is caufelefs. 
 III. I fhall indeavour to fet before you the 
 
 comfort which the text holds forth to you ; 
 
 that this caufelefs curfe Ihall be mifchievous, 
 
 not to them who are curfed, but to the 
 
 curfers themfelves, 
 
 I. I fhall inquire when a curfe may be faid 
 to be caufelefs ? Now there are four cafes wherein 
 a curfe may be caufelefs. 
 
 1. When the pretended ground or reafon of 
 the curfe is fomething really good and juft ; or, 
 however harmlefs and innocent, and fo there is 
 no occafion for any curfmg at all. The curfe 
 caufelefs is the curfe which is undeferv'd ; and 
 certainly nothing can be more undeferv'd than 
 a curfe, when a man's adions are fuch as merit 
 commendation and praife. 
 
 2. The curfe is caufelefs, when though the 
 occafion of it is evil, yet the evil is too incon- 
 (iderable to deferve fuch a curfe as is denounc'd 
 upon the account of it. There are degrees of 
 evil as well as good ; and 'tis not a man's being 
 fure there is evil in any adion, that will jullify 
 him in palTing the moft fevere and rigorous fen- 
 tence upon him who is guilty of it. A father, a 
 mafter, or a magiftrate would be very unjuft, if 
 he fhould punifh every offence with equal feve- 
 rity. A proportion is always to be obferv'd, 
 and men are to be dealt with feverely or mildly, 
 according to the nature of the crime they have 
 committed. And fo far as the doom, or curfe 
 
 men 
 
The Curse caufelefs, ^h 
 
 men pronounce, exceeds the defert of the offence, Sermon 
 {o far is it without doubt caufelefs. Befides, the III. 
 law of charity ihould teach us co make all the al- W^ 
 lowances we can, for thofe circumftances, which 
 may alleviate perfons guilt. Our common in- 
 firmities may, one would think, incline us to 
 follow this rule. We often need our felves thofe 
 charitable conftruftions, which our neighbours 
 expeft we Ihould put upon their aftions. And ic 
 would be hard and caufelefs to curfe a perfon, as 
 doing that wilfully and malicioufly, which he 
 did through miftake or inadvertence. This in- 
 deed can't be alleg'd in cafes plainly and grofly 
 evil, where every man's confcience muft needs 
 inform him : But without all queftion , great 
 regard Ihould be had to fuch circumftances in 
 all intricate and difputable matters, wherein 
 good men have been found to take both fides of 
 the queilion. 
 
 3. The curfe is caufelefs , when the perfon 
 againft whom 'tis levell'd is innocent, and had 
 ho hand in the occafion of it, however grievoufly 
 evil and wicked it was. For in this cafe, though 
 the curfe may be deferv'd ; yet 'tis evident, 'tis 
 not by him who is curfed. And men Ihould be 
 as careful to acquit the innocent, as they are to 
 condemn the guilty. 
 
 4. Then is the curfe caufelefs, when the per- 
 fon who denounces it, is equally guiliy with him, 
 whom he curfes. For whatever the crime is» 
 yet he muft with a very ill grace curfe others for 
 it, who has himfelf an equal fhare in the guilt. 
 And he that curfes another, for what he does 
 himfelf, virtually curfes himfelf. Therefore thou Rom. ii. 
 art inexcu fable, O man.^ whofocver thou art tbat^i^— 
 judgeji : for wherein thou judgeji another thou con- 
 de?7inejl th\ felf; for thou that judgeji, dojl the fame 
 
 2 things. 
 
5 6 The GtJRSE caujelefs. 
 
 Sermon things. And though the curfe may not in this 
 III. cafe be caufelefs in it felf ; yet it manifeftly is fo 
 Vf^y in the perfon from whom it proceeds. 
 
 I fuppofe there can be no dijfHculty in per- 
 ceiving the curfe is caufelefs in thefe feveral ca- 
 fes. I proceed therefore to the next part of -my 
 difcourfe, 
 
 II. To fliew, that the curfe with which we 
 are ordinarily loaded on this day is caufelefs ; and 
 that our adverfaries have no reafon to abufe, re- 
 vile, and condemn us at the rate they do, upon 
 this occafion. And here I need only confiderj 
 how applicable thofe feveral things already men- 
 tioned, which fhew a curfe to be caufelefs, are to 
 our cafe. 
 
 I. A great part of the matter of our charge, 
 and the reafon why we have fuch a heavy doom, 
 paft upon us, is fo far from being criminal, that 
 it is truly noble, and deferves much praife and 
 commendation. I fpeak now only of what was 
 done by the parliament, and thofe who joyn'd 
 with them againft the king, or rather againli his 
 evil counfellors. As to what follow'd, when fe- 
 veral of the members were fecluded, and a few 
 only were fufFer*d to be prefent, and give their 
 vote j I fhall never reckon that to be the parlia- 
 ment's a6t. But a great load is thrown upon us, 
 for what was the adl of the parliament, and all 
 the troubles of that unhappy time are ordinarily 
 laid at our door : But the troubles were really 
 owing to thofe, who put the kin^ upon invading 
 the rights of his fubjedls -, and that brave parlia- 
 ment is worthy of an honourable and everlafting 
 remembrance, who ftood up nobly in the defence 
 of chem. All the world muft own, it properly 
 belong'd to the parliament to take notice of, and 
 
 to 
 
The Curse caufelefs. 97 
 
 to redrefs fuch grievances, as the nation then Sermon 
 groanM under. They are the fence and bulwark IIL 
 of our civil liberties, againft the incroachments i^^y^J 
 of an arbitrary power. The wifdom of our an- 
 ceftors had provided , that parliaments Ihould 
 have an opportunity of looking into, and redref- 
 fmg the nation's grievances , by referving to 
 them the power of fupplying the prince with 
 money. And when there was no fuch law, as 
 has been (ince made, for the frequent meeting of 
 thofe aTemblies, there was rw other way to fe- 
 cure to the nation their privileges, but by a fliiF 
 defence of their right to refufe to part with their 
 money, unlefs it was given in a parliamentary 
 way. 'Twas this began thofe troubles, and all 
 the world mull juftify that parliament, for {land- 
 ing up in defence of the right of the fubjefbs 5 
 and taking the opportunity to redrefs the mif- 
 chiefs, which were owing to as corrupt and vile a 
 miniftry, as ever had before harrafs'd thenation^ 
 And doubtlefs, while the parliament llood up in 
 defence of the fubjeds liberties, it was the duty 
 of the fubjedls to ftand by them and defend them. 
 And to that noble ftand, that vyas then made iiv. 
 the days of our fore-fathers, we are indebted, 
 that we their pofterity are not a generation of 
 (laves to the arbi£ra,ry power of our kings, and 
 the lufts of fuch a vicious, fawning clergy,, as, 
 then carry 'd all before chem, 
 
 2. Supposing the proceedings of the parlia-. 
 ment and the nation ffor I as yet meddle with 
 no more) were in fome relpe<fls evil and unjuftifi.-.. 
 able i yet were there fuch clrcumftances in. their 
 cafe, as muft be allow'd to go a great way in ex-, 
 cufing them, and fhould therefore lighten the- 
 cenfure men pafs upon them. *Tis indeed very 
 hard for the beft of men to manage a long quar-. 
 H eel. 
 
9S The C U K S E caujelefs. 
 
 Sermon rel, that rifes to a confiderable height, without 
 III, deferving fome blame. Though we allow there 
 
 ^VV^^*^ were fome things amifs in the condudt of thofe, 
 who flood up for the liberties of the people ; yet 
 every one mull fee, their end and defign was very 
 good, and that the methods they took were ge- 
 nerally fo too. And this will go a great way in 
 excufmg, even when it will not wholly juilify. , 
 If their jealoufies and fufpicions ran too high, 
 and if the terms they ftood upon feem to have 
 been fometimes a little extravagant, let their 
 circumflances be confider'd. They had ften 
 what advances had been made to fet up tyranny, 
 both in church and ftate -, they had the maffacre 
 of two hundred thoufand of their brethren in 
 Ireland before their eyes, and the threatnings of 
 the like ufage were loud in their ears. And in 
 fuch a cafe, who can blame them, if they infift-. 
 ed upon an extraordinary fecurity ? If their fufpi- 
 cions were beyond the true defigns of thofe they 
 had to deal with, they niay thank themfelves 
 who gave them too much reafon to entertain 
 them. Our lenators could not have been faith- 
 ful in the truil their country had lodg'd in them, 
 if they had not done their utmofl to fecure the 
 fafety of the nation. And if it was a fault, 'twas 
 certainly a very pardonable one , that they 
 thought it much better to lay a reflraint upon 
 the power of the prince, than to hazard the 
 utter ruin and deftruftion of the community. 
 And therefore, as to what was a national 
 aft, that is,' what was done by a free parlia- 
 ment at that timiC, pofierity fliQuld, and I doubt 
 not in a little time will , judge more calmly 
 and impartially concerning it ; and not load as 
 brave a kt of men , as ever the nation had, 
 with their cenlurcs, for a condud, which de- 
 rives 
 
 I 
 
The Curse caufelefs. 99 
 
 rives fo many advantages and benefits to thctr Sermon 
 fucceffors. III. 
 
 3. 'Tis moft evident, the curfe which is ufuaU ^./'^yr^^ 
 ly on this day denouncVi againft us, is caufelefs •, 
 becaufe we are perfedlly innocent, and had no 
 manner of hand in the pretended occafion of their 
 curfing us. Let the tranfaftion of the day be as 
 black and horrid as they pleafe to reprefent it, 
 what is that to us ? What reafon have they to 
 raife fuch an out-cry againft us upon that ac- 
 count ? 'Tis now fixcy-eight years ago fince the 
 thing was done ; and *tis a queftion whether 
 there be any perfon left in the nation , who 
 had dire(5tly, or indirectly, the leaft hand in the 
 king's death ? Is it not then caufelefs, for them 
 to runout with fo much intemperance and extra- 
 vagance in curfing us, for a matter of which we 
 are wholly innocent, and which was tranfadted, 
 if not before we were born, yet at leaft before 
 we were capable of having any hand in it ? 
 
 Obj. I . But, fay they, if you had no hand in it, 
 your fathers had, and the curfe is due to you for 
 your fathers fins. 
 
 ^nfw. The putting the king to death was the 
 aft of a very few ; and the families who can in 
 this refped: be concern'd in it cannot be many. 
 The a6t was far from being national, but was 
 committed by ?ijunolo of men, who opprefs'd the 
 nation, and inflav'd the parliament. And though 
 they don't care to own it, yet they know very 
 well^ that the leaders of the people, the * mini- 
 fters at that time, earneftly, and with the ha- 
 zard of their all in this world, openly protefted 
 againft the fa6t, to the very face of them who 
 did it. One would think, they who pretend to 
 H 2 em- 
 
 * See Vindication of the isinifters of the gofpel in and abouc 
 London^ 1648. 
 
lOO The Curse caujelejs. 
 
 Sermon embalm the memory of that king, fhould treat 
 III. thofe, who appeared his friends at that time, 
 
 VV^^ with fomewhat more of decency. If they were 
 not able to fave the king from death, yet they 
 {hew'd their good will to do it ; and when they 
 could do no more , through the domineering 
 power of a few, they heartily protefted againft 
 it, when we could tell them, who flood by with- 
 out fpeaking a word in his behalf. 
 ' Ohj. 2. However, fay they, though you had not 
 a perfonal hand in that fa6t, your principles are 
 the fame with theirs who had, you are all of you 
 for deflroying kings, and will gladly do it upon 
 every opportunity , and therefore we juflly 
 charge you with the wickednefs, and curfe you 
 for it. 
 
 Anfw. *Tis very much, I confefs, we fhould 
 have fuch bad principles as they charge us with, 
 and not know it : and that they Ihould be better 
 able to tell us what our principles are, than we 
 can tell our felves. Though fuch bold aflerti- 
 ons may delude their eafy followers, who receive 
 them with an implicit faith ; yet certainly it 
 mull be very hard for them to convince us, or 
 indeed, any indifferent perfons, that we don't 
 know our own principles. If the law of the land 
 has eftablifli'd them as a church ; y^t, I fuppofe, 
 neither that, n: r the law of God, has eilablifh'd 
 them as in^uifitors and fearchers of mens hearts. 
 This pretence of the badnefs of our principles, 
 with refpeft to civil government, has been art- 
 fully play'd againfl us. Our fchools have been 
 reprefented as dangerous, and not to be allow*d. 
 And who can doubt they mufb be fo, if what they 
 fay be true ? For why may not a man as well be 
 jTuppbs'd to teachj as to hold, bafe principles^ 
 ■^vithouL knowing any thing pf the matter? But' 
 
 ^■- ■'' ■ • > ■^ ■ ■• ■ " if;) 
 
The Curse caufelefs, lor 
 
 ii'tbefe inquifitors will condcfcend to us fo far, as Sermon 
 to give us leave to know our own principles, and III. 
 allow us to be able to give a more faithful ac- (•V'VJ 
 count of them, than they can do for us ; we do 
 not doubt to juftify our principles againll all the 
 fenfelefs clamours of thofe who would run us 
 down. 
 
 We think it then our duty to live peaceably 
 and quietly under that government, which the 
 providence of God, and the laws of the land have 
 let over us : That we are bound to be fubjeft to 
 it, and according to our ftations to maintain it, 
 fo long as it anfwers its true end, without trou- 
 bling our felves about the particular form of it. 
 If we don't believe the unalienable, indefeafible 
 right, or the jus divinum of kings, and an arbi- 
 trary government, they may thank themfelves 
 for it ; fmce they never produce any fufficient 
 charter for it, while they pretend to have one. 
 In Ihort, we diftinguifh between kings and ty- 
 rants ; thofe who make the good of their people, 
 and thofe who make their own pleafure, the rule 
 of their admirtiftration. The former we think 
 our felves bound in confcience to obey ; and the 
 latter, we Ihould think we were great fools, if we 
 did not to our power withftand and refift. Such 
 are our principles, that no good king need, Or 
 ever did, diftruft us : And we count it not a dilho- 
 nour to us, that bad ones are always jealous of 
 us ; and we wilh our adverfaries did not, by in- 
 deavouring always to improve the jealoufy of 
 fuch, convince the world they are the only ones 
 for their turn. If we don't compliment our 
 prin(^es with the promife of obedience without 
 referve ; yet we think our felves bound to be 
 fubjedt to them in all civil things, while they 
 make the laws of the land their ftandard; And 
 H 3 as 
 
102 The Curse caufekjs. 
 
 Sermon as to our confciences in religious matters, we 
 III. proteft 'tis, and hope it ever will be our princi- 
 
 wv~^ pie, to keep them facred to the direction of 
 a higher and greater prince, who alone has a 
 right to prefcribe to them. And he muft be a 
 bad prince with a witnefs, who will not be con- 
 tent with our rendring to him the things that 
 are his ; or, who will not allow us to render un- 
 to God the things that are God's. 
 
 As to kingly government in particular, we 
 are unreafonably charg'd to be enemies to it. 
 Men may fancy one government to be more 
 perfed; than another, and the world has always 
 been divided in their fpeculations upon that 
 head ; but I believe we are all in general plea- 
 fed with, and thankful to God for, fuch a mo- 
 narchy as ours, which is fo limited by the laws.- 
 So that we are perfeftly innocent in the matter, 
 for which our adverfarics are fo very free in cur- 
 fmg of us. 
 
 4. The curfe which they denounce againft 
 ' us is caufelefs, fmce they who denounce it, are 
 rhemlelves the moft guilty. I don't now run 
 back to tranfa6lions, wherein neither we, nor 
 they had any hand. I confider what is frefh in 
 all our memories. Rebellion is the pretended 
 occafion of the charge brought againft us, and 
 the high generation are the managers of it, who 
 take upon them very folemnly to read our doom. 
 But have they not now for ever ftopp'd their 
 own mouths ? Will they blame us for ftanding 
 up for our liberties, when we had the parlia- 
 ment, one part of the legiflatnre, on our fide i 
 and yet think themfelves innocent in inviting 
 over the prince of Orange^ to refcue their liber- 
 ties, when they adted only in a private capacity? 
 If the rights of kings are fo unalienable, if their 
 
 per- 
 
The Curse caujelefs, 105 
 
 perfons are fo facred, that they can never be re- Sermon 
 fifted, but upon pain of that damnation which III. 
 they thunder out againft us on this occafion ; W^v'v/ 
 what muft become of them , who invited a 
 prince to drive away king James, and join'd with 
 him afterward in waging a war to keep him out? 
 According to their notions , there was not a 
 fword drawn, or a piftol fir*d againft king Jafnes 
 in Ireland, but what was a lifting up the hand 
 againft the Lord's anointed, and as truly a con- 
 fpiring his death, as any thing they were ever 
 guilty of, who ad:ually put his father to death. 
 
 But to come yet nearer : Who were they that 
 hatch'd the late rebellion, that took up arms 
 againft the beft of kings, and that fought in the 
 open field againft him ? Were any of thofe, they 
 have been fo Jong curfing as enemies to kingly 
 government , and as rebels againft all kings ; 
 were any of thofe their aflbciates ? Who were 
 the generals, the foldiers, or the chaplains,' in 
 the rebellious hoft ? They cannot pretend th^t 
 his majefty, king George, had no right to 
 the crown -, we have their oaths to the contrary : 
 And if we may not believe them when they are 
 upon their oaths, I can't fee why we Ihould 
 much regard what they fay at any other time. 
 
 When therefore thefe men, according to their 
 ufual cant, reproach you with fedition and re- 
 bel] ion •, requeft them, that they would pleafe 
 to explain themfelves, whether they mean, 
 thofe o^ Oxford, Manchejler, Birmmgham, Brijhl, 
 and other places they have made too many to be 
 mention'd ? Or, Whether they mean thofe of 
 Prejion and Diimhlain ? Defire them to oblige 
 you with the names of the Prejh'jterian minifters, 
 juftices, generals, captains, and other officers ; 
 the Prejhyterian foldiers, or mobs, that appear- 
 H 4 ed 
 
104. T^^ GuRSE caufelefs^, 
 
 Sermon ed or afted upon any of thefe occafions. They 
 III. will foon be weary, if they attempt to give you 
 
 W'V'W the characters of the aftors in that villany •, un- 
 iefs they will deny it to be fuch, becaufe *tis fan- 
 itified by the church, for whofe fake they pre- 
 tend it was defign'd. 
 
 If, according to their ufual cuftom, they twit 
 you with 1 64 1, without afking them. Whether 
 they mean the murdering two hundred thoufand 
 proteftants by their good friends in Ireland ? you 
 may tell them. You need not be at the trouble of 
 going half fo far back as 1641, to meet with 
 17 15, or 1688 ; and that the church of £;j!g/^«^ 
 has, in thefe two latter, more than equall'd all 
 that the Prejbperians did in the former. 
 
 Since then thefe very men are fo notorioufly 
 guilty of that crime, for which they pretend to 
 condemn us ; the curling us mull needs be 
 caufelefs as to them^ if we had aftually deferv'd 
 it 5* as I have Ihewn you we have not. And 
 they, of all men in the world, have the leaft rea- 
 fon to make fuch an out-cry as they do, with the 
 
 a Kings infamous Athaliah : I'reafon, ireafon. But 'tis 
 
 xi. 14. time for me to haft en to the lail general head of 
 
 my difcourfe. 
 
 / 
 
 III. And I hope I have now, by Ihewing you, 
 that the curfe againft you is caufelefs, prepar*d 
 you to receive the comfort which the text may 
 afford you ', which is according to the different 
 readings, either, it pall not come \ or itjhall come 
 upon him that denounces it, and be moft mif- 
 chievous to himfelf There is fo much of reafon 
 and truth in either reading, that 'tis hard to tell 
 which is to be preferred, and therefore I Ihall 
 briefly fpeak to both, 
 
 I. The 
 
The Curse caufeUfs. 105 
 
 I. The Gurie caufelefs Ihall not come upon Sermon 
 the perfons, at whom it is levell'd. And if this III. 
 be true, and we are fure we are innocent, we ^•^'Y^ 
 need not much diftrefs our felves, whatever the 
 treatment is we meet with at the hands of our 
 enemies. They may revile and abufe us, and 
 fay all manner of evil falfely againft us ; but 
 this fhall not really turn to our prejudice. And 
 to evidence this, confider, 
 
 (i.) That God has not left it in the poWQir 
 of fuch perfons to execute their fentences, they 
 are pleafed to pafs upon others ; or, the de- 
 figns and purpofes they have laid againft them. 
 They are often ready to flatter themfelves into 
 an opinion of their own power, rnd lo be con- 
 fident of the fuccefs of their own prdjeds ; 
 that they fhall be able to wreck their maKce 
 upon their enemies, and to make them as mi- 
 ferable, as they would wifli them to be. But, 
 as they are not blelTed, whom they blefs -, fo,. 
 neither are they curfed , whom they curfe. 
 There is a fupreme Lord over them, and all 
 their defigns, who will not fufler them to pro- 
 ceed according to their hearts luft, but diredls 
 all with a different view. He makes the wr^/^ PfaUxxvig 
 of man to praife hm, and whatever is over and ^o. 
 above that, he rejirains. He difappoints fiich, 
 when they feem to think themfelves neareft to 
 the execution of their purpofes, and when they 
 are moft confident of crulhing the obje6ts of 
 their hatred and fpite. Thus it has been feoi 
 of old, and thus have we feen in the city of our 
 God. Let it be recorded for the generations to 
 come, that they may remember, and praife, 
 and truft in the Lord. 
 
 (2.) As they have it not in their power to make 
 whom they pleafe curfed ; fo neither does a 
 
 holy. 
 
io6 The Curse caujelefs. 
 
 Sermon holy and righteous God regard their curfe, to 
 III. execute it. God is indeed a God of recompen- 
 
 \«#^Y'x,^ ^^ ' t)Ut where the curfe is caufelefs and unde- 
 ferved, his juftice no way obliges him to fulfil it. 
 If the curfe caufelefs takes effeft, it muft be 
 thro' the power of thofe from whom it proceeds, 
 which we fee it cannot ; or elfe thro* the ven- 
 geance of God, in anfwer to their defires. But 
 there can be no reafon to be afraid upon any 
 fuch account. God hears not fmners ; and he, 
 who has made love, charity, and forgivenefs fo 
 effential to true religion, cannot be thought to 
 be pleafed with the wrath, malice, and cruelty 
 of angry men, or to delight to execute all their 
 rafli and hafty judgments. We need not there- 
 fore diftrefs our felves, when we know that pro- 
 fane men curfe us, or wilh our confufion in their 
 cups *, no, nor when 'tis done with more gra- 
 vity and folemnity i and religion it felf is pro- 
 ftituted, to fet off envy and malice to the 
 greater advantage. God is too much difpleafed 
 with a cenforious, damning humour, ever to do 
 any thing to gratify it. 
 
 (3.) 'Tis a fure evidence that the curfe caufe- 
 lefs lliall not come, fmce a good God has, by 
 his promife, fecur'd us a bl effing in (lead of it. 
 God is the patron of the innocent and opprelTed ; 
 and the more any are abus'd and run down 
 wrongfully, the greater is his compaffion and 
 favour toward them. God will not have fellow- 
 fliip with the workers of iniquity, nor take part 
 with them in their fpite : So far is he from this, 
 that he has made this very treatment an argu- 
 ment of their bleflednefs. Blejfed are y, fays 
 Chrift, when men jhall revile jou^ and perfecute 
 •^ou, and fay all manner of evil againfi you falfely 
 for my fake. Rejoice and ba exceeding glad ; for , 
 
 great 
 
The Curse caujelejs. loj 
 
 great is your reward in heaven ; for fo perfecuted Sermon 
 they the prophets which were hefor.e you. The beft III. 
 of men, who have gone before us, have met w^V^^ 
 ivith the like ufage. Nay, which is much greater, 
 the Son of God himfelf was thus treated. He, 
 as well as his followers, was traduced as a fedi- 
 tious perfon, and ufed with the utmoft fpite and 
 malignity. But thofe who were curfed of men, 
 were reckon'd by God to be bleffed, and aftu- 
 ally were bleffed in his favour. And God's 
 favour and love is a fecurity of bleffednefs to his 
 people, in fpite of all the ill-will and malevolent 
 defigns of their enemies. Obferve how God 
 fpeaks concerning the enemies of his people : 
 ^hey hired Balaam the [on of Beor of Pethor ofDeyt. 
 Mefopotamia, to curfe thee. Neverthelejs the Lord ^^'"'' ^j 1- 
 thy God would not hearken unto Balaam ; hut the 
 Lord thy God turned the curfe into a bleffmg, becaufe 
 the Lord thy God loved thee. God made the 
 wretch that intended a curfe, to pronounce a 
 bleffing •, and the more forward men were to 
 curfe them, the more inclined God was to blefs 
 them : And the very curfe of the wicked is 
 fometimes a bleffmg and an advantage. For 
 when their wickednefs is brought to light, and 
 has rendered them odious and abominable, 'tis 
 natural for men to apprehend there muft be a^ 
 more than ordinary goodnefs in thofe who are 
 the obje<5ls of fuch mens greateft hatred. And 
 the moft angry of our adverfaries, I hope, will 
 not be difpleas*d with us, if we obferve and ad- 
 mire the fteps of divine providence, in this re- 
 fped: toward our felves. 
 
 2, The curfe caufelefs, according to the other 
 reading, fhall come upon him •, that is, fhail' 
 recoil upon the author. The greateft mifchief 
 it does, is to him out of Vv'hofe mouth it proceeds. 
 
 I And 
 
lo8 Hje Curse caufelefs. 
 
 Sermon And this cannot be thought ftrange, fmce the 
 
 III. curfe caufelefs is. a palpable wickednefs. And 
 
 V^^V'wwho is moft hurt by any wickednefs, but the 
 
 Prov. viii. perfon who commits it ? He that fins againfi God 
 
 ^ ' wrongs his own foul. By this, as well as all 
 
 other wickednefs, men provoke the anger of 
 
 the almighty \ and that is, of all others, the 
 
 moft dreadful curfe. And I may further add, 
 
 that this is a very aggravated wickednefs, and 
 
 therefore may the rather be fuppofed likely to 
 
 fall heavy upon them who are guilty of it. 
 
 The thing is not only contrary to a gofpel 
 temper, and a true chriilian fpirit ; but is like- 
 wife a moft daring invafion of the prerogative of 
 the heavenly king, which muft be moft notori- 
 ous in thofe, who pretend, above all men, to 
 be tender of, and zealous for the prerogative of 
 earthly kings. Rafh and cenforious judging, is 
 a bold afpiring to his prerogative of fearching 
 the hearts of men ; and Chrift has warn'd men 
 Matthew what to expeft in this cafe. Judge not, that ye 
 yii, I, 2. ]yg not judged : For with what judgment ye judge, ye 
 Jball be judged ; and with what mea[ure you mete, it 
 jhall be meafured to you again. So that our Savi- 
 our himfelf has determin'd the cafe, that the 
 curfe caufelefs, the harlli and cruel fentences men 
 pafs upon their neighbours, Ihall be executed 
 upon themfelves. 
 
 And this is further an invading God's prero^ 
 gative, in as much as 'tis a taking vengeance 
 Heb.x. so.outofGod's hand into mens own. Vengeance is 
 mine, faith the Lord, and I will recompence. But 
 when men become thus daring, God may con- 
 vince them of their error, and fatisfy them, to 
 whom vengeance belongs, to their coft. And all 
 the world muft own, there is a righteoufnefs in 
 the procedure, when men are dealt with ac- 
 cording 
 
The Curse eaufekfs. 109 
 
 cording to the verdift they pafs upon their neigh- Sermon 
 bours. What more juft than that he fliould III. 
 
 have judgment without merc^^ that hatb jhewed no ^^-^V^ 
 
 merc^ ? And that fuch a fentence fhould take J*™* "• 
 
 place : As he loved curfmg^ fo let it come unto him. -, l}\ ■ 
 
 as he delighted not ia hlejfing, fo let it be far from 17 'jg/ 
 
 him : As he clothed himfelf with curfingy like as 
 
 with his garment ; fo let it come into his bowels 
 
 like water ^ and like oil into bis bones. And very 
 
 applicable here are the words of the apoftle : 
 
 And thinkefl thou this, O man, that judgefi them Rom. «. j. 
 
 that do fuch things, and dojl the fame, that thou 
 
 fhalt efcape the judgment of God? God is known, ■^(^ {x. 15, 
 
 fays the Pfalmifl, by the judgment which he exe- 
 
 cuteth : ^he wicked is fnared by the work of his 
 
 own hands. 
 
 And certainly the condufb of divine provi- 
 dence has been very admirable in our time ; 
 we have feen the men, who were fo zealous in 
 afferting the dodlrines of paflive obedience and 
 non-refiftance, and in damning fuch as oppojs'd 
 them i we have lived, I fay, to fee them forc'd 
 to renounce both the principle and praftice, 
 and take up arms in defence of their liberties, 
 when they were themfelves attacked. And for. 
 their ading thus at the revolution, if the thing 
 be confiderM abftraftly from their before avow'd 
 principles, I am far from blaming them. But, 
 if there was any edge in the fevere fentences they 
 us'd to pafs, *tis evident from that time it be- 
 came turn'd againft themfelveSo We have feen 
 the men who dOom'd us as rebels to deftrudlioii, 
 in this world, and the pit of hell in the world 
 to come ; them, I fay, even them, have we 
 ieen left by a juft and righteous God, to aft the 
 rebels in the open field, againft a government 
 
 ' ' which 
 
1 1 o The Curse caufelefs. 
 
 Sermon which had never given them the leaft caufe of 
 
 III. complaint ; and which they themfelves, in the 
 
 w/'V*^ folemneft manner, had teftify'd to be rightful 
 
 and juft. 
 pfal. vii. And now, what fliall we fay, but that the 
 i4> fipf. curfe caufelefs is come upon the curfer ? Behold 
 he travaileth with iniquity^ and hath conceived mif- 
 chiefy and brought forth falfehood. He made a pit, 
 and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he 
 made. His mifchief Jhall return upon his own head, 
 and his violent dealing JhaU come down upon his 
 own pate. 
 
 I have but a few things to add briefly concern- 
 ing our duty on this occafion. 
 
 I. When we obferve this conduct of provi- 
 dence, it Ihould excite our praife and thankf- 
 giving. So the Pfalmifi, upon his having men- 
 tion'd the wicked falling into the mifchief they 
 intended for others, in the pfahi juft now referr'd 
 to, immediately adds : I will praife the Lord ac- 
 cording to his rigbteoufnefs, (there is a righteoufnefs 
 in the procedure, that well deferves to be the 
 fubjeft of our praifej and will fing praife unto 
 Exod. XV. ^^^ name of the Lord jnofl high. When the ene?ny 
 ' 9, lOj ii.faid, I will purfiie, I will overtake, I will divide 
 the fpoil, W)f luft Jhall be fatisjied upon them ; / 
 wiU draw my fword, my hand Jhall dejiroy them ; 
 but God blew upon them with his wind, and con- 
 founded them •, then Mofes and the children of 
 Ifrael celebrated it with a fong ; then they ex- 
 toli'd him as beyond compare : who is like unto 
 thee, O Lord, ajtwngji the gods ! who is like thee, 
 glorious in hoUnefs, fearful in praifes, doing won- 
 ders ! There is a charming beauty in the courfe 
 of providence, that calls often for our admira- 
 tion and praife. God often difplays his rlghte- 
 
 oufnefsj 
 
The Curse eaufelejs, 1 1 1 
 
 oufnefs, in over-ruling the fins of men to theSermon 
 accomplilhment of his own purpofes ; and his III- 
 juftice is difplay'd in his letting wicked inllru- wy^sy 
 ments, by wicked methods, bring about a terri- 
 ble vengeance. And thefe works of the Lord are^^^^- cxi. 
 great, fought out of all them that have pleafure therein. '' ^» ^' 
 His work is honourable and glorious -, and his right e~ 
 oufnefs indureth for ever. He hath made his won- 
 derful works to he rememhred. And therefore well 
 may I fay with the Pfalmijl, in the firft verfe of 
 that pfabn , Praife ye the Lord, I will praife the 
 Lord with my whole heart, in the ajfembly of the 
 upright, and in the congregation. 
 
 2. We may from hence fatisfy our felves of the 
 rcafonabienefs of our bearing fuch treatment 
 with patience. Our enemies are not able to take - 
 the leaft Itep without the divine permiflion. 
 They are limited in every thing they attempt, 
 and would fet about. However they may curfe 
 us caufelefly, yet they cannot infli6t their own 
 curfe ; and fince the curfe caufelefs does not 
 take effed upon thofe, againft whom 'tis de- 
 fign'd, there can be little reafon for our 
 being very much dillurb'd and difquieted by it. 
 'Tis indeed provoking to a perfon to be fo treat- 
 ed, when he has given no occafion for it, and 
 it may be fome trouble ; but this trouble is 
 more eafy to be born than many others. And 
 'tis a fign we are little acquainted with the great 
 duty of felf-denial, and the bearing the crofs, if 
 we cannot take patiently fuch reproachful lan- 
 guage. If we cannot bear hard words, how fliail 
 we refill unto blood ? Befides, as they are not 
 able at their own pleafure to infli6l their caufe- 
 lefs curfe, fo neither can they fo much as curfe 
 without a divine permilTion. And if we confi- 
 
 der ' 
 
Ill The Curse caufekfs. 
 
 Sermon der the trouble, as under God*s ordering, there 
 III. is tlie more reafon to bear it patiently ; as 
 ^-'''V"**^ David did when curfed by Sbimei : Let him ctirfcy 
 a Sam. hecauje the Lord- hath jaid unto him, curfe David. 
 Who then /ball fay, 'wherefore haft thou done fo ? 
 And the rather may we bear it patiently, fincc 
 fuch treatment has Keen the lot of good men in 
 all ages. David I mention'd •■, and Jeremiah com- 
 plains, that though he had given them no caufe, 
 Jer.xv. 'yet every one of the people did curfe him. And the 
 IP' thing is raoll notorious in the apoftles, and efpe- 
 
 cially in our Lord h'mfelf. 
 
 2. We may hence be direfled in our conduft 
 toward them. We have more reafon to pity 
 them, than to be inrag'd by them. Poor fouls \ 
 little do they think what they are doiftg, when 
 they are caufelcfly curfmg their neighbours. 
 Tf^ey will not be able to dp us. a thoufmdth part . 
 of the hurt, v/hich without fail they do them- 
 felves. We have no need to return them their 
 own uf^ge : They will have enough of their 
 own curfing, and need no addition of ours. Let 
 us then follow the dire^^tion of our Lord : But 
 Matth. V. L fay unto you^ love your enemiei., hlefs th:;n that 
 ^'^' curfe you, do good to them that hate you,^ aud'pray 
 
 for them which defptefuUy ufe you and ■perfecute you,^ 
 Our bufinefs is to pity and jiray for them, that 
 the curfe they imprecate upon others, ray, by 
 their timely repentance, be pr even ted; froiii ever 
 falling upon themfeives. 
 
 4. Let us hence learn our duty, to. truft m^ ' 
 God, and be the more careful to perform, it. 
 We o ight to truft in him, to keep us from the 
 mifv::aef our enemies would be glkd to fee fall: 
 upon us. ThusZ)<^Z/7Wincourag'd himfelf in the 
 2. Sam. Lord his God, when 5i?y«i?i cyrsM him : //^ i^z-^y 
 xvii, XI. hn. 
 
The Curse caufelefs, 1 1 5 
 
 he the Lord will look upon 7ny affli^lion, and that the Sermon 
 Lord will requite me good for his curfing this day. III. 
 Let their malice drive us. to .our refuge, and ^^'V^ 
 make us .the. more confident in our prayers to 
 God for hisblefling. The more fincerely and 
 heartily, we trull in him, the more eafy we may 
 well be : for this is a certain method of turning 
 their curfe to an advantage. And therefore let 
 us fay with David : Let them cwje, but blefs^^^^' "x- 
 thou, '■ '■: '■: "^' 
 
 ■4 . T. r 
 
 nt 
 
114' 
 
 The Evil and Cure ofJ)mJ!ms, 
 
 SERMON 
 
 Preach*d at 
 
 E X K 
 
 At the Opening of a 
 
 New Meeting-House, 
 March I e„ if-^^. 
 
 Being the Firft Lord's-Day after the 
 Ejedment of the Ministers. 
 
 The PREFACE 
 
 THE reader will not wonder at m'j choofing 
 a fubje5i of this nature^ upon fuch an 
 unhappy and fad occafion^ which is too 
 well known to need to he fet out in this 
 preface^ and has been already in part related^ and 
 will be more fully when I Jhall have ti?ne for it, if 
 ii /hall he found necejfary topuhlifh it to the world. 
 
 An 
 
 I 
 
The PREFAce. 115 
 
 An apolog"j 7na-j weli be expeSied for my printing 
 fl, fermon drawn up in fo much difira^ion and hurrf^ 
 as will be [uppos'd to attend my present citcum- 
 jlances. I'bat which I offer, if the reader will ac- 
 cept it^ is-, that the mif-reprefentatiom made of us 
 and our defign, called for the im?nediate publication 
 of fame thing of this nature ; and the hurry wotdd 
 fiot have been the lefs, if I bad laid ajide the fermon, 
 and written a treatife injiead of it. Befides, I 
 was perfuaded d fermon of this nature might at 
 this time be very feafonable for other places as well 
 as this ', for the utmoji confufion muft he unavoida- 
 ble, if a check be not given to an intemperate zeal, 
 and the diffenters themfelves abandon their plea for 
 liberty, and againfi impofitions, and attenipt to fet 
 up an I N QJJlSI T ION, For 7?iy own part-, 1 
 Jhall take this opportunity to declare, that however 
 'tarnejily I may deftre the continuance of my minijlry^ 
 if it may be of fervice \ yet 1 never defign to purchaft 
 it at the expence of my chrijlian liberty. 
 
 1 I i Coft, 
 
u6 
 
 I C O R. I. 13. 
 
 Is Christ divided ? — - 
 
 Sermon 
 IV. 
 
 rl 
 
 A D it been the good- will and plea- 
 fure of God, I ftiould rather have 
 chofen to have been in the obfcureft 
 corner of the whole land, where I 
 might have reap'd the blefled fruits of peace 
 and concord, than to have my lot, as I have 
 this day, in a famous city, which is become the 
 fcene of fo muchftrife and contention. This is 
 the more grievous to me, becaufe it threatens 
 vifibly that it will not reft here, but will fpread 
 to the wideft diftance. 
 
 Divifions I have always lamented and dreaded.. 
 And had it been in my power to have hinder'd it, 
 I can truly fay, there Ihould not have been this 
 day any fad occafion for the melancholy fubjedt 
 I have chofen. But nothing comes to pafs with- 
 out the providence of God j and therefore we 
 are to fubmit to v/hat we fhould not have cho- 
 fen. He knows what he defigns, and how to 
 
 brine 
 
 about his defigns in the 
 
 beft manner 
 
 and therefore when we can't help blaming the 
 occafion, we Ihould yet, in the way of our duty, 
 truft him with the iffue, and fay in the mean 
 while, good is the will of the Lord. 
 
 Divifion is the thing we now unhappily la- 
 ment ', and divifion is the fubje6l of the text, 
 wherein St. Paul expofes it by this moving 
 queftion, Is Chrift divided ? 
 
 If 
 
The Evil and Cure of Ti'tvifims, 1 1 7 
 
 If you look back to the loth verfe 6f theSermon 
 chapter, you will find, that with great earneft- IV. 
 nefs he there befeeches them to avoid divifions. ^•^'VX 
 iVow / hefeech 'jpu^ brethren, fays he, by the name 
 of our Lord.Jefus. Chrift, that ye all fpeak the fame 
 thingx ^>^d that there be no diviftons among you ; but 
 that ye be perfectly joined together in the fame mind^ 
 and in the fame judgment. He ftiles them brethren^ 
 and in the next verfe he thus befpeaks them all, 
 my brethren, efteeming them on all fides as his 
 brethren, while they could not eafily efteem one 
 another as fuch: And by this he puts them ia- 
 mind of that love, concord, and unity there 
 ought to be among them,, who ftood in fuch a. 
 relation to one another. He befeeches them iti 
 the name of the Lord Jefus, whofe difciples they 
 were, and into whofe natne they were baptiz'd ; 
 defigning to divert them from glorying, as they 
 did, in the names of men, and to fix their regard 
 to that worthy name by which they were called. 
 The fa?ne thing there mention'd can only fignify- 
 the dodtrine which he had himfelf receiy'd of 
 the Lord, and taught them ; for he did not 
 expe6l they fhould make any thing elic the 
 meafure of their agreement in t\\t\\' fpeech, their, 
 7nind, ov judgment. 
 
 In the next verfe he acquaints them with the 
 reafon of his fo particularly urging this upon, 
 theniji'/z,. the account he had received of the ftrife 
 that was .rifen, among them. For, fays he, it hath 
 been declared unto me, my brethren, by them that are 
 of the houfe of Chloe, that there are contentions 
 ainong you. . He then declares the nature of thofe 
 contentions --which, were among them, ver. 12. Now 
 t^.is I fay, that everv one of you faith, I am <?/~Paul, 
 and /^/"Apollos, and I of Ccph3.s, and lofChrijl, 
 &:c. I can hardly think he means, that the 
 I 3 Corin- 
 
1 18 The Ev^ md Cure of Divifms. 
 
 sermon Corinthians were really divided aJDOUt himfelf, 
 ^V. Jpollos, and Cephas, and that they fet them up 
 
 N-'^Sr^ as the heads of the feveral parties among them. 
 He feems rather Itudioufly to avoid naming the 
 particular teachers of the church of Corinth, 
 about whom they were divided ; and to put 
 thefe names in the ftead of them, that he mighc 
 give as little oifence as poflible. He feems thus 
 to explain his account of their divifions, chap. iv. 
 ver. 6. And thefe things, brethren, I have in a 
 figure transferred to myjelf and AipoWos, for your 
 fakes, that ye mighi learn in us not to think of men, 
 (ihve that which is written of them, that no one of 
 •^ou he puffed up for one againfl another, q. d, 
 " Your behaviour would be unreafonable, if 
 *« you were really divided about us ;. and you 
 " may eafily perceive it is fo in the prefent cafe, 
 " Let your particular teachers, whom you fet 
 " up as heads of your feveral parties, be what 
 ** they will ; yet they are but men, and you are 
 " not to magnify them as though they were 
 *' more, or to glory in one to the depreciating 
 *' of others. 
 
 St. Paul having fpecified the nature and kind 
 of their divifions, ver. 12. he proceeds in the 
 text to expoflulate with them. Is Chrifi divided ? 
 Where you fee he would convince them of the, 
 evil of their divifions, by the interpretation which 
 it was natural for men to make of them. *Tis 
 the ready way to fliame men out of any thingji 
 when you can make them fee that it muft carry 
 an air of abfurdity along with it \ for men don't 
 life to be fpnd of that which they fee will ne- 
 cefTarily expofe them by its abfurd confequences. 
 I fhall fuit nxy difcourfe upon the words to, 
 the prefent occafionj and therefore. 
 
The Evil and Cure of 7)mjms. 1 1 9 
 
 Sermon 
 I. Shall indeavour to fhew you the ml of iv, 
 divifwns among Chriilians, by reprefenting ,yy\^ 
 to you what they feem plainly to imply, 
 according to the text, viz, that Cbrifl is 
 divided. 
 JI. I will attempt to fet before you the duty 
 of chriftians with refpedt to divifwns, when 
 they at any time happen to arife in the 
 church, 
 
 I. I will indeavour to fhew you the evil of 
 diviftons among chriftians, by reprefenting to 
 you what they feem to imply, according to the 
 ttxiy viz. that Chrift is divided. 
 
 There is one thing I would here premife, that 
 we may carry it along with us thro' the whole 
 difcourfe ; and that is, that as St. Paul charges 
 this confequence upon the divifions which were 
 among the Corinlhians, fo the fame confequence 
 muft with a clearer evidence be chargeable upoa 
 fuch divifions as rife much higher than theirs, 
 did, and are certainly in their awn nature much 
 worfe. You will perceive the reafonablenefe of 
 my aflertion, when I Hiall have fet before you 
 the cafe of the Corinthiansy and that which I 
 would compare with it. The divifions among 
 the Corinthians lay only in their animofitics one 
 againft another, without breaking the commu- 
 nion of the church. They had not proceeded ^o. 
 far as a feparation from one another in the wor- 
 fhip of God., However they were puffed up for 
 one teacher againft another v and there were 
 among them then, as well as afterwards, whert 
 the fee .nd epiftle was written to, them, dehales^ 
 envyingSy wrathsy flrifeSy backhitingSy. ivhifperingSy 
 Jwe'lHngS:- and tumults, 2 Cor. xii. 20.. They yet 
 I 4. join*ii; 
 
1 20 The Evil and Cure of J)mJions. 
 
 Sermon join'd together in worlhiping God in the fame 
 IV. place. This appears by what St. Paul fays of 
 
 VV^ them, I Cor. xi. 20. JVhen ye come together there- 
 fore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's 
 [upper. But when the animofities rife higher, 
 and the divifions proceed much farther, and 
 chriflians cannot bear with brie another in the 
 worfhip of God ; when upon their differing fen- 
 timents they come to be form*d into feparate 
 bodies and focieties •, this muft be chargeable 
 with all the fame confequences that the other is. 
 Nay, as the paflions of men in this cafe muft -be 
 more violent and extravagant, on one fide, at 
 leaft, if not on both ; this muft be chargeable 
 with all thefe confequences with a confiderable 
 assravation. Thefe divifions are much worfe 
 than the other -, and therefore the ftronger and 
 more convincing is the evidence chriftians may 
 be expoftulated with ', Is Chrijl divided ? 
 
 The words are read by fome without an inter- 
 rogation ; Chrijl is divided. Should we take them 
 fo, there would be no great difference as to the 
 fcnfe j for then the apoftle muft be underftood 
 to urge them with the invidious confequence of 
 their divifions ; and the fame muft be his defign 
 if the words are read as an expoftulatory inter- 
 Togation. I ftiall take them as they lie in our 
 own tranilation ;, and the rather becaufe the reft 
 of the verfe being continued in the fame form, 
 makes this act'diint-of the words appear to be the 
 mbft natural and' eafy. Is- 'Chrijl divided? Was 
 Paul cnicified for '^ou ? or zver-e ye baptized in the 
 7idnie of Pa\il ? • 
 
 I fhail ''tal\e notice of various things, to which 
 this queftioh may be underftood to refer. Whe- 
 Ther the apoiliehad only one, or all of them, in 
 ,hi& thougfiCSj' -'tis' manifeft that the doing any 
 
The Evil and Cure of T)ivifims. 1 1 1 
 
 thing which maybe fairly interpreted to imply Sermon 
 that Chriji was, divided, muft be a very great IV. 
 evil, yv^, 
 
 I. This queftion may be underftood to relate 
 to the religion which Chrift has inftituted and ap- 
 pointed. 'Tis no harfh metonjm'^^ to interpret 
 Chrifi fometimes to fignify that religion of which 
 he is the author. I fhall mention one place which 
 feems to be very pertinent, 2 Cor. i. 18, 19. 
 Where the apoflle's defign is to fhew that the 
 religion of the bleffed Jefus which he taught, 
 was not an uncertain and variable thing ; and 
 thus he exprefles himfelf : As God is true., our 
 word (i. e. the do6lrine we preached) toward 
 'jou, was not 'jea and nay. For the Son of God, Jefus 
 Chrift, who was preached among 'jou by us, even by 
 me and SWvditms,, ^«(i Timotheus, was not yea and 
 nay, but in him was yea. Where the Son of God, 
 Jefus Chrifi^ is faid to be what the do6lrine con- 
 cerning him was. Jefus Chrifi is the fame yeflerday, 
 to day, and for ever., and his do6trine is invari- 
 ably the fame -, whence the author of the epiftle 
 to th& Hebrews, chap. xiii. 8, 9. urges them by 
 that confideration, not to be carried about with 
 divers and firange do^rines. 
 
 Chrift taught the moft exaft and perfed in- 
 ftitution ; and he taught but one. This he fully 
 fettled ', and in this all his difciples and follow- 
 ers are to agree. This religion is only to be 
 learnt from his word -, nor can wewith aflurance 
 and fafety depend upon any thing elfe in our 
 fearch after it. But when thofe who call them- 
 felves his difciples and followers, fiercely con- 
 tend and quarrel, divide and feparate upon a 
 religious account, this looks in the eye of the 
 "jvorld, as tho' he had not appointed one religion 
 in common for all ; but there was one inftiru- 
 
 tion 
 
Ill The Evil and Cure ofTiivifims, 
 
 5ermon tion for one party, and another for another. 
 IV. Alas ! how commonly is this fo taken among 
 
 VO^"^ our felves ? how common is it for men to reckon 
 thofe v/ho differ from them in modes and forms, 
 and little punctilio's, as men of a different reli- 
 gion ? And mull not that conduft of chriftians 
 be manifeftly injurious to their bleffed Lord, 
 which gives great occafion to the world to make 
 fuch refleflions ? Muft it not be injurious to his 
 •wifdom ? "What muft the world think, but that 
 either he did not know what he defign*d to ap- 
 
 Eoint, or how to exprefs it ? Why elfe Ihould 
 is followers feem to be of different^ religions, 
 when he profefsM his defign of appointing only 
 one ? 
 
 2. This queftion may be underftood ta refer 
 to the different and oppofite interejls^ which 
 they might feem, to purfue. When men quarrel 
 and oppofe one another^ they muft be thought 
 ta have oppofite interefts in view, and to be 
 driving on different defigns •, or elfe to be very 
 weak, in not difcerning the unreafonabknefs of 
 their being difpleafed with one another, whea 
 they have all one and the fame defign at heart. 
 And when chriftians quarrel and divide, does 
 not their behaviour feem plainly to imply the 
 fame thing ? And fmce they all profefs ta ad: 
 under the diredion of Chrift, and co be purfu- 
 ing the incereft he has recommended to them, 
 does not this look as though Chrijl were divided^ 
 and chat he had as many diftind: interefts to be 
 purfiied, as there were parties among chriftians ? 
 But haw unaccountable muft it be for men who. 
 profe^ the feme religion (as all do th^t profefs 
 themfelves o£ the chriftian religion, which is but 
 one) and whaprofefe to walk by the fame rule j. 
 haw imiiccounpible, I fay^ muft it be lor them, 
 
 to- 
 
The Evil and Cure of ^ivijms, I a 5 
 
 to be purfuing any oppofite intercfts and defigns? Sermon 
 The grand defign in which all good chriftians IV. 
 certainly are agreed, fhould, one would think, y^V^ ' 
 fo far influence them at leaft, as to make them 
 bear with one another's differing fentiments con- 
 cerning inferior matters. And it looks too much 
 as tho* they were not agreed in their grand 
 defign, when they treat one another with out- 
 ragious hatred and fury. 
 
 Confider the church of Chrift as his kingdom ; 
 what a fad and melancholy refleftion upon it 
 do thefe divifions carry in them, as though it 
 were not well order'd ? Our Saviour has told us, 
 that every kingdom divided againji itfelf, is brought 
 to defolation : And every city or houfe divided againji 
 it felf Jhallnot ftand-i Matth. xii. 25. And is this 
 both dilhonourable and pernicious to any king- 
 dom ; and muft it not be fo tp the church of 
 Chrift ? Nay, and will it not be too natural an4 
 eafy for men to carry their refledlions farther, 
 making them fall upon Chrift, the founder of 
 this kingdom ? If we are his fubjefts, and a no- 
 tion is to be form'd of his kingdom from us ; 
 how difagreeable an one muft men entertain of 
 him ? For what muft they think of him, if 
 they imagine it to have been his defign to fet 
 up fuch a kingdom, wherein his fubjeds ftiould 
 purfue oppofite interefts, hate, and perfecute, 
 and devour one another ? 
 
 3. This queftion may be underftood to relate 
 to the church of Chrift confidjer'd as his hody ; 
 and fowhen the apoftle afl^.s. Is Chriji divided? 
 it will be as tho' he had faid;, has Chrift then ■ 
 more bodies than one ? Has he chang'd his firft 
 refolution of having only one body ? The name 
 Chriji is fometimes put to fignify Chrift and his 
 ^hurch together, as making one body. Thus, 
 
 I Cor. 
 
II 4 The Evil and Cure of Divifims. 
 
 Sermon i Cor. xii. 12. For as the body is one^ and, hath maw) 
 IV. 7/icmJ?ers, and all the members of that one body^ being 
 
 s^'V>ii' many, are .one body ; fo alfo is Chrifl. Gal. iii. 16. 
 JVoza to Abraham and his feed were the promifes 
 made. He faith not, and to feeds, as of many -, but 
 ^s of one, and to thy feed, zvhich is Chrift. 
 
 'Tis evidear our Saviour earneftly defir'd and 
 recommended the clofeft union among his dif- 
 ciples. This we may learn from many of his 
 difcourfes, and from His prayer before he lefc 
 the world, John xvii. 'Twas his will that his 
 hody iLould be one, even as he intended that one 
 fpirit fhould animate all the members of it. There 
 is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called^ 
 in one hope of your calling, Eph. iv. 4. Now when 
 chriftians are divided, and efpecially when they 
 feparate from one another, and difclaim each 
 other's communion ; how does this look as tho' 
 they were not one body ? 'Tis true, this is not 
 really the cafe ; chriftians, while they difagree 
 and feparate, may yet all belong to the one body 
 of Chrift ; but.ftill this is what fuch divifions 
 icem to declare. And fliould it not be very 
 difjgreeable to ^them, to do any thing that 
 may bring Tiich, a reproach upon the church of 
 
 Chrift? ■ ';"'■' 
 
 Love is one chief band ,whereby the body of 
 Chrift fhould be clofely united and join'd toge- 
 ther ; but when this is diffolv'd, and inftead of 
 love there is variance and hatred, ftrife and con- 
 tention, and even a fliunning one another ; how 
 unlike do we appear to the character we fliould 
 bear as chriftians? And how little dowerefem- 
 ble the" difciples of Chrift, whom he would have 
 all men know by their having love one to <^/?c- 
 /^<:^r.'* John xiijT^^," Certainly there muft fome- 
 whcre be'a. v'cry^ great fault,- when chriftians do, 
 ■ ^ fo 
 
The Evil and Cure ofTiivifims^ li^ 
 
 to much as feem to be form'd into oppofite Sermon' 
 bodies ; fince Chrift intended that all his follow- IV. , 
 crs fhould be fo flridly and clofely united into, W^ 
 one body. 
 
 4, We may fuppofe this queftion to relate to 
 Chrift as the head of the church •■> and fo divi- 
 fions carry in theni a refleftion^ as though Chrift 
 were divided -, as though there were more Chrifts ; 
 that is, more heads of the Church -than one. 
 This, perhaps, may, with as much reafon as any- 
 thing I have mentioned, be fuppofed to have 
 been chiefly aim'd at by St. Paul in thefe words : 
 Chrift is the only faviour and head of the church. 
 He has in all things the ■pr eh eminence^ as it has 
 ■pleaded the Fathp.r that in him Jkould all fulnefs dwells 
 .Col. i. 18, 19. One is our majier^ even Chrifiy 
 Mat. xxiii. 10. To him, and to him only are 
 we bound to adhere. But for rheri to divide from 
 thofe who are the difciples of this our common 
 Lord, to fet up others as the heads of their feve- 
 ral parties, to profefs a ftri£t adherence to them, 
 to take up with their diftates, rules, and di- 
 reflions, without examining whether there is 
 good evidence of their being agreeable to the 
 mind of Chrift, is really no better than the ma^ 
 king fo many Chrifts of them. For he that pays 
 that regard to any man, or body of men, which 
 is due to Chrift only, in effed makes a Chrift of 
 that man, or body of men. And if you do but 
 allow men to be the authoritative interpreters 
 of that declaration which Chrift has left us of 
 his will, fo as that their decifions and determi- 
 nations fhall bind your confciences, and you fhall 
 be obliged to fubfcribe or agree with them, 
 this is ftill the fame thing ; for 'tis very eafy for 
 an authoritative interpreter to confound and 
 majce what he will of the text i as we fee the 
 
 papifts 
 
l^d The Evil and Cure of 7)ivijmsl 
 
 Sermon papills do at this day, who are the only men that 
 IV, openly avow the claim, and are confiftent with 
 ^y^ themfelves in it, as they pretend to an infallibi- 
 lity, without which an authoritative interpreter 
 is a great abfurdity. 
 
 Now as chriftians are fubjed to Chrift as their 
 only mafter, teacher and lord, how contrary 
 muft they ad; to their obligations to him, when 
 they (et up others in his ftead, and transform 
 to themfelves his minifters and fervants into 
 fo many infallible teachers and lords of their 
 faith, that is, into fo many Chrifts ? 
 
 That 'tis not unreafonable to underftand the 
 
 apoftle in this fenfe, may appear by what follows 
 
 immediately in this verfe t Is Chrift divided ? 
 
 Was Paul crucified for you ? or were ye hapized 
 
 inthe nameofFsLul^ q. a. " How abfurd would 
 
 «' it be for you to fet me up as the head of a 
 
 «« party among you ? Am I become your favi- 
 
 •« our, or your mafter ? What have I done, that 
 
 «« ever my name Ihould be thought worthy to 
 
 «' be mentioned in fuch a Way? Was 1 ever 
 
 «« crucified for you as Chrift was ? Were you 
 
 «' not baptized into the na7ne o^ Chrift, and fo 
 
 *• made the difciples of Chrift, the great infalli- 
 
 •« ble teacher of his church ? What reafon can 
 
 *' there be why you Ihould denominate your 
 
 ** felves from me ? Were you ever baptiz'd into 
 
 *' my name, as tho' you were my difciples, 
 
 *' bound to receive any thing merely as deliver'd 
 
 «« by me, without fome evidence of my having 
 
 *« received it firft of the Lord ? Can you ima- 
 
 *« gine that I will bear to ftand in competition 
 
 *' with him, as I muft, if I would fet up an autho- 
 
 *' rity of my own, and become the head of a 
 
 *' fadion among you ? 
 
 'Tis 
 
The "Evil and Cure of^ivifions, iij 
 
 *Tis derogatory, my brethren, to the honour Sermon 
 iof our great Lord, for you to make any men IV. 
 upon earth the lords of your faith, or the rule of WV^ 
 your obedience. Chrift alone are you to hear, 
 and his voice only are you to obey : But if you 
 have an implicit faith in any man, or pay a 
 blind obedience to him, glorying in your being 
 his followers, without ufing your own under- 
 landings in fearching after his will, you do in 
 effedt fet up another Chrift, and declare that 
 Chrift is divided. 
 
 I have now done with the firft general head 
 of my difcourfe, and fhall proceed, 
 
 II. To fet before you the duty of chriftians 
 with refpeft to divifions, when they at any time 
 unhappily arife in the church. And the advice 1 
 Ihall offer you in tliis cafe, is what I can with 
 pleafure recommend ; for I know a very greac 
 fatisfaftion muft attend the following it» 
 
 I. Beware of placing religion where Chrift 
 himfelf has not placed any. There is nothing 
 more dcftruftive of the peace of the church than 
 the neglefting this. When, without clear evi- 
 dence from the holy fcriptures, men will fup- 
 pofe a thing to be abfolutely neceflary ; they 
 will be very apt to think, and fpeak hardly of 
 thofe who will not, as (lightly and carelelly as 
 themfelves, take matters upon truft, but infift 
 upon clear proof And if mens zeal is once 
 kindled, the weaknefs and defeftivenefs of their 
 evidence will ferve many times only to inrage 
 and inflame them. We ought always to read the 
 fcriptures with an unbiaffed mind, with a de- 
 fign of being inftrufted and taught by them 5 
 and with i refolution never to lay any grea- 
 ter ftrefs upon matters than we find they plain- 
 ly do. And what peace and quiet might the 
 2 church 
 
1 2 S The Evil and Cure of ^ivijionsl 
 
 Sermon church of God injoy^ did fuch a difpofitioii 
 IV. prevail ! 
 
 •V^v"^ 2- I^ difficult and contefted points, be not too 
 eager to impofe and obtrude upon others your own 
 perfuafion ; but be as ready Co bear with others 
 in their differing from you, as you would have 
 them to be to bear with you in your differing 
 from them. There are fome things which are 
 in themfelves abftrufe and difEcuk •, and there 
 are others which, tho' they are not fo in them- 
 felves, have been made fo by the fubtilty of 
 artful men -, and 'tis hardly to be expefted, that 
 chriftians Ihould be perfeftly agreed about either 
 of thefe. We find there was not a perfect agree- 
 ment in the fentiments of chriftians, in the days 
 of the apoftleSi There were fome then who 
 would of their own heads devife fundarnentds. 
 Except ye he circumcised, faid they, after the man- 
 ner of Mofes, -^e cannot be faved, Ad:s xv. i. Nor 
 can it be any juft matter of wonder, if there be 
 a diverfity of fentiments, now the infallible in- 
 fpiration of the fpirit is ceafed. Certainly the 
 advice which the apoftles gave then, cannot be 
 unfuitable for chriftians now. Why Ihould it 
 not be now as proper as then, for them with 
 all lowlinefs and meeknefs, with long-fuffering tofor- 
 loear one another in love •, and fo to indeavour to 
 keep the unity of the fpirit in the bond of peace ? 
 Eph. iv. 2, 3. Why is not that rule good now, haji 
 thou faith ? Have it to thy felf before God, Rom.xiv. 
 21. Why may not every man, in difputable mat- 
 ters, be fuffered to injoy his own perfuafion, 
 without moleftation and difturbance ? Thou art 
 perfuaded the truth lies on one fide, and thy per- 
 fuafion follows upon the beft ufe thou art able 
 to make of thy underftanding : Reft then 
 contented, and be not grieved at thy fellow 
 
 chriftian. 
 
Th& Evil and Cure of Divifions, 129 
 
 chriflian, who tho' he has taken the fame Sermon 
 courfe, happens to be of a contrary perfuafion, IV. 
 and verily thinks the truth lies on the other \^-y^>J 
 fide. Where Chrift has laid a ftrefs, we may 
 fafely too •, nor need we fcruple earneftly t6 
 infift upon the belief of any' doftrine, or the 
 performance of any duty, which the fcripture 
 has made neceffary. But in other things, and 
 elpecially thofe we want clear conceptions of 
 our felves, modefty and caution will belt become 
 us. We are men, and therefore liable to miftake 
 as well as others : Our confidence of our being 
 able to anfwer all the obje^lions that can be 
 urged againft our opinion, may be really owing 
 to our own ignorance, and our being unacquaint- 
 ed with the one half of them. 
 
 Nothing is more offenfive and contrary to the 
 rules of converfation, than for perfons to force 
 others to hear fuch difcourfe as is diltallful and 
 difagreeable. Nor is the doing fo likely to an- 
 fwer a good end ; for men are much miftaken, 
 it they imagine that is not a more likely way 
 to beget and ftrengthen prejudices againft them, 
 than to procure regard, or work a convi6lion. 
 
 There are two things which I think chriftians 
 of all parties cannot be too much caution'd a- 
 gainft ; the one is, the contenting themfelves 
 with the bare outward form of religion, with- 
 out the life and power of it ; and the other 
 is, what 1 have been fpeaking of, an impofing 
 perfecuting fpirit. The former of thefe will 
 not be more deftru6i:ive of a man's own foul, 
 than the latter will be of the peace ot the 
 church, and the quiet of the world. And this 
 we have reafon to guard againft , becaufe 
 there is in men generally, at leaft, if not 
 univerfally, a ftrong inclination to it. I have 
 K thouohc 
 
1 ^o The Evil and Cure of T>ivifion.s, 
 
 Sermon thought and fpoke very hardly of mens tyranni- 
 IV. cally invading the juft rights and liberties of 
 
 I/VNJ their neighbours ; and I am ftill of the fame 
 mind as to the thing it felf, that nothing de- 
 ferves a feverer cenfure. But yet I muft fay, 
 that I fee human nature works fo flrongly this 
 way, and I perceive fo much of the fame fpirit 
 in thofe whom I cannot but refpeft and value 
 as very excellent and good men •, that tho' I alter 
 V not my notion of the thing it felf, I fhall al- 
 ways be milder in my ceniijres of the men whom 
 I can't but charge with it : And the obfervation 
 J have made how natural it is to men to abufe 
 power, fixes me in this judgment ; that 'tis the 
 wifdom, and for the happinefs, of any govern- 
 ment, never to give any one fet of men a power 
 to tyrannize over another i for I verily believe 
 we can't anfwer for any men, that when they 
 have fuch a power, they will not ufe it. 
 
 3. That you may be clear of promoting di- 
 vifions, give no incouragement to evil reports. 
 Where no -wood is, there the jiregoeth cut •, fo where 
 there is no tale-hearer, the ft rife ceafeth. But the 
 words cf a tale-hearer are as wounds, and the'j go 
 down to the innermofi parts of the helly, Prov. xxvi. 
 20, 22. There is nothing more dellrudlive to 
 peace than fuch kind of men ; and if we will 
 indulge our felves in their pradlice, we muft 
 certainly be chargeable in feme meafure with 
 the divifions that are the confequences. Com- 
 mon fame is a very uncertain foundation for men 
 to reft on, in fpreading reports to their neigh- 
 bours difadvantage : But let the reports be ever 
 fo true, the fpreading of them many times only 
 tends f: exafperate and ftir up ftrife, whereas 
 the avoiding the practice our felves, and the 
 difcouraging it in others, is the way to promote 
 
 peace. 
 
, The Evil and Cure of T^ivijions, 1 5 1 
 
 peace. Had we beenfo happy as to have more Sermon 
 generally taken this courfe, our preient divi- iv. 
 fions could never have rifen to that height they Wv^*^ 
 have. 
 
 4. Be fure to love all good men, let them 
 difiier ever fo much from you. This is the ready 
 way to preferve our innocence •, for men will be 
 very backward to quarrel with, or divide from 
 thofe whom they fincerely love and honour. 
 And doubtlefs we are obliged to love all tliofe 
 who love our Lord Jefus Chrifl in fmcerity, and 
 evidence it by their walking according to the rule 
 of the gofpel. Whatever mens fentiments may 
 be concerning fome fpeculative and controverted 
 points, or concerning modes of worfhip •, yet 
 true piety and goodnefs are always to be prized 
 and valued. A good man under any denomi- 
 nation fhould be cordially loved •, for as he that 
 fears God^ and works righteoufnefs in every nation^ 
 and every party, is accepted of God , fo there can 
 be no juft reafon why he Ihould not be approved 
 of men. 
 
 5. Bewail the divifions which 'tis not in your 
 power to prevent. This I hope we all unfeign- 
 ediy do. I am fure nothing is m.ore grievous 
 to mc, than to fee what I do this day -, which 
 Ihould never have been, could I have hinder'd 
 it. But we can be anfwerable only for our fclves; 
 and if others will feparate usfro?n their company^ if 
 our brethren will call us off, as that is the cafe, 
 we muft fubmit ; but our fubmiffion ought to 
 be attended with great grief and trouble. Divi- 
 fions are fo difiionourable and fatal to religion, 
 that no chriftian fliould ever behold them, and 
 much lefs fiiould be a party, tho' an innocent 
 one in them, without a wounded fpirit and an 
 aking heart, 
 
 K 2 6i Wheni 
 
1 3 'i Th^ Evil and Cure of T^ivifions^ 
 
 Sermon 6. When divifions unhappily arife, do all that 
 IV. is confiftent with truth and your allegiance to 
 
 Vi^V">*.^ Chrift, in order to heal them. As they are fo 
 evil in themfelves, and the fight of them ought 
 to be moft affliftive, fo nothing fhould be more 
 pleafing to us, than to have a hand in making 
 them up. Blejfed are the peace makers. Matt. v. 9. 
 Happy is the man who can be a means of com- 
 pofing differences among neighbours, and in pri- 
 vate families ; but much more happy is he who 
 contributes to the repairing the breaches made in 
 the church. We mufl never facrifice truth, nor 
 acknowledge any befide our Saviour to have an 
 authority over our confciences in matters of re- 
 ligion. Whenever men will break in upon ei- 
 ther of thefe, or fet up any other ftandard in 
 religion, than the revelation our great mafter 
 has left us, we mufl be true to him, let who will 
 be offended -, and they muft anfwer for all the 
 bad confequences of the difference, who will not 
 agree with us upon fuch terms. And I will here, 
 upon this occafion, moft folemnly profefs this to 
 be my refolution, that by God's help no refent- 
 ment of any indignity I have met with, nor a 
 concern for any worldly intereft, fhall keep me 
 from harkening to counfels of peace, or from 
 embracing any, I will not fay reafonable, but 
 even tolerable offers. There is no breach in 
 the church of God, which I would not gladly 
 make up, by parting with any thing but a good 
 conlcience. 
 
 7. By the exemplarinefs of your converfation, 
 convince thofe who have caft you off, that 
 they liave been miftaken concerning you. I do 
 not fpeak now of the body of the people ; for 
 this is, I thank God, the a6l of a very few, and 
 many have been filent and paffive in it : But I 
 
 fpeak 
 
The Evil and Cure of ^ivifions, 1 3 5 
 
 fpeak with relation to thofe few, whom, though Sermon 
 we can commend neither the juftice nor the IV- 
 righteoufnefs of their proceedings, we have rea- v-^-v"^ 
 fon to efteem as good men and feJlow-chriftians. 
 You are zealous to alTert and maintain your li- 
 berty ; you do well, *tis too valuable a thing to 
 be eafily and tamely abandon'd •, but abufe not 
 liberty it felf. Let 'jour light therefore Jhine brightly 
 before men ; for unlefs you are circumfpedl and 
 cautious in your whole converfation, you will 
 ftrengthen the prejudices of fuch as are difpleafed 
 with you, and give a great 'deal of credit to their 
 hard fpeeches concerning you. 
 
 8. Speak as foftlv and tenderly of thofe who 
 have made this fad breach, as your own necefla- 
 ry vindication will allow •, and by a mild, meek, 
 and gentle carriage, labour to overcome and 
 foften fuch as are angry with you. What a no- 
 ble example has our Saviour fet us of fuch a car- 
 riage ? And fince we profefs our felves his dif- 
 ciples, let us labour to follow it. 'Tis, indeed, 
 very juft and reafonable, that fuch as are injurM 
 and reproach'd, flioul'd have the liberty of af- 
 ferting their innocence, and fhewing v.'here the 
 fault truly lies. But notwithftanding this, our 
 religion fhould teach us not to give way to 
 paflipnate refentmenxs againft them whom we 
 ought ftill to own as our brethren -, however, in 
 this matter, they have carried it like adverfaries. 
 By meeknefs and patience you may work upon 
 them, which you are never like to do by the 
 contrary courfe. You know you are requir'd to 
 love your enemies, and much more ought you 
 to love your friends •, and fuch, after all, you mull 
 take them to be, believing they are not really 
 enemies to you -, but only to fomewhat they 
 fancy to be amifs in you. \Ye have a noble rule, 
 K 3 my 
 
154- The Evil and Cure of 1>m/ions. 
 
 Sermon my brethren, let us then indeavour to live up 
 IV. to it : Let us not render evil for evil •, let us not 
 
 V"\"*^ he overcome of evil, hut overcome evil with good -, 
 let us behave our felves, as we have now efpe- 
 cially great reafon, with the utmoft moderation, 
 that we may be as able to account for our con- 
 du6l in the apoftle*s words, as I am fare we are 
 for our prelent circumftances : Beingreviled, we 
 y plefs •, heing perfecuted, we [uffer it i heing defamed, 
 we intreat, i Cor. iv. 12, 13. Nor can the word 
 defamed be counted too harfh for our cafe, who 
 . are made as the filth of the world, and the off-fcouri>ig 
 of all things. Whether fuch a moderate and 
 peaceable behaviour ihall have the defir'd effect, 
 to reftore peace among us, God only knows : but 
 this I am very fure of, that 'twill keep the heart 
 in the beft temper for the worfhip of God, yield 
 ' the greateft eafe and fatisfaftion to the mind, 
 ^nd be moft acceptable in the fight of God. 
 
 9. Let no divifions incline you to be uncon- 
 cern'd for the main interefb, in which all chri- 
 ftians muft neceflarily be agreed j but keep that 
 ftill at heart. Whatever courfe men take, yet 
 fo far as we fee them make it their indeavour 
 to preach Chrift's gofpel, and propagate his 
 religion in the world ; let us fhew our felves 
 pleas'd, and heartily wifh them fuccefs ; and 
 make it our fervent prayer that God would turn 
 even this to the furtherance of the gofpel. Goc^ 
 over-ruled St. Paulas troubles, and made them 
 ferve fuch an end, as he tells us in his epiftle to 
 the Philippians ; where he ipeaks alfo of fome- 
 what fo very like to our prefent cafe, and has 
 fet us fuch a noble example of the difpofition I 
 am now recommcndinsr that I cannot but defire 
 you to take fpecial notice of it. Phil. i. 12. But 
 I would je Jhoiild umjerjland, hreihren, tioat the 
 
 things. 
 
The Evil and Cure of T)ivifions. i 5 5 
 
 things which happen' d unto me^ have fallen out ra~ Sermon 
 ther unto the furtherance of the gofpel \ fo that my IV". 
 londs in Chrifl are manifcft in the palace^ and in all •^''V-"-' 
 other places ; and many of the brethren in the Lord 
 waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold 
 to fpeak the word without fear. Some indeed preach 
 Chrifi even of envy and ftrife ; and fome alfo of 
 good-will. The one preach Chri[l of contention, 
 not fincerely, fiippojing to add affliftion to my\ 
 bonds ; but the other &/love, knowing that I am fet 
 for the defence of the gofpel. What then ? fiotwith- 
 Jianding every way, whether in pretence or in 
 truth, Chrift is preach'd j and I therein do rejoice, 
 yea, and will rejoice. And therefore, 
 
 10. When you have a good confcience in 
 having done your duty, and indeavour'd to pre- 
 vent divifions, be not difcouraged, if they prove 
 unavoidable. If men rejed: and forfake you, yec 
 you are nor alone, if the Father is with you. 
 Nor are you fingular in the treatment you meet 
 with. In like manner were the prophets and 
 apoftles ufed before you. Never were men more 
 ftudious of peace than the apoftles, who yet 
 were not able to live peaceably with all ; they 
 were not only perfecuted by the Gentiles, but 
 by the Jews, to whom they paid a particular 
 refpefl, and with whom they indeavour'd to 
 maintain a communion in their worfhip. There 
 is nothing therefore now befalls us but what has 
 been common to chriftians, in the beft times of 
 the church. Nay, we are exprefly warn'd by 
 Chrill to expecH: fuch ufage ; and he has provided 
 comfort for his people under it. Luke vi. 22. 
 Blejfedare ye when ?nen fhall hate you, and feparate 
 you from their company, and foall reproach yoUy 
 andc3.d: out your name as evil /or the fon of man*s 
 lake. Rejoice ye in that day, andha.p for joy : 
 K 4 for. 
 
1^6 The Evil and Cure of T)ivifions. 
 
 Sermon for^ heboid, your reward is great in heaven -, for in 
 IV. like manner did their fathers unio the prophets. La- 
 
 W^->»- hour to give no occafion -, but if occafion be 
 taken v/here 'tis not given, and ye are reproach' d 
 for the name of Chrift (becaufe you fland up for 
 his kingly power and authority) count your i'elves 
 happy ; for thefpirit of glory and of God refleth upon 
 you. And if any man fuffer as a chrijlian, let him 
 not he ajhamed \ hut let him glorify God on this he- 
 half., I Pet. iv. 13, 15. Let me add one text 
 more as well fuited to your prefent circum- 
 ftances, Ifa. Ixvi, 5. Hear the word of the Lord., ye 
 that tre-mhle at his word ; your brethren that hated 
 you, that caft you out for my name's fake, faid, 
 let the Lord he glorified : hut he fhall appear to your 
 
 Let not the unfuccefsfulnefs of your indea- 
 vours difcourage you from ftudying the things 
 that make for peace -, and if you cannot have 
 peace with others, take care topreferve it among 
 your felves. Take heed of any thing that has 
 the Icaft tendency to beget jealoufies and ani- 
 mofities *, for hehold (and indeed you have feen it) 
 how great a matter a little fire kindlcth. Jam. iii. 5. 
 
 I can't but mention, for your incouragement, 
 one advantage which I am apt to expe6l from 
 our prefent cafe ; and that is, that the fpirit of 
 impofition and perfecution will hereby be ren- 
 der'd more odious. 'Tis much eafier to perceive 
 the evil of fuch a fpirit in others, than in our 
 felves. We have feen and condemn'd it in others, 
 who we hope v;ill take this opportunity to ob- 
 ferve what it is in thofe who difter from them. 
 And if our patient fjffering fhall help forward 
 fuch a conviction, the falisfaciion we fhall have 
 in bejng fo ferviceable to mankind, will be an 
 abundant recompence Co us even in this world. 
 
 I 
 
The Evil and Cure of T)tv'ifions. 157 
 
 I muft add fomething here, with reference to Sermon 
 the reproaches which with great zeal and libera- IV. 
 lity are cafl upon us. You fee how induftrious ^»^V^ 
 fome men are to fix a name upon us, becaufe 'tis 
 counted odious. Arians itfeems we muft be, for this 
 reafon, becaufe they will have it fo : And yet, if 
 I may ufe St. Paul's reafoning, I believe there's 
 not one foul among us, that ever imagined Arius 
 was crucified for us. We know not why they 
 fhould queftion our veracity, when we afllire 
 them, we were no more baptized into the name of 
 Arius, than they were into that of SabelliuSy 
 Paulus Samofatenus, or Hobhes. I mention not 
 this with the leaft defign, or defire, to have any- 
 odious name fix'd upon them. No, I like much 
 better that they, and we alfo, if we may have their 
 fufferance and permiflion, may have no other 
 name fix'd upon us, than that which is our com- 
 mon glory. Would to God that one name which 
 was firft given to the difciples at Antioch, might 
 alone be heard among us, and make all the odious 
 names of diftin6lion to be quite loft and forgotten. 
 I know not what fatisfaftion they have at prefent 
 in their ufage of us -, but I can't think they will 
 find much caufe to applaud themfelves for it, 
 when they come fedately to compare it with 
 St. Paul's difcourfe to the Corinthians. I am mif- 
 taken, if he that condemned them for faying, 
 / am of Paul, and I of A polios, and I <?/" Cephas, 
 can be thought to have approv'd of their twitting 
 and reproaching one another, Tou are of Paul, 
 and "jou are of Apollos, and you c/ Cephas. 'Tis 
 natural to fuppofe there was fomewhat of this 
 nature among them ; they could not any of them 
 eafily glory, as they did, in one of their teachers, 
 without reproaching their fellow chriftians for 
 their adherence to others •, and this I think he 
 
 plainly 
 
ijS The Evil and Cure of^ivifions. 
 
 Sermon plainly enough hints and condemns, in his ex- 
 IV. preflion of their being puffed up for one againji 
 
 V-»'V^^ another. 
 
 And why fhoiild we, I pray, be denominated 
 from Arius ? Did we ever profefs any particular 
 veneration for him ? Do we pretend, nay, do we 
 not moft pofitively deny, that we have received 
 our opinion from him ? How often have we de- 
 ny'd our belief of the diftindlive opinion oi Arius? 
 Is there any one affertion of the fcriptures that 
 we ftick at ? if there be, let it be produced, and 
 the world will foon have a fatisfad:ion. If they 
 will charge us with holding any opinions, becaufe 
 they fancy them to be the genuine confequences 
 of what we do hold ; let them remember we are 
 chargeable with no other confequences, than 
 fuch as we our felves acknowledge to be genuine. 
 If they are difpjeas'd with us, becaufe we will not 
 declare our affent to the tefts which they pro- 
 pofe in their own, and not in fcripture-words ; 
 wc hope *tis fome excufe, that tho' we fcruple 
 their authority, yet the reafon why we do fo, is, 
 becaufe we, in our poor judgments, apprehend 
 the owning it would be derogatory to the autho- 
 rity of Chrift. 
 
 In fhort, we glory not in men, ancient or 
 modern, or in any other name but that of Chrift : 
 His difciples, and his alone we pretend to be. We 
 neither do, nor will call any man upon earth 
 viafier. Plain undifguifed chriftianity, as 'tis con- 
 tain'd in the fcriptures, is the religion we profefs. 
 We fet up in oppolition to none, but are ready 
 to receive all good chriftians, and join with all, 
 fo fir as their worfhip is agreeable to the facred 
 rule ; and according to that alone do we defire 
 to order our own. 
 
 It 
 
The Evil and Cure of T)mfims, 1^9 
 
 It has beep artfully infinuated, that our defign Sermon 
 is here to preach upon fpeculative points, and IV. 
 to teach a new dodrine, and a new religion ; \y*vv^ 
 than which nothing is farther from our intention. 
 You can't but know, that 'twas never my cuftom 
 among you to entertain my auditors with ab- 
 ftrufe matters of fpeculation of any kind ; and 
 'twas a more than ordinary importunity that pre- 
 vail'd with me twice only to treat of fuch. And 
 
 ,1 have much fatisfaclion in looking back upon 
 the general courfe of my preaching, which has 
 been defign'd to explain the holy fcriptures, 
 and inculcate the duties and virtues of the chri- 
 ftian life i nor can I fee realbn for making any 
 alteration in that refpecft. And therefore as we 
 dreaded the divifion before it was made, and 
 were very willing to have gone on in the way in 
 which we were •, fo we profefs we have no inten- 
 tion to alter our preaching, now the divifion is 
 made, fuppofmg that it fhould never be healed. 
 I declare, I fet not up in oppofition to any opi> 
 nion, or any men who do not invade my chriftian 
 liberty, nor to teach any other religion than that 
 which was from the beginning, and which I have 
 taught all along from my firft coming, when my 
 indeavours were moft acceptable. 
 
 We are far from envying any man his liberty 
 of judging for himfelf, or choofmg for himfelf 
 that worfhip which he efleems to be moil agree- 
 able to the chriftian rule ; and moft gladly will 
 we cultivate a good correfpondence with all 
 ferious chriftians. And as we can never thir^ 
 fuch will be offended with a worfhip ordered ac- 
 cording to the fcriptures, fo we fhall always re- 
 
 ■ joice in their concurrence, however they may, 
 in nice fpeculations, or doubtful difputations, 
 differ from us, or from one another. 
 
 I I 
 
140 The Evil and Cure of T)mfims. 
 
 Sermon I cannot, upon this occafion, forbear exprefllng 
 IV. the joy that I have had, in what has been lately 
 
 \ysr^^ done in the nation. I mean the happy ftep that 
 was taken towards the making peace, and the 
 opening a way for chriftians with more fatisfafti- 
 on to unite. I could never be pleafed, that there 
 Ihould be a wall of feparation between brethren, 
 and was heartily glad to fee fo confiderable a 
 part of it taken down, as I always efteemed the 
 aft againft occafional conformity to ^be. I was in 
 hopes this would be a good introdu6lion to con- 
 cord ; but I am forry to find any who long*d to 
 fee that down, fo very early beginning to fet up 
 another in the room of it. 
 
 May the God of peace and love, who has not 
 left it in our power to prevent this feparation, 
 but has by his providence made us the firfl ex-, 
 ample of it, which is like, I fear, foon to be 
 followed with more •, may he, I fay, make us a 
 noble example of peace, that in us the world may 
 fee, how pofTible, how eafy , and how amiable it is, 
 for chriftians of various denominations, to forget 
 thofe unhappy diftin6tions, and to bear with one 
 another in little matters, that from our example 
 they may learn, if it be the will of God, to hold 
 the unity of tbefpirit in the bond of peace. Amen. 
 
 TWO 
 
IJ.I 
 
 TWO 
 
 SERMONS- 
 
 The ONE on 
 
 J O H N I. 4(5. 
 
 The O T H E R on 
 
 I Corinthians iii. ir. 
 
 THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 THESE two fermons were preached in my 
 own place, in January lajl, without any 
 defign of publijhing them. But in a late 
 journe-j to London / took them with me, 
 and preached them there ; upon which feveral of my 
 frwtds earneflly p?'efs*d me to print them. 'The firjl 
 of them they thought might have fome good effeB upon 
 mens ternpers., to cool them : and I was the more 
 willing to yield to them, becaufe I apprehended any 
 thing offuch a tendency muft he peculiarly feafonahle 
 at this time, when fome men are fo warm in cen~ 
 furing and condemning their neighbours. As to this,, 
 
 feymo7t^ 
 
1^1 The Preface. 
 
 fermon, I muft requefi the reader to perufe it as a 
 Jermon preached to my own people ; fince he will ineet 
 with feveral things in it, as *tis now printed, which 
 I did not think proper to deliver in any other audience ; 
 and therefore, when I preached it in London, either 
 alter'' d them, or wholly left them out. 
 
 As to the other fennon, I was much more backward 
 to print it, till I perceived ?ny friends reafons were^ 
 that I might do juflice to my felf. I own I cannot 
 think it deferves, or will well bear a publication, with 
 the few alterations that I could allow my felf to make 
 in transcribing it, after it had been fo very lately 
 deliver'' d from the pulpit. But I am fenfible what 
 the defign of fome men is, namely, to reprefent me 
 as a Deift, and an enemy to revealed religion \ thd' I 
 profefs 77iofi folemnly, that I cannot guefs the occafion 
 I have given thejn, except it he that I declare 77iy felf 
 an e7iciny to every thiitg in religion, [which I can nei- 
 ther difcover by the light of nature, nor can find re- 
 vealed in my bible. Whatever help I can get from- 
 either of thefe, I gladly e7nbrace -, and I hope I ufe 
 the befi wtde}'Jla7idi7ig I have, aftd negleol no proper 
 means in the fearch. I /hall be glad, if that hajiy, 
 popular compojure 7nay be a means to fatisfy any im- 
 reafonably prejudiced againfl 7ne, and fiich as I a7n, 
 that I am as heartily dejirous, as a7iy of my neighbours, 
 to preach Chrifl as the ofdy Redeef/ier and Saviour of 
 fimiers. But if 7ieither this^ nor the in7ioce7ice of my 
 behaviour, can fatisfy fome prejudiced perfo7is, I pray 
 God to forgive the^n, and a7n refolv'd, that by his help, 
 I will fiot fuffer them to break in upon the quiet and 
 peace I have in 7ny own 7)iind. 
 
 I ajjure the reader, I afn little moved with the 
 treat7nent I fhall now take jo}7ie brief 7tGtice of \ t 
 mean what Mr. Bradbury has faid in the preface to 
 his late fcrmons. In ■ this, and another late perfor- 
 mance of his, he has not only haded the majority of 
 
 his 
 
The Preface. 
 
 his brethren in and about London, with Undeferved 
 reproaches -, hitt has Ukewife thought fit to treat, in 
 the moft injurious manner, many gentlemen of difiin- 
 guijb'd rank and ejlablijh*d reputation among the 
 diffenters. And in fiich company I can very eaftly 
 hear myjhare of his wild and extravagant refentment, 
 The pretence for his anger againji me is, thatamonv 
 many who have horn the chara5fer of orthodox, 1 
 Jbould alfo cite Dr. Owen as ajferting a fuhordination 
 in the trinity. I fet down eight pajfages from the 
 Do^or, and upon the two frfi only he makes his 
 re?narks. The firfi is this : " There is an order, yea, 
 " a fuhordination in the perfons of the trinity them- 
 " felves ; whereby the Son, as to his perfonality, 
 " may be faid to depend on the Father, being he- 
 " gotten of him. '* Mr. Bradbury pretends this 
 fentence is delivered by me naked and unguarded, 
 disjointed, mutilated, and torn olF. Mark now 
 his wonderful reafon : For the Dodor, fays he, 
 after thofe words immediately adds : " But that 
 " is not the fuhordination here aim'd at hy 
 " Mr. Biddle, hut that which he underwent hy 
 " difpenfation, as mediator, or which attends 
 " him in refpeft of his human nature. " Mr. 
 Bradhury has my thanks for clearing the matter. 
 I affure hitn I did not mean that the Doolor was only 
 for fuch a fuhordination as Mr. Biddle aim*d at, 
 which would have been iiothing to my purpofe. The 
 fentence here added, the more convincingly proves that 
 the Do5lor was for fuch a fuhordination as I plead 
 for among the perfons themfelves, even antecedently 
 to the Son of God's hecom'fng man. Why then (Jwuld 
 my good friend lofe his temper ? He adds another 
 paffage of the 'Dotlor'^s at fome diftance, which 1 fup~ 
 pofe he hoped would fo clear his ?neaning, as to rcfie5} 
 on my finccrity. ^Tis this : — " Our Saviour faith, 
 ** my Father is greater than I, which he was, and 
 
 " is 
 
 43 
 
H4- 
 
 The Preface. 
 
 is in refpeft of that work of mediation which 
 " he had undertaken ; but ineqtialitas [incsqualitas'] 
 *' officii non tollit equalitatem \cBqualitatem'\ natures. 
 " He that was lefs than the Father, as to the 
 " work of mediation, being the father's fervant, 
 *' is equal to him as a Son, as God to be blefled 
 " for ever." Nowitismanifeft^ that I never de- 
 Jign'^d to reprefent the Do5ior as holding a fnhordinati- 
 on^ and denying an equality. I have exprejly provided 
 againft this. Weft. Inquif. p. 138, 139. and charge 
 it upon, the gentlemen I quote as an inconfijlency, that 
 they hold both a fuhordination ofperfons, and equality of 
 nature ; which I hu7nhly conceive is a contradi£iion : 
 and fo I leave it with my friend to account for it. 
 
 Another injury, fays he, is done to the memory 
 of this great man, by the next quotation. In 
 Mr. Peirce^s book it ftands thus : " 'Tis faid that 
 " God made the world by him, denoting the fub- 
 " ordination of the Son to the Father. " And if 
 thefe are the Doolor^s words, where is the injury done 
 to his memory ? But hear what he fays : But will not 
 any one be amazed to find that the whole pafTage 
 in the Doftor's own work is this ? "As 'tis faid 
 *' that God made the world by him, denoting 
 *' the fubordination of the Son to the Father ; fo 
 " alfo the word is faid to make the world as a 
 " principal efficient caufe. " Is not my quotation 
 exaoi ? Have I faid one word thai the Doufor has not 
 faid ? Who is it does mofi injury to the Do^or^s mejyio- 
 ry \ I by leaving out that part which juanifejily dif- 
 covers the Do^or* s felf-contradioiion ? or Mr. Brad- 
 bury, who will needs be fo officious as to add it ? If 
 God made the world by his Son, and that denotes a 
 fubordination of the Son to the Father, then God is 
 the principal efficient caufe, and the Son is a fubordi- 
 nate caufe •, or elfe I dcfire to be informed how the 
 Father'* s making the world by him does denote, accord^ 
 
 ing 
 
The Preface. 
 
 mg to the Doofor, a fubordination. And has not this 
 man, think we^ now a wonderful caufe for his fear- 
 ful out-cry ? But let us hear the refl : Thefe quota- 
 tions are juft as true as the infinuation that fol- 
 lows them : " Thefe famous men are fet up in- 
 *' ftead of the fcriptutes, for the ftandard of truth 
 " and orthodoxy. " 
 
 And what is there amifs in that infinuation^ or ra- 
 ther ajfertion ? Let Mr. Bradbury inform us what 
 is now made the ftandard of truth and orthodoxy ^ 
 Certainly the fcriptures are not -, for if men keep ever 
 fo clofe to them, they are notwithfianding condemned 
 as heterodox. If Mr. Bradbury does not know that 
 an appeal is frequently made to fuch writers infiead 
 of the fcriptures, he ought however to give thofe leave 
 to fpeak who know better. I requefi hifn when he is 
 at leifure to perufe an inflance I gave of this nature^ 
 Weft. Inquif. p^ 112. which J fhouldhave thought 
 might have been a fuffcient apology for my fpeaking 
 as 1 did. He clofes what he has to fay of me with 
 this polite and mannerly paffage : To fuch freedom 
 as this, I can fay neither lefs nor more than what; 
 the reader will find, Pfal. cxx. 2, 3, 4. / think 
 *tis pity but that the words of the Pfal mill fhould be 
 fet do'zvn at length, that the good breeding and ex- 
 cellent temper of the gentleman may be manfefi. Thej 
 are thefe : Deliver my foul, O Lord, from lying 
 lips, and from a deceitful tongue. What fliall 
 be given unto thee ? or what fhall be done unto 
 thee, thou fall'e tongue ? Sharp arrows of the 
 mighty, with coals of juniper. / am not confcious 
 of the leafi defign of mifreprefenting Dr. Owen, or 
 any man elfe, or of mifapplying any fentence I have 
 cited frojn them. But had I really been^guilty of any 
 thing of that kind, 7ne thinks Mr. Bradbury fhould 
 have been the laji man who fhould reproach me with 
 it, For 'tis fo familiar with him to cite teflimonies 
 L merely 
 
j^S The Preface; 
 
 fnenly according to fotmH, rather than fenfe^ andtM 
 words of the Holy Ghofi are jo perpetually abufed by 
 him in this manner^ that I could not reafonahly expek 
 hejhouldfirfi caft aftone at me. But as he throws at 
 random^ *tis no wonder he does no execution^ And 
 certainly his inve^ive will by all equal judges be 
 ejleem^d neither the more mannerly nor chrijlian, upoft 
 the account of his profanenefs in cloathing it with the 
 ■ words of the Holy Ghofi. No doubt Mr. Bradbury is 
 well pleafed with the talent he has hitherto difcovered 
 cf playing with the words of fcripture ; wherein he is 
 certainly admirable beyond all the writers and preach* 
 ers of the age. He had beft therefore keep to that only 5 
 for I am mifiaken if he will not find himfelfmuch out 
 of his way, when he attempts to give the true fenfe 
 of authors. He has fo accuftom*d himfelf to 
 difregard this in the infpired writers, who ought 
 to be treated with the highefi veneration, that 'tis - 
 not likely he will ever treat any authors whatever 
 in a better manner. 
 
 lam fill the lefs concerned, when I obferve that I 
 a7n thus rudely infuUed by one who expofes the religion 
 cfthe blejfedjefus at the fa^ne time. For why Jhould 1 
 expeci better ujage at his hands than what I fee my 
 great Mafter hath met with from him? Iquefiion 
 whether Ceirus, Porphyry, Julian, or any of the 
 mofi avowed enemies of chrifiianity among Jews or 
 Heathens, ever made more fcandalous refle5fions upon 
 our holy religion, than this gentleinan has done in thefe 
 very fermons. Let any one read what he Jays, 
 pag. '^^, 40. and judge whether he writes not like 
 a perfon defigning to favour the deifis. 'the do6frineS 
 of the gofpel are with him unaccountable ', and the 
 *UDords of fcripture which he fets down are all ab- 
 furdities to the reafon of man. A''*^)', he fays ex- 
 prefly^ that it [Chrifs atonement'\ deftroys every 
 natura)! idea wc have of divine juftice. Was ever 
 
 any 
 
The P ii E F A c Ei 
 
 any thing like this heard from one pretending himfelf a 
 (hrijiian, and much inore a minifier of the gofpel ? 
 Have not all chriftian writers, and among the reji 
 Dr. Owen himfelf indeavour'd to fh.ew how agreeable 
 the fcripture-do^rine is to the notions we have of 
 divine jujiice ? Nay, and does not the fcripture let us 
 know, that God fet forth his Son to be a propitia- 
 tion for our fins, to declare his righteoufneis [or 
 juJlice] that he might be juft, and the juflifier of 
 him that beHeves in Jefus ? How can any man/in^ 
 terely believe the gofpel, who judges thus of the docfrine 
 of it ? fVhdt a being muft Mr. Bradbury reprefent 
 to himfelf^ when he thinks of one who is dejlitute of 
 every thing which we include in the idea of juJlice ? 
 And can that revelation be from God which would 
 thus reprefent him ? ToU may as Well fup-pofe that a 
 revelation from God fhoidd be deftgn d t7 teach us 
 there is 7io God< I am forry he goes on in the fame 
 Jirain : " I am of the fame opinion with ihofe who 
 " deny the fatisradlionofChrifti that ' tis an irra.- 
 *' tional do6lrine : / jnean^ it could never have 
 " been found out by any reafon that is not divine, 
 " and it cannot be received by any reafon that 
 *' is not fan5iified. I Jhould ho more have be^ 
 ** lieVed it than they do, by any thing that I could 
 " learn from the fpirit of the world ; but we have 
 *' the fpirit that is of God, that we may know the 
 " things that are freely given us of God. Lay afide 
 *' the evidence of fcripture, in the giving of which holy 
 " 7nen fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft ; 
 *' and the dodtrine is fo far frdm being true, that 
 " it is ridiculous. '* Can any thing be more extra- 
 vagafit and blafphemous than this rant ? '"Tts indeed 
 true, we could never have known the ?nethod of jal~ 
 vation declared in the gofpel without a revelation ; 
 hecaufe it wholly depended upon the will and pleafure 
 of God, whether any, or if any, what ?nethod fhould 
 }u i he 
 
 •47 
 
1 4.8 The P R E I? A C E. 
 
 he fixed upon : yet certainly now the method God has 
 taken, is fet before us in the gofpel, it carries in it no 
 abfurdities to the true reafon of man ; it deftroys 
 not fo much as any one natural idea we have of 
 divine juftice ; ^«/ is fo far from being irrational a«i 
 ridiculous, that it approves itfelf intirely to the rea- 
 fon of all who fairly examine and judge of things. And 
 will Mr. Bradbury he hardy enough to affert thut 
 every one who receives his notion of fatisfa5iion, has 
 the fpirit of God, and has his reafon fan£fified ? Does 
 he think it fafe to lay fuch ajlrefs upon the bare belief 
 of any particular notion in religion, whatever it he ? 
 But I don't wonder that falvation fhould be made fo 
 eafy for men who mufl be fuppofed to have quitted 
 every natural idea of divine juftice, and to have 
 embraced a ridiculous dodlrine, as the ground of 
 their hope of falvation, The Lord pity the fouls of men, 
 when they who pretend to be preachers, publifh fuch 
 things as ihefe for gofpel. Such affertions, delivered 
 under a pretence of an extraordinary "zeal for truth, 
 are mofi pernicious to mens fouls, as they tend to make 
 them eafy in a prefumption of thegoodnefs of their own 
 jiate, while they are perhaps too like the God they 
 reprefent to themfelves^ without any difpofition we 
 include in the natural idea of ju (lice, 
 
 I was the more willing to take notice of that gen*- 
 tleman's performance, that I mi^t give the reader a 
 caution. Olherwife I had but little occafwn to fay 
 any thing upon my ozvn account, there being nothing 
 material, befdes rudenefs, and his own blunders, in 
 his charge againjt 7ne. I fuppofe he has already done 
 his heji ; and therefore I flatter my felf that I fhall 
 have no occafwn of giving my readers any farther 
 trouble about him, whatever trouble he may think fit 
 to give himfelf about me. 
 
 May 5, 1720. John 
 
49 
 
 John I. 4.6. 
 
 And ISi ^th^mcl [aid unto him ^ Can there 
 any good thing come out ^Nazareth ? 
 VhiXi^ jaith unto him^ Come and fee, 
 
 IF you look back to the 43 d verfe of this Sermon 
 chapter, you there find an account of V. 
 Chrift's calling Philip one of his apoflles. ^^^^Y"*^ 
 This Philip findeth Nathanael, as we read, 
 ver. 45. and faith unto him^ We have found him of 
 whom Mofes in the law and the prophets did write^ 
 Jefus of 'Na.zsiVcth, thefon of Joseph. In the words 
 of the text, which next follow, we have Natha- 
 nael* s anfwer, and Philip's reply : j^nd Nathanael 
 faid unto him. Can there any good thing come out of 
 Nazareth ? VhWip faith unto him, Co?ne and fee. 
 
 The words are in themfelves pretty plain, 
 and need not that I fliould fpend much time in 
 telling you the meaning of them : Whatever is 
 neceffary to give light to them, will fall in as 
 I go along, in the method I propofe -, which is 
 only to offer you fome ufeful obfervations from 
 them, fuch as thefe that follow : 
 
 Ohfervation I. The moft innocent perfons and 
 things may be invidioufly and reproachfully 
 fpoken of and treated in the world. 'Tis not 
 polTible to allege any inftance, which will be 
 a fuller proof of this obfervation, than the treat- 
 ment our blelTed Saviour, the Son of God, ex- 
 perience while he was here on earth. Perfeft 
 L 3 inno- 
 
15® ^Sermon 
 
 Sermon innocence and goodnefs met in him : He nevef 
 V. did an-^ en'il^ neither was guile found in his mouth ^ 
 
 V/^V^-J his whole life was filled up with righteoufnefs i 
 he yielded a coiiilant and perfect obedience to 
 all the commands of God ; and his carriage to- 
 ward men was always not only intirely inoffen- 
 live, but moft kind, beneficent, and obliging ; 
 ht went about doing good both to the bodies and 
 fouls of men ; curing men of all manner of dif- 
 eafes and infirmities, and giving them the moft 
 wholefome and profitable inftru(5bions •, and yet 
 he could not efcape the cenfure and obloquy of 
 thofe among whom he lived. He was defpifed and 
 reje£ied of men^ treated with all imaginable con- 
 tempt and fcorn *, and indured the contradiElion of 
 Jinners againft himfelf Through the whole courfe of 
 his miniftry was he loaded with reproach i and 
 po fooner did he jfhew himfelf to the world, but 
 he incounter'd the malignity and fury of men. 
 We need not go fo far as the tragical conclufior; 
 of his life, to fearch for inftances of this nature. 
 Then indeed ignominy, reproach, and ill ufage 
 came upon him to the utmoft degree 5 but 
 all along, thro' the courfe of his miniftry, how 
 was he reviled in the bittereft manner for the 
 moft ufeful works which he perform'd ! 'Through 
 Beelzebub, fay they, the prince of devils, doth he 
 cafi out devils. So that they reprefented him as a 
 conjurer, one that aftcd in compa6l with the 
 devil, the great enemy of mankind, while he 
 was indefatigable in doing them the beft offices. 
 Nay, they laid of him roundly, that he was a 
 Samaritan, and had a devil, John viii. 48. They 
 made every thing to ferve for an occafion of 
 reproaching him. His family, his brethren and 
 kindred, the mean occupation of his reputed, 
 ff:.the,r, and vvhere^ he himfelf feems to have 
 
 been 
 
m JOHN I. 46. 151 
 
 been for fometime imploy'd, are turn*d againfl Sermoa 
 him by way of infult, /; not thisy fay they, V. 
 Jefus the [on of Jofeph, whofe father and mo~ ^-OTV 
 
 ther we know ? How is it then that he faith, Icaine 
 down from heaven ? John vi. 42. And again, h 
 not this the carpenter ? Mark vi. 5. And is not this 
 the carpenter's Son ? Is not his ?fwther called Mary ? 
 and his brethren, James, and Jofes, and Simon, 
 and Judas ? And hisfifters, are they not all with us ? 
 Whence then hath this man all thefe things ? And 
 the-j were offended in hifn. Mat. x,iii. S5y 5^j 57' 
 
 Thus the place of his education and abode is 
 likewife turned againft him, as a matter of re- 
 proach. The providence of God was fingularly 
 concerned in fo ordering matters, as that he fhould 
 be born in Bethlehejn in Judea •, that the prophe- 
 cy, which exprefly fix'd that place for the birth 
 oH\icMeffiah, might be exadlly fulfiird,MV.v. 2. 
 But as his parents were there only occafionallyj^ 
 in order to their being tax*d, by which means 
 the prophecy was accomplifh'd, fo that was not 
 the place of his ordinary refidence where he was 
 brought up under them -, for that vf us Nazareth. 
 in Galilee., And how was he infulted and fcorn*d 
 upon this account? Thus when Nicode??ius ventured 
 tofpeakinthe behalf of Chrift, the chief prieft^ 
 and the pharifees reply upon him,as they thought, 
 very fmartly, John ml s^. Art thou alfo of Gz- 
 lilee ?■ fearch and look •, for out 0/ Galilee arifeth no 
 prophet. They were miftaken in their account, 
 for Jonah was a prophet, and he was of Gath- 
 hepher, 2 Kings xiv, 25. and that was mGalilee. 
 Had Jefus indeed been born in Galilee, he could 
 not have been the MeJTiah, becaufe he was to be 
 born in Bablehem, in the tribe o^Judab : But 
 fince the prophecy, concerniiig the place where 
 l\\Q Mi'fluzh was to be born, v/as fo exaclly ful- 
 
 L 4 fili^4 
 
15^ i^ Sermon 
 
 Sermon fillM in him *, it ought not to have been any 
 V. offence to the fcribes and pharifees, that he af- 
 
 V^V**-' terward lived much in Galilee ; for they mip-ht 
 have eafily obferved, that the fame was certainly 
 true of, at leaft two of the famous prophets of 
 their nation, Elijah and Elijha. Nor indeed was 
 it hard for them to difcover from the prophet 
 Jfaiah^ that the Mejjiah^ when he came, was to 
 live and preach much in Galilee. To which pur- 
 pofe we find the words oi Ifaiah^ chap. ix. i, 2. 
 are applied by the evangelifl, Matth.'iv. 13, 14, 
 15, 16. And yet however confonant it was to 
 their own prophecies, his being fo much in Gar 
 like is made an obje6lion againft him ', and his 
 enemies thought there was much of fatyr and 
 fharpnefs in that queflion. Art thou alfo 0/" Galilee? 
 As though they had faid, " Canft thou be fo 
 " ftupid as to imagine, that any one who comes 
 «' out of Galilee, can defer ve to be regarded as a 
 *' prophet ? Canft thou be content to be rec^ 
 *^ kon'd a difciple of one who pretends to be a 
 *' prophet, tho' he arifes out of Galilee ? " By 
 reafon of our Saviour's living and preaching much 
 in Galilee, he might, without any impropriety, 
 be call'd a Galilean ; but the country paffing un^ 
 der a dlfgraceful charader, his enemies gave 
 him, and his followers for his fake, this name 
 in a way of reproach. Thus St. Peter was up- 
 braided with it, Mark xiv. 70. Surely thou art one 
 of them, for thou art a Galilean, and thy fpeech 
 a^reeth thereto. And this' was the name which 
 the emp&ror Julian, the apoftate, ufed familiarly 
 to give Chriit -, calling him in a way of derifion, 
 the Galilean : And chriftians in like manner he 
 yfed to feoff at under the title of Galileans. 
 
 And as Galilee in general was reckon'd a re- 
 provich to our Saviqur, fo was that particular city 
 
en JOHN I. 46. 155 
 
 in it wherein he dwelt, namely Nazareth. Jefus Sermon 
 o( Nazareib, however it ferved to diftinguifh our V. 
 Saviour from all other perfons, and therefore is "^^OT^^ 
 a name ufed by his friends and followers, yet 
 by his enemies was it given him by way of re- 
 proach. And to this purpofe I think that paflage 
 is befl expounded, Matth. ii. 23. And he came and 
 dwelt in a cit'j called Nazareth, that it tnight be 
 fulfilled which was fpoken by the prophets, he Jhall 
 he called a Nazarene. If you look into all the 
 prophecies of the old teftament, you will not 
 find in them any fuch expreflion as this ufed con- 
 cerning the Mejjiah who was to come. Nor does 
 the evangelift feem to quote any one particular 
 prophet, or any prophetical exprefTion j but to 
 refer to the general fenfc of all the prophets, 
 who fpake before of the coming of Chrift ; And 
 accordingly he does not fay, 'That it might be 
 fulfilled which was fpoken by the Prophet, as 
 'tis ordinary, when the words of one particular 
 prophet are cited -, but, That it might be fulfilled 
 which was fpoken by the Prophets. And this 
 I take to be the meaning. That all the prophets 
 had foretold, that the Mejjiah, when he came, 
 fhould be treated with ignominy, reproach, and 
 contempt j and in order to the fulfilment of what 
 they laid, God fo order'd it in his providence, 
 that Chrift Ihould have his ordinary refidence 
 jit Nazareth, a contemptible city in a defpifed 
 country, in Galilee, that he might be contemp- 
 tuoufly called a Nazarene. 
 
 You may fee by what we have in the text, 
 that the prevailing and common opinion of the 
 place was fo mean, that they could not eafily 
 be perfuaded that any good thing could come 
 out of it. Can there any good thing come out of 
 Nazareth .? Now nothing was more agreeable 
 I than 
 
154- i4 Se R M o N 
 
 Sermon tkm to give a defpifed and hated name to a. 
 
 Y. defpifed and hated perfon ^ and hence they give 
 
 V^Y'>-/ him the name of Jefus of Nazareth^ or Jefus the 
 
 Nazarene ; and fo his difciples are reproachfully 
 
 term*d, The feci of the Nazarenes, A^skxiv. 5. 
 
 If we calmly and fedately examine the reafon 
 of things, the place of any perf0n*s abode can't 
 be a juft matter of reproach, A good man 
 may live in any air or climate •, and a judgment 
 is to be formed of perfons by quite different 
 things. 'Tis really an evidence of a mean and 
 low genius, nay, I think I may fay of a bafe and 
 fordid fpirit, when men will oppofe fuch as they 
 do not like, not by ftrength of argument, but 
 by reproachful and difgraceful names and titles. 
 Why, I pray, might not an inhabitant of Naza- 
 reth be as good a man as an inhabitant of Jeru-. 
 falem ? Was all virtue and goodnefs fhut up in' 
 Jerufalem ? and all wickednefs excluded from it ^ 
 Could there be no faints but in one place of the 
 world ? and muft they all be faints who lived; 
 there ? Why then Ihould Chrift and his difciples 
 be thus reproachfully called Nazarenes f Truly 
 the reafon feems plainly to have been this, That 
 their enemies wanted ibmewhat to object, that 
 fhould be a matter of real difgrace j and there- 
 fore they indeavour'd to do that by an odious 
 name, which they were not able to do. any other 
 way •, for a Nazarene was a term of reproach, 
 then, juft as an Arian is now. 
 
 There is naturally in men a tendernefs for felf : 
 mens intereft, reputation, and particular opini- 
 ons are very dear to them \ and the greater de- 
 gree of innocence there is in thofe who happen, 
 not to fall in with them in any oFthefe refpeds^, 
 the more are they touch'd to the quick •, and 
 therefore when they fee a necef^ty of oppofing 
 
 fuch, 
 
m JOHN 1.46. 155 
 
 fuch one way or another, and find no other way Sermon 
 of attacking them, they fall upon them in fuch V. 
 9. mean and childifh manner, rather than none ^-^YM 
 * at all. 
 
 There is a good ufe may be made of this ob- 
 fervation. You, my brethren, are the difciples 
 and followers of the blefled Jefus, who met with 
 this vile treatment while he was here in the 
 world : And can you wonder if you do your 
 felves meet with the like ? Should the difciple he 
 dhove his majier ? or the fervant above his lord ? 
 Is it not enough for the difciple that he he as his 
 mafier, and the fervant as his lord ? If they have 
 called the mafter of the houfe Beelzebub, how much 
 more may they call them of his houjhold? Matt. x. 
 24, 25. If they have done thefe things in a green 
 tree, what may it be expedled they will do in the 
 dry ? If his perfe<5b innocence and holinefs would 
 not fecure him from fuch reproaches and con- 
 tradiftion of fmners, can you flatter your 
 felves that your very defedive fanftification 
 will be fuflicient to fecure you ? No certainly. 
 Co?ifider him, therefore, who endured fuch contra' 
 diction of fmners againft himfelf left ye he wearied 
 and faint in your minds, Heb. xii. 3, 'Tis your 
 honour to be like him -, and if you are reproach* d 
 for his fake, happy are you ; for the fpirit of glory 
 and of God reft eth upon you, i Pet. iv. 14. 
 
 ^Tis obfervable, as I hinted before, that how- 
 ever this name was given Chrift by way of re- 
 proach, yet his difciples did not fcruple to ufe 
 it themfelves, as it ferved to fpecify and diftin- 
 guifli the perfon in whom they placed their 
 hopes J and therefore you fee Philip, a friend and 
 difciple of Chrift, calls him Jefus of Nazareth, 
 ver. 45, and the like is to be met with in other 
 places. Let men give u^ wha,t name they pleafe^ 
 
156 
 
 yl Se R M O N 
 
 Sermon and reckon us of what fedl they will, To long as 
 
 V. that is all the pppofition that is made againft 
 
 v/'V^'^us, and we can truly fay our doftrine and wor- 
 
 fhip is witneffed to by the apoftles and prophets, 
 
 let us glory in it, that after that wa'^ which they 
 
 call a herefy [or a fe^~\ fo we worjhip our God. 
 
 Obferv. II. A truly honeft and good man may 
 be involved in a common prejudice and miftake. 
 Nathanael was certainly fuch an one •, you have 
 our Saviour's own teftimony for it, in the next 
 verfe to the text -, for when he faw him co??ting to 
 hifn, he /aid of him. Behold an Ifraelite indeed, in 
 whom is no guile. And yet *tis evident he was 
 led away with the common opinion at that time, 
 and that opinion I may well fay was a very great 
 and dangerous miftake. 
 
 Certainly no miftake can be more dangerous^ 
 than for perfons not to believe that Jefiis is the 
 Chrift : and yet as this truth wais but then be- 
 ginning to be made manifeft, we have here a 
 good man who had not had an opportunity to fee 
 rhe evidence of it, and not only did not believe 
 it, but feem*d to be intangled with the common 
 prejudice, that it could not be true. 
 
 'Twas the common opinion, that nothing good 
 could be expefted to come out of Galilee, nor 
 confequently out of ISazareth, a contemptible 
 place in that country. This opinion, which pre- 
 vailed among the vulgar, took its rife from the 
 fcribes and pharifees, the rulers and do6tors of 
 the church in that day. They who were to 
 inftrucl and teach the people, and who might 
 therefore be prefumed to be intrufted with the 
 keeping of divine truth, if any men at all were 
 intrufted with it ; they who thought themfelves 
 moft fecure of being always in the right, and 
 counted it an high a^ffront for any one to fuppofe 
 
 the 
 
m JOHN I. 4.6. 15^ 
 
 the common people could be in the right, and Sermon 
 they in the wrong, and therefore fpoke with y. 
 much difdain of fuch an infinuation, John vii. 47, Vi^y%«^ 
 48, 49. Are ye alfo deceived ? Have any of the "'^ 
 rulers or the pharijees believed on him ? hut this 
 people who knoweth not the law are curfed: I fay, 
 even thefe rulers of the people, famous for their 
 fkill and wifdom in divine matters, had embra- 
 ced the notion, and diligently incouraged it, 
 that whenever the Mejfiah came, he was to ap- 
 pear with great outward pomp and fplendour, 
 with the magnificence and grandeur of a mighty 
 temporal prince, and was to fubdue all the ene- 
 mies of the Jews^ and break all the earthly 
 powers that hinder'd the gathering of Ifrael, and 
 eftablifhing theni all in their own land, in a ftate 
 of great power and glory. This notion theri 
 prevail'd among the Jews^ and our Lord's own 
 difciples labour'd under much of the fame pre- 
 judice. This occafion'd the two fons of Zehedei 
 to come to him with that petition, Ma'rk x. ^y^ 
 Grant unto us^ that we may fit one on thy right handy 
 and the other on thy left hand^ in thy glory. This 
 prejudice made his death prove fo fhocking to his 
 followers, that they were ready to conclude they 
 had been miftaken in taking him for the Chrift., 
 We trujted, fay two of them, that it had been he 
 which fbould have redee?ned\(xit\^ Lnke xxw. 7,1. 
 Nay, when his apoftles, the prime minifters in 
 his kingdom, were gathered together to him af- 
 ter his refurredion, they could not divert their 
 minds from the expedtation of fuch a temporal 
 glorious kingdom, fpeedily to be eredted by 
 him •, and therefore they afk him that queftion, 
 A6bs i. 6. Lord^ wilt thou at this time teftore again 
 the kingdom to Ifrael ? 
 
 It 
 
158 il S E R M O N 
 
 Sermon It can therefore be ho wonder, that at this 
 V. time Nathanael Ihould be hamperM with the fame 
 
 V'V*^ prejudice, though he was an Ifraehte indeed^ in 
 whom was no guile; He had not had the means 
 whereby he might be inform'd j he had never 
 feen, or been with jefus % and the place, from 
 whence Philip here tells him he came^ pafs'd un- 
 der fo bad a charafler, according to the notions 
 which then prevailed, and he had himfelf all 
 along imbibed, that we cannot wonder he fhould 
 be averfe to the believing that Jefus of Nazareth 
 could be the -prophet that was fpoken of by Mofes 
 in the law, and by the prophets. 
 
 Let me make two reflediions before I leave 
 this obfervation : 
 
 i. Chrift expe6ls from men according to what 
 they have^ and not according to what they hav^ 
 not. Where men have means every way fufE- 
 cient for their information, he looks for an an- 
 fwerable improvement 1 but where they have 
 them not, he makes all due allowances. Our 
 Saviour as well knew what Nathanael had faid to 
 Philip againft his being the Chrift, as he did what 
 he had been doing under the fig-tree : He had 
 as well heard him making a frivolous obje<5lion 
 in the one cafe, as he had feen him adling the 
 part of a fmcere Ifraelite in the other -, and yet^ 
 knowing that he was only miftaken for want 
 of information, he does not condemn him ; but 
 declares him an Ifraelite indeed, in who?n was tw 
 guile. 
 
 'Twas in a very different manner he treated 
 the fcribes and pharifees, who had heard his 
 dodlrine, and feen his miracles. He knew their 
 prejudices were owing to their obflinate and im* 
 placable hatred, of him •, and therefore he never 
 gives therh the leaft commendation for their 
 1 fmccrity^ 
 
on JOHN L 46. 159 
 
 fmcerity, but charges them home with their hy- Sermon 
 pocrify •, telling them plainly they had not the Vi 
 love of God in them^ that they believed not him ^^y^. 
 
 whom the Father had fent ; and that if they 
 believed not that he was the Meffiah, they fhould 
 die in their fms, £5?^. 
 
 This may be a comfort to fmcere and upright 
 fouls, who unfeignedly indeavour to know and 
 do the will of God. If they have not really had 
 the advantages which others have injoy'd, yet 
 if they have been diligent to improve thofe 
 which have been afforded them, Chrift will ac- 
 cept of lefs from them than from others. Thd 
 involuntary miftakes which we m.ay have fallen 
 into, while we have fmcerely indeavour'd tO 
 difcover and conform our felves to the divinef 
 will, while we have not been wanting in a care^ 
 ful reading of the holy fcriptures, and in fervent 
 prayer to God •, I fay, fuch kind of miftakes, 
 even in matters of confiderable moment, Ihail 
 not be imputed to us by a kind and gracious 
 Redeemer. And therefore, 
 
 2. This fhould teach us not to be hafty in 
 judging others, and cenfuring them for not fee- 
 ing the fame that we do. There are many things 
 which may dilTuade us from this ; Chrift has 
 moft exprefly forbidden it ; we invade an offige 
 that does not belong to us, when we are bold in 
 this matter j we are fallible creatures, and may 
 perhaps be our felves in the wrong in that very 
 doftrine, about which we cenfure our brethren 
 for differing from us. But let it be fuppos'd 
 that we our felves are in the right, and ouf 
 neighbours in the wrong, yet the judging per- 
 fons for their miftake is a very nice affair, and 
 requires a Ikill much beyond ours to meddle 
 tvirh it. 
 
 t 
 
l6o -4 SeR M ON 
 
 Sermon I defire to be underftood to fpeak only of 
 V. matters of opinion, andnotofpraftice. We may 
 
 wv^s-- fafely fay of fuch as live a notorioufly wicked 
 and ungodly life, that they cannot inherit the 
 kingdom of God without a through repentance, 
 becaufe the fcripture has exprefly afferted the 
 fame ; but in matters of opinion, there are fo 
 many allowances to be made many times for 
 the ftrength of early prejudices, and the want of 
 advantages for being better inform'd, that 'tis 
 the hardeft thing in the world for us to fay, upon 
 good grounds, that a perfon*s miftake is incon- 
 fiflent with the fmcerity of his heart. 
 
 Let U3 put the cafe, that Philips who was con- 
 vinced, as you fee, that Jefus of 'Nazareth was 
 the promifed Mejfiah^ that he, I fay, had been 
 of the temper which is fo common and ordinary 
 in our day ; how would he have judg'd Naihanael . 
 to be a perverfe hypocrite, or a forlorn heretic, 
 becaufe he did not believe this great point, 
 which is indeed a fundamental of the chriftian 
 religion, and which no man, having the evi- 
 dence laid before him, can deny without the 
 utmoft hazard of his foul? And yet fuch a judg- 
 ment would have been very wrong ; for at that 
 very time he was an Ifraelite indeed, in whom 
 \Yas no guile. Thus, my brethren, we may 
 imagine things are very plain to us •, and it may 
 be we are right in our judgment, and that is 
 really a truth which we take to be fo ; yet tho' 
 we are bound to embrace the truth as we fee 
 evidence of it, we are not bound to judge thofe 
 who do not fee things as we do. They may be 
 Jfraelites indeed, in whom is no guile •, and yet 
 for want of fome advantages which we have had, 
 and which are perhaps more owing to fome 
 fpecial turns of providence, than any prudent 
 
 con- 
 
m JOHN i. 2^6. i6t 
 
 cohfidcrarion of our own, they may not as yet Sermon 
 perceive the truth ; let us leave it to him who V. 
 can judge the heart, to determine concerning ^-^'W 
 them, whether they are not as fincere as our 
 fclves in feeking and learching after truth. 
 
 Objerv. III. That may be a fundamental article 
 of faith to one man, which may not be fo to 
 another. This obfcrvation, if it appear to be 
 true, will be a forther reafon why we Hiould not 
 be hafty in judging one another. *Tis evident, 
 that the believing Jefus of Nazareth to be the 
 promifed Mejfidh^ is a fundamental article to 
 thofe who are fully acquainted with the gofpel ; 
 but yet you fee it was not fo at this time td 
 Naihanael. We can't be faved, uiilefs we be- 
 lifeve this ; but he, notwichftandihg that he be- 
 lieved it not, when Philip told him of it, nay, 
 though he objeiled and cavilled agaihfl it, was 
 yet a very good man, and in a ftate of falva- 
 tion i for he was an Ifraelite indeed, in whom 
 was no guile -, and all fuch muft certainly be in a 
 ftate of falvation. This fooh became a funda- 
 niental article with reference to him, even as 
 foon as he had the means of convidtion and fatis- 
 fadion afforded hhn ; and fo that which was not 
 a fundamental v/hen Philip talk'd with him, pre- 
 fe'ntly became fo when he was with Chrift. 
 
 Nothing can be pfoperly and ftriftly a funcfa- 
 mental, but what \i plainly revealed ; and there- 
 fore I make no doubt that may be fo to cfi^ 
 man, that is not fo to another ; arid that m^y 
 be fo at one time to the fame man, that v/a.i 
 not fo a little before, and that too, even fuppo- 
 fing the truih has been in general reveal'd or 
 publiHi'd. Let mc infrancc in a plain funda- 
 niental of the chriftian religion, the refurrecl-on 
 fef ©uf L6rd Jefus Ghrift : Mens fill vation h now 
 M l^id 
 
i6a i4 Sermon 
 
 Sermon laid upon the belief of this ; but can we fay that 
 V. it always was fo, ever fmce it was firft plainly 
 
 s-rv-'w revealed ? I think it evident we cannot. Our 
 Saviour had exprefly revealed this before his 
 death ; and fo plainly faid that the third day he 
 Ihould rife again from the dead, that his cruci- 
 fiers were apprehenfive of it, and did what they 
 could to prevent it. Here then was a plain re- 
 velation, and yet you find the apoftles themfelves 
 believed it not ; nay, when they were after- 
 wards told that it was true in fadt, they believed 
 it nbt •, but the report of it feem^d to them as idle 
 tales, Luke xxiv. 1 1. But we do not think they 
 were then in a ftate of damnation upon this, ac- 
 count : We allow a vaft difference between the 
 revelation that was made by our Saviour in his 
 prediction ; and that which was made by the 
 adlual accomplifliment, when they themfelves 
 became eye-witneffes of it. 
 
 In like manner, what may be a fundamental 
 with reference to us proteflants, who by the 
 good providence of God have the free ufe of our 
 bibles, for ought I know, might not be fo to 
 our anceftors before the reformation, when the 
 bible was lock'd up from them, and they had not 
 the advantage of fuch a free fearch and inquiry 
 as we have, but were bred up in grofs igno- ., 
 ranee, and thick popifli darknefs. A man that 
 carefully reads his bible, would be apt to think 
 that to be as plain a fundamental of the chrilli- 
 an religion as any other •, that as there is but 
 one God, fo there is but one mediator between 
 God and man j ^nd yet hard would it be for us, 
 who could not be faved, if, having the light we 
 have, we admitted of any other mediator, or 
 indeavoured to come to God by any other ; I 
 fay. hard would it be for us, pofitively to aflert 
 
 2 " that 
 
on 
 
 JOHN I. 46. 165 
 
 that this was always fo abfolutely fundamental, Sermon 
 as that none could be favec^j who in the times of V. 
 popifh darknefs, thro* miftake, join'd other ^''W^ 
 mediators with Chrift. 
 
 Thus then I think we are to confider and 
 Hate this matter : Whatever is fundamental, muft 
 not only be a truth, and revealed by God j- but 
 it muft be a truth fo far revealed to the perfon 
 to whom *tis fuppofed to be a fundamental, as 
 that he is utterly inexcufable, and can't poffi^ 
 bly be fmcere in his not feeing it. But in this 
 no man fliould be forward to judge another -, the 
 judgment fhould rather be left to God, and every 
 man's own confcience. 
 
 Give me leave to fay on this occafion, that 
 there are fome truths clear and plain enough 
 in the bible, fo that a man who perceives them 
 would think, he; that runs may read them, and 
 yet the art and fophiftry of men has fo darken'd 
 them with ftrange and unaccountable gloiTes, 
 that I make no doubt many {incere and upright 
 fouls may mifs of difcerning them -, and without 
 queftion, a good and mercitul God ^yill make all 
 due allowances for fuch a cafe. 
 
 This therefore, according to what I urged un- 
 der the former obfervation, fhould be a caution 
 againft rafh and hafty judging in fuch cafes. 
 And pray, my brethren, take me right : I don't 
 fpeak this for the diredion of others, with refe- 
 rence to you, (I am not now inftrucfling them, 
 as they do not hear me) but I fpeak it for your 
 dire(5lion. If you think you apprehend the truth 
 better than they do, meddle not with their fince- 
 rity j judge not them for differing in opinion from 
 you i they may be fmcere, tho' they do not per- 
 ceive the truth, fuppofing you are not miftaken 
 in your perfuafion what is the truth. 
 
 M 2 Qh- 
 
164 
 
 A Sermon 
 
 Sermon Obferu. IV. God will take care to bring finccre 
 V. Ifraelites out of fuch their errors and miftakes, as 
 
 yy^r*^ it would be deftruftive and ruinous to them to 
 continue in. The obfervation is, I think, fair, 
 from the account we here have of Naibanael : He 
 did not believe that Jefus of Nazareth was the 
 Chrift. Such an error as this he could not have 
 continued in without ruin ; for unlefs he believed 
 this, when the thing came to be more notori- 
 oufly publillied and confirmed, he muft, with the 
 fcribes and pharifees, have died in his fins. But, 
 notwhhftanding his unbelief in this point upon 
 the teftimony of Philip, being an IJraelite indeed, 
 in whom was no guile, our Saviour took a par- 
 ticular care to convince him of his error -, which 
 was an error of great importance, and would 
 afterward have been of the greatefb poflible ; he 
 took care to bring him to a belief and acknow- 
 ledgment of the contrary truth. You may here 
 obferve too, how kindly he applies himfelf to 
 him, in order to his convidlion : He does not 
 ufe fevere and rough methods with him •, he does 
 not reproach and upbraid him with his not be- 
 lieving a truth of fo great importance; but he 
 begins with a commendation of his fmcerity. 
 Beheld an Ifraelite indeed, in -whom is no guile. 
 Nathanael was confcious of his own fmcerity, 
 and therefore could not but wonder that Jefus 
 Ihould have fuch a knowledge of him, who had 
 never icQ:n him before. He did not believe that 
 he was the true Aiejjiab, and was not apprc- 
 henfive that he was able to fee into his heart, and 
 to know the difpofition thereof-, and therefore 
 he i'ays to him, IVI^ence knowejl thou me ? Our 
 Saviour, no doubt, fpake as he did to Nathanael, 
 with a defign to draw this queftion from him, 
 that fo he might fatisfy him by his anlwcr, that 
 
 he 
 
on JOHN I. 46. 165 
 
 he was indeed that prophet. And by his anfwer Sermon 
 he lets him know, that he was well acquainted V. 
 with a fecret tranfaction, which Nathanael could -^""ST^^ 
 not but well remember, wherein he had been 
 afting the part of an Ifraelite indeed : Jefiis an- 
 Jwer*d, and /aid unto hiin^ Before that Philip called 
 thee, when thou waft under the fig-tree, I (aw thee. 
 And by this means a conviftion was effeftually 
 wrought, ver. 49. Nathanael anfwered, and 
 faith unto him. Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, 
 thou art the King o/Ilrael. 
 
 We need not wonder, that men who are truly 
 lincere, Ihould be thus fafe and fecure, with 
 reference to all really deftru6live and damning 
 errors and millakes. Their own happy difpofi- 
 tion lays them open to convidlion, and facilitates 
 the entrance of truth into their minds. Sin- 
 cerity befpeaks the mind to be free from fucli 
 mean defires, bafe interefts and defigns, as do 
 corrupt, and, I may fay, bribe, as it were, the 
 will •, and make a perfon unwilling to perceive 
 things any otherwife than as he would have them 
 be. But where a perfon is fmcere, he has no 
 other intereft at heart but to difcover the truth ; 
 and he who is fo impartial, is mofl likely to 
 give it a ready reception, and to recover himfelf 
 out of any confiderable miftakes he may have 
 fallen into, whenever proper evidence is laid 
 before him. And befide that, great is the regard 
 which we are affured God bears to fuch, and the 
 concern he has for them -, and a fecurity they 
 have by his promifes, whereby he has ingaged 
 himfelf to lead and gttide them. Our Savjour 
 fpeaks of this as the bell way to be fecure of the 
 divine condud, John vii. 17. If an) man will do 
 his will, he fhallbwwof the doolrine, whether it b<? 
 of God, or whether Ifpeak of j?ij felf Many afTu- 
 • M 3 ranees 
 
l66 -4 S E R M O N 
 
 Sermon ranees we have in the fcripture, of fuch perfons 
 V. being under a fpecial blejfTing and diredtion from 
 
 L/^V^O God. 'The meek will he guide in judgment, and the 
 meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the 
 Lord are mercy and truth, unto fuch as keep his 
 covenant, and his teftimonies. What man is he that 
 feareth the Lord ? himfhall he teach in the way that 
 he fhall choofe. The fecret of the Lord is with them 
 that fear him, and he will fhew them his covenant^ 
 Pfal. XXV. 9, 10, 12, 14. And fince upright and 
 fincere men are affured of an happy end, it muft 
 be fuppofed that they are affured of fuch a 
 guidance as is neceffary, in order to the attaining 
 it ; and confequently they muft be fecure, that 
 a good and faithful God will not leave them in 
 deftrudtive and damning miftakes. Pfal. xxxvii. 
 37. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright : 
 for the end of that man is peace. But this can't 
 be true, but the end of fuch may be mifery and 
 woe to the utmoft degree, if they can't depend 
 upon God that he will affift them in their fmcere 
 indeavours, lead them into all neceffary truth, 
 and preferve them from all deftru6live miftakes. 
 
 This obfervation may, I think, very well 
 ferve, 
 
 I. To recommend fmcerity, as moft worthy to 
 be purfued by all. If we are, like Nathanaely 
 Ifraelites indeed, in whom is no guile ; we are 
 then fecure of the divine conduft. And can any 
 thing be more advantageous to us? How liable are 
 fuch weak and fliort fighted creatures to err and 
 miftake ! muft it not then be a great happinefs 
 to be fecured, that though we fhould miftake, 
 it ftiall not be fo as to hazard our eternal fal-. 
 vation ? This is the cafe of thofe that are fin- 
 cere : And this ihould quicken us all in ufing 
 QUr utmoft indeavoujs to be (uch, and to become 
 
 tnpre. 
 
on JOHN I. 46. 167 
 
 more and more fo, to purge out more and more Sermon 
 the remains there may be in us of guile and V. 
 hypocrify. v^'-y^ 
 
 2. This may ferve to make fuch eafy 2lxA 
 peaceable in their own minds, whofe confciences 
 bear witnefs to their fincerity. If your hearts 
 do not condemn you m this refpeft, then may you 
 well have confidence tozvards God, i John iv. 21. 
 If you know that you are fmcerely willing to 
 know and do the will of God, that in order 
 hereunto you have been lifting up holy hands 
 to God, made this the matter of your fervent 
 prayer, that God would lead you inco all faving 
 truth, and have fet your felves with all impar- 
 tiality and diligence to fearch after the truth, as 
 it is in Jefus ; fo that you can fay, if we are mif- 
 taken, 'tis not owing to any flothful indifference 
 to truth, to an unwillingnefs to fearch after it, 
 or difcover it, left it jfhould make us uneafy in 
 any of the courfes we take -, 1 fiy, if you know 
 this concerning your felves, diftruft not the^ood- 
 nefs and faithfulnefs of God, the kindnefs and 
 companion of your redeemer toward you ; de- 
 pend upon it, that you Ihall be led into all ne^ 
 cefTary and faving truth. And therefore be not 
 moved with the ralh cenfures of men ; they 
 may wound themfelves, but they can't hurt you 
 by their hard fpeeches. The holy fcripture pro- 
 nounces your courfe to be fafe, Prov. x. 9. Hs 
 that zvalketh uprightly^ walketh fur sly : and you 
 may reft fatisfied in that determination, let wh9- 
 will differ from it. 
 
 Obferv. V. Great • good may fometimcs be 
 found, where 'tis little expeded and look'd for. 
 Thus it was in the cafe of Natbanael. You may 
 eafily imagine he had but little expectation of 
 advantage, when he was corning to, fee Jelus ot 
 M 4 ■ Na- 
 
i68 A Se R MO K 
 
 Sermon Na'Z(ireth^ fince he came under the power of fu.c][^ 
 V. a prejudice, that no good thing could, or however 
 
 ^/*yvj that it was at leaft very unlikely, that any 
 good things jfhould come out of Nazareth •, and 
 yet what greater good could he meet with, than 
 what he actually found ? He found the Mejjiah, 
 he found a Saviour, where he had no fuch ex- 
 peftation. 
 
 Thus is it fometimes order'd by the provi^ 
 dence of God on other occafions. Men come to. 
 fee and hear out of mere curiolity, without the 
 leaft thought of receiving any advantage •, nay, 
 it may be, to laugh and fcofF at the preacher 
 and his doftrine ; ^nd they are furpriz'd by 
 God's preventing goodncfs and mercy : They 
 Gome with levity of fpirit, and are fent away 
 with a full, a forrowful, and broken heart ; they 
 come to divert themfclves, and God makes theni 
 (fuch is the frcenefs and riches of his grace) in 
 good fadnefs to lay to heart their need of a Sa- 
 viour, and draws them to him : And thus they 
 meet with what they little thought of or ex- 
 pefted. Would to God this might be the happy 
 efFccl of the curiofity of fome who come with 
 prejudice among us. ^ I am confident, whatever 
 the reprefentations are, which are made of 
 u?, we have no other defign than what Philip 
 had upon Nathanael^ and what ev^ery faithful 
 minifter mufb have upon thofe he preaches to, 
 to bring them to Chrift, that they may have 
 him for their Saviour. And may that God, v/hQ_ 
 alone can draw men to his Son, fay Amen to our 
 indeavours, that we may be indeed fuccefsful in 
 promoting this blcPfcd defign. 
 
 Ohjerv. VI. The vz-iy to knovv? the certainrv of 
 things, is to make trial of them : Cc'tiie and fee. 
 This was the berc a.dvice that could pojGTibly be 
 
 given. 
 
on JOHN I. ^6. 169 
 
 given. Nathanael was in doubt, and could not Sermon 
 eafily fuppofe that any good thing could come V. 
 out of Naznrefh. Well, let it be ever fo un- ^OTV^ 
 likely, and though you have no expeftation, yet 
 co?fie a?id fee ; examine, fearch, and try •, and 
 judge not before you have done fo. Was it not 
 wifdom in Philip ro give this counfel ? and was it 
 not prudence in Nathanael to take it ? Had he 
 given way to his prejudices, had he been awed 
 by a deference to ecclefiaflical rulers, and, for 
 fear of offending them, refufed fo much as to 
 come, he had mifs'd of the greatell faxisfadlion 
 he could def^re on earth, even the feeing the 
 Lord's Chrift. Tho' he had a ftrong prejudice, 
 yet he could not but fee that fuch pretences as 
 our Saviour made, deferv'd to be look'd into, 
 and carefully examin'd. And this is a rule 
 which we may fafely give with reference to all 
 points of do(5lrine, and more efpecially where 
 honeft men offer any thing to the world : Prove 
 all things j hold faji that zvhich is good, i ThefT. v. 
 21. They that diftruft the force and evidence 
 of truth, or the goodnefs of the caufe they would 
 maintain, may propofe a different rule, and tell 
 you, that you fhould prove nothing, but hold 
 fall what fallible men have taught you. I muft 
 own, I know no principle of my religion that 
 will not bear a ftrift examination, and thorough 
 inquiry •, and therefore my bufmefs fliall always 
 be to appeal to the underftandings and con- 
 fciences of men. You hear how we are reviled, 
 flander'd, and abufed. According to the gene- 
 ral vogue, nothing good is to be expedled from 
 us : Would you know whether our principles 
 or worfliip are fuch as men confidently report ? 
 Come and fee ; fee with your own eyes, and judge 
 for your felves ; and take not things blindly upon 
 
 trull 
 
I^O AlS E R M O N 
 
 Sermon truft from thofe who are afraid to fee them- 
 V. felves, and therefore refolve never to look into 
 
 VV^^ matters, but fit down contented with the tra- 
 ditions of their fathers. Come and fee, whether 
 we fay any thing but what is agreeable to> the 
 rule of our holy religion : Search the fcriptures,, 
 and fee whether the things that we fpeak are 
 according to them, or not. 
 
 Ohferv. VII. Every one who is a true difciple- 
 of Chrift, has fuch a convid:ion of his excellency, 
 as that he cannot but be earneftly defirous of 
 bringin^Btothers under the fame, that they may 
 Hkewife become his difciples. Thus Philip, when 
 he was called by Chrift, and become his difci- 
 ple, with joy and triumph acquaints Nathanael 
 with the happy difcovery he had made, in or- 
 der to ingage him to believe in Chrift, as he 
 did himfelf We have found him, fays he, ver, 45. 
 of whom Mofes in the lazv, and the prophets did 
 write, y^/^i c/ Nazareth, the fon of Joseph. And 
 when- Nathanael cou]d not eafily come into fuch 
 a belief, becaufe of the place from whence Jefus 
 came, he does not prefently give over, but 
 prefTes him .to eome and fee. In like manner, 
 no fooner had our Saviour convinced the woman 
 of Samaria that he was the Chrift, but ftie was 
 defirous of bringing others under the fame con- 
 viftion, and therefore haftens to her neighbours, 
 and calls upon them -, Come, fee a man which told 
 me all things thai ever I did : is not this the Chrifl ? 
 John iv. 29. Both a regard to the honour of our 
 Redeemer, and a concern for the falvation of 
 mens fouls, fhould ingage us to do what we can 
 to bring men to the true knowledge of Chrift, 
 and an unfeigned fubjeftion to him. And as we 
 profefs our felves the difciples and followers of 
 Chrift, let us make this our aim and indeavouis 
 
 and 
 
o>« JOHN I. 46. 171 
 
 and fo evidence our felves to be fincere in our Sermon 
 profeflion. We may put men upon confidering V. 
 and weighing the proofs of his dodrine, the ex- ^*<V^ 
 cellency of his defign, the greatnefs of his love, 
 his ability to help and fave us, which may be 
 great inducements to them to fubmit to him. 
 But to clofe all, there is one way, which we 
 Ihould each of us take to recommend him and his 
 religion to others ; and that is, by indeavouring 
 to live up to the rules he has given us. When 
 we are circumfpeft and un|^meable, meek and 
 patient, this redounds to tne honour of our great 
 Lord. And the apoftle*s prayer for the Thejfa- 
 lonianf, 2 ThefT. i. 11, 12. we Ihould make our 
 own, for our felves and one another ; and with 
 that I conclude : Wherefore alfo we pray always for 
 'jou^ that our God would count you worthy of this 
 callings and fulfil all the good pleafure of his goodnefsy 
 and the work of faith with power ; that the name 
 of our Lord J ejus Chriji may be glorified in yoUy and 
 ye in him, according to the grace of our God, and the 
 Lordjefus Chrifi. Amen, 
 
 A 
 
175 -/4 SeR MO N 
 
 SERMON 
 
 O N 
 
 I CoRiN'fHiANS iii. irJ 
 
 For other foundation can no man lay^ 
 than that is laid^ which is Jejtis 
 Chrtfi. 
 
 O unfpeakably great are the things which 
 Chrift has done for us, and the obhga- 
 tions which he has thereby laid us under 
 to himfelf, that no true chriftian cap be 
 without a concern for his honour and glory. 
 The apoftles are an excellent example to us 
 herein, as they always difcover'd a particular 
 fenfe of his love, and zeal for his honour in the 
 world : And we muft be very unworthy of the 
 name of chriflians, fhould we not in fome mea- 
 fiire refemble them in their temper, and moft 
 carneilly defire in all things to exalt and mag- 
 nify him. Thus we fee St. Paul behaved him- 
 felf, when the Corinthians were divided about 
 their teachers, one crying up one, and another 
 another •, and were ready to denominate them- 
 felves from the particular teachers to whom they 
 adhered. He calls them to confider the one 
 mafter to whom they belong'd, and whofe difci- 
 
 ples 
 
on 1 COR. III. ii^_^^_^i73 
 
 pies they were, and that miniflers welflMHHkbioii 
 look'd upon as only afting under him, and that VI. 
 their buflnefs was to difeft men to Chrift. ^^^VVl 
 
 At ver. 9. of this chapter^ the apoftle fpeaks of 
 himfelf, and thofe imployM in the fame office, as 
 labourers together with God ; or, as I think it fhould 
 rather be render*d, of God j that is, they were 
 all together fellow labourers whom God imploy*d 
 and made ufe of : And of the Corinthians who 
 were chriftians, he fpeaks as of God*s hujbdndr^^ 
 and God's building. Upon this latter comparifon 
 he dilates in the following verfes. 'Tis com- 
 mon in the epifiles to reprelent chriftians as an 
 houfe, a building, a temple, an habitation ; and 
 the like we may obferve in this place. Now 
 fays the apoftle in the foregoing verfe, According 
 to the grace of God which is given unto me^ as a 
 wife ?nafier builder I have laid the foundation, and 
 another buildeth thereon. But let every man take 
 heed how he buildeth thereupon. Then follow the 
 words of the text : Tor other foundation can no man 
 lay^ than that is laid, which is Jefus Chrifi ; which 
 J take to be a kind of parenthefis, in which he 
 fuppofcs, or takes it for granted, that thofe who 
 oppofed him among the Corinthians^ preach*d 
 Chrift as a foundation, and pretended to build 
 upon him, though they built not rightly, as he 
 more plainly intimates in feme following verfes. 
 of the chapter. 
 
 Now when the apoftle fays, Other foundation 
 can no man lay^ than that is laid, which is Jefu> 
 Chrijl, his meaning feems to be this ; that he 
 did not fuppofe any one who pretended to be a 
 chriftian teacher, or inftrucflor, would alrer the 
 foundation laid among them, or attempt to fet up 
 any other perfon inftead of Chrift. He took it 
 for granted, that the perfon who oppofed him, 
 
 and 
 
ij^ >i Sermon 
 
 Sermon and had wound in himfelf among them, did fo 
 VI, far go upon the fame foot he had done, that he 
 s^^Sr^ made no change in the only foundation, which 
 is Jefus Chrift. 
 In fpeaking to the words, I will 
 
 T. Confider now Chrift is faid to be laid.a^^^ 
 foundation. ,,y, jr.. 
 
 II. Shew you that he is the only good founda- 
 tion that can be laid, and that 'tis unreafo- 
 nable to fuppofe men Ihould attempt to lay 
 any other. 
 
 I. I am to confider how Chrift is faid to be 
 laid as a foundation. And, 
 
 I. There is a fenfe in which the laying Chrift 
 as a foundation is peculiar to God himfelf ; and 
 accordingly it is attributed to him in the holy 
 fcriptures, Ifaiah xxviii. i6. Therefore thus faith' 
 the Lord God, Behold I lay in Slonfor a foundation^ 
 a ft one, a tried ft one, a precious corner-ft one, a fure 
 foundation : He that helieveth fhall not make hafte. 
 The apoftles have cited this paffagc, and applied 
 it to Chrift, i Pet. ii. 6. Rom. ix. 33. And when 
 the Pfalmift fpeaks of this matter, Pfal. cxviii. 23. 
 he fays, This is the hordes doing, it is ?narveUous in^ 
 our eyes. 
 
 When we fpeak .of a foundation laid in this 
 fenfe, we have a regard to Chrift confider'd as 
 the great gift of God, and appointed by him 
 to be the Saviour and Redeemer of men, as God 
 has fet him forth to be a propitiation for our 
 fins, and conftituted him the only foundation, 
 upon which we are to build our hopes of pardon, 
 acceptance, and eternal falvation. But tho' this 
 is a great truth, and will afterwards fall in as an 
 evidence of what I fliall infift upon j yet I don't 
 
 believe, 
 
on I CO R. III. II. 175 
 
 believe, 'tis what is here direiStly- and chiefly in-Sermoa 
 fended. And therefore, Y|^, 
 
 2.1 think St. Paul fpeaks of Chrifl as a foun- v,<rv^^ 
 dation laid by himfelf, in his preaching him as' 
 fuch. In the foregoing verfe the apoftle fpeaks 
 of himfelf as having laid a foundation. I have^ 
 fays he, as aivife majler builder laid the foundation^ 
 and another huildeth thereon : And accordingly in 
 the text he is to be underftood, Other foundati- 
 on can no man [that is, no chriliian preacher or 
 rninifler] lay^ than that is laid*, which is Jefus; 
 Chrift ; that is, no man can lay any other foun-, 
 dation than that which I have already laid in^ 
 my preaching, which is Chrift., When we fpeak, 
 of Chrift laid as a foundation in the former fenfe,i 
 we confider him as to his perfon and fufFerings ;- 
 but here, when the apoftle fpeaks of his own 
 laying Chrift as a foundation, 'tis evident he 
 refers to the do6lrine he taught concerning him., 
 Now this the apoftle preach' d as the foundati-^^ 
 on : that is, 
 
 I. As that which is abfolutely neceflary for 
 perfons to know and believe. And it feems evi- . 
 dent to me, that there muft be fome dodrinali 
 principles that muft be fundamental in chriftia- 
 nicy, and eflentially neceflary to be believed. 
 Chriftianity is to be confider'd as a religion ; and 
 if there are not fome things belonging to it thatr 
 are fundamental and effential, how can it be di-j 
 fcinguifh'd from any other religion in the world ? 
 Every religion muft have its peculiar form, and 
 be founded upon fome proper maxims or prin- 
 ciples. If you confider natural religion, the 
 foundation of it is the belief of a God, who is. 
 the proper objeft of our worfliipj and who re-> 
 wards his worfhipers : He that conieth to God, j?iuJL 
 believe that he is, a}id that he is a rsivarder of the?n 
 
 that 
 
176 
 
 i4 S E R M ok 
 
 Sermon that diligent^ feek him, Heb. xi. 6. And whatever 
 VI. religion pretends to have revelation for its ori* 
 
 >«Orv/ ginal, muft of neceffity pretend fome peculiar 
 tenets, whereby *tis render'd different from any 
 other religion. Thus the Je^jjijh religion muft 
 fuppofe this foundation, that God fpake by Mo- 
 fes, and gave the law by him : And fo in like 
 manner mtift there be fome foundation of chri- 
 ftianity, whereby it muft be effentially diftin- 
 guifh'd from every other religion in the world. 
 Now 'tis plain, that the dodrine concerning 
 Chrift is fuch a foundation. A man cannot be a 
 chriftian, that does not believe the great things 
 which we are taught by revelation concerning 
 him, fuch as that he is the Mejjiah or the Chrift, 
 the anointed of God, whom he has commiffion'd 
 and appointed to be the inftruftor, teacher, and 
 Saviour of the world \ that he is the Sob of God, . 
 whom by corifequence we are to hear, whofe 
 dodlrine we are to belieVe, and Whofe commands 
 we are to obey. And not only are we to believe 
 this general account of him, but likewife the 
 particular things which are related concerning 
 him, and the way and manner in which he ac- 
 complifhes our filvation, even by his death and 
 fufferings, that he ivas deliver\i for our offences^ ■ 
 and died for cur /?«;, &c. Thus St. Paul lets 
 us know, that this was the fum of his preaching, 
 it being wnat he very much infifted on as ab- 
 folutely neceffary to be known and underftood 
 by all, I Cor. i. 23. But we preach Chrift cr dei- 
 fied, unto the Jews a flumhling block, and unto the 
 Greeks foolifhnefs. And chap. ii. 2. / deternmt'd 
 not to know an'j thing among you [I mad^ pr'ofelfiort 
 of no other fcience or learriing, but what is com- 
 priled in this one thing] hut Jefus Chrifl, and hi??i 
 cfucifiedi 
 
 i And 
 
em I COR. IIF. n. ijf 
 
 And the very notion of a foundation plainly Sermon 
 Carries this in it, that it is fomewhat abfolutely VL 
 neceflary. You may as well fuppofe that a houfe ^^-^'Y's/ 
 can be built without a foundation, as you can 
 fuppofe that a perfon can be a chriltian without 
 the knowledge of Chrill, without believing him 
 to be the Saviour of the world. 
 
 2. As this is abfolutely neceflary^ fo here men 
 mull begin. There are many things neceffary 
 in a building, with which neverthelefs men do 
 not begin. A hoiife can no more be without a 
 roof, than without a foundation ; but yet the 
 foundation is laid firft of all^ and the roof at laft. 
 And thus when St. Paul fpeaks of his laying a 
 foundation in his preaching, and tells us that 
 foundation is Jefus Ghrift ; 'tis evident he muft 
 be underftood to fpeak of the firft principles of 
 the do6trine of Chrift, with which he indea- 
 vour'd to acquaint men* In all arts and fciencesj 
 there are fome things neceffary to be peculiarly 
 inculcated at firft, when a perfon enters upon 
 the learning them : And fo 'tis with reference to 
 chriftianity. And therefore, as the apoftles in 
 their preaching, made it their bufmefs tiift tq. 
 inftrud men in the dodlrine of Chrift, to preach 
 him as the MeJ/iah, the Saviour of the world, 
 who died for their fins, and rofe again from the 
 dead •, fo you fee they infift upon the belief of 
 this, with thofe whom they received into the 
 church of Chrift, putting it to them, whether 
 they believed that Jefus was the Chrifi, the Son 
 of God, or not. Hence the author of the epijlle 
 to the Hebrews, chap. vi. i. fpeak-S of the princi- 
 ples of the do5irine of Chrift, which he likewifc 
 calls the foundation. 
 
 3. As Chrift is reprfefented as the foundation, 
 f^ it is fuppos'd that all the other doctrines which 
 
 N chfi- 
 
lyS ^Sermon 
 
 Sermon chriftiahs receive, are to be built as a fuper- 
 VI. ftrudure upon him. The believing that Jefus 
 
 v/'V^-^ is the Chrift, the Son of God, will naturally 
 infer the belief of all that doftrine which he 
 came into the world to reveal and make known 
 to men. Nor can men, when they are con- 
 vinced of this, be infenfible of his authority, or 
 of the reafonablenefs of their yielding a ready 
 obedience to all his commands and precepts. 
 So that nothing is more proper than to begin 
 with the dod:rine concerning Chrift, and to lay 
 that down, as St. Paul did, as the foundation 
 upon which he woiild afterward build in his 
 preaching. To this purpofe he dil'courfes in 
 fome verfes which follow the text : Now if any 
 7nan, that is, any minifter or preacher of the 
 gofpel, build upon this foundation^ namely Chrift, 
 gold^ filve}\ precious-flones, zvood, hay^ fiuhble 
 every man^s work fhall be made manifeft. For the 
 day fhall declare it, becaufe it fhall be revealed by 
 fire j and the fre fhall try every man's work of- 
 ivhat fort it is. If any ??ian*s work abide which he 
 hath built thereupon, he ffjall receive a reward : 
 if ans man's work fhall be burnt, he fhall fuffer lofs : 
 hut he himfelf fhall be faved •, yet fo as by fire. 
 Where he plainly fuppofes, that while men kept 
 to this foundation, they might miftake in fome 
 things of Icfler importance ; they might build 
 upon this foundation fuch things as would not 
 indure the trial, and be of any fervice, how- 
 ever they might not prove ruinous and deftru(5live 
 to them. 'Tis a plain cafe, that a wide diffe- 
 rence ought to be made between what is, and 
 what is not fundamental in our holy religion ; 
 and a miftake in drawing a confequence from a 
 revealed truth is nothing near lb criminal, as the 
 making that a fundamental which God has not 
 
 made 
 
 > - 
 
on I COR. m. II. 179 
 
 madefo. Where men have not an exprefs and Sermon 
 plain revelation, they Ihould be very cautious VI. 
 jn their aflertions. 'Tisvery pofTible they may *^^"V"v/ 
 be building only wood, hay, and Jlubble upon the 
 foundation, when they imagine they are building 
 upon it gold, filver, and cojliy Jiones. 
 : II. I come now to the other part of my 
 difcourfe, which is to fhew that a;s Chrift is the 
 foundation, fo he is the only one -, and that no 
 man can lay any other. When the apofde fiys, 
 no man can lay any other foundation, he is not 
 to be underftood abfolutely to deny the pofTibi- 
 lity of any man's attempting to lay any other 
 foundation. We fee this is falfe in faft : Maho?net 
 attempted to lay another foundation ; and this 
 has been done many times in the world. But we 
 mull underftand him as intending either that no 
 man can lay any other good foundation ; or clfe, 
 which I rather incline to, that no man, that is, 
 no fuch man as he^ is fpeaking of, no one who. 
 calls himfelf a chriftian, and pretends to be a 
 minifter of the gofpel, can be thought to intend 
 to lay any other foundation than Chriil : It muft 
 be thought, that as he profelTes himfelf a chriftian 
 minifter, he goes upon the fuppoficion of Chrift's 
 being the only foundation, and that confequently 
 he muft in his preaching build upon him as fuch. 
 Now here let it be confidered, 
 
 I. That the great reafon why no other foun- 
 dation can reafonably be pretended, or be at- 
 tempted to be laid by any man, is becaufe God 
 himfelf has laid no other. Nothing can be fit 
 to be a foundation for us, but by the divine 
 appointment. As we are rebellious creatures, 
 it muft belong to that God whom we have of- 
 fended, to fix the terms of our reconciliation to 
 himfelf, and our eternal falvation j and no one 
 N 2 can 
 
A Sermon 
 
 Sermon can have any right to prefcribe to him. His 
 VI. commands require of us a perfonal obedience, 
 and the fanftion of his law threatens the guilty 
 perfonally : And 'tis at his pleafure, whether he 
 will accept of any mediation,* or regard the in- 
 terpofition of any perfon who would be willing to 
 ad: in our behalf. Juftice does no ways oblige 
 him to difpenfe with the execution of the threat- 
 ning upon the perfon of the tranfgrelTor ; and 
 if he is willing to deal with us upon any gracious 
 terms, it muft certainly belong to him to appoint 
 them i and to fix upon the perfon who fhall 
 undertake our caufe, and whom he will pleafe 
 to accept. It muft be his right to judge who 
 is fit for fuch an undertaking ; and to prefcribe 
 in what way he Ihall manage it. If we could 
 (as we cannot) ofier him an equivalent, he might 
 refufe it. But when he has aftually appointed 
 a mediator, and but one, it muft be monftrous 
 folly for any perfon to think of another. He 
 has himfelf laid in Sion a foundation, a chief 
 corner-ftone, eleft and precious -, and he has 
 laid but one : Who then Ihall pretend to men- 
 tion or preach any other ? or who can have afTu- 
 rance enough to warrant men of fuccefs, if they 
 are built upon any other ? As there is but one 
 God, fo there is but one mediator between God and 
 man, the man Chrifi J ejus, i Tim. ii. 5. 'Tis 
 only by this Mediator that we can draw nigh to 
 God •, and thro^ hi?n alone can we offer up fpiritual 
 [acrifices acceptable to God, i Pet. ii. 5. So far are 
 we from being able to alfure men of pardon, and 
 the favour of God, if they ^depend upon any other, 
 that we can moft certainly allure them of the con- 
 trary J and that there is Solvation in no other, there 
 being none other name under heaven given among 
 men, whereby we ?nu/t be faved, A(5ts iv. 12. 
 
 I 2. No 
 
on I COR III. II. i8r 
 
 2. No man that pretends to be a chriftian Sermon 
 minifter, can attempt to lay another foundation VI. 
 without the moll notorious inconfiflency. He ^y^n*-^ 
 that profefles himfelf a chriftian, thereby pro- 
 
 fefles himfelf to be built upon Chrift as his foun- 
 dation : And would it not be great abfurdity 
 and folly, for a man to recommend to others in 
 his preaching a different foundation from that, / 
 upon which he declares he choofes to build him- 
 felf? *Tis not to be thought that men will pur- 
 pofely expofe themfelves •, and yet, where the 
 jibfurdity is fo grofs and palpable as in the pre- 
 sent cafe, they muft needs fee this will be the 
 confequence, and therefore *tis not eafy to ima- 
 gine they can take fuch a foolifh courfe. 
 
 3. No preacher can lay any other foundation 
 in his preaching, becaufe he cannot, with any 
 face, produce any tolerable evidence and affu- 
 rance of the goodnefs and fufEciency of any other 
 foundation. The reafon why I am to pay a 
 regard to Chrift as the foundation of my faith, 
 is becaufe the figns and miracles which were 
 wrought by him, and the other concurring tefti- 
 monies that accompanied him, fully evidence 
 that he was a teacher fent of God, luch an one 
 as cannot deceive and impofe upon me. He is 
 therefore, as he is called, a fur e foundation^ up- 
 on whofe word I may infallibly depend. But is 
 this true concerning any other, whom men can 
 pretend to fubftitute in his room ? The church 
 of Ro?ne indeed pretends to be infallible in her 
 dictates : But the pretence is fhameful -, and no- 
 thing is clearer than the confutation of her pre- 
 tended infallibility, by the multitude and grofs- 
 nefs of her errors. Nay, fmce they themfelves 
 own Chrift as the foundation, and pretend to 
 derive their infallibility from him, we may 
 
 N 3 fafcly 
 
i8i A Sermon 
 
 Sermon fafely reje6t their authority, which tends plainly 
 
 VI. enough to overthrow the foundation they pre- 
 
 s-^'V^ tend to build upon •, and fince he is own'd on 
 
 both fides to be inmllible, we may fafely difown 
 
 the authority and infallibility of a church that 
 
 contradids him. 
 
 Nor are there any men in the world fo wife 
 or good, as that we can fafely depend upon their 
 judgment or teftimony, and make them our 
 foundation. They are feverally, and together in 
 a body or council, liable to err ; and if we de- 
 pend upon them, may lead us wrong as well a|. 
 right. Upon Chrift therefore alone are we to 
 reft as our foundation, and him only are mini- 
 fters to lay as a foundation in their preach- 
 ing- 
 There are two objeftions which may be made 
 againft what I have faid, and which I Ihall briefly 
 anfwer. 
 
 I. It may be faid, how can it be true that 
 Chrift is the only foundation, and that minifters 
 are to preach no other, fince the author of the 
 epiftle to the Hebrews^ chap. vi. i. fpeaks fo 
 exprefly of repentance from dead works, and 
 faith towards God, as a foundation ? and are not 
 minifters to preach thcfe i*" j 
 
 I aniwer, thefe may be called a foundation in 
 a fenfe, but not in the fame fen fe wherein Chrift 
 is called a foundation. They are a foundation, 
 ■ as. -they are duties made abfolutely and funda- 
 menrally neceffary to fdvaticn ; and fo in that 
 refpeft may be a ground of hope and comfort to 
 us. But if they were a foundation in the fame 
 i'tn^t Chrift is, they muft not only be necefliiry, 
 but muft be accepted for their own fake : 
 Whereas this is not true, our repentance and 
 faith at beft being fo defective, as to need 
 
 pardon -, 
 
m I COR. IIT. II. 1 8^ 
 
 pardon ; and the reafon why they are accepted Sermon 
 is the mediation of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the VI. 
 promife of God's accepting rhcfe being made to -^"^v ^^^ 
 us in and through Chrift. So that thcfe dudes 
 are not, as Chrift is, the primary foundation ; 
 but themfelves reft, and are built upon Chrift as 
 the only foundation in that fenfe. 
 
 2. It may be objedled, How can S;. Paul fpeak 
 of Chrift as the only foundation, when he elfe- 
 where himfelf calb the apoftles and prophets the 
 foundation ? Eph. ii. 20. And does not Chrift 
 himfelf fpeak of Peter as a rock^ that is, a foun- 
 dation, upon which he would build his church ? 
 
 I anfwer, This does not interfere with Chrift's 
 being reprefented as the only foundation, becaufe 
 the apoftles and prophets wt re not a foundation 
 themfelves -, but as Chrift by them declared and 
 deliver'd his dodtrine : They were not any far- 
 ther a foundation or a rule for others than as 
 Chrift fpake by them. When he did not, the 
 chief apoftle might be miftaken, and might be 
 withfiood to the face, as you know he was, Gal. ii, 
 II. And therefore this really confirms it, that 
 Chrift is the only foundation that can be laid ; 
 to which purpofc alio we may obferve how St. 
 Paul expreftes himfelf in the place alleg'd, 
 Eph. ii. 20. And are built upon the foundation of the 
 apoftles and prophets, J^fif^ Chrifl himfef being the 
 chief corner-ftone. Chrift' therefore is himfelf the 
 great fupport, upon which the whole building 
 refts : And the apoftles are a foundation only as 
 ufed and imployed by him in building hi« 
 Church. And thus was that place concerning 
 Peter underftood by feveral of the ancients. * 
 
 N 4 I 
 
 * Tlus Tertiillian : In ipfo ecdefia exfiriiifta eft, id eft, per 
 ipfum. The church ivas built u^on him, that is, by him. D^ 
 
 pudi- 
 
A Sermon 
 
 Sermon I fliall conclude with three reflexions on what 
 yi. hath been faid. 
 
 VV"^ I. If Chrift is the only foundation that can 
 be laid, then muft it be your duty to adhere to 
 him as fuch. You are to look upon your felves 
 as the difciples and fervants of one mafter, even of 
 Chrift ; and you are not to be the fervants of men. 
 Chrift alone has the dominion over your faith. 
 His word you are to receive, believe, and obey 
 with all readinefs of mind i but to the words 
 of any men upon earth you are not oblig'd to 
 yield any fuch fubjeftion and regard. Since in* 
 fpiration has ceafed, and Chrift fpeaks infallibly 
 to us only in his word ; 'tis there you are to 
 expedl to hear him, and know what he fays. 
 But as to men, you are to look upon your 
 felves as ftanding, in this cafe, on equal terms 
 with them : They and you are both to ftudy 
 the revelation which Chrift has left to the world ; 
 you are to ufe your faculties as well as they 
 theirs. The natural confequences of what he 
 has deliver 'd, fo far as you fee them to be fuch, 
 you muft, and if you believe him, you cannot 
 but receive. But you are not to take doftrines 
 from men upon a truft to their judgments. The 
 word of Chrift is to dwell richly in you •, an4 
 you are daily to fearch the fcriptures, and try 
 your faith in divine matters by them. 
 
 2. If Chrift is the only foundation which can 
 be laid, then let all your hope and confidence 
 toward God be built and eftablifh'd upon him > 
 
 and 
 
 pudicicia, cap. 2 1. Thus again the atitlov. of th? fer.mor?, De 
 fide Petri apofloli, which is the xlvii. of tkofe printed with 
 St, Ambroft : Petra dicitur, eo quod primus in nationibus. 
 •fidei *^"ndamenta pofueric. He is therefore called a rock, hecaufe 
 he frft laid the fot'.viiation of the chnftinr. faith amoTtg the 
 Gentiles. 
 
on I COR. HI. II. 185 
 
 and do you look for the mercy of God only upon Sermon 
 his account, and for his fake. The fcripture has VI. 
 pafled a fevere doom upon thofe who do not -^X'VO 
 believe in him, and who negleCl his mediation. 
 And miferable indeed muft the cafe be of all 
 who have had the means of knowing him afford- 
 ed them, and yet at laft fhall be found in the 
 number of unbelievers. How dreadful muft it 
 be for us to appear, as we all fhortly muft, be- 
 fore an almighty, tremendous, and provoked 
 God, without having any part in the only me- 
 diator ! Can we imagine a guilty wretch will be 
 able to lift up his face before the God who made 
 him, and whofe laws he has broken, when he 
 can't have this Saviour to appear for him, and 
 to be his advocate in judgment ? Will not his 
 cafe be moft doleful, when he muft ftand before 
 Chrift as his judge, and behold him the moft 
 tender but injur'd friend, turn'd to an angry, 
 fevere and terrible enemy ? We can never have 
 confidence in the great day, unlefs our hope 
 is fixed on this mediator j nor can we, while we 
 live in the world, have any tolerable ground for 
 confidence with reference to that day, when ever 
 we think of it, but as we are built upon this 
 foundation. How is it that we can go to God, 
 or offer up any of our fervices to hirn, fo as to 
 hope that they fhall be acceptable, but only thro* 
 Jefus Chrift ^ What other name can we plead 
 for any of the bleffings and benefits we afk of 
 God '^ This foundation is laid by God in Sion, m 
 order to our believing on hirn, Ifa. xxviii. 16. 
 I Pet. ii. 6. and if we are a fpiritual houfe, we 
 muft be built upon him, i Pei. ii. 5. In him 
 muft we he builded, for an habit atioji of God through 
 ■ihe Sjirir^ Eoh. ii. 22. Let it be ferioufly con- 
 fide r'd. 
 
l86 i4SERMON 
 
 Sermon fider'd, that now God has laid this precious 
 VI. corner-ftone, this foundation in Sion, if men ne- 
 
 ^i<V"*^ glcdt to build upon him, he will prove a jhne 
 of flumbling, and a rock of offence to them, i Pet. 
 ii. 8. and as they ftumble and fall on this ftone, 
 they fhall be broken ; but hereafter it will falf 
 on them, to grind them to powder, as our Sa- 
 viour fpeaks, Matt. xxi. 44. that is, he will ut- 
 terly deftroy them •, they Ihall be cruihed by 
 him ; and, according to the expreflion, Pfalni 
 ii. 9. be dalhed in pieces by him like a potter's 
 veffel. 
 
 3. Since Chrift is the only foundation of all 
 our hopes, let him be moft precious to us. This 
 ufe St. Peter teaches us to make of this confi- 
 deration ; for having fpoken of Chrift under 
 this notion, and the advantage chriftians have 
 by believing on him, he immediately adds, 
 I Pet. ii. 7. Unto 'jou therefore which believe he is 
 precious. He is moft worthy of our beft efteem, 
 who has done fo much for us, and upon whom 
 all our hopes reft for eternity. And it muft 
 be our duty to ftudy his excellencies, and in- 
 deavour to know more of his love, that fo we 
 may be the more fenfible of the goodnefs of that 
 foundation upon which we are built ; and careful 
 fhould we be that we entertain not the leaft un- 
 worthy thought of him. 
 
 Give me leave here to caution you againft an 
 error, which I take to be very injurious and 
 difparaging to this Mediator, who is the only 
 foundation of our hope toward God j and that is 
 the opinion of 5'(?a>^^; Tind Sabellius, which allows 
 not really to our Saviour any diftincfl nature 
 befide the human. While they fuppofe the pre- 
 fence only of the fupreme God, with the man 
 t • Chrift 
 
on I COR. III. II. 187 
 
 Chrift Jefus, they ia efFedt deny any vital unioti 5^rtnoa: 
 of human flefh with that divine nature which yi. 
 the fcripture gives us an account of. They feem v/'V?^. 
 tome really to make the Word that was in 
 the beginning with God, and was God, by whom 
 God made all things, to be only a meer name» 
 and to allow him no being at all. And is not 
 this highly injurious to our Redeemer? What 
 is this but to deny that Jefus Chrift is come 
 in the flefh ? And what a ftrange notion muft 
 we then have of this foundation which God has 
 laid in Sion ? 
 
 But though we are not in our cenfures to bear 
 hard upon men who involuntarily, and fo ho- 
 neftly miftake i yet let us, my brethren, indea- 
 vour to entertain high and honourable thoughts 
 of this our glorious Redeemer, conceiving of 
 him according to what the fcriptures reprefent 
 him to be, the beloved of the father, who had 
 a glory with him before the world was, the 
 perfon by whom he made the worlds, the bright- 
 nefs of his glory, and the exprefs image of his 
 perfon, by whom all things were created that are 
 in heaven^ and that are in earthy whether vifible 
 or invifible^ whether they be thrones^ or dominions, 
 or principalities, or powers •, by and for wbofn all 
 things were created, and by whom all things confift : 
 A perfon who was in the form of God ; but emp- 
 tied himfelf and took upon him the form of a fer~ 
 vant, and became obedient unto death, even the death 
 of the crofs. Let us raife our thoughts of his 
 innate greatnefs, that we may the more admire 
 his condefcendino; q-oodnefs in fubmittins; to cake 
 part with us in our flefh and blood, and to die 
 an ignominious and accurfed death, the death of 
 the crofs. Let us confider him, who having 
 
 died 
 
i88 A Sermon, be: 
 
 Sermon ^^^^ ^o'* "s, is now raifed again, and exalted to 
 yj^ the higheft glory and honour, and is at the right 
 
 \,^'Y'<^ ^^"^ °^ God, making interceffion for us in the 
 virtue of his death. And when we thus confider 
 him, we fhall be the more eafily fatisfied of the 
 reafonablenefs of our hope in him ; we fhall be ^ 
 the more fenfible of the (lability and immovea- 
 blenefs of that foundation upon which all our 
 hopes are eftablifhed for time and for eternity ; 
 and fo to us who believe he will be precious. 
 
 Chrifi's 
 
ChriJPs Kingdom advanced by Peach. 
 A 
 
 SERMON, 
 
 Preach'd at 
 
 E X M 
 
 January 30, 1722. 
 
 PRE FA C E. 
 
 THOUGH the hard things which ufe to 
 he /aid by too many on the 30/^ of 
 January, might be a [undent apology 
 for a man's taking the fame opportunity 
 to plead the caufe of the guiltlefs ; yet when it was 
 firft refolved to transfer our Icilure this week to that 
 day, I had no defign of attempting any thing of that 
 nature, it being confider^d only as a day whereon 
 people are more at leifure to attend. But when the 
 fubjeof here inffted on, offer''d it felf afterwards to 
 my thoughts^ J judged it 7night be unfeafonaUs neither 
 
 for 
 
i^Q The Preface. 
 
 for the day, nor the prefent ft ate of chriftianity 
 among us :_ . For / think nothing can he more proper 
 with refpe5f to both, than an indeavour to allay 
 heats and animofities.^ In doing this, I hope I have 
 guarded againft any thing that 'ivill offend the friends 
 of religion, and the prefent government. If the fer- 
 mon fhall he of ufe to cool mens tempers, and to 
 promote peac^ and charity, its end will he obtained 5 
 if not, while it has what I fear is the common fate 
 of many other and better fermons, both preach" d and 
 publifh^d, to he loft -, it may yet be a te^imony of 
 the good intentions of the preacher. 
 
 Exon, Feb. i. 
 
 \f '' *"- 
 
 Isaiah 
 
191 
 
 Isaiah XL 15. 
 
 The envy alfo of Ephralm /iall depart^ 
 and the adverfaries of Judah fiall 
 ie cut off : Ephraim /hall not envy 
 Judah, and Judah Jlall not vep< E- 
 phraim. 
 
 N the former part of this chapter we have Sermon 
 a noble prophecy of the Meffiah, and his VII. 
 . qualifications for his office, and of the hap- v.^^V"*^ 
 . pinefs and inlargement of his kingdom. 
 And as he is ftyl'd by this prophet, 'The prince of 
 peace ^ and it is foretold concerning him, that of 
 the increafe of his government and peace there Jhould 
 he no end, Ifa. ix. 6, 7. fo here when the prophet 
 would fet forth the time of the increafe of his 
 government, he reprefents it as a time of great 
 peace, when the rougheft tempers fhould be 
 tamed, and the moftfavage fhould be civiliz'd •, 
 when t\it wolf Jhould dwell with the lamb, and the 
 leopard Jhould lie down with the kid, &c. ver. 6. 
 And thus the profperous times of the Mejfiah\ 
 kingdom are defcrib'd in the text, as abounding 
 with peace, and more efpecially with internal- 
 peace: The envy alfo of F.phr2iimjhall depart, and 
 the adverjaries of Juda.h Jhall he cut off: Ephraim 
 Jhall not envy Judah, and Judah Jhall not vex E- 
 phraim. 
 
 I The 
 
ic^l Chriji*s Kingdom advanc d by ^eace. 
 
 Sermon The words feem to be a prediftion of the hap- 
 VII. py union of the Ifraelites under the Mejfiah their 
 
 s.^'V*^ king, Ephraim and Judah comprehending all 
 Ifrael. They anciently made but one kingdom 
 under David and Solomon ; but in the next reign 
 under Rehoboam they became divided into two 
 kingdoms, two tribes continuing ftill true to the 
 houfe of David, and the other ten revolting, and 
 fetting up an oppofite kingdom under Jeroboam. 
 The chief of the two tribes was Judah, and the 
 chief of the ten Ephraim ; and fo each kingdom 
 was denominated from its chief tribe. The 
 kingdom of the ten tribes, or oi Ephraim, Was 
 foon after this prophecy deftroy'd, as was fore- 
 told by Ifaiah, chap. vii. 8. Within threescore and 
 five yars Jhall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a 
 people : And fmce we never read that it was to 
 be reftored to its former itate, as a diftinft l^g- - 
 dom, but are aflured of the contrary, {Ezek. 
 xxxvii. 22.) I can hardly think the text is to be 
 underftood to Ipeak merely of Ephraim and 
 Judah i but the prophet defigning to foretel 
 the ceafing of all animofities in the kingdom of 
 the MeJfiah, at that bleifed time when it fhould 
 be glorioufly advanced in the world, feems to me 
 to borrow names of parries and factions from his 
 own times, and from the known divifion which 
 was then among the Ifraelites^ q, d. *' You fee 
 *' how mifchievous the divifion of Ifrael has 
 '* prov'd, and how much prejudice each fide 
 " has done the other : But in the happy times 
 ** I fpeak of, nothing of this nature fhall be 
 " found j the fubje<5ls of the Meffiah fhall be 
 *' more throughly united ; and tho* Ephraim 
 ** and Judah will be all fubjeds of the fame 
 *' king, yet there fhall then be no fuch enmity 
 ** as there now is, all fuch diitindions and all 
 
 *< factions 
 
ChriJTs Kingdom advanced hy Teace, ^ 9 1 
 
 ^* fadions Ihall then intirely ceafe. " 'Tis not Sermori 
 tinurual in the fcripture to ufc names in fach VII. 
 a feigned rather than a ftri6l and proper fenfe. yy\^>J> 
 Thlis Egypt^ Sodom, and Babylon, don't always 
 Hgnify the places that were commonly known 
 by thofe names •, but are myftically applied to 
 denote fuch as in fome reiped: or other refem- 
 bled them. And thus in a more like cafe, the 
 apoftle thinking it, in all likelihood, invidious to 
 name the feveral heads of parties among the 
 Corwthians, chodfes rather to put others in their 
 room, and fpeaks of them as though they had 
 been divided about himfelf, Apollos, and Cephas ; 
 I Cor. i. 12. iv. 6. And fuch a figurative way 
 of fpeaking of things remote and diftant from 
 the prophet's days, under names and terms very 
 familiar in his own,- was the more likely to an- 
 fwer his defign, and to move and aifed thofe to 
 whom he prophefy'd. 
 
 In fpeaking to the words, I iliall, 
 
 I. Take a brief view of the ftate of thefe two 
 people here mentioned. 
 
 II. Confider in what way the animofiry Was 
 kept up between them, and is commonly 
 between other parties, viz. by envy on the 
 one hand, and vexing on the other. 
 
 ' III. Shew that the advancement of the in- 
 tereft and kingdom of Chrift in the world, 
 will be accompanied with the ccafmg of fuch 
 animo fides. 
 
 1. I fliall take a brief view of the ilate of 
 thefe people here mentioned, and of the cafe and 
 condition they were in, and that only fo far as 
 may be thought to render them fit to be made 
 the emblems of divifions and parties in after- 
 
194- ChrifPs Kingdom advanced by Teace. 
 
 Sermon times. Now there was a confiderable difference 
 VII. between them in their ecclefiaftical and civil ca- 
 
 »^*'V>w pacity ; and in both Judah had a great advan- 
 tage over Ephraim. 
 
 I. If we confider them as to their church-ftate, 
 the true worlhip was fix' a in Judah, and Ephraim 
 was deflitute of it. When God brought the 
 children of IJrael out of Eg'jpt, he defigned that 
 they Ihould continue as one united church, or 
 congregation ; and in order to it, he appointed 
 only one place to which he required all to re- 
 pair for his more folemn worlhip, making it 
 unlawful to be perform'd any where elfe. Where 
 the ark was, thither they were to bring all their 
 facrificcs, and thither were all the males to repair 
 three times a year to keep their folemn feafts. 
 God chofe the land of Jz/^<^/6as the place where 
 it fhould at lail be fiix'd. It had indeed been a . 
 long time at Shilo, which belong'd to Ephraim ; 
 but in the days of Samuel it was remov'd, and 
 remain'd twenty years at Kirjah-jearim^ which 
 belong'd to the tribe of Judah •, and by David it 
 was remov'd to Jerufalem, where it continu'd till 
 Solomon"?, time, who fix'd it in the temple which 
 he built. So that Judah had the prerogative 
 in this refped:. In Judah iL-as God known ; in 
 Salem zvas his tabernacle, and his dwelling-place in 
 Zion, Pfal. Ixxvi. i, 2. There in Judah the 
 worfhip of God continued in Ifaiah's time ; but 
 Ephraim fadly degenerated upon their revolt 
 from the hou^Q o^ David. As they fet up ano- 
 ther kingdom for themfelves, their kings thought 
 it policy to reftrain them irom going up to Je- 
 riifalem to worfhip, and therefore devifed other 
 places for them to worfhip in ; where, tho' they 
 defign'd their worfhip to the true God, yet it 
 was not fuch as he had prefcrib'd. And tho' there 
 
 were 
 
Chrifi^s Kingdom advanced by Teace, 1 95 
 
 were confiderable corruptions in Judab, yet in Sermon 
 the main tliey continued faithful ; and there VII. 
 was no comparifon between Ephra'mi and them '^OT^ 
 in that refpe(5t, as God teftifies by another pro- 
 phet cotemporary with Ifaiah : Ephraim com- 
 ■pajjeih me about with lyes, and the hoiife of Ifrael 
 with deceit •■> hut Judah yet ruleth with God, and is 
 faithful with the faints, Hof. xi. 12. And 'tis 
 remarkable, that tho' we read of feveral of the 
 kings of Judah who did that which was right in 
 the fight of the Lord, we meet not with fo mucii 
 as one of the kings of Ifrael who deferv'd that 
 chara6ber. 
 
 2. If we confidef them in their civil ftate, 
 there was a great difFefence between them ; and 
 therein dAfoJudah had an advantage oY^trEphraitn. 
 As the promifes under the old difpenfation were 
 very much of a temporal nature, the people of God 
 were commonly either profperous or afflicted in 
 their outward concerns, according as they did or 
 did not yield obedience to the laws of God. And 
 Et)hrai7n havino; now for a long- time ffrievoufly 
 corrupted the worfhip of God, had brought down 
 his heavy judgments upon themfclves, and were 
 in a very broken and fhatter'd condition. We 
 meet with many pafTages that thus defcribe their 
 cafe about this time in the prophecies oi' Ifaiah 
 and Hofea. Ephraim (iays Ho fa) is oppreffcd, 
 and broken in judgment, becaufe he wiUinglj ivalked 
 after the commandment, that is, the command- 
 ment of the kings of ifrael, who made the peo- 
 ple to fm by worHiipIng at Dan and Bethel \ 
 Hof.v. II. Their flate was now very declining 
 and langaifliing. Strangers (as the fame prophet 
 fays, ch. vii. 9.) had devour d his Jlrength, and he 
 knew it not : yea, grey hairs were here and there 
 upon him, and he knew it not ; that is, there were 
 O 2 many 
 
196 ChriJTs Kivgdom advanced by Teace, 
 
 Sermon many plain figns of the decrepid ftate and ap- 
 VII. proaching diffolution of their kingdom, tho' they 
 
 tz-y-Nj were infenfible of it. And Jfaiab exprefly fixes 
 the time hereof, that it fhould be within three- 
 /core and Jive years. 'Tis true, there was much 
 corruption in Judah at the fame time, and God 
 had been punifhing them for their fins, and their 
 ftate was confiderably weaken'd ; but it was 
 not to the fame degree with that of Ephraim or 
 Ifrael, nor was that kingdom fo near to its difiTo- 
 lution ; and indeed it lafted above one hundred 
 years after Ifrael was carried into captivity. Thia 
 brief account of the different cafes of thofe two 
 people, may help us the more eafily to appre- 
 hend the animofities that were between them, 
 and fo t6 difcern the reafon why God made ufe 
 of their names in defcribing the mifchief of par- 
 ties in general. I therefore proceed now to the 
 fecond thing I propos'd j 
 
 11. In what way the animofity was kept up 
 between Ephraim and Judah, and is commonly 
 between other parties who may be compar'd 
 with them. The prophet fets it Out by envy 
 on the one hand, and vexing on the other. Either 
 of thefe may happen to be foremoft, and give 
 occafion or provocation to the odier ; but when 
 we confider the corruption of men, and how 
 prone they are in afflidlion to envy, and in prof- 
 perity to pride and imperioufnefs, we may, 
 without much difficulty, fuppofe them to be 
 many times of the fame date, and as ferving 
 continually to whet and increafe each other. 
 And fince it may in that refpedl appear indiffe- 
 rent which is treated of firft, there can be no 
 hurt in following the order in which the prophet 
 has let them. And, 
 
 L I. In 
 
Chrifi^s Kingdom advanced by 7eacc. 197 
 
 I. In fuch parties and divifions the inferior Sermon 
 fide are prone to envj the fuperior. Thus it was VII. 
 in Ifaialfs days : Ephra'vn was the weaker fide, '««^'V^y 
 and is accordingly reprefented as envying Judah. 
 There is need of a great degree of virtue, and 
 of that charity, one of whofe properties 'tis that 
 it envieth not^ to make us eafy and contented in 
 meaner circumfbances than thofe about us. Men 
 have naturally a conceit of their own merit, and 
 are apt to imagine that they have as much right 
 to profperity as their neighbours : And not 
 only does the want of it make them dilcontent- 
 ed and uneafy, but it raifes ill-will againft thofe 
 who injoy it. They narrowly pry into their 
 charaflers, and greedily lay hold of any thing 
 which they think will lelTen their reputation, 
 and expofe them to the like mialignity and hatred 
 with that which they have themfelves conceiv'd 
 againft them. They look back upon former 
 times, wherein it may be they had the advan- 
 tage, and the other fide was inferior to them \ 
 and 'tis great odds if they can neither truly dif- 
 cover, nor wickedly contrive, fomewhat difho- 
 nourable and bafe to charge their neighbours 
 with ; and to which they v/ould have all the 
 advantage they have now over them to be at- 
 tributed. Thus it might be, that Ephraim^ under- 
 ftood literally, might envy Judah partly upon 
 apolitical, and partly upon a religious account. 
 They might be apt to attribute the broken 
 ftate of their kingdom to the wars which had 
 been between them and Judah^ and to aggravate 
 the unkindnefs of thofe who were of the fame 
 ftock, and formerly made but one kingdom with 
 them. They might perhaps too repine 'Aijudab\ 
 religious advantages, that they fhould have the 
 ark of the teftimony among them i and their 
 O 3 dif. 
 
198 Chifi'^s KingdomadvmKd lyTcace^ 
 
 Sermon difpleafure might be heightned by remembring 
 VII. the accounts of former times, wherein it abode 
 
 S^v^v^ in their territories. And as at their revolt, and 
 the fetting up of their feparate kingdom, they 
 feem to fpeak of David and his houfe with hatred 
 and contempt, i Kings xii. 16. What -portion have 
 we in David ? jieither have we inheritance in the 
 fi'^ ^f Jeffe. To your tents^ O Ifrael •, ?iow fee 
 to thine own houfe ^ David : So 'tis poffible they 
 ynight afcribe this fixing of the ark to his craft, 
 find partiahty to his own tribe. 
 
 It may perhaps be objedted againft this, that 
 Ephraim or Jfracl do not feem to have been dif- 
 pleafed with their own woriliip, or concern'd for 
 their want of the true fervice in the temple at Je- 
 rufalem ; and fo there could be no room for this 
 kind of ?nvy. 
 
 But it may be replied, that their compliance 
 with the worfhip appointed by Jeroboam^ was 
 owing to conftraint rather than choice : and the 
 controvcrfy, whether Jerufalem was the proper 
 place of woriliip, rather than Dan and Bethel, 
 being fo eafy for every one to decide who look'd 
 into the law, it can hardly befuppofed that they 
 were infcnfible of the advantage which Judah had 
 in this rcfpecti and'tis therefore highly probable, 
 they were inv/ardly moved with grief and envy 
 againd Judah^ becaufs of their having the true 
 worfnip among, them, while yet they had not 
 refokicion or courage enough to difobey the com- 
 mandment of their kings in repairing to it at the 
 appointed times. 
 
 I wiih we had lefs reafon to judge thus con- 
 cerning parties then,, from the obfervation we 
 may eafily make of thole of our own times. 
 1 nere is, perhaps, hardly any one party among 
 us (I fpeak of .Proteftants) but has fomewhat 
 
 peculiar 
 
ChrijVs Kingdom advanced by Teace. 199 
 
 peculiar among them that deferves commenda- Sermon 
 tion ', and were mankind lefs difpofed to envy VIT. 
 true merit, and more inclin'd to give it its due '^^yy^-J 
 praile, and to imitate it ; all parties might im- 
 prove by one another, till all by fuch a noble 
 imitation of what was good in each, fhould at 
 length find themfelves infenfibly united into one 
 body. But envy cankers the beft things, turns 
 virtue into vice, and fixes that as a blemifh and 
 reproach, which is the jufteft occafion of praife 
 and commendation. Envy is commonly moft 
 remarkable in thofe of an inferior condition : 
 but let the condition be what it will, an envi- 
 ous temper may make a man look upon it as 
 inferior in fome refpeft or other to his neigh- 
 bours ', and fo it may reign in thofe who are 
 in a fuperior condition too. And indeed it feems 
 effential to a true party-fpirit. And the mifchief 
 of it is unfpeakable ; not only by the uneafinefs 
 and torment it neceffarily gives the mind where 
 it reigns, but as it naturally prompts men to 
 prejudice, and undermines thofe upon whom it 
 fixes, in their reputation, or any advantages 
 which they ever fo juftly poiTefs. Nor need we 
 wonder that it is fo m.ifchievous, when we con- 
 fider what practices commonly accompany it \ 
 and therefore are by St.Paul, 2 Cor. xii. 20. join'd 
 with it, viz. Debates, wraths, flrifes, backbitings, 
 whifperings, fwellbigs, tumults. And indeed, as 
 another apoftle tells us, Jam. iii. 16. J'Fbere envy- 
 ing and Jlrife is, there is confujion and every evil 
 work. 
 
 1. In fuch parties and divifions the fuperior 
 fide are prone to vex the inferior. Thus in 
 the text, as Ephrai?n is fpoken of as being ufed 
 to envy Judah, fo is Judah reprefented as be- 
 ing accuftom'd to vex Ephraim : and Judah-, 
 O 4 as 
 
•2 CO Chrtfi^s Kingdom advanced by Teace, 
 
 l^termon as I obfervM before, was in feveral refpecfls 
 yil. fuperior to Ephraim. 'Tis the fame corrupc 
 
 VOr^w affedion that is the root of both thefe evils, 
 'Tis pride that makes men difcontented and 
 envious in ^ low condition \ as St. James fayg, 
 chap. iv. 5. 'The fpirii that dmelleth in us lujleth 
 to envj ; and by the next verfe it .appears that 
 he fpeaks of the pride of mens hearts. And 'tis 
 the farne evil difpofition that difcovers it felf in 
 thqfe whq are in profperous circumftances ; for 
 'tis pride that makes them imperious and cruel. 
 'Tis very hard for fuch degenerate creatures as 
 we are to efcape the dangerous fnares of either 
 eftate, and particularly not to be puffed up when 
 things fucceed according to our defires. The 
 Pfabnifi has fully defcrib'd the temper and be- 
 haviour of the wicked in this relpe6l ; Pfal. 
 |xxiii. 5, 6, 7, 8. 'T'bey are not in trouble as other men^ 
 neither are the'j plagued like other men. Therefore 
 pride compajjeth them aliout as a chain ; violence 
 covereth them as a garment. T'keir eyes fiand out, 
 %vit\> fat'^efs \ they have more than heart could wijk. 
 'iThey are corrupt^ and /peak wickedly concerning op- 
 pfefTion ; tlpey [peak loftily. 
 
 There is hardly any thing men rnore eagerly 
 CQvet than power : whence they are ready to 
 improve every advantage which they have 
 ^bove others, to the inlarging of their authority 
 and influence ; and the more they find this con- 
 telled., the more earneft they commonly are to 
 c^ert and eftablifli it, by making their adver- 
 saries feel the weight of it. 'Tis therefore na- 
 pral to them, tq apply all their wit and power 
 to vex fuch as would oppofe ;:hem. 
 
 Inhere is a gr^ar variety of the methods tha; 
 are us'd to this purpoje. Sometimes the fupe- 
 lior party indeavour to over~pov/er the inferior 
 
 ' " ' ' by 
 
ChriJFs Kingdom advanced by Teace, lo l 
 
 Jjy downright force and violence, and fo to Sermon 
 (:ompel them to a fubmiflion to their will, or VII. 
 at once to deftroy them. This, no doubt, was the ^^'VX. 
 
 aim of Jiidah in their wars againft Ephraim ; 
 they foiight to deftroy that kingdom, and to 
 recover the people to a fubjeftion to the kings 
 oijudah. And in a conteft for power, whether 
 it be between diftind kingdoms, or diftindt 
 parties in the fame kingdom, little regard is 
 commonly paid to juftice and equity : Mep fee 
 no bounds to the exercife of their power, but 
 by their chief aim, the obtaining their will. 
 How much Daughter and defolation has this often 
 caufed in the world 1 
 
 And where men have it not in their power 
 utterly to deftroy an adverfe party, yet they 
 will not fail to do all they can to diftrefs them. 
 When they cannot wound their perfons, they will 
 their eftates, and do them all the mifchief they 
 can in their feveral callings, by which they fiip- 
 port themfelves and their families. This has 
 been often done by cruel and opprefTive laws, 
 which a party-fpirit will put men upon enacTting, 
 when they are vefted with an authority to do it ; 
 and 'tis frequently feen, that when they are not, 
 they will ftir up others to it, and are very ready 
 to rejoice in it. 
 
 But when men are difappointed in this refpecft, 
 their reftlefs fpirit will ingage them in other 
 ways of vexing fuch as they are difpleafed with, 
 Jnfuking language, opprobrious names, and vile 
 (landers, are weapons which party-men are fel- 
 dom at a lofs for •, and efpecially when they 
 fancy themfelves to ftand upon the higher ground. 
 And when religion has an intereft in the quarrel, 
 inftead of moderating mens paffions, it frequent- 
 ly on one, if not on both fides, heightens them. 
 
aoi Chrtfi'^s Kingdom advanced hy Teace, 
 
 Sermon and carries men to the utmoft extravagance in 
 VII. the ufe of fuch arts ; as though men thought re- 
 
 v/'V^-' ligion were fufficient to fanftify not only injuftice, 
 but even barbarity. Such treatment mult needs 
 be very vexatious ; and the more innocent the 
 fufferers are, the more heinoufly may they be 
 fuppos'd to refent it. Nor can it be thought 
 Itrange that it fliould raife in men envy and ha- 
 tred, and render them avow'd adverfaries, as 
 the text may be underftood to fpeakof that as 
 the efFeft of it. If by the adverfaries ofjudah 
 in the former part of the verfe we fhould under- 
 ftand Ephraim, as, confidering the whole verfe, 
 may not be very unreafonable, then the latter 
 part of the verfe accounts for the way they were 
 made adverfaries, even by Jndah^s, vexing them. 
 Such is the animofity frequently between par- 
 ties, and fo does the true fpirit of them work 
 by opprcflion and cruelty on the one hand, and 
 by envy on the other ; and thefe inftigate and 
 provoke one another, fo that there muft of ne- 
 ceffity be the utmoft diftraction and confufion 
 where fuch a fpirit reigns. I proceed'to the third 
 thing I propofed. 
 
 III. That the advancement of the interelt and 
 kingdom of Chrift in the world, will be ac- 
 companied with the ceafing of party-ftrife and 
 animofity. This I gather from the occafion and 
 conned:ion of the words. The fubjeft-matter 
 of the prophecy is the fpreading of the Mejfmh's 
 kingdom •, and 'tis concerning that time that 'tis 
 here foretold, that Ephravn fhall not then envy 
 jtidah^ nor Judah vex Ephrahn^ that is, that 
 fuch party-ftrifes and animofities fhall then ceafe. 
 And I fhall now offer fome confiderations which 
 may ferve to fhow how much this tends to the 
 advancement and profperity of Chrift's kingdom. 
 And, I I. I 
 
ChriJFs Kingdom advanced hy Teace. 205 
 
 I. I may here argue from our Saviour's gene- Sermon 
 ral maxim, concerning the mifchiefof the con- VII. 
 trary. Every kingdom divided againjl it felf^ is S^v^ 
 brought to defolation^ Matt. xii. Q^- ^^^ indeed 
 when fellow-fubjedls are fighting againft, and 
 deflroying one another, what can the confe- 
 quence be but the weakening, if not the utter 
 overthrow of the ftate ? A foreign war is not 
 in its own nature near fo pernicious, as a civil. 
 Every advantage gained by either fide in a civil 
 war, is a prejudice to the whole body -, nor can 
 any vidlory obtain'd be juft matter of hearty 
 joy and triumph, becaufe what one party gains, 
 the community lofes. Befides, that in fuch a 
 cafe all things are in the utmoil confufion, and 
 a ftop is put to the fubjefts following thofe arts 
 and imployments whereby they ufed to ferve 
 the publick. In like manner the internal ani- 
 mofuies and divifions of the kingdom of Chrill, 
 can't but be very mifchievous and threatning to 
 it. And however the watchful care of our Re- 
 deemer will fecure the fulfilment of his promife 
 concerning the continuance of his church in 
 general ; yet 'tis manifeft that his interefl in this 
 or that particular place may be quite loft. And 
 when the profefTed fubjefts of Chrifl's kingdom 
 are ingaged in feuds and animofities, and fcek- 
 ing to hurt and prejudice each other, how can 
 his interell in fuch a place advance ? St. Paul 
 Vv-'arns the Galatia'ris of the fad confequence of 
 theie things : But if y bite and devour one another^ 
 take heed that y he not confumed one cf another^ 
 Gal. iii. 15. Chriftianity mufl needs fuffer by 
 fuch furious zeal •, for belides its contrariety to 
 the chriftian rule fv/hich I fhall have occafior> 
 to mention afterwards) men are hereby diverted 
 from the miin bufmefs of religion , and the zeal 
 
 that 
 
104. Chrijl^s Kingdom advanced by Teace. 
 
 Sermon that would be very commendably laid out in 
 VII. following afcer holinefs, is unprofitably wafted 
 
 Vi^'Y^v/ upon the peculiarities of a party. Nor does 
 fuch party-zeal much anfwer the end for which 
 men perhaps ufe it. *Tis not much adapted to 
 convince fuch as happen to be miftaken. The 
 proper method to convince is by injiruning with 
 mecknefs thofe that oppofe the^nfelves^ 2 Tim. ii. 25. 
 but the wrath of man worketh not the righteoufnejs 
 of God, Jam. i. 20. However men may applaud 
 themfelves for their having bitter zeal and Jlrife 
 in their hearts^ and may glor'j in this as true wif- 
 dom or religion •, yet they do but lye againji the 
 truth : for this wifdom defcendeth not from ahove^ 
 tut is earthy ^ fenfual, devilifh^ Jam. iii. 14, 15. 
 Nor can it be thought that thefe animofities 
 among chriftians Ihould be any other than an hin-- 
 drance to the fpreading of their religion among 
 fuch as are ftrangers to it : for when they fee 
 the profeflbrs of it fo bitterly raging one againft 
 another, they will have but little incouragement 
 to efpoufe a religion which they apprehend will 
 prefently draw them to be parties in the difa- 
 greeable and unfeemly quarrel. Little fervice 
 therefore can be expedled to be done for the 
 religion of the bleffcd Jefus, while the pretend- 
 ed friends of it are eagerly and bitterly contend- 
 ing with one another. 
 
 2. The ceafing of party-ftrifes and animofi- 
 ties muft contribute very much to the advance- 
 ment of the chriftian religion, becaufe men are 
 then bell difpofed to f;arch after and difcover 
 the truth, and to underftand the grounds and 
 reafons of that religion which they embrace. If 
 chriftianity were what fome men feem to ima- 
 gine, a meer name and profefllon •, if a bare 
 form of godlinefs would to all intents and purpofcs 
 I con- 
 
Chriji*s Kingdom advanced byTeace, 105 
 
 conftitute men the fubjedts of our Saviour; his Sermon 
 kingdom would fufFer lefs damage by thefe con- VII. 
 tentions : for tho' they might prejudice ftrangers '^^'Y^ 
 more againft it, yet it might be continued well 
 enough where it was fix*d, while all parties 
 agreed to train up their children, at leaft in 
 the profeflion of chriflianity ; or if the kingdom 
 of God came with ohfervation^ and were promoted 
 by a worldly pomp and fplendor, the emulation 
 between parties might contribute to the ad- 
 vancement of it : but when 'tis remember'd that 
 the life and power of godlinefs is abfolutely ne-» 
 ceflary to bejoin'dwith the form of it, and that 
 the religion which men profefs muft influence 
 and govern the heart and life ; it can't be 
 thought, that a carelefs and flothful taking 
 doctrines upon truft from parents, tutors, or mi- 
 nifters, or merely in conformity to the faihion 
 of the country where we live, can be fufficienL 
 If fuch motives could jultify mens embracing 
 chriflianity, why might they not as well juftify 
 them in receiving any other religion ? If it be 
 faid chriflianity is the true religion ; 'tis eafy to 
 anfwer, that that is more than fuch men know, 
 rill they have examin'd the nature and evidence 
 of it: Nor is there any virtue in their being in 
 the right, fmce it proceeds not from any love 
 they have to truth, or pains they have taken to 
 inform themfelves concerning it -, but as to them 
 'tis a mere matter of chance, there being no 
 religion which might not have come recom- 
 mended to them by all the fame motives upon 
 which they profefs chriflianity. If we would 
 pay to God a reafonable fervice, as our religi- 
 on teaches us, certainly we had need look into 
 it and underfland it. And fmce the grace of God 
 which appears in the gofpel, is defign'd to care 
 
 our 
 
2o6 Cbrifi^s Kingdom advanced by Tcace. 
 
 Sermon our diforderly afFeftions, and to mend our lives, 
 VII. teaching us to deny ungodUnefs and worldlflujls, and 
 
 ^x<y^ to live foberly, righteoujly and godly in this prefent 
 world. Tit. ii. 12. it can't be fuppofed to have a 
 fufficient influence upon us for fuch purpofes, un- 
 lefs the deepefl convidion of its truth be fix'd in 
 the mind. Then therefore is the kingdom of 
 Chrift mofl truly advanced, not when the pro- 
 feffors of chriflianity become more numerous, 
 but when their profeflion is owing to a deep fcnfe 
 of the truth and excellency of it, acquired by a 
 careful and impartial examination. When men 
 hear the word of the kingdo?n and tinderfiand it not, 
 the devil eafily catchetb it away. Mat. xiii. 19. 
 
 Now the ceafmg of party-ftrifes will very 
 much contribute to fuch an examination, and to 
 the difcovery of truth, and fo to the advance- 
 ment of chriflianity. Where men are govern'd 
 by zeal for a partyj the fond prejudices they 
 have conceived, indifpofe them to feek and to 
 perceive the trulh. Their aim is to find out 
 what they cafi that will ferve the opinion they 
 have refolved to maintain : And while without 
 examination they take the maxims of their party 
 for truth, they try all other opinions by that un- 
 certain ftandard. And 'tis a very hard matter 
 for a man who lives in the midft of fuch con- 
 tending parties, to keep his mind untainted by 
 them. But where thefe ceafe, every man is 
 more at leifure to fearch after truth, and there 
 is lefs to divert him from the fearch, and to pre- 
 vent his making a difcovery. 
 
 Befides, the ceafmg of fuch animofities leaves 
 men more mailers of themfelves, in a fedate and 
 quiet temper of mind, by virtue of which they 
 are better difpofed to hearken to reafon, and to 
 form a true judgment of things. Anger and 
 
 wrath 
 
Chriji*s Kingdom advanced by Teace, aoy 
 
 wrath ruffle the mind, obfcure the judgment. Sermon 
 and make men deaf to the ftrongeft argument : VII. 
 Whence we commonly judge it moll prudent "^iOr"^ 
 not to admonifh or realbn with a perfon in the 
 height of his paiTion ; but to let him cool, and, 
 as we very aptly exprefs it, come to him/elf firft. 
 And indeed as men hardly feem to be themfelvcs 
 while they are in their fudden and tranfient pafli- 
 ons, fo fome men are through the influence of a 
 party in fuch a continual tranfport of fury and 
 rage, that they can hardly ever be faid to be 
 rhemfelves : And though they may behave ui 
 other matters with prudence and discretion, yet 
 let but any thing relating to their party be ftart- 
 ed, and their diforder, like the diftraclion of 
 fome perfons about a particular fubje(5t, does 
 prefenJy difcover it Mf, So that in this refpeft 
 the removing animofities is moft ferviceable to 
 advance the kingdom of the Mefliah, as it leaves 
 men to a calm and fedate temper, which is of 
 all others the moft fitted to difcover the truths 
 and efpecially the truth as Uis in J ejus. 
 
 3. The nature of oiu: Saviour's kingdom fhows 
 how neceffarily the advancement of it muft be 
 accompanied with peace, and a ceffation of ani- 
 mofities among his fubjefts. St. Paul has given 
 us an account of the kingdom of God, which is 
 clear to this purpofe. The kingdom of God (which 
 is the fame with the kingdom of Chrift, it being 
 that kingdom which God adminifters by him) is 
 not meat and drink, but righteoufnefs, and peace, and 
 joy in the Holy Ghojl, Rom. xiv. 17, 18, 19. that 
 is, the diftinguifhing charaflers of the fubjedrs 
 of this kingdom, are not meat and drink, a liber- 
 ty for ufing a greater variety of meats and drinks 
 than the Jews had, which is an inconfiderable 
 trifle in comparifon of thofe eflential tilings, 
 
 right c- 
 
ao8 ChriJPs Kingdom advanced by Teace. 
 
 Sermon righteoufnefs, peace , and joj in the Holy GhoJ^i 
 VII. And that thefe are the main, he fhows in the next 
 
 N>'V*^ words ; For he that in thefe things ferveth Chrijl, as 
 a true fubjeft of his kingdom, is acceptable to Godi 
 and approved of men. Whereupon he adds : Let 
 us therefore follow after the things that make for peace^ 
 and things wherewith one may edify another. 
 
 Now if peace be fo eflential to the kingdom of 
 Ghrift, how can we fuppofe that the one fhould 
 advance without the other ? When our Saviour 
 came into the world, the angels proclaim*d peace 
 on earthy Luke ii. 14. in his miniftry he inculca- 
 ted peace upon his difciples j Have fait, fays he, 
 in your fehes, and have peace one with another^ 
 Mark ix. 50. when he Was leaving the world he 
 bequeathed them peace as his legacy, [John xiv. 
 27.) and in his death he defign'd the making 
 peace between Jew and Gentile, and to reconcile ■■ 
 both in one body, {Eph. ii. 14, 15.) Now fmce 
 he had this fo much in view, he can't be fuppofed 
 to reckon his intereil promoted, while the con- 
 trary to it prevails : But the profperlty and in- 
 creaie of his government muft be attended with 
 the increafe of peace, and the decay and aboliti- 
 on of party ftrifes and contentions, according ta 
 the account of this prophecy ; and efpecially 
 fince peace and love are fo ftridly injoin'd, and 
 hatred and variance are fo exprefly forbidden by 
 him in the laws he has enabled for the govern- 
 ment of his fubjefts. 
 
 4>. Since the advancement of Chrift's kingdom 
 in the world, whenever it is, muft be owing to 
 an efFuflon of the divine fpirit, we may from his 
 operations and fruits argue how necelTarily peace 
 and love muft accompany it. The great advan- 
 tages of the church are brought about not by 
 might, nor by power, but by my fpirit, faith the Lord of 
 
 hoflsi 
 
Chrifi^s Kingdom advanced ly Teace, 209 
 
 hoftsy Zee. iv. 6. When religion is in the moft Sermon 
 languifhing condition, God is able i ; revive the VII. 
 power of it, by the gift of his Holy Spirit, whofe v^^Y^ 
 fruits and effeds all virtuous and holy difpofiti- 
 ons are reckon'd to be. And when God gives 
 his Holy Spirit for fuch a purpofe, can we think 
 that the animofities of chriftians one againft ano- 
 therj can continue ? The unity of chriftians is at- 
 tributed to him, and we are required to hold the 
 unity of the fpirit in the bond of peace ; Eph. iv. 3. 
 Animofities mull ceafe where the fruits of the 
 Spirit abound (as they muft when Chrift's king- 
 dom is advanc'd) For, the fruit of the fpirit is love^ 
 joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentlenefs, goodnefs, &c. 
 Gal. V. 22. How contrary to party-ftrifes is that 
 love or charity which is the fruit of the Spirit, 
 and of which we have that agreeable account 
 left us ? Charity fuffereth long, and is kind -, charity 
 envieth not •, charity vaunteth not itfelf, is not puffed 
 up, doth not behave it felf unfeemly, feeketh not her 
 own, is not eafily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth 
 not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth ; beareth all 
 things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, indu- 
 reth all things, i Cor. xiii. 4, 5, 6, 7. This blef- 
 fed fruit of the fpirit muft neceffarily prevail to- 
 gether with the intereft of Chrift in the world ; 
 and moft deftruftive it is to hatred, variance, emu- 
 lations, wrath, firife , ^editions , fe^s , envyingSy 
 which are the works of, the fieffj -, Gal. v. 20. 
 wherein the fpirit of a party does difcover it felf. 
 Upon the whole, it cannot feem ftrange, that 
 the time of the more eminent advancement of our 
 Saviour's kingdom, fhould be defcrib'd in the 
 prophecy as a time of great peace and unanimity, 
 wherein the animofities of parties fhould ceafe. 
 
 And 
 
210 Chrift'^s Kingdom advancd ly Teace, 
 
 Sermon 
 Vn. And thus having fpoken to the things I pro- 
 
 sy^Sr^ pos*d, I fhall conclude with the three following 
 refleftions on what has been faid. 
 
 (i.) We may hence learn to bewail the unhap- 
 pinefs of our own country and time, and may 
 perceive what is one great hindrance of the ad- 
 vancement of religion among us. If we com- 
 pare our prefent temper with that which the pro* 
 phet forecels fhould take place when the king- 
 dom of the MelTiah fhould be inlarg'd, we Ihall 
 find but little refemblance. And I verily be- 
 lieve, that among the feveral things that obftruft 
 the progrefs and fuccefs of the gofpel, I mean 
 that true piety 'tis defign'd to promote, our di* 
 vifions, as manag'd with io much fiery zeal, are 
 not the leaft. I avoid entring upon particulars, 
 that I may keep clear of the evil I am cenfuring. 
 It cannot be a fervice to peace, to lay all the load 
 upon one party, when, perhaps, none of the reft 
 are wholly innocent in the quarrel : If they were 
 in the firlt rife, yet 'tis very unlikely they have 
 been fo through the whole management of it. 
 But I fpeak of the evil in general, and the mif- 
 chief which is done by it. And doubtlefs there 
 are very many good men in the feveral parties 
 into which we are unhappily divided, who have 
 religion fo much at heart, and are fo well quali- 
 fied for the fpreading of it, that we might expedt 
 far greater fuccefs of their indeavours than we 
 fee, were neither their own nor their hearers 
 minds in too great a degree diverted by a party- 
 zeal. But that which perhaps may feem the 
 moll threatning part of our calamity , is that 
 there are too many who are for aggravating the 
 differences among chrillians to the utmoft, and 
 with all their fkill and induflry cherilh divifions, 
 
 and 
 
Chrifi^s Kingdom advancd by Teace, 1 1 1 
 
 and inflame the fiery zeal which they fhould in- Sermon 
 deavour to quench. VII. 
 
 (2.) If party-ftrifes are ^o prejudicial to the in- s^w 
 tereft of religion, then all who wifh well to it 
 fhould be ready to part with fuch things as they 
 allow are not abfolutely necefiary, or of any 
 great ufe, when they find by experience they 
 are improved to the incouragement and promo- 
 tion of fuch flrifes. Men may not part with 
 things abfolutely necefl^ary, nor, which is the 
 fame thing to them, with what they think to be 
 fo ; nor are they to omit what they think God 
 has made a duty, becaufe others think it no duty 
 at all ; But where no fuch neceflity of a thing is 
 apprehended, nor any extraordinary ufefulnefs of 
 it can be alleg'd, it feems to me to be prudent 
 and chriftian for any party to quit it, rather than 
 to continue an occafion of wrangling for the fake 
 of it. Nay, if, as it fometimes happens, the 
 fame thing is judg'd necefiary by fome, which 
 is reckon'd barely advifable, or perhaps only to- 
 lerable, by others, one would think that by a 
 little yielding on each hand, men might eafily 
 prevent a rupture, and the fplitting into parries : 
 And both of them thereby do fervice to religion 
 in general ; the one, for inftance, bearing for 
 peace fake with what they judge tolerable •, and 
 the other, for the fame reafon, contenting them- 
 felves with their bearing with it, without infill- 
 ing upon their agreeing with their opinion of the 
 necefTity of it. 1 ftudioufiy wave the exemplify- 
 ing this, as I eafily might, in particular cafes : 
 The mentioning it in general can do no harm ; 
 and if all parties would honefl:ly pradife it, I am 
 fure it muft be of fingular ferviee to the church 
 of God, 
 
 P 2 But 
 
Ill Chrifl^s Kingdom advanced hy Teace^ 
 
 Sermon But there are other things wherein rib fuch ne- 
 VIL cefllty or ufefulnefs can be pretended, and which 
 
 VfOT"^ perhaps by fome are judg'd evil, or however 
 doubtful ; and certainly, for the avoiding ftrife, 
 men in this cafe fhould be willing either to for- 
 bear the ufe of fuch things, or, however, to be 
 eafy in their own ufe of them, without expeding 
 the compliance of thofe who are otherwife 
 minded. 
 
 Again, fometimes it may happen that a thing 
 which might not be defigned amifs at firft, fhall 
 anfwer no purpofe fo much as that of incoura- 
 ging animofities, and firing the zeal of one par- 
 ty againft another : And then doubtlefs the cut- 
 ting off the occafion which is taken could do no 
 damage, but muft rather be a fervice to the 
 caufe of religion. And if I fhould venture to al- 
 lege the obfervation of this day as an inftance of- 
 this nature, I flatter my felf that I fhall not be 
 underftood as cenfuring a party, but only fome 
 particular perfons who take this handle to flir 
 mens pafTions, and to vex and provoke their 
 neighbours. 
 
 However juft we fuppofe the reafon was at firft 
 for appointing the day to be obferv'd, and with 
 how much piety and devotion it may have been 
 • obferv'd by very good men ; yet as it relates to 
 a faft fo long ago tranfafted, wherein none of 
 the prefent generation could have the leaft hand, 
 and the righteous God difdains mens ufing that 
 proverb, 'The fathers have eaten four grapes, and 
 the childrens teeth are fet an edge, Ezek. xviii. 2. 
 ^c, we can't reafonably think God will be of- 
 fended, fhould the obfervation of the day be laid 
 afide. It would be injurious to a merciful God, 
 to fuppofe that he keeps his anger for ever •■, or 
 that he who fhew'd a regard to a wicked Ahah^s 
 
 hum- 
 
Chrifl^s Kingdom advanced hy Teace, 1 1 5 
 
 humbling himfelf, (i Kings xxi. 29.) has not ac- Sermon 
 cepted of the humiliation that has been annually VII. 
 obferv'd for fo many years paft. Nor is it like- ^-^''y^*^ 
 ly, that he, who would have ail our things he done 
 with charity, 1 Cor. xvi. 14. and is difpleafed 
 when his people form themfelves into parties, en- 
 vying and vexing one another ; 'tis not, I fay, 
 likely, that he will difapprove the removal of fuch 
 occafions of wrath and bitternefs. But however 
 the friends of peace may wilh well to fuch a 
 courfe •, yet it muft be left to the wifdom of the 
 legiflature, who are able to judge whether the 
 prefent government is not fenfibly touched by 
 the ufe which is by fome made of the day ; and 
 whether they are not the enemies, or at leafl the 
 very doubtful friends of our happy fettlement, 
 who are mofl fond of the day, and loudeft in 
 their inveftives upon it. 
 
 (3.) Since party-flrifes and animofities are hin- 
 drances to the advancement of our Saviour's king- 
 dom, let us all beware that we do not contribute 
 to the promoting them. When parties abound, as 
 we all fee they do in the prefent age, 'tis difEculc 
 for perfons to keep themfelves from being im- 
 bark'd with fome or other of them, and from be- 
 ing carry'd away with the fpirit of that party to. 
 which they have join'd themfelves •, but the more 
 difficult the thing is, the more need have we to. 
 watch with relation to it. I don't think that in 
 order to this a perfon is to be indifferent about 
 the feveral opinions that are abroad in the world : 
 Nay, if I am not miftaken, fuch an indifference 
 is one of the prevailing evils of the prefent age. 
 'Tis certainly chriftians duty to prove all things^^ 
 in order to their holding faji that "cvhich is good ^ 
 I TheH V. 21. and the lefs they take things upon 
 P 3 truft^^ 
 
m^ Chrijfs Kingdom advanced ly Teace, 
 
 Sermon trull, the more likely they are to difcover an.d 
 VII. to be eftablifh'd in the truth. Nor do I think it 
 
 ^-''''V**^' lawful for men to difown what they apprehend to 
 be a truth, for the fake of avoiding flrife , the* 
 prudence may dire£l them not to publifh it, when 
 neither the importance of it, nor the likelihood 
 of doing more good by fpreading the truth, than 
 liurt by caufing ftrife, appears to be very great. 
 Nor is it neceffary that all chriftians fhould en- 
 tertain exadly the fame fentiments in order to 
 their avoiding fuch animofities. 'Tis hardly to 
 be expefted that all good men will ever in this 
 world be exaftly of the fame judgment in all 
 things. All therefore that can be done by chri- 
 ftians is to prevent the ill confequences of fuch un- 
 avoidable differences, and to take care that they 
 be not tranfported by an intemperate zeal againft 
 thofe who differ from them, but that they bear 
 with one another in love. Every man has a 
 right indeed to vindicate, as he is able, what he 
 judges to be truth : But ftill he muft anfwer for 
 it, if he does not do it according to the rules of 
 charity and meeknefs. 'Tis certain that the 
 things abfolutely neceffary to be believ'd are not 
 only fev/, but very plain, and exprefly deliver*d 
 in the fcripture : And the profeffed belief of thefe, 
 as they are contain'd therein, without the com- 
 ments of this or tiie other party, fhould be a 
 fufficient ground for chriftians to receive and 
 love one another, provided their lives are agree- 
 able to the chriftian rule. The defign of our 
 holy religion is not to fill mens heads with infig- 
 nificantand nice fpeculations ; but to make them 
 good men, to form them to the likenefs of God, 
 anda meetnefs for the injoyment of him.' And, 
 where men live foher!\\ rightcoujl'^^ and godly, 'tis 
 
Chrifi's Kingdom advanced by Teace, 1 1 5 
 
 e fign they have learnt the leflbn the grace ofSermon 
 God was defign'd to teach them, and that they VII. 
 know and believe all that is abfolutely neceffary v^^V^/ 
 for a chriftian :* And till we fee men part with a 
 good confdence, we fhould beware how we cenfure 
 them as making JJnpwreek of faith , i Tim. i. 19. 
 becaufe they think differently from us. Mode- 
 fly fhould teach us to think that we may be mi- 
 ftaken as well as our neighbours, and therefore 
 Should not rafhly judge them. 
 
 There is nothing will tend more to the putting 
 an end to party-ftrifes, than if men will agree on 
 all hands not to make their own opinions a ftan- 
 dard for other mens, and will refolve to infift 
 upon no more from one another than a plain 
 fcripture belief-, and if they will fincerely love 
 all good men without any regard to parties. 
 Men are ready to magnify themfelves as fpiritual 
 for their being of a party •, but St. Paul makes 
 this an argument of the contrary : Te are yet car- 
 nal: for whereas there is among you envying, ftrife^ 
 and divifons, are ye not carnal, and walk as men ? 
 For while one faith, I am (?/^ Paul, and another, I 
 am 0/ Apollos, are ye not cardial ? i Cor. iii. 3, 4. 
 If mens love is guided by a party, it is but car- 
 nal ; they love only their own likenefs, and they 
 walk as 7nen, it being common for men to love 
 fuch as are like themfelves : But then is our love 
 truly noble, when goodnefs it felf is the object 
 of it •, for then, as this is God's image, 'tis ap- 
 parent we love men for God's fake. Till we fee 
 more of this love and charity reviv'd, religion 
 is like to ianguifh, and the labours of minifters 
 to be but of little fervice. And therefore for 
 God's fake let every one lend a helping hand in 
 i,he cafe ; let every one watch and indeavour to, 
 P 4^ mend, 
 
2 1 6 Cbrifi*s Kingdom advanced hy Teace, 
 
 Sermon mend his own fpirit, and be an example of that 
 VII. chriftian temper which is fo defirable for the 
 
 V!VV profperity of the nation, and of religion among 
 us. And with all his other indAvours, let eve- 
 ry one join his fervent prayers, that the Lord of 
 -peace would give us peace always, by all meam, 
 % Their, iii. j6. Amen, 
 
 Thi 
 
21 
 
 The Reafonahknefs of ferving God 
 with our beft. 
 
 SERMON 
 
 Preach'd to Young People on 
 
 G E N E S I S IV. 4. 
 
 And Abel, he alfo brought of the jfirfl- 
 lings of his fioch^ and of the fat 
 thereof And the Lord had reffeil 
 to Abel, and to his offering* 
 
 WHEN the apoftle fets before the Sermon 
 Hebrews a cloud of famous wit- VIII. 
 neffes, and enumerates the ancient 'w/'V^ 
 illuftrious patterns of faith and 
 virtue, he takes his rife from the perfon fpoken 
 of in the text, Heb. xi. 4. By faith Abel, ^c. 
 And no doubt he was a very fmgular as well 
 as early and ancient pattern of religion in the 
 world. But it may be thought that there is 
 nothing here fpoken concerning him, that will 
 particularly fuit the intention and defign of this 
 difcourfe, I might anfwer to that, that it is not 
 utterly improbable that the very perfon who is 
 ■ iiere fpoken 9fj was himfelf a young man, and 
 • -^ ■ - ' efpe-.- 
 
ai8 The Reafonahlenefs of 
 
 Sermon efpecially if we confider his years in a propor- 
 VIII. tion to what was then the ordinary ftandard and 
 
 \^-Y'>>^ meafure of human life. When the age of ma;i 
 extended to about 960 years, a man at 130 
 year old had fpent but the fame part of the or- 
 dinary time of life, that we have, now our lives 
 are fo much fhortened, at 12 or 13. And there- 
 fore, fpeaking according to that proportion, we 
 have here undoubtedly the example of a young 
 perfon ; for his brother Seth^ that was born after 
 his death, was born when his father was but 
 130 years old ; and confidering that we know 
 not in what year of his father Abel was born, but 
 only that he was not his eldeft fon, and that we 
 know not what diftance of time might be be- 
 tween his death and the birth ofSetb, it will 
 be a fuppofable cafe, that at the time of his 
 death he was much younger than what we have 
 hitherto accounted for •, and efpecially fince we 
 read nothing of any off-fpring of his, which yet, 
 undoubtedly, in that early time of the unpeopled 
 world, they were not indifferent about. 
 
 But let that be as it will, in his offering, and 
 the acceptance of it, both which are recorded 
 here in the text, we have a very inftru6tive and 
 incouraging example, that may well be applied 
 to this particular occafion. And to this purpofe 
 may thofe words of the apoflle be confrder'd, 
 Heh. XI. 4. A fid by it he being dead, yei fpeaketh. 
 And how is it then that he fpeaks to us ? or 
 what is there in his example that calls for our 
 imitation .'' It is not that we fhould, as he did, 
 offer livinor things in facrifice to God : This is 
 what God does not now require, and what he 
 would not be pleas'd with. It is not fuch a kind 
 of fervice, it is only a rational fervice which he. 
 .low calls for ac our hands. But herein, Abel 
 ' 2 " ' is' 
 
ferving God with our bejl, a 19 
 
 is an example to us, and being dead, yet fpeak- Sermon 
 eth to us ; that when he ferved God, he did it VIIL 
 with the beft that he had. And this is the ge- «*y%^ 
 neral meaning of that account that is given of 
 his offering : He brought of the firftlings of his 
 flock, and of the fat thereof-, that is, he pick'd 
 out the choiceft and the belt of them to offer to 
 jQod. 
 ' Hence then I raife thefe obfervations. 
 
 I. That God is to be ferved by us with the 
 
 bell we have. 
 il. That where perfons do fo ferve him, he 
 ' will have a refpeft to, and be pleas'd with 
 
 them and their fervice. • And the Lord had 
 
 a refpe^ to Abel and his offering. 
 
 I. That God is to be ferved by us with the 
 beft that we have. And in fpeaking to this I 
 fhall, 
 
 1. Shew the reafonablenefs of the thing in 
 general. 
 
 2. Confider what this extends to, or what that 
 beft is we are to ferve him with. 
 
 I. As to the reafonablenefs of the thing in 
 general ; fuch confiderations as thefe will ferve 
 to evince and clear it. 
 
 I. God's own tranfcendent greatnefs and ex- 
 cellency does evidence that he is thus to be ferved 
 by us. This confideration, which proves him 
 the worthy objeft of our adoration and fervice, 
 proves him too moll worthy of the beft fervice 
 that we are capable of performing. 
 
 'Tis the infinite perfeftion of God that renders 
 and proves him to be adorable -, for becaufe he 
 is in himfelf the beft of all beings, therefore he 
 IS worthy of our higheft efteem and affe(fiion, 
 
^lo The Reafonailenefs of 
 
 Sermon and our moft lowly fubmiflion to him ; and we 
 VUI. injure the perfedions of his nature whenever we 
 
 V<V*^ pay that refped: to any thing elfe. And this his 
 greatnefs and excellency will evidence, that as 
 •we are to ferve him, we are to ferve him with 
 our very bed : If we would ferve or pleafe a 
 -child, we may offer him trifles or baubles, or 
 any fuch things, as we Ihould be afhamed to 
 offer to a wife man, or to any mighty prince or 
 monarch, who would refent the very offer of 
 fuch things as an heinous offence and indignity. 
 God is (as he himfelf fpeaks concerning this very 
 
 Mal.i. 14. matter) a great King, and confequently trifling 
 fervices are not fuitable to be offered to him*. If 
 we were to ferve fefnfelefs and dumb idols, 'twere 
 no great matter in what manner we ferv'd them ; 
 but when we have to do with the living God, 
 that fearches the heart and tries the reins, a God 
 to whom nothing is hid, who is infinite in wif- 
 dom and power, we are to look well to our 
 felves, that we do it in the beft way we polTibly 
 can. 
 
 And this is. given as the reafon why all crea- 
 tures Jliould praife God. So when the Pfalmijl 
 
 pr. cslviii. calls upon them all to do fo, let them, fays he, 
 
 1 3" p'aife the name cf the Lord, for his name alone is 
 
 excellent, his glor;^; ts above the earth and heaven. 
 
 2. As our beft fervices are moft fuitable to 
 him as the moil excellent of beings, fo upon the 
 very fame account we vaiy be fenfible that ic 
 is of the greateft importance to. us that we fhould 
 pleafe him, and confequently that we fhould 
 ferve him with our beft, fmce that is* the moft 
 likely way to do fo. It muft be a dangerous 
 thing to offend fach a being as God is, to whom 
 
 all; 
 
 * Cum confiet apud omnes fct^qyi^s fu'blimi maxima ofFerri' 
 4;;bf;(e muners. Uil Diac. Q.iieli:. in N. Sc V. T. 95- P- 4' 8. 
 
ferving God with our left, dir 
 
 all perfeftions do belong ; and who therefore is Sermon 
 moft able to avenge all the affronts and injuries VIIL 
 which any of his creatures offer to him. He \/V^ 
 fets himfelf out to us as a jealous God, and a 
 confuming fire ; and the greatnefs of his power, 
 and the dreadfulnefs of his vengeance fhould 
 make us afraid. You fee how he refents the 
 indignity that is offered to him by men who 
 ferve him not with their very bell, Mai. i. 8, 
 ID, 13, 14. And on the contrary, nothing can 
 be more advantageous to us than his being pleas'd 
 with us, as the greatnefs of his power, whereby 
 he is able to bellow upon us the mofl glorious 
 rewards, is fufEcient to evince. And if we would 
 be ftudious to pleafe him, our own confciences 
 mufl tell us that this is of all other the moft 
 likely way. But that will farther be confider'd 
 under the other general head. 
 
 3. It is but reafonable that we fhould ferve 
 him with our bell, becaiife he is our Creator % 
 and we are all of us abfolutely his. 
 
 As he has made us, he mull have a right to 
 us as his own •, and we are neceffarily bound to 
 yield our felves to him and his fervice. And fo 
 great is the benefit of creation, which is the 
 foundation of all other, as without that M^e fhould 
 not be capable of any other, that we can never 
 render a fervice and homage to him anfwerable 
 to the greatnefs of it. There is none to whom 
 we can be lb much indebted as we are to him, 
 to whom we owe our very being, and therefore 
 our be: fervices are to be confecrated to him ; 
 for to w. om elfe fhould we yield them ? Or how 
 can we yield them to any other than him without 
 doing him the moft manifeft injury and wrong ? 
 For what is this but an owning our obligations 
 to be greater to fome other than to God ? 
 
 4. When 
 
212 The Reafomhlenefs of 
 
 Sermon 4. When we ferve God with our belt, we 
 VIII. ferve him with nothing but what is his own ; 
 v/''V">-»and certainly it is butjuft, that whatever is his 
 ftiould be imployM in his fervice, and to his 
 glory. Who can anfwer that queftion of the 
 apoftle, What haft thou that thou haft not received ? 
 any otherwife than freely owning, as the apoftle 
 fuppofes every man muft do, that he has no- 
 thing of any fuch nature. Whatever we have 
 as to our indowments, as to our injoyments, as 
 to our time, i^c. we have all from God : He is 
 the giver of every good and perfect gift ; and 
 as our beft does proceed from his bounty, fo it 
 is but reafonable that it fhould be devoted to 
 his fervice -, and when it is fo, we then give him 
 nothing but his own, and certainly that is but 
 a juft and reafonable fervice. See how David 
 fpeaks when he and the people had offered 
 willingly and largely toward the building of the 
 1 chron. temple for the fervice of God. All things come 
 XXIX. 14' qJ f^^g^ afj^ qJ ijjif2ff oq^ji have we given thee. And 
 fo in like manner may we fay of whatever fer- 
 vice we perform. And we may confider too, 
 that of whatever we poffefs, we are not pro- 
 perly lords and proprietors, but only ftewards. 
 As all thefe things proceed from God, fo we 
 have them not to ule according to our own wills 
 and humours ; but we are intrufted with the 
 ufe and care of thefe as fo many talents for our 
 great Mafter, to whom we muft at laft give an 
 account of our ftewardfhip, how we have dif- 
 pofed of his goods. And fmce all that he in- 
 trufts us with, is ultimately referred by him to 
 his own glory, it is but juft and equal that we 
 fhould accordingly ufe the beft that we have in 
 his fervice. 
 
 $. We 
 
ferving God mth our befi, la^ 
 
 5. "We may add to the confideration of his Sermon 
 being our Creator, that of his being our Re^ VIII. 
 deemer, which does farther abundantly evidence -"'VN^ 
 the reafonablenefs of our ferving him with the 
 beft that we have. It is with a miracle of love 
 and grace that God has brought about our re- 
 ftoration and falvation, when we had ruin'd and 
 deftroy'd our felves ; and had by our folly ren- 
 dered our very being unprofitable, nay, preju- 
 dicial and hurtful to us. This lays us under 
 the flrongeft obligations to God. Sin had broughc 
 us into fuch a cafe, that it had been good for us 
 that we had never been born, as it had expofed 
 us to an eternity of woe and mifery ; but God 
 has found out a ranfom for us, and has not 
 fpared his own Son, but has deliver'd him up 
 for us all. That he fhould be fo kind to us, who 
 had fo heinoufly provoked him, that he fhould 
 exprefs his kindnefs in fuch a manner, by giving 
 his own Son, the Son of his love, to be a facri- 
 fice, that fo he might be a Saviour ; what 
 greater evidence could he give of his love ? How 
 unreafonable is it then that we fhould think any 
 thing too great or too good to be devoted to 
 his fervice ! He has fas I may fay) ferv'd us with 
 his beft -, for what has he better or more dear 
 to him than his own Son ? and what comparifon 
 can the utmoft we are able to offer bear with 
 him ? 
 
 'Tis plain then by thefe proofs, that God is 
 moft worthy to be ferved by us with the befl 
 that we have. And to thefe, various other 
 proofs might be added •, but I fhall now pafs 
 them over. The next thing therefore to be 
 confider'd is •, 
 
 2. What this extends to, or what is that beft 
 that we are to ferve him with. 
 
 Now 
 
224- The ReafonaUenefs of 
 
 Sermon Now in anfwer to this, I might fay in general, 
 VIII. that it extends to the beft that we have, of 
 
 ^>^^V>^ whatever nature and kind, that we can imploy 
 in his fervice. When God required of old the 
 offering of flain beafts in facrifice to him, a per- 
 fon was not to fave the beft for his own ufe, and 
 offer the refufe of his flocks or herds to God : 
 He was not to offer the torn, the feeble, or 
 maimed ; nay, he was curfed that offered the 
 lame or the blind, or any fuch like in facrifice 
 to God. It was a man's duty then to do as Abel did 
 in the text, to choofe the very beft, to bring of 
 the firjllings of the flock, and thefai thereof. 
 
 And thus are we to think with our felves, that 
 whatever we are to ferve God with (and indeed 
 we have nothing but what is one way or other 
 for that end) we fhould ferve him with the beft 
 of it. Confider it as to our perfons ; thefe we 
 are required to yield to God and his fervice, and 
 herein we are to ferve God with our beft, with 
 our beft and moft noble and excellent powers ; 
 we are not to think that he is to be put off with 
 an outward fhew, and with bodily fervice ; we 
 have received noble fpirits from God, whereby 
 we are capable of rendering him a more ex- 
 cellent and noble fervice •, and therefore the labour 
 of the lip, the honour of the tongue, and the 
 
 John iv. devotion of the knee alone will not do : God is 
 
 *4' a fpirii, and they that ixjorjlo'ip him miifl worjhip 
 
 hhn in fpirit and in truth. And to worfhip God 
 with the body only without the fpirit, is as un- 
 fuitable as it would have been of old to have 
 offered a dead carcafs inftead of a living creature 
 in facrifice. Our choiceft and our beft afiedli- 
 ons are to attend and to inoble our fervice -, while 
 we with-hold thefe, we do not give to him the beft 
 fervice for kind that we are capable of. So we 
 
 arc 
 
ferving God with our bejl, 225 
 
 are required to honour God with our fubftance, Sermon 
 and we are to indeavour to do fo ; there is no- VIII. 
 thing we pofTefs of this world's goods, which we w^v^ 
 are not to ufe for his glory, and which we are 
 not to be ready and willing to part with for the 
 honour of God, whenever he is pleas'd to call 
 for it. The like I may fay of > our families, of 
 our intereft, of our llrength, of our itudies, ^c. 
 Thefe are all to be ufed for God ; and we are 
 not to think any thing we have of thefe, or any 
 fuch bleflings, is to be alienated from his fervice, 
 or that we are not to confecrate the beft of them 
 thereto. 
 
 But fmce I cannot inlarge upon thefe, there is 
 one inftance which fuits my prefent defign which 
 I fhall infill upon, and Ihall only take notice of 
 any others as they will ferve to ftrengthen and 
 confirm this, and that is, that God is to be ferved 
 with the very hejl and choicefi of our time. 
 
 And this brings the matter home upon thofe 
 that are pz^??^. The confiderations I have alleg'd 
 already may fatisfy you, that it is but reafon- 
 able that you fhould every one of you ferve God 
 with his beft •, and if I can then make out to you, 
 that the time of youth is your beft ; I then cer- 
 tainly prove that you ought to imploy this in 
 God's fervice, and you muft be left felf-con- 
 demn'd in your own confciences, if you do not 
 do fo. Shall I then ingage your attention to thefe 
 following evidences hereof.'' 
 
 I. The time of youth is our beft, and ought 
 therefore to be confecrated to the fervice of 
 God \ becaufe it is the only time that we can, 
 then be faid to have, and that we can ferve God 
 in. It is the prefent time that is always the beft, 
 becaufe we can be Hire of no other. The time 
 to come, which we are fo very prone to reckon 
 Q upon. 
 
ii6 The Reafonahlenefs of 
 
 Sennon upon, and efpecially which we eafily promife 
 VIII. our felves when we are young, is the moft un- 
 
 V^V^.-" certain thing in the world, and what we may 
 > never fee ; it may, for ought we know, prove 
 
 to be only a meer fiftion of our own brains ; 
 death being, it may be, between us and that. 
 And therefore for young perfons to think of 
 dedicating their advanc'd age to God and his 
 fervice, and to negledt it at prefent, is truly ri- 
 diculous ; for it is a denying him what they* 
 have to offer, and an offering him nothing at 
 all ; or a pretending to offer him what they have 
 not inftead of it. Let us fuppofe, what is a very 
 fuppofable cafe, that the days of thy youth are 
 the only ones which God has defign'd thou 
 fhould'ft live here in the world : Let us fup- 
 pofe thou art to make one of the number of 
 thofe myriads that die in the beginning of their 
 days ; and if God has not affur'd thee lorae way 
 or other of an exemption, I am fure there is no 
 abfurdity in the fuppofition : I fay, let us fup- 
 pofe this of thee, and what a ftrange and unrea- 
 fonable conduct will thine appear to be ? A rea- 
 fonable creature fent into the world to feek and 
 ferve God, and made capable of it, and that had 
 time for it, but that went out of the world and 
 fpent all his time in an utter difregard and neg- 
 lecfl of God i and a forgetfulnefs of tlie prin- 
 cipal end and main bufmefs of life. If this be 
 unreafonable, it is unreafonable that thou fhouldft 
 by any delays put it to the hazard -, and it is 
 thy concern to dedicate thy youthful days to his 
 fervice. And indeed, the uncertainty of time 
 to come is fufficient to Ihew how preferable the 
 prefent is, and how much fitter that is for the 
 fervice of God. How eafy are men to believe 
 this in cafes which concern their temporal ad- 
 vantage ! 
 
t 
 
 fervmg God with Our befi. 227. 
 
 vantage ! Who is there, that having it referred to Sermon 
 his choice, whether to have an eftate here, that is VIIL 
 in the country where he lives, fettled upon him, vJ'-Y^ii^ 
 or to wait for returns of an equal value to be 
 brought from a far country, over a tempeftuous 
 and widefea, in a weak and leaky veffel, would 
 not prefer the former as molt lure and certain ? 
 Why iliould we not have the fame thoughts, and 
 aft in the like manner when we are chopfing 
 the fittefl time for the fervice of God ? Why 
 fhould we not judge that the prefent time, that 
 is aftually given us, is infinitely preferable to 
 that which depends upon the continuance ot our 
 lives, a poor thin vapour, which a thoufand 
 blafls may difperfe and extinguifh, tho' it gives J^'^^^* *^' 
 a little light for the prefent. 
 
 In fhort, if there is any necefTity that you 
 fliould ferve God at all (and who is fo flupid as 
 to think there is not ?) there is a necefTity of your 
 doing fo now in the days of your youth ; be- 
 caufe that otherwife it may be utterly impofTible 
 you fhould ever ferve him at all. 
 
 2. If life were never fo certain, yet flill would 
 the days of your youth be your befl, and the 
 moft fit for you to ingage heartily in the fervice 
 of God j and if you begin then, you have the 
 greatell advantages for his fervice. This is what 
 they that are young will not readily believe: 
 They think religion and tlie fervice of God are 
 too grave^ fcrious, and melancholy things for 
 them to mind while they are young ; that they 
 fuit well enough thofe that are aged /, but as to 
 themfelves, mirth, diverfion, and pleafure they 
 imagine to be more proper for them to mind : 
 And therefore there is nothing more commonf 
 than for fuch to put off the ferious minding the 
 Service of God to the time to come. Now if it 
 Q. 2 appear 
 
iaS The Reafonahlenefs of 
 
 Sermon appear that youth is the propereil time to mind 
 
 VIII. this in, methinks that fhould determine fuch 
 
 Wn^-yv/ againft all procraftinations and dilatory excufes. 
 
 Now that this is the fitteft time for us to begii;^. 
 
 will appear *, 
 
 I. Becaufe it is the time when perfons are 
 ordinarily of the moft teachable difpofition. It 
 is feldom fuch ever arrive to any great per- 
 fedbion, nay, or to a tolerable fkill in any art or 
 fcience, who did not apply themfelves to the 
 learning of it while they were young : The 
 minds of the young are more eafily form'd, and 
 they are more ready to receive direftion than 
 others. It is not eafy for a perfon, who has ne- 
 ver made any trial, to imagine how unteachable 
 thofe are who are grown old in their ignorance. 
 And upon this account, as well as others, it is fo 
 Prov.xxii.necefiary to train up a child in the way that he' 
 ^- Jfoould go : And really a good meafure and degree 
 
 of fpiritual knowledge and underftanding in reli- 
 gion is feldom attain'd where perfons have fuf- 
 fered this time of learning to pafs away neg- 
 lected ; and believe it, a thorough acquaintance 
 with religion requires our as diligent embracing 
 all advantages for it, and ^o among others our 
 applying the time of youth to it, as any thing 
 elfe that we would willingly acquire the know- 
 ledge of. 
 
 2. Youth is the fitteft time for the fervice of 
 God, becaufe men are then moft adtive and vi- 
 gorous their fpirits are then ordinarily moft 
 brifk and lively, their ftrength moft firm, and 
 their health more fettled. When old age comes, 
 a vaft train of infirmities come along with it ; 
 the fenfes are then impair'd as well as the un- 
 derftanding weaken'd ; then the fmalleft thing 
 becomes a burden thro' the decay of ftrength •, 
 
 and 
 
ferving God rvith our hejl. 119 
 
 and a man becomes almoft of neceflity flow and Sermon 
 unadlive ; and therefore that is an age wherein VIII. 
 little fervicc is to be expected from a perfon. ^>^~Y^^ 
 And when is it that men fliould think of ferving 
 God, but when by realbn of the itrength both 
 of their bodies and minds, they are moil fit for 
 fervice ? Is it a becoming thing to give God only 
 the refufe and dregs of our days, and to refolve 
 upon beginning then firft to ferve him, when 
 we are indeed become fit for no fervice at 
 all ? 
 
 3. Youth Is the mofl proper time to fet about 
 the fervice of God in, becaufe therein perfons 
 have the mofl leifure for it, being then leafl 
 involved and intangled with the cares and con- 
 cerns of this world. The cares of this world 
 are of a pernicious tendency, they choke the 
 word that men hear, and which it may be they Matthew 
 hear with pleafure •, and fo they become un- '''"•**• 
 fruitful. There's no Chriftian, who is not fenfi- 
 ble that thefe, as they prevail, are a mighty 
 hindrance to him. 
 
 And what better courfe then can men take, 
 than that they fliould heartily mind religion, 
 while they are as yet mofl free from thofe cares ? 
 and when is that but in the tim.e of youth ? You 
 little think how much you may hereafter have 
 your thoughts diflurb'd and diftradled with fuch 
 things -, *you little know what a difference will 
 be made a5:*to the leifure and compofure of your 
 minds ; ^yb|n inflead of being cared for by others, 
 you fhaW.'Ji^ve your felves and others too to care 
 and provide for. 
 
 And if .you do not like now to apply your felves 
 to this, how unlikely will you be to do fo here- 
 after, Vv^hen you will have fo many other thoughts 
 to interrupt you in it, and take you off from it I 
 Q 3 4. In 
 
2^0 The Reafonahlenefs of 
 
 Sermon 4. In youth the mind is leaft harden'd in fin, 
 VIII. and the habits of fin are weakeft, and there- 
 
 tffyXJ fore then from your own difpofition you are 
 fitteft for the work. Habits are acquir'd and 
 ftrengthen'd by frequently repeated afts, and an 
 accuftomednefs to fin hardens the heart, and ren- 
 ders a perfon the more obftinate and wilful in 
 finning. Now the fooner men fet out in religion, 
 the lels hard mud the heart be fuppos'd to be, 
 and the lefs muft the habits of fin be confirm'd 
 and ftrengthen'd in men. And though it is true, 
 there is an alienation and eftrangement of heart 
 from God, and the things of God, that is natu- 
 ral to us as apoftate creatures, and this will be 
 always an hindrance to us in this great work ; 
 yet affuredly the longer it remains uncured, the 
 greater hindrance it will be. You can never 
 fexped: lefs oppoficion and hindrance from it than 
 now, while there is yet a foftnefs and tendernefs 
 remaining therein, which will, by your negledl 
 of God, and going on in fin, by degrees wear 
 
 5. Youth may be fiippofed the fitteft time 
 for the fervice of God, in as much as then men 
 have leaft refifted the Holy Ghoft, and quench'd 
 his motions, and fo may with the more incou- 
 ragement expeft his aid and help to firther 
 y Thcfl". V, {-}-^«j-^ jj^ ^-j^jg -^ork. We read of fuch a thins 
 iia' Ixiii ^^ quenching^ vexing^ and grieving the fpirit of 
 10 ' Gcd, and we are earncftly in the fcripture ex- 
 iph. iv. horted not to do ih. And how is this done but 
 3°- by a not complying with his motions, and ac- 
 
 cepting the ohers he makes to us ^ And is it a 
 wonder if fuch a carriage be refented, and if the 
 jongcr men cio fo, the more the fpirit of God does 
 retire and withdraw from them t We fee God 
 pen, vi. j.refolves tlvat his j^inV Jhall 7Wt alzvass jlrive wii^ 
 
 man i 
 
ferving God with our Icfl. 1 5 i 
 
 man •, and it is obvious by experience, that up- Sermon 
 on provocations he does withdraw from them. VIII. 
 
 And can any thing be more fatal than to have -^V^ 
 him abandon us, and leave us to our lelves? 
 How impofTible is it we fhould ever turn to God, 
 or ferve him at all if we are left of him ! fmce we 
 are fo infufEcient of our felves for any thing that 
 is good. What then is the likelieft courfe to 
 prevent this, but that we Ihould, early in the 
 days of our youth, fall in with his motions ; and 
 that now while he is urging us we turn to God, 
 and ferve him with all our heart ? I am fure the 
 longer we put off this, the more do we grieve 
 him and provoke him to be gone. Dread then 
 the thoughts of ever turning a deaf ear to his 
 call more, and of refufing him even at this very 
 time, left God fhould relblve againft thee : 
 " My fpirit has ftriven hitherto with this fmner, 
 " but in vain •, but now he fliall ftrive witli 
 " him no more. I have now done with him, 
 " and he fhall hear no more of my defpis'd 
 " offers, nor any more reje6l the motions of my 
 " fpirit : Let him now take his own courfe, he 
 " fhall for a while hear no more from me till 
 " I fpeak in quite another manner, and rd-zziiHof.xiii.F. 
 " the cawl of his hearty and take away his re- 
 " bellious foul. 
 
 6. This is the beft time for you to fet out in 
 the ferviceofGod ; becaufe if you do fo, your 
 whole life will be the better for it. When a 
 perfon has once in his early days fix'd his choice, 
 and determin'd that he will ferve and live to 
 God, and has bound himfelf in folemn vows to 
 be his, this will have an influence upon him 
 afterwards. A man then looks upon himfelf as 
 fixed for his whole life, and as ingageJ for ever •, 
 and what an advantage is this againft th^ temp- 
 er 4 tati )ns 
 
251 The Reafonahlenefs of 
 
 Sermon tations of the devil, the world, and the flefh ; 
 VIII. (which a man mud expect to meet with) when 
 "^■Or"*^ he confiders with himfelf whofe he is, and to 
 whom he has devoted himfelf ! 
 
 7. This is the bell time, becaufe we are then 
 like to be the greateft proficients in religion, if 
 we make ufeofit. The fooner we begin, the 
 longer time fhall we have to make progrefs in ; 
 and the more mature are all divine graces like 
 to be in our fouls. It is our duty not only to 
 have grace, but to grow m it, and to prefs after 
 perfe£lion^ as the apoftle did, Phil. iii. 11, ^c. 
 And are we ever like to do any thing confidera- 
 ble, if by our negleft we cut fhort our own time for 
 the work, and put it off till we are leaft fit for it .? 
 And thus have I fhewn you, that if you would 
 ferve God with the bcft of your time, you muft 
 begin in your youth. Shall I then prevail with 
 any, or with all of you that are young, that 
 you would now do ib. Methinks, it is an in- 
 couragement to fpeak to thofe who are young, 
 before their minds are as yet hardcn'd by a 
 cuflom of finning, there is fomewhat more hope 
 of prevailing ; efpecially when they ihew them- 
 felves forward and ready to hear. 
 
 Sirs, your great Creator calls upon you this 
 day, and challenges your prefent and immedi- 
 ate remembrance of him, and that you would 
 now give him your hearts ; and that you 
 would now, without any more delay, ingagc 
 in his fervice. You are the hopes of thecliurch 
 of God, and upon you the keeping up of the 
 credit and power of religion does greatly lie. 
 U you and the generation that is rifing with 
 you, fhould as much degenerate as the laft 
 has done, religion is in a fair way to be lolt, (o 
 greatly are we degenerated ; but if thoie that arc 
 
 young 
 
fcrving God vpith our befi, 135 
 
 young do now earneftly mind the fervice of God, Sermon 
 this will be a means to revive and keep up de- VIIJ. 
 caying and finking religion in the world. Give '"-^v^^ 
 me leave therefore to fuppofe you willing (I 
 know that fome of you are willing) to begin 
 with God in your early days, let me then lay 
 before you fome advice v/idi reference hereto. 
 
 I. Look back upon the youthful fms you have 
 committed, and repent of them. However fome 
 perfons may be ready to furmize they are too 
 young for the fervice of God, yet I am fure none 
 of you are fo young but that you have offended 
 him. 2'outbful fiHS are a burden in old age ^ Pfal. 
 XXV. 7. Job xiii. 26. Look over thofe then now, 
 while they are moft frefh in your memories, to 
 be humbled for them j and let the view of them 
 Jead you to confider the depravation and cor- 
 ruption of your nature, and make you lie low 
 before God. There's little hope of your con- 
 verfion and turning to God, till you come to 
 fee fomewhat you Ihouid turn from and forfake. 
 And it is for this end, in part, that I urge this, 
 tliat you may, being heartily forry and humbled 
 for thefe, avoid them in the remainder of life. 
 Flee (fays the apoftle) youthfid lujh. There are ^ tj^ jj 
 fins and temptations fluted to every age of hu- zi. 
 mane life, fome particularly to that of youth ; 
 which therefore it is your concern to avoid with 
 all your might •, I'uch as lying, difobedience to 
 parents, profaning the Lord's day, evil com.pa- 
 ny that leads to intemperance, and gaming, and 
 uncleannefs. He that would be the fervant of 
 God mufl avoid thefe, and be abafed for what- 
 ever of them he is chargeable with in time pafl. 
 I might name another inflance too, which the 
 apoftle in his day fuppos'd the younger perfons 
 addidled to i but for ought I fee is as much the 
 I fault 
 
a 5 4- '^^^ Keafonahlenefs of 
 
 Sermon fault of others, that they are prone to be tatlers 
 VIII. and bufy-bodies. Converfe much with your own 
 v/"V^ hearts and they will find you work enough, and 
 I Tim. V. yQy ^jjj have little heart or leifure to meddle 
 '^' with others. 
 
 2. Let me urge thofe that are young, that 
 they would be fure make confcience of fecret 
 prayer. This is a duty in the performance of 
 which we may exped: to receive needful fupplies 
 from God, and wherever this duty is neglected, 
 the foul mull certainly wither and languifli. You 
 are to feek God early, in the days of your youth ; 
 but can there be any feeking him while you re- 
 llrain prayer before him? If your wants don*t 
 put you upon this duty, and make you conftant 
 in it, there's little hopes that ever you will come 
 to any thing in religion. 
 
 3. Indeavour now to gain a through acquain- 
 tance with the will of God, and the nature of 
 our holy religion. Now is the time for you to 
 acquire a good Itock of knowledge, 2 'Titn. iii. 15. 
 Study then now the holy fcriptures, read much 
 in them, and fuch books as ferve to explain 
 them, and inculcate the duties they prefcribe. 
 This is the way to keep you front youthful fins, 
 Pfal. cxix. 9. and to make you fettled and con- 
 firmed in your holy religion, not liable to be 
 carried about with every wind of doftrine. Youth 
 is much addided, I know, to quite other things. 
 Novels, plays, and romances, thefe pleafe the 
 fancies of fuch, and thefe are and have been the 
 bane and ruin of our youth ; they only ferve to 
 corrupt and debauch the mind, and to render 
 religious matters unlavory and unpleafant to a 
 perlbn. And I never expeft to fee any promi- 
 fing fruits of religion, where fuch a courfe is 
 taken to nourifli vice and wickednefs : For what 
 
 is 
 
fervhig God with our hefl. 2^5 
 
 is the defign of our modern plays, but to drefs sermon 
 up vice as handfomly as pofTible, and fet it out VIII. 
 to the heft advantage to render it the more v-^-Y^i/ 
 pleafing ? whereas fuch is the corruption of our 
 nature, that it is too too luitable to us already. 
 
 4. The principal thing of all is,that you would 
 renew your covenant with God, and avouch 
 that God to whom you are devoted as your God. 
 I now put you in mind of your privilege : You 
 are all the children of God, and of the covenant, 
 as born within the pale of the church, and ad- 
 mitted by God to the external fign and the ex- 
 ternal privileges of it. It is your privilege, that 
 he does not count you as aliens and ftrangers 
 from the covenants of promife, as he did of old 
 our anceftors r'nd others in their gentile ftate 
 and condition. You are called into the fellow- 
 fliip of the Son of God, and the name of the 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft is called upon 
 you -, God claims you then for his ; and by the 
 feal of his covenant confirms to you an interefb 
 in all the blefTmgs of it, if you will be true and 
 faithful in his covenant. The vows of God there- 
 fore are upon you, and you are bound unto 
 the Lord to be his. Will you then now join 
 your felves unto the Lord .? Will you avouch 
 this God to be your God by your own ad: and 
 deed ^ This is what is expelled and called for at 
 your hands. God calls by his word, the fpirit 
 calls in your hearts ; and the bride, the church, 
 flie iliys co/ne too, and earneflly longs for your Rev. xxii. 
 confent and compliance. i7- 
 
 Will you then now avouch this God as your 
 own God, and take the Father, the Son, and the 
 Holy Spirit in all relations, in which they offer 
 themfelves to ftand to you.f* The Father is willing 
 and ready to receive you and imbrace you as 
 
 he 
 
igfi The Reafonablenefs of 
 
 Sermon he did the repenting prodigal. The Son of God 
 VIII. ipeaks to you from heaven, and offers you his 
 blood to wafli and cleanfe you ; and has pro- 
 mis'd if you come, he will in no wife caft 'jou out ; 
 and the holy Spirit is ftriving with you to ingage 
 you to do fo. Say then in thine heart, " 'Tis 
 " long enough, and too long. Lord, 1 have re- 
 *' jedled thy offer, and negledted thy fervice ; 
 *' but I can't bear the thoughts of doing fo any 
 *« longer. Now in obedience to thy call, with 
 " a fenfe of thy love, and a concern for my 
 *' own welfare, I come unto thee. I imbrace 
 " the offer of thy Chrift, and do depend upon 
 " him as my only Saviour, upon his blood to 
 *' wafh me from my guilt, and,, his fpirit to re- 
 " new me •, and I folemnly voWi^ and ingage my 
 *' felf to thee to be thine, thine to ferve and obey 
 *' thee for ever, and that in fpite of all difiiculties 
 *' and oppofition, taking up my refl and happi- 
 " nefs in thee, and counting thy love as my life. 
 . And let this be remember'd always by you 
 in this matter, that when you join your felves 
 * to the Lord in covenant, it muft be without 
 referves, it mufl be for ever, Jer. 1. 5. If you are 
 not willing to ferve him in all things, and at all 
 limes, you are not willing to ferve him at all. 
 
 And let not this difcourage you, but remem- 
 ber too, 
 
 5. That you are to do this, not in your own 
 ftrength, but the flrength of Chrift, which is 
 fufiicient for you, Phi^. iv. 13. 
 
 6. Let me prefs it upon you, that you would 
 iTim.iii.be always humble and watchful: Be not lifted 
 ^' ' t{p with pride, left '^ou fall into a fnare, and the 
 
 conde)nnation of the de-vil. Walk humbly with God ; 
 keep up a knic of your own weaknefs ; and let 
 that caufe you to be circumlped: in all your 
 
 ways, 
 
ferving God vp'ith our lefi. i^y 
 
 ways, that you may keep your felves unfpotted Sermon 
 from the world, and may be ready to defeat the VIIL 
 devil in all his aflaults, and to mortify all the v,-rv^^ 
 deeds of the body. 
 
 7. Bear about upon your minds a fenfe of the 
 judgment to come, which will be of mighty ufe 
 and advantage to you to keep your minds in a 
 ferious and religious frame, and awe you againft 
 temptations. 
 
 I Ihould now come to the fecond obfervation ; 
 and that is, that thofe who thus ferve God with 
 their beft, God will have a refpedt to, and be 
 pleafed with them and their fervice. And this I 
 fhall confider briefly, and in the general, as an 
 incouragement to the young tp- follow the advice 
 already given. -y '^^ ' 
 
 Hearken then, you. ti»at' are young, to the 
 counfel of the Holy^Ghoft : Seek God early : Re- 
 member your Creator in the days of jour youth. Is 
 not this incouragement enough, that God the 
 great King, and high above all Gods, will be 
 then pleafed with you, that he will take well • 
 at your hands the kindnefs of your youth ? You 
 may now offer your felves to him lefs tainted and 
 defiled by fm than hereafter you wiJl be able 
 to do ; and you have an afTurance of his regard, 
 Frov. 8. 17. And as an inclination and addicled- 
 nefs to pleafure is incident to your years, it will 
 be a token of a particular refpeft, if you prefer 
 the pleafures of his fervice to all others -, and 
 God will be efpecially delighted with this fervice, 
 and doubt not but he will infinitely make it up 
 to you. He will do it by the communications 
 of his grace and fpirit, and caufmg thee to a- 
 bound in the fruits of righteoufnefs : He will do 
 it by the conlblations of his fpirit, while thy 
 comforts abound, and thou art free from a 
 
 multitude. 
 
agS The Reafonallenefs^ &c. 
 
 Sermon multitude of thofe perplexing troublefom re- 
 VIII. flections others muft experience in their fouls, 
 
 v/"VNi^ when they look back upon their youthful neg- 
 le6t and careleflhefs, and various enormities •, and 
 you will have this hereafter to plead if you livej 
 and the infirmities of old age come upon you, 
 when you will need fuch comfort, Pfal. Ixxi. 
 
 And whatever has been fa id to the young, I 
 would not have the aged, that have let the time 
 of their youth flip away neglected, defpair, as 
 tho* there was no hope : They have render'd 
 the work more hard, have made more work for 
 repentance ; but yet ftill if they are fincerely 
 and heartily willing to return unto God, he will 
 not reje6t them ; and tho' the work will be now 
 harder, yet fmce it is neceflary, they muft apply 
 the more diligence. 
 
 But it is with you that are young I am. efpeci- 
 ally treating this day ; and with you I have moft 
 hope of prevailing. I have been urging you to 
 your duty •, let it be now your care to perform 
 and praftife it. The choice and determination 
 lies upon you : Choofe you whom you will ferve. 
 I know what your fenfe ordinarily is, the wife 
 man has expreft it •, Ecclef xi. 9. Rejoyce young 
 man in thy youth, and let thy heart chear thee in the 
 days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy 
 heart, and in the fight of thine eyes. Such language 
 as this would pleafe young men •, and if all the 
 fcripture ran in juft this ftrain, without any 
 addition, it would make them fond of their 
 bibles. This would lull them afleep in their fins 5 
 but alafs, there is a better farcafm in the words, 
 and the next words found like a clap of thunder, 
 to awaken men out of their fleep •, But know thou^ 
 that for all thefe things God will bring thee to judgment. 
 
 The 
 
?9 
 
 The Acceftahlenejs of Jerving God 
 with our befl, 
 
 A Second 
 
 SERMON 
 
 To Young People, on 
 
 GENESIS IV. 4. 
 
 And Abel, he alfo brought of the firjl- 
 lings of his fiock^ and of the fat 
 thereof. And the Lord had refpe<^ 
 to Abel, and to his offering. 
 
 I 
 
 HAVE raifed two obfervations from the Sermon 
 words : IX. 
 
 I. That God is to be ferved with the very 
 beft that we have. The reafonablenefs of 
 this has been fhewn, and ibme inftances have 
 been mention'd of that bell we are to ferve 
 him with ; and one, that is, the beft of our 
 lime (the time of youth) has been particu- 
 larly inlifted on : And I have evidenced to 
 you, that that is our beft, and we ought 
 therefore to devote it to the fervice of God. 
 I have now the moft incouraging motive to 
 fet before you, to ingage you all accordingly 
 
 to 
 
24.0 The Accept allenefs of 
 
 Sermon to dedicate your beft to God's fervice ; and 
 
 IX. that is contain'd in the fecond obfervation, 
 
 V^'Y^^ which I now proceed to fpeak to : 
 
 II. That where perfons do thus ferve God 
 with their befl, God will have a refpecSt to 
 them and their fervice. j^nd the Lord had 
 a refpeol to Abel and his offering. 
 
 When the apoftle is fpeaking of the faith of 
 Abraham^ he fays, Abraham believed in God, and 
 it was i?npnted to him for righteoufnefs, Rom. iv. 
 23, 24. Now, adds he, it was not written for his 
 fake alone, but for us alfo. And fo in like manner 
 fay I, God had refpeoi to Abel and his offering j 
 this was not written for his fake alone, but for 
 ours alfo, to whom and whofe offerings God will 
 have a like refpeft and regard, if we ferve him 
 in like manner as he did ; that is, with the beft 
 we have. And indeed we may fee this plainly 
 in the hiftory, a part of which is the text, which 
 fhews that God does not accept the perfons of 
 men, but as there is good realon for it from the 
 difference between them and others. 
 
 When God had thus a refped; to Abel and his 
 offering, to Cain and his offering he had not re- 
 fpe<5b, as it follows here immediately after the \ 
 text ; upon this Cain fliews himfclf difpleafed : 
 And ver. 6. God debates the matter with him. 
 And the Lord faid to Cain, wh^^ art thou wroth ? 
 And why is th^ countenance fallen ? If thou dofl well 
 jh alt thou not be accepted? Which plainly fpeaks 
 thus much, that Cain, if he had ferved God as 
 his brother Abel did, had met with the fame ac- 
 ceptance. Nay, and that whofocver ferves God 
 in like manner fhall be accepted of him. For God 
 herein appeals to him concerning the benignity 
 and righteoufnefs of his own nature. So that 
 
 the 
 
ferving God with mr bejl, 2 4. 1 
 
 the expoftulation of God with Cain is of as great Sermon 
 force, with regard to every one of you. If IX. 
 thou doil well, fhalt not thou be accepted ? Will v^'V^ 
 not God (hew the fame refped to thee, and thy 
 fervice, as he did to Abel and his offering ? 
 
 The forciblenefs of the motive is the chief thing 
 I defign farther to infift upon from thefe words. 
 And CO reprefent that, no more is necefTary than 
 to confider the feveral things that are contained 
 in the words themfelves. 
 
 I. We may confider whofe refped is here 
 fpoken of. The Lord had refpe6b : and certainly 
 there is great force in that confideration. There 
 is naturally in all men a defire after refpedt •, 
 the love they bear, and the value which they 
 fet upon themfelves does prompt them to defire 
 that others Ihould value them alfo : And tho* 
 a man may be indifferent about the regard of 
 inconfiderable perfons whom he defpifes, yet 
 when we have a particular efteem and value for 
 a perfon, it is natural to us to defire that fuch 
 Ihould value us. 
 
 How ftudious therefore are men to infinuate 
 themfelves into thofe that have the name and 
 reputation of wife and good men ! And efpecially 
 the efteem of great men, of kings and princes, is 
 highly thought of and laboured after j and men 
 fet a value upon themfelves whenever they can 
 obtain it. Now certainly thefe is much greater 
 reafon that we fhould value the refpeft of God. 
 
 Muft it not be a far greater thing for us to 
 be in the favour of God, and to be honoured by 
 him, than by all the v/orld .? Was it not a fordid 
 temper which Chrift taxes the Pharifees with, 
 and fuch as we cannot but very much condemn, 
 that wh le they received honour one of another, 
 th^y fought not the honour which came from God only ■■> John v.44. 
 R and 
 
a 4- 2 The Acceptablenefs of 
 
 Sermon and that they loved the praife of men more than 
 IX. the praife of God ? Whatever makes us covet the 
 favour and refped of men, fhould make us much 
 more covet the efteem of God. 
 
 Is it mens wifdom that begets in us fuch a 
 defire to be thought well of by them ? And who 
 is it that regards the judgment of a fool ^ The 
 Lord is infinite in wifdom, and his underftand- 
 ing is unfearchable i he does not, he cannot err 
 in judgment. Men do eafily miftake, they many 
 times cenfure and judge hardly of thofe they 
 ought to approve ; and they approve of thofe 
 they fhould diflike. They are too apt to be par- 
 tial, and to be too much led by a fond and blind 
 affeflion, and by little interefts and confidera- 
 tions •, but thefe can have no place in the all- 
 wife God. Nor is it poflible for him to be de- 
 ceived or impofed upon, as men eafily are. 
 They are not able to dive into the fecret fprings 
 of our adtions, which yet is necelTary in order 
 to the forming a fure and certain judgment of us. 
 Jer. xvn. j^^ heart is deceitful above all things ; and there- 
 I'cor. ii. ^<^^^ ^^ ^'^^^ knoweth the things of a man, fave the 
 II. fpirit of man that is in him •, but God fearches the 
 
 heart, and tries the reins, and nothing is hid 
 from him. And therefore the apoftle fhews what 
 is the truly valuable refped:, when he fpeaks of 
 thofe that are fmcere, and whofe hearts are cir- 
 Rom. 11. cumcifed ; whofe praije is not of men, hut of God. 
 ^^' And what he fays of a man's own commending 
 
 himfelf, may be faid of his being commended 
 1 Cor. X. i3y ^\\ others : For not he that commendeth himfelf 
 ^ ' (or that is commended of others) is approved, but 
 
 ivhom the Lord commendeth. 
 
 Or if we value mens judgments for their ho- 
 linefs and gobdnefs, we have much greater rea- 
 fon to value God's, fince there is none holy as 
 
 the 
 
ferving GoD with our hejl. a^-g 
 
 the Lord, and he is of purer eyes than to behold^ Serrnori 
 or take pleafure in, iniquity. Or if the p;reat- IX. 
 neis and majefty of princes andgreat men dazle; -^ _ V 
 our eyes, arid; raifes our ambition, and lees us^^'^'^'^j' 
 upon courting their refpeft ; what fliall we think 
 of God, who is a great King, and high above. 
 all Gods J and to whom none is To compare ei- 
 ther in heaven or in earth ; whofe power and 
 glory are as unfearchable as his wifdom, and who 
 is Lord of the univerfe ; who has difpiay'd 
 his power and glory in fo confpicuous a manner . 
 by the works of his hands? 'The heavens declare ^^•^^^•^■ 
 his glory ^ and the firmament Jheweth his handy 
 worL What fhould we not moll readily do to 
 conciliate refpeil from him ? Is there any thing 
 we can poflibly do that will be of fuch confe- 
 quence, and Ihall we ftick at it ? Will our de- - 
 voting our beft to him, and ferving him there- 
 with, turn to fuch an account, and Ihall we 
 not moft readily and cheerfully do fo ? Is the 
 feeking and ferving him in the firft place, and 
 in the days of our youth, what will be of fuch 
 moment, and fliall we think we can ever begin 
 too foon ? 
 
 2. Let it be confider*d what it is that this 
 great, wife, and holy God, our Lord and King, 
 has a refpect and regard to, in thofe that do i6 
 ferve hini, and that is, both their perfons and 
 their fcrvicesi Aiid the Lord had a refpeof to Abel 
 and his offering : Where you are to obferve the 
 order ; God had a refpeft firft to A'jd, and then 
 to his offerino;. Tiic offerins: could not have 
 been pleafmg to God, if he that oiTer'd it had 
 not been fo too. You fee God fers light by fa- 
 crifices, even the moft coftly of them, v.'hen they 
 were offered by wicked and ungodly men, Ifa. i. 
 Ji — 15. And therefore God calls upon i hem to 
 R 2 iva/b 
 
24-4- The Acceftallenejs of 
 
 Sermon wajh themfelves, and to make them/elves- clean, to put 
 
 IX. away the evil of their doing from before his eyes, to 
 
 ^•v'^^ c^^fs to do evil, and learn to do well, ver. i6, 17. 
 
 There was a necefllty that their perfons fhould 
 
 firft be clean and pleafing to God, before their 
 
 fervices and oblations could poflibly be fo. 
 
 And the wiie man tells us, Prov. xv. 8. That 
 the facrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the 
 Lord ', but the prayer of the upright is his delight. 
 By which you may plainly fee, that the difpofi- 
 tion of the worfhiper is a main confideration in 
 the fuccefs of the fervice. The moll coftly fer- 
 vice of a profligate wretch is not at all regard- 
 ed ; nay, it is defpifed and loathed ; but the 
 very prayer of the upright, which cofts nothing, 
 is God's delight. 
 
 See therefore what the apoftle prefcribes in 
 order to our fpeeding in prayer, i Titn. ii. 8. 
 A wicked heart, an ungodly courfe of life, a 
 bafe principle and defign, will marr and fpoil any 
 religious fervice that men perform ; but whei^e 
 the heart is right in the fight of God, and the 
 fervice is performed in fmcerity, God has there 
 a refped: both to the perfon and to his fervice. 
 And what a powerful and ingaging motive fliould 
 this be ! What can we defire more than that 
 God fhould have a gracious regard to both our 
 perfons and fervices ? If thcfe are both right 
 before him, we need not be felicitous about 
 more. If we have .any good delign, we muft 
 neceffarily aim at this in the fervice we offer 
 to God. Why fliould men pray, hear, read, 
 or do any other duties, if they are indifferent 
 whether God regard them or no ^ And if this 
 is the great end men are to propofe to them- 
 felves, iTiould they not ufe the moft likely and 
 proper means in order to the attaining of it ? 
 
 I It 
 
feufving God rvith our lefl, i\^ 
 
 It is by this very thing the mifery or the hap- Sermon 
 pinefsof their condition is to be judged of. As IX. 
 they ftand in the efteeni of God, fo are they v-^/-^*-^ 
 blelTed, or wretched and forlorn : For if God has 
 a refpe^l to us, we need not matter though all the 
 world Ihouid defpife and contemn us : For if 
 God be for tiSy who can he againfl us ? But if he 
 does not refpefb us and our offerings, how de- 
 plorable does our condition become, even as 
 Cam's, whofc cafe that was ! 
 
 And this now is a forcible argument to prefs 
 that which I have been recommending to you. 
 For if you ferve God with the very belt you 
 have, as Abel did, that's a certain fign of the 
 uprightnefs and fincerity of your hearts toward 
 God i and fo is a fure evidence that God accepts 
 both you and your fervices. There's nothing 
 but a fmcere, upright temper of mind that will 
 ingage a peribn thus to ferve God. Take any 
 wicked infmcere man in the world, and felf is 
 certainly his idol which he is ferving, and the 
 great Lord that he fubjeds himfelf to and obeys, 
 Self-feeking and felf-pleafmg are the great aims 
 and defigns of all fuch •, and fuch an one there- 
 fore ferves God no farther than is confiftent 
 with his felfifh intereil. Let his poffelTions, or 
 his perfon be in danger for God and religion, 
 and he denies and forfakes him without any 
 more ado. When he may ferve himfelf at the 
 lame time that he fcryes God, an extraordinary 
 zeal may difcover it felf in him, as it did in 
 Jehu : But when thefe are feparated, he may ^ Kings j; 
 then fhew, zsjehu alfo did, that he prefers his'^- 
 own intereft to God's. 
 
 But when a perfon is heartily concern'd to^. 29, 
 conlecrate to God the very beft that he has, and 
 prefers the ferving God rather than his own 
 ^ 3 di- 
 
a 4-6 The Accept ablenefs of 
 
 Sermon divers lulls and pleafures therewith •» this be- 
 IX. fpeaks the man's heart to be upright and lincere 
 
 V^^V*^ towards God •, and may give him affurance that 
 God will have a refpeft to him and his fervice. 
 
 What an incouragement then fhould this be 
 to thole that are young ? If you devote your 
 early days to the fervice of your great Creator, 
 you then ferve him with your beft •, this will be 
 a comfortable evidence' of the fmcerity of your 
 hearts towards (jod : And what a glorious ad- 
 vantage will you have of God's refpedl both to 
 you and your fervice ! Let us fuppofe that you 
 have a great old age to live to, methinks even 
 that, the hope of which is fo apt to tempt others 
 to negleft God, fhould make you refolve to 
 ferve him now, when you think with your 
 felves, if I do fo, and withhold not from God 
 my beil, all thefervices that I have to offer to 
 him as long as I live, fhall be gracioufly re- 
 garded by him, and I fliail not fail of an intereft 
 in his favour. 
 
 3. Let us more particularly confider what 
 this refpecfi: of God, here fpoken of, carries in 
 it„ And though I doubt not you have a notion 
 of this, and fomewhat concerning it has been 
 hinted already, yet the more particular confi- 
 deration of it may not be improper, with re- 
 lation to the defign I am purfuing, to inforce . 
 and prefs upon you an imitation of the noble 
 example fet before us, in the text. 
 
 I . This refpe(Sl: of God, here fpoken of, does 
 import a gracious approbation both di the per- 
 fon and of his fervices. That this does import 
 fuch an approbation of his perfon the apoflle in- 
 forms US, Hcb. xi. 4. By faith Abel offered unto 
 God a more excellent facrtjice than Cain, by which he 
 obiain^-d zvitnefs that he loas righteous. So that 
 
 I- God\s 
 
' Jewing God with our hefi, ^47 - 
 
 God's having a refpedb to him imports his appro- Sermon 
 ving him as a righteous perfon. And hence the IX. 
 title which our Saviour gives him, is that of^-O^^^ 
 righteous Abel^ Mat. xxiii. 25' And to approve 
 a perfon as righteous, is the fame as to juflify 
 him. He then who ferves God with the beib 
 that he has, is a perfon approv'd, acquitted and 
 juftify'd of God ; than which nothing is of great- 
 er importance to fuch fmful creatures as we are. 
 IVe have all fin* d^ and are feibje^ to the righteous Ro^- "»• 
 hidiment of God. and obnoxious to his wrath. ^^* 
 And do we know what the wrath of an ahnighty 
 being means .'' And can we yet look upon it as 
 an indifferent matter, wherher we are delivered 
 from it or no .'' Let me appeal to you, can you, 
 any of you, be too young, to be in a ftate of 
 falvation ; to be delivered from hell and ever- 
 lafting vengeance ? Or can it be too foon, to 
 feek after thefe things .'' Or can it be wifdom 
 and prudence for you to put fuch matters as thefe 
 to a rifque or hazard, even a day longer, and 
 much more to old age or ficknefs .^ The perfons, 
 the fouls and bodies of the young, as well as the 
 old, are in imminent danger of deftrucStion, and 
 therefore is it fo neceifary for them to take care 
 of them, while they may, and now in the time 
 of youth to feek approbation and juftification' 
 from God. 
 
 He that is approved of God is approved in- 
 deed : This is more than to be approved of all 
 the v/orld befides. And as thy perfon, fo thy 
 fervices too, fhall in this courfe gain his appro- 
 bation and refpecl : A moil blefled confequence 
 of thy ferving him, and that which one would 
 think thou lliouldft be above all other things 
 concern'd about in the ferving him. 
 
 R 4. It 
 
24S The Acceftahlenefs of 
 
 Sermon It is fo with all thofe that ferve God in fince- 
 IX. rity and truth. When fuch an one prays, what is 
 
 v«i''V>^ he moft felicitous about, but how he may ap- 
 prove his heart to God, and offer up a well 
 ordered prayer to God ; and that his prayer 
 being pleafing to God he may prevail with him ? 
 He has fuch a concern as that which the Pfalmijl 
 exprefles, Pfal. cxH. 2. And how does a folici- 
 tude about this, when he reflefis upon his defefts 
 in the duty, fink his fpirit ? Nay, and perfons 
 who have neg]e6led God thro* the courfe of 
 their lives, when they come to be in the views 
 of death, and entertain more ferious thoughts of 
 this matter, how readily do they then fhew their 
 concern about it ? "And will God now accept 
 " of fuch an one as me ? Will he now have a 
 •^^ regard to my fervices, or accept and anfwer 
 " thefe prayers ? Oh ! I fear he will not •, but 
 " that all I can do will now be rejefted by him. 
 Tell me then, why fhould you not have the 
 fame concern now ? Why fhould you not be as 
 folicitous and defirous now that God fhould re- 
 gard and be pleafcd with your fervices ? And if 
 you are, why fhould you not choofe this courfe 
 to ferve God v;ith your befl ; and fo you that 
 are young to offer the beginning of your days, 
 and the choiceft of your time and flrength to 
 'him ? 
 
 2. This refpeCT of God does import his love, 
 pleafure, and dd'ight. And this, though it be 
 fbmewhac more, yet is necelTarlly confequent 
 upon the former : For fuch is the holinefs of 
 God's nature, that whomfocver his wifdom does 
 approve, his love rcfls upon, and he takes de- 
 iiglit and pleafure in. And the fame difpofition, 
 which is the reafon of his approbation, is alfo 
 of his love 2nd delight. It is his own image 
 
 and 
 
ferving God vpith our befi, 54.9 
 
 and likenefs, which he beholds in his creatures, Sermon 
 which he approves, and this he cannot but love. IX. 
 There is a fpecial love that God bears to, and -OTN^ 
 a value that he fets upon his people, and a pecu- 
 liar delight he takes in their fervices. The 
 fcripture is full of fetting forth this to us, and 
 oftentimes in the moft moving exprefTions. See 
 Zeph. iii. 17. Mai. in. 17. As the perfons, fo all 
 the fervices of fuch are delightful and pleafing 
 to him, Pt^av. xv*. 8. i Pet. ii. 9. And therefore 
 they may prefent them to God with a humble 
 boldnefs and confidence in him for acceptance. 
 
 The fervices which the chriflian, by reafon of 
 his hunfility, and thefenfe of his own weaknefs, 
 is difpleafed with, and ready perhaps to condemn, 
 are fuch as God does approve of and delight in. 
 And is not the love of God our life ? Is not his 
 loving kindnefs better than life ? Every man 
 fhould value and feek this as his chief and belt 
 happinefs ; and does he ever feek it as he ought, 
 while he offers not to God the very beft that he 
 has in order to obtain it ? 
 
 Particularly you that arc yet in your youth v 
 the love and favour of God is as necelTary for 
 you, as for any that are older. You, as well as 
 others, have noble fouls that can find reft in 
 none but God, and therefore it is your concern 
 to feek his favour now with your whole heart, 
 and to offer to God the very beft of your time. 
 And what can I fay more to incourage and in- 
 gage you to this, than to alfure you in the name 
 of the great God, of his love to your perfons, and 
 his accepting your fervices, and making them 
 fuccefsful if you do fo ? Would you fee the war- 
 rant I have for this ; See Prov. viii. 17. I love 
 them that love w<?, and tboje that feek me ear^ Jhall 
 find me. Oh what a pleafant found ftiould fuch 
 
 word:S 
 
^50 The AcceptaMenefs of 
 
 Sermon words have in your ears' ? Wfiat joy, what 
 IX. thankfulnefs, what zeal, what defire and refolu- 
 
 VV^ tion fhould this kindle in your hearts ? "Is God 
 *' more efpecially pleas'd with thofe that fcek 
 " him early ? Are hispromifes peculiarly made 
 ** to them ? and are they the objects of his 
 ** love ? By the grace of God I will never flip 
 ** this opportunity ; but now, without any more 
 " delay, while youth lafts, I will fet about this 
 ** courfe, and make it my bufmefs to offer to 
 ** God this fo acceptable lervice. Sirs, I can 
 affure you, that God does take particular notice 
 and regard of fuch as fet out early in h^ fervice. 
 How many are the inftances that might be given 
 of fuch, as being early inftances of piety, were 
 eminent objefts of God's favour ? Such was the 
 perfon fpoken of in the text, if we confider his, 
 life according to the ordinary length of life at 
 that time ; if not in a more ftri6t fenfe, accord- 
 ing tt) the prefent length of life, as I obfervM 
 before. Such probably was Enoch who walked 
 with God 300 years, after he begat Methufelah', 
 Gen. V. 22. And it is not improbable before too : 
 But even then he was but 6^ years old, which 
 according to a comparifon of mens lives then 
 and now, was very young. The like are the 
 inftances of //^(^f, oijacoh^ Jofepb^ Mofes, David, 
 Daniel, Shadrach, Mejhach, and Abednego. Thefe 
 all did in their young days apply themfelves to 
 the fervice of God, and you know there are 
 fpecial encomiums given of them in the holy 
 fcriptures •, and they were eminent for their in- 
 tereft in the fivourofGod. You may fee what 
 particular notice is taken of Ahijah, in whom 
 there was fo?ne good thing found toward the 
 Lord God of Hofts, when he w^S but a child, 
 1 Kings xiv. 15. And fo in the hew teftament I 
 
 might 
 
fervhig God with our befl. ^51 
 
 might take notice of Timothy , Mvho from a child Sermon 
 had known the holy fcripures •, of Joht the bap- IX. 
 tift, and John the apoftle, who being, as is '^^-^^V"^-' 
 generally, and not without probable • reafon, * Tif"* "'• 
 thought to have been the youngeft of his apo- ^^' 
 files, was he whom Jefus loved •, he that lay in 
 his bofom, and whom the others imployM to 
 alk of our Saviour, what they wanted to be in- 
 form'd in, becaufe they thought him to have 
 moil interefl in him. And I mis;ht inftance 
 in our Saviour himfelf, concerning whom the 
 evangelill has recorded, that he- i?icreafed in 
 voifdom and jtature^ and in favour with God and 
 man^ Luke ii. 52. It fliould fill us with won- 
 der, that God Ihould have ever any regard 
 to fuch as we are \ and it muft be notorious 
 folly and bafenefs if we flick at any thing 
 that is neceffary in order thereunto, or that will 
 be any means to farther us herein. You that 
 are young, are capable of pleafmg, nay, of 
 delighting your creator more than thofe who 
 have carelefsly fpent their youth are capable of 
 doing. And therefore, I may befeech you by 
 the mercy, the kindnefs and love of God, as you 
 fet any value upon thefe, that you would now, 
 out of hand, ingage in his fervice. 
 
 3. This refpeft of God muft certainly denote 
 or infer a refolution to beflow a fuitable and 
 glorious reward. The love and favour of God 
 is not an infignificant and ufelefs thing. It is 
 natural to us to have a defire and inclination to 
 do o-ood to thofe whom we love •, and it is a 
 certain thing, that God's love will ingage him 
 to beflow the moft excellent rewards upon fuch 
 as fhare in it, upon fuch as diligently and faith- 
 fully ferve him with the befl they have •, and 
 that are careful that as little of their time as 
 
 is 
 
151 The Acceptahlenefs of 
 
 Sermon is pofllble Ihpuld be loft from his fervice, and 
 
 IX. therefore fet out in the beginning of their days 
 
 v/'V**^ therein. Thofe that honour God^ he will honour •, 
 
 I Sam. ii. ^n^j though we cannot merit by our fervice, yet 
 
 ^°* the more we ferve him, the more may we ex- 
 
 ped; from him. And the rewards we may look 
 
 for from him, if we are early devoted to his 
 
 fervice, are fuch as arc given in this world as well 
 
 as in the next : For godlinefs has the promifes of the 
 
 life that now is^ and that which is to come, 
 
 I Tim. iv. 8. 
 
 I. You may expeft rewards from him in this 
 life ; and fuch advantages as thefe attend an early 
 piety. 
 
 I. Heieby God becomes ingaged to us, as 
 our conductor and guide through the whole courfe 
 of our lives. If a man were to fail over a 
 tempeftuous fea, that abounded with many dan- 
 gerous rocks, would he not, if he were unac- 
 quainted with them, be concerned to have an 
 able and fkilful pilot ? You little think what 
 the dangers are, which you are like to meet 
 with, while you are pafTrng through this world. 
 Many are the rocks upon which, if you jfhould 
 be left to your own forefight and conduft, you 
 would fplit, and make fhipwrack of faith and a 
 good confcience, even to your everlafting un- 
 doing. Your unacquaintednefs with the world, 
 does render you unapprehenfive what an infna- 
 ring, and at the fame time deadly, enemy it is. 
 The reftraints you are, it may be, now under, 
 prevent many temptations, which hereafter your 
 liberty may bring along with it. The farther 
 you come into the world, the more you may 
 experience how deadly a fnare evil company 
 and a bad example are -, the more powerful 
 you may expedl the workings of inward cor- 
 ruption, 
 
fervlng God with our hefl. "ii^^ 
 
 ruption, and the allurement of worldly objeftsSermon 
 will prove. IX. 
 
 And the more advantage the devil has by wy"^^ 
 reafon of thefe, the more danger you will be in 
 of mifchief through his improving them. What 
 then is your wifdom, but now at firft to ingage 
 God on your fide, that you may be kept from 
 thefe paths of the deftroyer ? Choofe God now 
 as the guide of your lives, and that's the way to 
 be preferv'd from mifchief Is there no pleafure 
 in looking forward upon time to come, and 
 confidering that we have an all-fufficient God 
 and guide to carry us through all ? This was the 
 Pfalfnijl*s comfort, Pfal. Ixxiii. 24. and xxiii. 3, 
 4, 6. God's covenant ingages him to this, to 
 thofe that lay hold of it. And therefore if now 
 thou doft lay hold of it, however long thou 
 fhould'ft live, thou are fure of an able and faith- 
 ful guide. 
 
 2. All God's difpenfations toward you will 
 be according to his covenant favour and love. 
 There's a variety in his providences, but they all 
 tend to the goodof thofe that are his. By ob- 
 taining then an intereft now in his favour, thou 
 layell in for the eafe of thy whole life. All things, 
 thou may'fl be affured, jkall work together for thy 
 good. Thy mercies will carry a double fweetnefs 
 in them, when thou confidereft them as beflow'd 
 by thine own God, and as the fruits of his fpe- 
 cial love and kindnefs •, and thy affli<5lions will 
 be lightned too, when thou confidereft that 
 tho' they are jfharp, yet they have the nature of 
 remedies, and are necefiary for thy own benefit ; 
 and therefore ordered and dired:ed by that fame 
 love. And therefore we may add, 
 
 3. That this is the heft way to fetde and e- 
 ftablifh the eafe and quiet of our own minds thro' 
 
 the 
 
7^^ The Acceptahlenefs of 
 
 Sermon the courfe of our lives. A man can never injoy 
 IX. himfelf that has not eafe and peace in his own 
 '^•Y"^ confcience. And though wicked men may feem 
 to have it, yet their peace is only like the fe- 
 curicy of a man in his fleep in the raidfl of dan - 
 Jonah i. 4 S^^* ^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ quiet of the prophet Jonah^ 
 ^. ' when he was fall afleep in the midft of a temped,- 
 
 when the Ihip was ready every moment to fmki 
 But the true peace, which only is a definable 
 blefling, is built upon folid grounds, and is to 
 be obtain'd in another courfe, F[al. cxix. 165. 
 Trov. iii. i, 2. Pjal, xix. 11. And the fooner we 
 devote our felves to God, the more likely way 
 do we take to fettle and eftablifh our peace. 
 It is with many a forrowful groan, perfons in 
 their advanced years are forced to review the 
 fins and tranfgrefiions of youth. The remem- 
 brance of fm then proves bitter ; however the 
 commiflion of it feem'd fweet. It is guilt in the 
 confcience that difturbs the peace of it, and 
 Ifa. Ivii. makes -pcrions like the troubled fea^ that cannot refi^ 
 io. While God then is negledled, and fm is conti- 
 
 nued in, thou art laying up a ftock of perplexi- 
 ty and trouble for thy felf, which thou wilt find 
 fuch, even if hereafter thou Ihouldft turn to 
 God. 
 
 And befides that, how likely a way is this to 
 fettle thy peace about the (late of thy foul ? 
 The more clear confcience is by thy early break- 
 ing of thy fins, and the more careful thou haft 
 been betimes to turn to God, and devote thy 
 felf to him, and the fooner thou fettleft thy peace 
 with God, the more likely art thou to fettle the 
 peace of thy own confcience too. God remem- 
 bers the kindnefs of fuch perfons youth ; and 
 this is one way that he takes to reward it, by 
 giving them inward peace in the fenfc of his 
 
 lo"?'e^ 
 
Jerving God with our Icjl, 255 
 
 love, and the fhedding abroad of that in their Sermon 
 fouls : The lefs his Tpirit is grieved, the more IX. 
 freely may we fuppofe he is imparted both as n-<^V"v# 
 afpiritof grace, and of confolation ; and as the 
 latter certainly fecures our peace, fo the former 
 lays a foundation for it -, for the more of his 
 influences we experience as a fpirit of grace, the 
 more we fhall improve in virtue -, and the more 
 we do fo, the more difcernable, and lb the more 
 comfortable to our felves is it like to prove. 
 And what more defirable than to be able to 
 look back, and to know that the main bufinefs 
 of life is notnegled:ed •, but that we have fecur'd 
 peace with God, and provided for our eternal 
 falvation ? Does confcience never perplex, never 
 gripe you for want of this ? Does no fuch 
 thought ever come into yours mind ? " And 
 *' what is like to become of me ? How fad is 
 " my cafe that am not yet reconcil'd to God ! 
 *' How can I bear his anger, that I dare venture 
 " to defpife his love 1 What if God Ihould de- 
 " mand my foul of me, and inftantly call me 
 " to an account, what provifion have I made 
 " for fuch an hour ? How fhall I be able 
 " to behold the face of my angry judge ? or 
 " ftand at the tribunal of an almighty, but 
 " provok'd and incens'd God ? 
 
 Do not the terrors of the almighty make you 
 afraid? Well, if they do not now, it is poflible 
 they may do fo before you leave the world. 
 Death, when you apprehend it approaching, 
 will change your notions, rouze your confciences, 
 and make them, cry out that there will be no 
 filencing them. Then they bring mens fins 
 frefh to their remembrance, and fet them in or- 
 der before them : And when they have nothing 
 but their own guilt, an angry God, anddeatii, 
 
 and 
 
256 The Acceptahlenefs of 
 
 Sermon and hell in view, what wonder if they fed an 
 IX. extremity of anguilh and mifery in their own 
 
 \^^y^»J fouls ? 
 
 " Oh deplorable eftate ! Oh wretched condi- 
 *' tion ! to be forced to leave this world before 
 " I have made fure of a better ! To die now 
 *' without an inter eft in the favour of him who 
 *' is to difpofe of me, and to determine my cafe 
 " for ever, and is now about to do it ! Foolifh 
 " wretch ! that I could think this world of more 
 *' importance than his love ! and that I could 
 " put off this chief concern, which I would now 
 *' give all the world if I could but take care of! 
 *' Ten thoufand worlds, if I now had them, 
 " would I give for one fmile of his face, for 
 •* the leaft token of his favourable acceptance. 
 *' But I fear, I fear he refents my fquandering 
 '* away my youth in the negled of it ; and 
 " that now it is too late : And that though I 
 " call upon him he will not hear, though I cry 
 
 Pj.Qy . '* unto him he will not anfwer, and though I 
 
 zS.' ** ^^"^ feek him early, I Jh all not find him. 
 
 This is perplexing trouble with a witnefs : But 
 now the feeking, the ferving God betimes pre- 
 vents this. " O bleffed ferenity of mind ! when 
 *' we can remember God without any caufe of 
 *' being troubled. When confcience teftifics, 
 *' thou doft not live as without God in the 
 *' world. Thou haft accepted his offered terms 
 " of reconciliation, fubmitted to his Chrift, thy 
 *' peace is made with God, thy fins are for- 
 " given, God accepts thee, and there is no con- 
 *' demnation to thee. Thou may'ft expert the 
 *' fruits of his love, and the fulfilment of his 
 <' promifes. Wife is thy choice, the lines are 
 '* fallen to thee in pleafant places, and thou 
 " haft a goodly heritage. Thou haft remember'd 
 
 " thy 
 
ferving God whh our hejl, 257 
 
 «' thy Creator, and he will never forget thee.Sermofj 
 " Thou haft chofen him, and he will never caft IX. 
 *^ thee off-. v^v^^^ 
 
 4. An early piety is a good preparation for 
 worldly troubles and afflictions ; and the rea- 
 fon is, becaufe fuch a fettled peace is lo excellent 
 a remedy againft them ; and God is efpecially 
 concern'd to fupport fuch under them. As God 
 bears a fpecial regard to fuch, fo he will in a 
 particular manner concern himfelf for them. And 
 when thou hi^ peace with God; through our Lord^^'^-'^- 
 Jefus Chrijl, thou may'ft then well joy and '' ** 
 glory in tribulations. And this I the rather men- 
 tion to obviate an objedlion againft the text, and 
 what has been faid from it. 
 
 Ohje^. Some may fay, wh^t fign is there that 
 God had more, refpedt to Ahel than Cain ? or 
 where is his reward, fince Cain^s life is prolonged,' 
 and Jbel fo foon lofes his ? If this be the cafe, 
 where's the incouragement to ferve him ? 
 
 Jnjw. We muft. not fpeak wickedly for God, nor 
 talk deceitfully for him. Job xiii. 7. And there^ 
 fore in plain terms, a freedom from trouble in 
 this world, is what he gives no incouragement: 
 to expedl ; nay, you are to expe6t aftliftion and 
 trouble for his fake : And if thou can'ft not like, 
 or be vviliing, to fubmit to this, thou refufeft his 
 offer, and thou doft not fcrve God with thy, 
 beft. Thy life is not then refigned and devoted 
 to him, as it ought to be. Is thy life too dear 
 to thee to be parted with for God's fake ? and 
 can'ft thou not ftt more by his love than thy 
 own life ? and prefer the ferving him to the; 
 living in the World ? There's no room then fo^" 
 thy expe<5bing he ftiould have a refpeft to thee or 
 thy fervice i thy heart is not righc in his iighr, 
 rioT haft thou any lot or portion in his love, 
 
 S A 
 
258 The AcceptaUencfs of 
 
 Sermon • A freedom then from trouble thou art not 
 IX, to expe<5l •, but fuccour and fupport under it 
 
 Si^'V^^ thou may'ft. And whether thou complieft with 
 his terms or no, as to a liablenefs to trouble, 
 thy cafe may be the fame ; and therefore it is 
 an advantage to be thus prepared againft it, by 
 having our confciences eafy^ and divine fjpports 
 fecured to us : And if we give to God our early 
 days, this we may depend upon in every trou- 
 ble of life, that he will be with us therein, and 
 carry us through all, readily imparting to us 
 ftrength according to our exigence and need. 
 
 2. There are eternal rewards that God be- 
 llows, as well as temporal ; fuch as are too 
 great for you now to conceive of. And yet, 
 though the joys of all are unfpeakable, we may 
 well fuppofe that an early piety will be crown'd 
 more glorioufly, than that of thofe who begin 
 late. The more thou fervell God, the greater 
 thy reward will be •, but the fooner thou be- 
 ginneft, the more time wilt thou have to ferve 
 him, and the more fervice may'fl thou do him, 
 and fo may'ft expedt the more exceeding weight 
 of glory. 
 
 4. 1 might farther add, toinforce upon you your 
 ferving God with your beft, that otherwife none 
 of your fervice will be accepted. God looks 
 upon himfelf as mocked by any other fervices. 
 Would you fee inftances of this, you may fee 
 it in the inftance of C^i;z, who brought an offer- 
 ing as well as Abel, and yet to Cam and his 
 offering God had not refpeft, ver. 5. And why 
 not, but becaufe he did not ferve God as Abel 
 did, with his beft. And fo the young man in 
 thegofpel, though he went far, yet becaufe he 
 could not find in his heart to ferve God with his 
 pofTeftions, and loved the world too well to part 
 
 with 
 
ferving God voith our heji. 25^^ 
 
 with it for God*s fake, loft all his glittering fhew Sermoft 
 and appearance, and fell fhort of heaven toOi IXi 
 And is it not pity that all thou doft in religi- v>'"V%-* 
 on fhould be loft ; that thy hearing, praying, 
 reading ftiould be loft for want of giving God 
 thine heart ? Unlefs thou art abfolutely devoted 
 to him now, thy fervice is all vain, and will 
 turn to no account : And fin (as God fays to ver. 7, 
 Cain) that is the puniftiment of it lies at the 
 door ; and it may be thy lot, as it was his, 
 to complain, that thy ■punijl3?7ient proves greater ver. i}, 
 than thou canft bear. And if thou miffeft of ac- 
 ceptance with God, thou knoweft what the 
 confequence will prove. Thou knoweft, did I 
 fay ? thou knoweft fomewhat of it : Thou know- 
 eft it in general ; but as no tongue can exprefs 
 it, fo no heart can now conceive it fully. The 
 damned that feel it, they alone know what it is. 
 There are treafures of wrath laid up in ftore for 
 God's enemies, and they muft be caft into hell, 
 where the worm dies not, and the fire is not 
 quenched. 
 
 And now as I chofe this text, with a particu-^ 
 lar regard to you that are young, let me now 
 conclude with a particular addrefs to you. You 
 fee what has been the defign of thefe difcourfes, 
 let me then put it to you ; what has been, and 
 is the effed of them ? Take notice, that a par- 
 ticular account muft be given of that meffage 
 which God in his providence fends particularly 
 to you. I put it then to thy confcience : Had 
 the laft difcourfe this effeft upon thee, to bring 
 thee in fecret upon thy knees before God, to 
 make fuch a folemn resignation of thy (q}S to 
 God, as thou waft then urged to, or to beg the 
 grace and fpirit of God to make thee heartily 
 V/illing and able thus to dedicate thy felf in the 
 S 2 days 
 
a6o The Acceptablenefs of 
 
 Sermon days of thy youth to him ? If it had not, fet 
 IX. it down as a loft fermon to thee ; thou haft rea- 
 v^-V'^-' fon to fear thou didft not get any good by it. 
 
 I hope then it is in mercy to thee, that thou 
 art thus cail*d upon particularly again. Shall 
 I then now prevail with thee, to remember thy 
 Creator in the days of thy youth ? Now to accept of 
 his offer, and to turn to him in and by his Chrift ? 
 Seek him now, and his face evermore i and 
 confecrate the firft fruits of thy life to him as an 
 earneft and pledge of the whole. As the old 
 Exod. law required the offering of the /;_/? ripe fruits 
 xxiii. z6. to G©d, whereby the whole crop was acknow- 
 ledged to be his, and confecrated to God, and 
 fandlified to the people's ufe : So the confecra- 
 ting of thy youth to God, is but an acknow- 
 ledgment of his juft title and claim to the whole, , 
 and a fanftifying thy whole life to his fervice, 
 and to thy own comfort. 
 Prov.xxiii. Hearken then to the call of God : My fon^ 
 z6. give me thy heart •, and remember that the time 
 
 of God's grace is fet out by a day, to make 
 you more watchful againft delays, and more 
 earneft in embracing his offers. 2 Cor. vi. 2. 
 Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of 
 falvation. 
 
 Defpife not then his falvation for one day. 
 Matt. vi. ^^t now laying afide all delays, feek firft the 
 33. kingdom of God and his righteoufnefs : Kifs the fon 
 
 Pfal.ii.i:./^y? he he angry: Repent now of thy fins, and 
 believe on the Lord Jefus Chrift, and give up 
 thy felf abfolutely and intirely to him •■> trufting , 
 in his death and facrifice, and the virtue of his 
 interccfTion *, take upon thee his yoke, and fub- 
 mit to his government •, joyn thy felf now to him, 
 and to God in and by him, in a perpetual cove- 
 nant •, and his father ftiall be thy father, and his 
 God thy God. All 
 
ferving God vpith our befi, a6i 
 
 All things urge thy fpeedy compliance : God Sermon 
 in his providence waits, Chrift calls by his IX. 
 word and the voice of his blood ; the fpirit urges ^-OT^^ 
 and folicits thee ; angels and faints long to 
 rejoice at thy repentance ; minifters and chrifti- 
 an friends defirc and pray for it •, and therefore, 
 as God fays to his people, urging them in the 
 like cafe, when Jhall it once be ? Remember, Jer.xiii. 
 judgment is certain, death is at hand, life is frail, ^7- 
 opportunities are precious, fm is deceitful, the 
 heart is falfe and treacherous in the promifes 
 that it makes about time to come, while the 
 prefent is neglefted •, the day of grace is fhort, 
 and is pafling away ; and therefore in one word, 
 as the Holy Ghoft faith, to day if ye will hear^^^-iii- 
 bis voice, harden not your hearts, *5' 
 
 Tk 
 
5 6^ Th^ Nature and Advantage of 
 
 The Nature and Advantage of a well- 
 ordered Comjerjatton. 
 
 SERMON 
 
 PreachM at the 
 
 FUNERAL 
 
 Q F 
 
 Mr. L——, 
 
 O N 
 
 Psalm L, 2^^ (latter part.) 
 
 And to him that ordereth his Converfa-'^ 
 tion aright^ will 1 fhew the Salvation 
 of God. 
 
 O THING has a greater teiadency 
 
 to promote the life and power of true 
 
 religion, than the frequent and feri- 
 
 ous remembrance of the fi^aF judg- 
 
 jnerjr. And for this end is it often recommended 
 
 to us, in the holy fcriptures, and particularly ivk 
 
 2 ' ^hi^ 
 
a welUorderd Convey fation, 16^ 
 
 this Pfalm. In the fix firfl verfes of the Pfahii, Sermon 
 we have a very afFefting reprefentation of the X. 
 great God, as fummoning men to judgment. v-^'V'w' 
 The expreflions made ufe of are noble, and 
 
 the figures lively. And though the judgment is 
 reprelented as univcrfal in the firil verfe, 'The 
 mighty God, even the Lord hath fpoken^ and called 
 the earth from the rifing of the fun, unto the going 
 down thereof : yet in the reft of the Pfahn 'tis 
 fpoken of with a peculiar relation to God*s peo- 
 ple. They are favour'd with extraordinary pri- 
 vileges and advantages, and therefore the more 
 may be expedled from them : And as the ora- 
 cles of God are given to them, fo therein lu^ • ' 
 addrefifes himfelf efpecially to them. Out ofSion^ 
 the perfection of beauty^ God hath fhin'*d ; and 
 therefore the ftricfter reckoning will be made 
 with them for the many talents they have been 
 intrufted with. Our God faall come and Jhall -not 
 keep filence. A fire fhall devour before ■ him, and 
 it fijall be very te?)ipejluot{s round about him. He 
 JJoall call to the heavens, from above, and to the earth, 
 that he may judge hij people. Gather my faints 
 together unto me ; thofe that have jnade a covenant 
 with me b^ facrifice. And there is the more rea- 
 fon to call God's people to a particular appli- 
 cation of this conflderation, becaufe they fo 
 often, from their external privileges, flatter them-, 
 felves into fecurity, while they negleft their 
 plain duty. We daily fee how prone the mem-, 
 hers of the chriftian church are to this ; nor 
 were the Jews of old lefs. Hence, when God- 
 had raifed their attention by a moft awful re-. 
 prcfentation of judgment in the beginning of 
 the Pfalm, he then comes to expoftulate the cafe 
 with them, why they laid fo much ilrefs upon. 
 "he externa/ parts of religion, and negledled thofe 
 S, .^ ^x 
 
i6^ The Nature and Advantage of 
 
 Sermon that were more fubftantial. And having very 
 X. fliarply reproved them for their wickednefs, in 
 
 *«/'*V""**^ the two laft verfes of the Pjab?i we have, as it 
 were, the application of the whole -, and he 
 brings the matter home upon their confciences, 
 and requires them to lay it to heart. This is 
 urged upon them with a fevere threatning, 
 ver. 22. Now confider this, ye that forget God., 
 lefi I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deli- 
 ver. And here in the laft verfe v/e have a gra- 
 cious direftion given, how that threaten'd evil 
 may be avoided. Whofo off'ereth praife glorifieth 
 7ne : and to him that ordereth his converfation aright 
 will I JheiL\ the falvation of God, Wherein you 
 may obferve, 
 
 1. What God looks for at the hands of his 
 people, as ever they would pleafe him, and 
 efcape his vengeance, and the being torn in 
 pieces by him •, and that is to ht glorified by them. 
 
 2. When it is that perfons glorify him •, and 
 that is when they offer praife i whofo offereth 
 praife, glorifieth me. This is to be confidered as 
 oppofed to bare external performances, fuch as 
 facrifices, &c. God accounts not himfelf glorified 
 by thefe, lb much as by the. fincere praifes of 
 his people. 
 
 3. How 'tis we are to praife him ; not barely 
 with our lips, but v/ith our lives. If we v/ould 
 pleafe and glorify God, our vocal praifes mull 
 be accompanied with a well-order'd converfation, 
 
 4. The happy and blefied advantage of fuch a 
 courfe. God is never behind hand in his rewards. 
 He Vv' ill not fail to render them an abundant recom- 
 pence. They that glorify him ihail be glorified by 
 him -, for to fuch he will fhew the falvation of God. 
 
 I fliall confine my difcourfe wholly to the lall 
 
 clauie of the verfe : And to him that ordereth his 
 
 I con- 
 
a well-ordered Converfation, 165 
 
 converfat'wn aright^ will I Jhew the falvation of God. Sermon 
 In ipeaking to which I will confider, X. 
 
 I. The perfon defcrib'd and charaderiz'd : 
 1^0 hm that order eth his converfaiion aright. 
 
 II. The great advantage which belongs to 
 iuch : / will Jloew thejalvation of God to him. 
 
 I. The perfon defcribed and charaderiz'd : 
 One that ordereth his converfaiion aright. 
 
 You lee a blefling, and a very glorious one 
 belongs to this character -, and therefore you 
 have the more reafon diligently to attend to the 
 account which I fhall indeavour to give you of 
 it from the holy fcriptures. Our tranflation has 
 well enough expreft the fenfe of the original, 
 which though it fays no more than to him that 
 difpofes, or orders his zvay, muft neceflarily be 
 fuppofed to mean, that orders it aright ; that 
 takes fome care, and ufes fome diligence about 
 this matter. DilTolute perfons take no care of 
 their way, they adl at random, and there is no- 
 thing of regularity and order to be found therein. 
 I fhall therefore take the words as well enough 
 render'd by our tranflators : Only I would here 
 obferve, that whereas our Englijh word Conver- 
 fation, is often ufed with a peculiar regard to 
 a. perfon's external carriage and behaviour •, there 
 is no reafon to take it under fuch a limitation 
 in this place. It may very well include a per- 
 fon's whole behaviour, both toward God and man. 
 And thus the fame word is commonly render'd, 
 If^ay^ which is of the moft comprehenfive fenfe • 
 in the ftile of the fcripture. 
 
 Now this well order'd way, or converfation 
 of a man, may be confider'd with refped:, ei- 
 ther to what is fecret between God and a man*s 
 
 own 
 
a 66 The Nature and Advantage of 
 
 Sermon own foul, or what is obvious to the world. 
 X. I. A well order'd converfation may be con- 
 
 VO/"^**^ fider'd with refpeet to what is fecret between God 
 and a man's own foul. And concerning this, I 
 fhall only obferve thefe two things : 
 
 I. He that orders his converfation aright, muft 
 be one whole heart is fincere and upright toward 
 God. A man can never rightly order his way 
 while he negleds and is wanting in this. Let 
 his outward deportment be what it will, he is 
 certainly out of his way, he has never fet out 
 right in it ; nor can the way he is in ever bring 
 him to fee the falvation of God. Men, indeed, 
 cannot with any infallible certainty, difcern one 
 another's fmcerity j but as God does, there is 
 nothing that fets a greater luftre upon a good 
 converfation and outward behaviour in his fight. 
 If a man's converfation be ever fo decent in the- 
 eye of the world, yet if the principle he is adled 
 by, and the end he aims at, is not right, what 
 is fuch an one all the while, really and in God's 
 account, but a gilded glittering hypocrite .? He 
 makes a fine appearance in the eyes of man ;. 
 b.ut is loathed and abhorred in the fight of God. 
 A flriflnels in the outward behaviour, without 
 an heart right in God's fight, is at beft but like 
 bafe metal, which however wafh'd over, is of 
 no worth in comparifon of true flerling : Or, ta 
 
 Matthew ^^^ ^h^ comparifon of our Saviour,, 'tis like a 
 
 xxiii. 27. [epulchre^ fine and fialelj 'without., hut within full of 
 corruption and rottennefs. 
 
 *Tis true, we mufl judge by outward appear- 
 ance, and we fin againil the rule of charity when, 
 we do otherwife, even though we fliould chance 
 not to be miftaken in our judgment. But yet 
 fmcerity is a matter which cannot be too often 
 inculcated, it being of fo great concern, the 
 
 wani;. 
 
a well-order* d Converfation. a 6 7 
 
 want of which will fpoil every thing elfe in us Sermon 
 that may feem commendable and praife-worthy. X. 
 
 Remember then, that if yours be a well- ^*^V^ 
 order'd converfation, it muft flow from a true 
 heart ; from a good principle fettled there, even 
 faith in Chrift, and love to God ; it mufl be 
 directed to a good end, the honour and glory of 
 God \ and if thefe do not influence your con- 
 yerfations, they are nothing worth, whatfoever 
 they be. 
 
 2. He that orders his converfation aright to- 
 ward God, mufl; be ftrid in the mofl: hidden and 
 fecret part of religion. There are duties in- 
 cumbent on us, to which none but God and our 
 own fouls are privy ; and thefe will be con- 
 fcientioufly minded where theheart is right inthe 
 fight of God. For inftan.ce, fuch an one will 
 be watchful over his thoughts, indeavour after 
 an heavenly frame of fpirit, and ftrive to 
 keep out whatever is contrary thereunto ; and 
 carefully quell the firft and mofl fecret workings 
 of all irregular affections and inclinations, and 
 diligently perform the duties of the clofet : And 
 withal, will be moft folicitous about the inward 
 work of religion in the more publick duties 
 thereof In Ihort, fuch an one will indeavour to 
 be that toward God in the very pofture and 
 working of his foul, that he would be thought 
 to be, or that he makes any fliew of in religious 
 duties. 
 
 This is, as it were, the foundation or ground- 
 work of a good converfation^ without which it 
 cannot really he, and without which, to be fure, no 
 man can be faid to be holy in all manner of converfa,- i Pet. ». 
 tion. There is nothing diholinefs. to the Lord'm our M- 
 Converfations. vyhen they are not order'd with a 
 refped and regard to him i and we indeavour 
 
 not 
 
l68 The Nature and Advantage of 
 
 Sermon not chiefly to approve our hearts to him in 
 
 X. all that we do. And, 
 ly-'YV) 2. He that orders his converfation thus aright 
 toward God in thofe things which are fecret be- 
 tween God and his own foul, will do it likewife in 
 thofe things that are obvious to the world. Men 
 think fometimes, or rather perhaps fay, that their 
 hearts are right toward God, and thereupon be- 
 come unconcern'd how they behave themfelves in 
 the eye of the world. But there cannot be a more 
 fatal error and miftake. A wicked converfation in- 
 fallibly befpeaks a wicked heart. If you are chri- 
 ftians indeed, and have fuch an inward frame as I 
 have been fpeaking of, you mull and will (hew it by 
 a pure and w ell-order 'd converfation before men. 
 And fee now how amiable and lovely a chriftian 
 is, when his converfation appears to be agreea- 
 ble to the chriftian rule, and confequendy is 
 order'd aright. And here the defcription of a 
 converfation that is order'd aright, will lie in 
 fuch things as thefe. 
 
 1. It mufl be a foher and temperate conver- 
 fation. A man mufl be a great ftrangcr to the 
 chriftian rule that is not fenfible how ftricflly 
 this is required there : Nay, he muft be utterly 
 unacquainted with the leflbn which the grace of 
 God is defign'd to teach men : For the apoftle 
 lets us know this is the firft part of what it 
 
 Tit. ii. 12. teaches us, that denying mtgodlinefs and worldly 
 iufts^ we Jhould live foberl^. And if this Ihould 
 feem a fmall part of a well-order'd converfation, 
 yet I am fure 'tis a very necelTary one. And 
 believe me, as the times now go, 'tis a confide- 
 rable ornament among chriflians. We may now 
 almofl fay of a fober man what Solomon fays of a 
 
 Prov. xs. faithful one : But a faithful man who can find ? 
 
 ^' And when a vice is become common, and the 
 
 exam- 
 
a n>elUordeY*d Converfation, 269 
 
 •examples many, and the temptations ftrong , Sermon 
 the contrary virtue muft appear the more charm- X. 
 ing i and it muft be very agreeable to fee men^^V^^ 
 govern their appetites, and ufe God's creatures 
 with a defign to pleafe him rather than them- 
 felves. 
 
 2. The converfation that is orderM aright, 
 muft be harmlefs and innocent^ and no ways 
 mifchievous or prejudicial to others. They are 
 very wide from a well-order'd converfation, 
 whofe delight is in doing mifchief. Our Savi- 
 our has recommended it to us to join the innocence Uzt.x.ie* 
 of the dove with the wifdo7n of the ferpent, 'Tis 
 a fport only to a fool to do mifchief; but a good Pro v. x. 45, 
 man, who would order his converfation by the 
 chriftian rule, rejoyceth not in iniquity : He is ' Cor. xiiL 
 peaceable and quiet in his temper ; he will not 6. 
 provoke the anger of others againft himfelf ; 
 nor have a hand in ftirring up ftrife between 
 friends. 'Tis no pleafure to fuch an one to im- 
 pofe upon the credulity of his neighbour ; nor 
 will he make a fport of his weaknefs. He 
 rejoyceth in the truth -, 2.nd putting away lying, ^^Eph. iv, 
 fpeaks truth 3,1 all times 'with his neighbour. He^5« 
 is one who has that regard to truth, that his 
 word may be taken in the relation he gives of 
 things, and in the promifes he makes. He ab- 
 hors what is flatterins; and fulfom on the one 
 hand, and what is flanderous and detracting on 
 the other. 
 
 There is a peftilent fort of people, whom the 
 apoftle fmartly checks under the notion of tatlers i Tim. v. 
 and bufy-bodies i who are moft free, or (as I may ^J' 
 rather fay) bold with the good name and repu- 
 tation of their neighbour •, who in contradiction 
 to the chriftian rule of fpeaking evil of no man, Tjt. iii. *. 
 will harc|ly afford any a good word, or fuffer 
 
 them 
 
^70 The Nature and Advantage of 
 
 Sermon them to pafs without fome fevere cenfure 5 and 
 X. who, when they cannot find a real crime, will ' 
 
 V^V>^ feign fome imaginary one to gratify their de- 
 tracting tatling temper. This is a moft mif- 
 chievous humour, and very contrary to the fpirit 
 of chriftian charity, which helieveth all things, ' 
 and bopeth all things ; and is more inclined to think 
 and fpeak well, than ill of others. 
 
 And who is there that will make any doubt, 
 whether this is not very agreeable in the con- 
 verfation of others } Who will diflike a truly 
 chriftian converfation in this refpeft in other men, 
 when he finds it has been his own turn to have 
 been the fubjed: of difcourfe, and he has reaped 
 the benefit of it ? And methinks that, as a true 
 glafs, fhould fhew a man, how amiable the 
 fame thing would render his own converfa- - 
 tion. 
 
 3. The converfation that is order'd aright, 
 
 Jam.iii.i3'is modejl, hmnble, and lowly. IVho^ fays the 
 apoftle, is a wife man, and endued with knowledge 
 amongst you ? let him Jhew out of a good converfation 
 his works with mecknefs of wifdom. That charity 
 which diredts and governs fuch an one in order- 
 ing his converfation, teaches him not to vaunt 
 hi?nfelf, not to behave himfelf unfeemly, not to he 
 puffed up. 'Tis recommended to us, as you know, 
 
 I Pet, \.x.oht clothed with humility. What is more offen- 
 
 5' five and difagreeable than a furly, haughty, and 
 
 affuming temper ? This renders a man a burden 
 to all that are about him : But where a perfon's 
 carriage is truly modeft and humble, how great 
 an ornament is it ? This makes him fjbmiflive 
 to his fuperiors, gentle and affable to his infe- 
 riors, and obliging and courteous to his equals. 
 *Tis a mifery thefe things ate fo much over- 
 looks and difregarded by chriilians, fince they 
 
 fervs 
 
a well-order d Converfation, lyl 
 
 ferve exceedingly to adorn their profefTion, and Sermon 
 cannot fail to win the approbation of thofe that X. 
 behold them. We fee an apoille did not difdain w-^v^^ 
 to urge them: Likewife ye younger^ fuhmit ^oz/r ^^^'-v* 5* 
 f elves unto the elder : yea, all of you he fuhjeoi one to 
 another, and he clothed with hiunility -, for God re- 
 fifleth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 
 And in the fame epiftle he diredls chriftians to be Chap.Ui.Jf, 
 courteous. 
 
 4. He that orders his converfation aright, is 
 diligent and careful in his bufmefs, and at the 
 fame time not mJferable, fordid, and greedy. 
 God, in his providence, orders the circumftan- 
 ces of men, and appoints them their particular 
 callings and imployments, wherein they may 
 honour him and be ufeful in the world. God 
 has not fent any man into the world, to live idly 
 and unprofitably in it. And as he has affign'd 
 men fomewhat to do, fo he exp:^cls they fhould 
 be induftrious in the doing it. And both the 
 old teftament and the new furnilh us with va- 
 rious precepts of this kind. And on the other 
 hand, the apoftle requires that our converfation ud). xn'u 
 be without covetoufnefs ', and nothing is more con- 5* 
 trary to the fpirit and defign of chriftianityj 
 than a worldly frame of mind. And as the la- 
 zinefs and prodigality of fome, and the fordid 
 covetoufnefs of others, is highly blame- worthy ; 
 fo the well temper'd diligence and frugality which 
 the fcripture prefer ibes, is a molt excellent qua- 
 lification in a chriflian. And tlie chriftian re- 
 ligion is highly adorn'd, when the profefTors of 
 it avoid the extreams on both hands, and keep 
 the middle way between the fpend-thrift and the 
 mifer : When they evidently fhew they are not 
 meerly defigning themfelves in their callings, 
 but aim at the being ufeful and ferviceable in 
 
 their 
 
l']l The Nature and Advantage of 
 
 Sermon their generation, and the doing as much good 
 X. as they can in the world. 
 
 V^V^^ 5' A weil-order*d converfation muft be ftriftly 
 
 jujl and honeft. If we would live in the world 
 
 according to the direftion which the grace of 
 
 God is defign'd to give us, we muft live righte- 
 
 Tit.il 12. ^^jly^ q-Q ^ojuftly is the firft thing mention'd by 
 ic. VI. . j.j^^ prophet, of the good which God has Jhewn 
 MS, and which he requires of us. And though 
 the equity of a man's dealings is not enough to 
 evidence he orders his converfation aright, yet 
 the want of it, that is, knavifh and fraudulent 
 dealings, will infallibly demonftrate, that this 
 character of ordering the converfation aright 
 cannot belong to him. Such an one in all his 
 dealings has an inviolable regard to the rules of 
 juftice and equity : He is juft in his weights 
 and meafures, juft in his accounts, his demands 
 and payments, pundual to his trufts and in- 
 gagements ; and in a word gives to every one 
 his due. This is reckon'd by our Saviour one 
 
 Mat.xxiii.of the weighlkr things of the law, a regard to' 
 
 *3- which is moft abrduuely neceflary. 
 
 6. He that would order his converfation aright, 
 muft be honourable and generous m his deal- 
 ings. If a man would converfe ib in the world, 
 as to gain himfelf and his profefljon credit and 
 reputation, he muft a<5l upon a principle of ho- 
 nour, fcorning fuch little and mean artifices and 
 fhifts as are too common in the world ; he 
 muft hate not only a bafe adion, but any thing 
 that may feem to be little and low : He mult 
 hate deceit, and approve himfelf by his condudl 
 and behaviour to be fuch an one as our Saviour 
 
 Johni. 47.defcribes in fpeaking of Nathafiael, an Ifraelite 
 indeed, in whom is no guile. A chriftian Iliould 
 be careful to avoid not only the things that are 
 
 cviL- 
 
a welUorder'*d Converfation, 272 
 
 evil, but fvtn all appearance of evil , not only Sermon 
 thofe aftions which cannot admit of any defence, X, 
 but all too that will need any •, even thofe, wv-»«-/ 
 which though they may juft bear a vindication, ^ '^^^^^ v* 
 yet are fo fufpicious as will incur the cenfure^^' 
 of the world, and open the mouths of enemies 
 againft our holy religion. 
 
 7. He that would order his converfation 
 aright, muft be merciful and compaffionate. 
 Though juftice muft take place, and is to go be- 
 fore mercy in many cafes, becaufe otherwife a 
 man will Ihew mercy with what is other mens, 
 and not his own ; yet 'tis certainly not fufficient. 
 for a man to do juftice, unlefs he loves mercy ; 
 and he muft love it, and be inclin'd to it, even 
 when 'tis not in the power of his hand to ftiew 
 it as he would. There may be a charitable 
 liberal temper where an ability to do much may 
 
 be wanting •, and in that cafe God accepts accord- ^ Cor, viil, 
 tng to what a man has^ and not according to what''-^' 
 he has not. And fo ftridly is this injoyn'd in 
 the fcripture, that no man's converfation can be 
 as becomes the gofpel of Chrift, who is a ftran- 
 ger to this difpofition, and that does not fhew 
 an inclination and readinefs to do good to his 
 neighbour, and be helpful to him in offices of 
 love and kindnefs -, and particularly in relieving, 
 according to his abihty, fuch as are in need. 
 And when juftice and mercy are join'd together, 
 and a righteous man appears to be indeed liberal 
 and bountiful, his converfation cannot but gain 
 the approbation of all that behold it ; every 
 one will be ready to atteft that in fuch things 'cis 
 certainly order'd aright. 
 
 8. A well-order'd converfation muft be ex- 
 emplary for religion : Piety ftiould indeed run 
 through the whole of it. His more common 
 
 T conver- 
 
a 74 The Nature and Advantage of 
 
 Sermon converfation fhould be fuch as may be good to, 
 the uf^ of edifying, and leave a favor of religion 
 in thofe with whom he converfes ; it ihould 
 minifter grace to the hearers, *Tis a reproach to 
 chriftians when religion is banilli'd from their 
 difcourfe, and froth and levity fills up the whole 
 of it. 
 
 And then as to religious duties, the converfa- 
 tion cannot be order'd aright, where a perfon 
 does not make confcience of them : I fpeak of 
 thofe now which are not fecret, and wherein 
 chriftians may be exemplary. He that has his 
 converfation by the grace of God, or according 
 to the rule of the gofpel, muil be exemplary in 
 his attendance upon, and his behaviour and de- 
 portment in the exercifes of God*s worfhip in the 
 family, and the publick aflembly. 
 
 9. In order to a man's having this character, 
 it is neceffary he lliould, in fpite of all difficulties 
 and difcouragements, be conjlant and perfeve- 
 ring in thefe things, even to the end of his life. 
 We are to confider this charafler as the condi- 
 tion of a promife ; and 'tis obvious from the 
 whole tenour of the fcripture, that the promifes 
 of God are made to fuch as hold on in their way, 
 
 Rom. li. <j'q fjygffj <-jij]qq ^ patient continuance in well doing 
 feek for glory ^ honour, and ifnmortality, God will 
 give eternal life. The threatning lies againft: fuch 
 
 2 Pet. ii. as turn away from the path of righteoufnefs, and 
 
 2<>j 2 1, frotn the holy commandment deliver'' d imto the?n. And 
 fo far will men be from having any advantage 
 by their having once chofen the way of righte- 
 oufnefs, if they afterwards depart from it, that 
 it would have been better for them never to have 
 known it, and the latter end will be worfe with the?n 
 than the beginning. 
 
 So 
 
a well-order d Converfation. cijiy 
 
 So that this part of the charafter of a well- Sermon 
 ordeV*d converlation, mull fuppofe a man to be X. 
 patient in bearing the troubles and afflictions ^''VV/ 
 that would difcourage him •, and that he has fuch 
 a degree of holy refolution and courage, as will 
 carry him through all the difficulties that lie 
 in his way ; and that he retains his integrity to 
 the end of his life. 
 
 Such now is the converfation God here fpeaks 
 of ; and a moft excellent one it certainly is ; 
 and particularly upon the account of its being 
 fo much to the glory of God. This is a con- 
 fideration which is fuggefled to us, by compa- 
 ring this latter with the former claufe of the 
 verfe. JVbdfo offer eth praife, glorijieth me \ and to 
 him that ofdereth his converfation aright^ will I 
 /hew the falvaiion of God. Our praife is never n!3t 
 duely and acceptably offer'd as a facrifice to God, 
 when our converfations are not order'd aright : 
 but when they are, then we glorify God. 
 
 I (hall not inlarge upon this, becaufe 'tis not 
 in that part of the verfe I propos'd to fpeak to i 
 and therefore Ihall content my felf with only 
 hinting thefe three reafons, why fuch a con- 
 verfation is fo much for the glory of God. 
 
 1. This teftifies a perfon's unfeigned fubjedi- 
 on to God, when his whole converfation is thus 
 order*d, accordirtg to the rule which God has 
 given us to walk by. And this is a glorifying 
 God, and a juft occafion given to others to 
 glorify him: whence the apoftle fpeaks in that 
 manner : The^j glorify God for your profeffed fub- 2 Cor. it, 
 jeSfion to the gofpel of Chrijl. ^ 3" 
 
 2. This manifefts the power of divine grace 
 in us, and fo is to the glory of God. Such is 
 the corruption and depravation of the heart 
 of man, that there is a relu(5tance in it to the 
 
 T 2 kw 
 
a 7^ The Nature and Advantage of 
 
 Sermon law of God, and a ftrong propenfion and irtcli- 
 X. nation to the contrary courfe* And it muft be 
 
 sx'V>-' owing to fome noble principle, and to fome ex- 
 cellent influence, that a perfon is brought to 
 deny himfelf, to thwart his natural inclinations, 
 and move againft the ftream and current of evil 
 examples. And fince all good men, who thus 
 order their converfation aright, will acknow- 
 ledge this to be owing to divine grace, the ex- 
 cellent power thereof does in their whole con- 
 dud become confpicuous to the honour and glory 
 of God. 
 
 3. This is to the glory of God, becaufe it 
 does fo excellently recommend the ways of re- 
 ligion, and conciliates the good opinion of others 
 concerning it. There's fomewhat fo charming 
 in a good converfation, that the apoftle fuppofes 
 perfons might fometimes be won by that alone 
 without the word^ 1 Pet. iii. i, 2. And our Sa- 
 
 Mat.v. i6.viour has taught us, that the letting our light fo 
 Jhine before men, as that they may fee our good works, 
 is the way to bring them to glorify our father 
 which is in heaven. 
 
 And thus now I have fpoken to the firft part 
 of my text, and explain'd to you the account 
 or defcription which is here given of a good 
 man ; he is one that orders his converfation ^- 
 right. 
 
 I am fenfible how natural it is for you to 
 exped, that I fhould now take occafion from 
 what has been faid, to draw the charafter of 
 
 Mr. L— , our deceafed friend. But as the 
 
 drawing up of a charadber is really a nice and 
 difficult work, if it be done with exadlnefs, fo I 
 have been always ready to think my felf not well 
 qualify'd to undertake it, Befides, the extra- 
 vagant flattery which has been pradis'd upon 
 
 thefe 
 
a well-ordered Cowuerjation, 277 
 
 thefe occafions, has often very much alter'd the Sermon 
 defign of fuch difcourfes, and has made them X. 
 to become panegyrics upon the dead, inftead ot '-^'V*^ 
 warm and feafonable inllrudlions to the living, 
 as was their original intention. And fmce the 
 honour of our funftion is concern'd, I hope to 
 be excufed if I feem to be in the other extream -, 
 and am ftudious not only to avoid flattery, with 
 which the commendations of the dead are noC 
 always to be charged, but likewife the very 
 fufpicion of it. And indeed in the prefent cafe, 
 there is not much need for me to fpeak parti- 
 cularly concerning the deceafed ; fince I am 
 very confident, I fhould there fay nothing but 
 what every one, who knew his converfation, has 
 already had in his thoughts, while I have gone 
 over the heads of a well-order'd converfation. 
 I had not chofen the text, if I had not thought 
 it fuited his cafe : And you have given him the 
 greatefl commendation your felves, if while I 
 have been giving the defcription of a good mar» 
 in general, you have not been able to avoid 
 thinking of him, and applying in your own 
 minds what has been faid to his chara6ter. And 
 fince I am perfuaded you have done this al- 
 ready, any thing that I could now fay would 
 feem to be but flat and fuperfluous. 
 
 I come therefore to the other part of my 
 text -, 
 
 II. To confider, and that but briefly, the end 
 of the converfation of fuch j that to him that 
 thus orders his converfation aright^ Jloall be jhrdon 
 the falvation of God. And fmce God himfelfmuft 
 be here underftood as fpeaking, when 'lis laid, 
 / will Jhew ; and fmce he does not fay, as it 
 might feem natural enough, my falvation, but 
 the falvatjoji of Gad v I take, the expreflion ac- 
 T 3 cording 
 
a 78 The Nature and Advantage of 
 
 Sermon cording to the cuftom of that language, to de- 
 X. note in general great or eminent falvation. Now 
 v^'V'vj this falvation may be confider'd either as being 
 temporal, or eternal. 
 
 I. To him that orders his converfation aright, 
 God will fhew temporal falvation -, he will give 
 fuch men deliverance from the dangers they are 
 in : Which muft be underftood with fome limi- 
 tation, fo far as 'tis for God*s glory and their 
 I Tim. IV. good. In this fenfe God is faid to be the Saviour 
 ^'^' cf all men, efpecially of thofe that believe. And no- 
 
 thing is more ordinary in the fcripture, and par- 
 ticularly the Pfalms, than to fpeak of this under 
 the title of falvation. And as the love God 
 bears to fuch, fo the care he takes of them is 
 peculiar. The Pfalmifi had experience of it : 
 V{.yxx\v. ^ his poor 7nan^ fays he, meaning himfelf, cried, . 
 ^3 7' and the Lord heard him, and faved him out of all his, 
 troubles. And therefore he adds, ^he angel of the 
 Lord incampeth round about them that fear him, and 
 dclivereth them. But, 
 
 2. Since the future judgment is the chief fcope 
 and fubjeft of the Pfalm, I can fee no reafon why 
 v/e Ihould not under (land this to fignify eternal 
 falvation, that falvation that will be compleated 
 for the people of God at the laft judgment. 
 And thus the exprefllon, I will Jkeiv him the fal- 
 vation of God, that is, that great falvation which 
 is more fully defcribed in the gofpel, may de- 
 note two things. 
 
 I. That God would make him underfiand^ 
 and believingly expe^ it ; and fo in his prefent 
 Hate grant him the comfort which fuch a hope, 
 does atford. I will (hew him my falvation, make 
 him perceive what a falvation it is, and that he 
 himfelf is an heir of it. There is nothing in the 
 ■^orld fo comfortable as this : This will maka 
 
 ' ^ ' m 
 
P a ivell'Orderd Converfation. 279 
 
 life pleafanr, and death eafy ; but without it Sermon 
 life is a melancholy burden, and death an in- X. 
 fupportable terror. But the righteous only have -^r**J 
 this hope in their death. 'The eyes of the Lord are upon ^''°^'* ^i^'- 
 thejn for good., they are the objcds of his favour, ^"' 
 upon them he lifts up the light of his counte- 
 nance, in their hearts he fheds abroad his love, 
 them he fills with joy and peace in believing, 
 making them to abound in hope through the 
 power of the Holy Ghoft, and them he makes 
 to rejoyce in the hope of the glory to be re- 
 vealed. He fhews them the way of falvation, 
 and fatisfies them of their title to it ; fo that 
 with quietnefs, peace, and fatisfadion, they caa 
 -leave the world to go to obtain it, 
 
 2. He will Ihew them his falvation, that is, 
 will make them partake of it : Literally 'tis, / 
 will make him fee the falvation of God, And feeing 
 is put for poirefling and injoying, and ftands 
 in oppofition to hoping, or expeding a thing, 
 according to that of the apoftle : hor we ,^r^Rom. viif» 
 Javed by hope ; but hope that is feen is not hope : for ^4> ^\' 
 what a man feeth (that is, what he poffefleth) 
 why doth he yet hope for ? But if we hope for that 
 we fee not (which a man does not yet injoy) 
 ihe7t do we with patience wait for it. 
 
 And well may this be call'd the falvation of 
 God, or great falvation, whether you confider the 
 mifcry fuch are faved from, or the unfpeakable 
 and everlafting happinefs they are made to par- 
 take of Inconceivable joys in the divine prefence- 
 are prepar'd for the entertainment of holy fouls, 
 who,, when they leave this world, fhall be for 
 ever with the Lord i. and in his light fhall fee 
 Vight and life. Xhe^e they fhall be deliver'd 
 from fin, fatan, pains, wearincfs, and death ; 
 be introcii-iced to the company of angels and 
 T 4 ^iQi'i-' 
 
a So The Nature and Advantage of 
 
 Sermon glorified faints, and be everlaftingly join'd witK 
 X. them in praifing, ferving, and injoying God. 
 
 <c/'Vv-» But this happinefs is too great to be fpoken 
 to in the limits of this difcourfe. I muft refer 
 you to what the fcriptures fay, and you have fo 
 often heard upon this fubjed: : And will con- 
 clude with thefe three refledlions upon what has 
 been faid. 
 
 1. Thefe things may be improved by good 
 men as matter of comfort againft the fears of 
 
 Heb. ii, death. The apoflle fpeaks of men as being thro* 
 
 ^5- fear of death all their Ufe thne fuhje£l to bondage. 
 And there is nothing more inflaving and tor:- 
 menting than that fear -, nor can men be rea- 
 fonably delivered from it, • but only by a well^ 
 grounded and lively hope of a blelfed immorta- 
 lity •, a hope of feeing the falvation of God : 
 But when men order their converfations aright, 
 the promife of God is their fecurity, that God 
 will fhew them his falvation. And when they 
 have this hope, this expedlation thus eflabliHi'd 
 upon the truth and faithfulnefs of God, what 
 fhould ever difcourage them, or make them a- 
 fraid ? To them death has loll its fting, and 
 through the death and refurredion of our Lord 
 is made the way and paffage to everlafting life 
 and bleflednefs. 'Tis their gain, the end of their 
 forrows, and the beginning and in-let to their 
 joys ; and though the valley they pafs thro' be 
 dark, yet being fecur'd of the divine prefence, 
 they need fear no evil •, and the glimmering they 
 have of the bright light that fhines at the end of 
 it, may make them lightfom and glad in their 
 way through ir. Now the order God has fix'd, 
 and the promife he baa made in the text, and 
 inany other places of the fcripture, may well fill 
 {heir fouls wkh joy and rejoycing, ev^n in the 
 -r.-; • ■■ ■ . ■ . ■" ap^ 
 
a mell'Orderd Converfation, aSi 
 
 approaches of death. There is juft matter of Sermon 
 rejoycing to good men when their confciences give X. 
 in this tejlimonyj that in fimpUcity and godly fmce- v-*^v-s> 
 rity^ not according toflejhly wifdom, hut by the grace - ^^- '• 
 of God^ that is, according to the rule of the ^"' 
 golpel, they have had their converfations in the 
 world. If with the apoftie we are ready to be z Tim, 17; 
 offered up, and the time of our departure is at hand, <5, 7^ g. 
 and we can fay with him, we have fought a good 
 fight, we ha^e finifh^d our courfe, we have kept 
 the faith, we can have no reafon to be difcou- 
 raged and funk in our fpirits ; fo far from it, 
 that we may with hini exceedingly jcejoyce and 
 triumph : Henceforth there is laid up for us a crown * 
 
 ofrighteoufnefs, which the Lord the righteous judge 
 Jfhall give us at that day ; and not to us only, but to 
 all them that love his appearing. 
 
 The teftimony a good confcience gives of our 
 paft well-fpent life, will imbolden us in our plea 
 for mercy from God, and give us good ground 
 with Hezekiab to fay. Remember now, O Lord, /Ifaiah 
 hefeech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, "xxvili. j; 
 and with a perfe5i heart, and have done that which 
 is good in thy fight. And fuch a confidence in 
 God, which good men may well have, may 
 difarm death of its terrors, and reconcile them 
 to, and even make them defirous of it , and in- 
 courage them to pray ; Co7ne, Lord Jefus, come 
 quickly. 
 
 2. This is juft matter of fupport and comfort 
 when we part with our friends and relations, 
 whofe converfations, we are fatisfied, have been 
 order'd aright. God experts, indeed, we fhoulcj 
 not be ftupidiy infenfible under his rebukes, and 
 when he ftrips us of any of our comforts -, but 
 when we forrow for our chriftian friends, we are i TheH iv% 
 not to. do it as thofe that, ate without, hop^, Wen- 
 
 ' " , are 
 
^^8i The feature and Advantage of 
 
 Sermon ^r^ to confider that our lofs is their gain ; and 
 X, there is but little difference made by their going 
 
 v^V**^ before us, if we are followers of their example ; 
 for then we lliall foon be wich them, and injoy 
 their company, when it will be much better 
 than we ever found it here in the world. Do 
 
 I Then iv. we believe that as Jefus died, and rofe again, fo then 
 
 .i4* them alfo which Jleep in Jefus, God will bring with 
 
 him ? Do we believe that our friends did the 
 work of God here in the world, that they have 
 well finitli'd their courfe, and that they reft 
 from their labours, temptations, and forrows, 
 and are with Chrift in a ftate of joy and bleffed- 
 nefs •, and that when he Jhall appear^ they Jhall 
 be in his retinue, and appear with him in glory ? 
 Let us not then repine at their injoying the hap- 
 • pinefs we profefs to hope for, and to be feeking 
 our felves *, but while we are troubled for the 
 want of their prefence and converfation, let us 
 not forget to blefs God for the happinefs we had 
 in them, and the good fatisfafbion he has given 
 us in parting with them. When we part with 
 relations, concerning whom we have no fuch 
 hope, we muft be dtanb with filence, becaufe God 
 has done it : But we have fpecial reafon to be 
 thankful to God, when he removes and takes 
 away pious ufeful relations and friends ■» we have 
 reafon, I fay, to be thankful to God who firft 
 gave them, and who has left us fuch a comforta- 
 ble hope concerning them, when he took them 
 away. And therefore we iliould fay with Job : 
 
 Job i. 21. 'The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken azvay \ 
 blejfed be the name of the Lord. 
 
 ^. This fhould be a very ftrong and power-, 
 fill motive to us, to make it our indeavour ta 
 order our converfations aright. Who is there- 
 
 K. xxxvi-.^hat marks the perfe5l man^ and that beholds ihe-. 
 
 37. ' uprigjyl,^ 
 
a well-ordered Convcrfation, 185 
 
 upright, and that confiders that the end of fuch an Sermon 
 one is peace, even everlafting peace and bleffed- X. 
 nefs, that is not ready to fay with Balaam *, het Ky\r^ 
 tne dye the death of the righteous, and let my laji Numb. 
 end be like his ? And how common are fuch idle*^"'* ^°* 
 and lazy wifhes as thefe ! How frequently do 
 we hear of mens defire of this when they come to 
 leave the world 1 But there's no promife of God 
 that gives incouragement to men to hope for 
 any fuch thing, if their life is not the life of 
 the righteous, if they make it not their care to- 
 order their converfations aright, as righteous 
 men do. While this is neglected, your own 
 heart cannot but condemn you ; aftd God is greater i John iK* 
 than your heart, and will much more condemn 2.0. 
 you- You are liable every moment to be feized 
 by death. God may give you none, or a very 
 Ihort warning. You may lie down well in your 
 beds, without the leaft thought or expe6lation 
 of a change, when yet the decree may be pafs'd, 
 'T'his night JJjall thy foul he required of thee. And Luke xli, 
 then if thou art unprovided, the folly and mif- ^°' 
 chief of thy negledl will be irreparable. And 
 how difmal muft it be, to have all the guilt of a 
 vicious converfation, of an ill fpent life, to fol- 
 low thee into the eternal world, to exclude thee 
 from beholding" the falvation of God, and to 
 plunge thee into the damnation and torment of 
 devils } How uncomfortable muft thy fick bed 
 thoughts be, if when thou looked back, thy 
 negleds of God, thy duty and thy falvation, 
 and a multitude qf horrid enormities committed 
 by thee, ftare thee in the flice •, and confciencc 
 then fets thy fins in order before thee, and racks; 
 thee in the remembrance of them •, and when 
 thou lookeft forward, thou arc forced to behold 
 ^he angry countenance of a provoked and terrible 
 
284 The Nature and Advantage^ Sec. 
 
 Sermon God, to fee the door of mercy fhut againft thee « 
 X, the tempter ready to feize and hurry away thy 
 
 O^Y"^ foul, and the infernal pit gaping to receive it ? 
 "What a torment mult this be to thy friends, 
 when they are forced to fee thee going down .to 
 deftruftion, and cannot help thee ? And what a 
 ■ horror, if thou haft any fenfe, muft this produce 
 in thy own foul ? and how much worfe will it 
 ftill be, when the blow is given ; the thing thou 
 dreadeft falls upon thee, and thy unready foul 
 is removed to the other world ? Pfal. 1. 22. O 
 then be wife in time ; confider the good exam- 
 
 Heb. xiii. ples that have been fet you, whofe faith follow^ 
 
 7'- confidering the end of their converjation. Let it now 
 
 be the care of every one of you to order your 
 Gonverfation aright. Then may'ft thou fpend thy 
 life in a bleffed tranquility ; and as Solomon fays, 
 
 Eccl. ix. 7. Thou may'ft go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, 
 and drink thy wine with a merry heart ; for God 
 accepteth thy works. This will make thy friends 
 eafy and comfortable, as having hope in thy 
 death : It will make thee lift up thy head with 
 joy in the approaches of it, as knowing that thy 
 redemption draweth nigh ; and it will fecure 
 thee an everlafting bleffednefs after death. For 
 God has faid. To him that ordereth his converfatiou. 
 eKighty will I Jhew the falvation of God. 
 
 The 
 
285 
 
 The furfrifing Condefcenfan of God in 
 dwelling with Men u^on Earth. 
 
 SERMON 
 
 Preach'd on 
 
 Christmas-Day, iyi6. 
 
 1 Chron. VI. 18. 
 
 But will God in very deed dwell 
 with Men on Earth ? 
 
 THE incarnation of our Lord JefusSermoa 
 Chrifl, is a fubjedl which fhould ne- XL 
 ver be thought on by us without ^•^'^^'''^ 
 wonder and aftonifhment. Herein 
 the counfels of heaven began to be put in exe- 
 cution ; and this was the firfl opening .of that 
 bright and glorious fcene of redeeming love and 
 grace, which is the ground of all our hope and 
 comfort. The appearance of our bleffed Lord 
 in the world, the manner in which he behaved 
 himfelf while he was in it, and the way he ha?; 
 taken to bring about our falvation, are fubje<5ts 
 of that importance to chriftians, and require fo 
 
 much 
 
286 The furprifing Condefcenfion of God 
 
 Sermon much of their application and diligence to greateri 
 XI. their thoughts of them ; that it has pleafed God 
 >^;V"w/ to appoint one day in the week to be efpecially 
 imploy'd in a th'ankful meditation upon them. 
 He that duly regards God's inftitution, and 
 keeps up the weekly remembrance of thefe be- 
 nefits, will not need the help of an anniverfary 
 feftival of man's devifing, to put him in mind 
 of our Saviour's incarnation. 
 
 But inveterate cuftoms, however groundlefs 
 they may be, are not eafily broken : And there- 
 fore here chriltians ought (as one would think, 
 without any great difficulty they may be able) 
 to bear with one another's differing fentiments 
 and pra6lices, without envying, or grievoufly 
 cenfuring the liberty which is ufed on both 
 lides. As he that regards not the day, regards it 
 not to the Lord \ fo he that regardeth it, let him 
 to the Lord regard it. 'Tis highly unreafonable 
 on either hand, that fuch as efteem themfelves 
 1 Pet. ii. free, fhould ufe their liberty as a cloak ofmalidouf- 
 i<5. nefs. As God has called us to liberty, fo it fhould 
 
 Cal.v. 13. be our care w^ to ufe our liberty for an occafion to 
 the flefh, hut by love to ferve cne another. 
 
 If men pay a religious deference to this time 
 of the year, and are more pleafed with it upon 
 a facred account, than for the ordinary licenci- 
 oufnefs of it ; let them then exercife themfelves 
 agreeably, in feriouQy remembring what they 
 profefs to be the reafon of their obferving it : 
 And then this text will afford them fomewhat 
 very ferious upon that fubjed:, which is of too 
 great importance to be ever unfuitable to any 
 of us. 
 
 The words are Solomon*s at the dedication of 
 the temple. He had by God's fpecial appoint- 
 ment built it for the place of God's abode, as 
 
 he 
 
in dweUing with Men upon Earth, ^8? 
 
 he fays, / have built an houfe of habitation. Sermon 
 and a place for thy dwelling for ever. And flow, XI. 
 when in his prayer to God, he confider'd for N^r**' 
 what ufeGod had warranted him to build this^er. a. 
 houfe, that it was to be his dwelling place, he 
 breaks out into this admiration in the text : 
 But will God in very deed dwell with Tiien on earth ? 
 Which words are not to be taken to exprefs any 
 doubtfulnefs or unbelief of the matter in Solomon^ 
 but to declare the admiration and joy that 
 poffefs'd his foul, when he thought of this greac 
 vouchfafement, q, d. *' Matchlefs goodnefs I 
 Aftonilhing condefcenfion ! Who could have 
 ever had fuch a thought enter into his mind, 
 and much more who could have ever ex- 
 pefted the thing it felf, that God fhould 
 dwell with men on earth, had not he himfelf 
 firft affured us of it, and given exprefs order 
 to prepare a place for it ? 
 The words therefore will yield us this gene- 
 ral propolicion : That 'tis a moft affeding and 
 furprifmg thing, that God ihould dwell with 
 men on earth. 
 
 This I fhall confider, 
 
 I. With relation to the temple which Solo?non 
 built, and which he may be thought to 
 have had moft clearly in view, when he 
 utter'd thefe words ; 
 
 II. With relation to what was typified by 
 the temple, and which 'tis not unreafonable 
 to fuppofe ^o/o^wo/z had fome, though a lels 
 diflinft, notion of, and fo might have here 
 fome regard to ; and that is the temple of 
 our Lord's body, when the word was made 
 ficjh, and dwelt %vith us here on earth. 
 
 . I. *Tis 
 
^88 The fur^rifing Condefcenfion of God 
 
 Sermon I. 'Tis an aftonifhing thing, and fliould very 
 XI. much afFedl our minds, that God fhould dwell 
 
 ^•^yyJ with men on earth, in fuch a way as he dwelt 
 in that temple which Solojnon built. The laft 
 part of the verfe gives us the reafon why this 
 is lb aftonifhing : Behold, heaven, and the hea'Ven 
 of heavens cannot contain thee -, how much lefs this 
 houfe which I have built ? This leads us likewife 
 to the true notion we are to form of God*s 
 dwelling in any place. If we confider his omni- 
 prefence, that in him we live, and move, and have 
 our being ; that he fills the heaven and the earth 
 with his prefence, and that the created univerfe 
 is too narrow to fet limits to his being ; 'tis 
 plain, in this refpeft, he can't be faid to dwell 
 more in one place than in another. He can't 
 be contain'd in any one place, becaufe 'tis im- 
 poflible he Ihould be excluded from any : But 
 he is faid to dwell where he affords fenfible and 
 illuftrious tokens of his prefence. Thefe feem 
 to have been given immediately by the Koy©-, 
 the Son of God, according to the ordinary way 
 wherein God works. And he that afterwards 
 dwelt in our flelh, feems to have been the per- 
 fon, who of old was peculiarly prefent in the 
 tabernacle and temple -, and upon other occali- 
 ons wherein God is faid to have appear'd to men. 
 He dwelt then between the Cherubim ; but it 
 
 ver. 1. was, as Solomon fays, in the thick darknefs, h e. 
 
 Lev.xvi.2»i;^ the cloud upon the mercy-feat. There he pecu- 
 liarly was, and accepted his peoples fervice -, and 
 the cloud was a fymbol of the glorious prefence 
 of him, whom it was not lawful for any of the 
 people, or of the priefts to behold ; no, not the 
 high-prieft himfelf, when he once a year went 
 into the holy of holies. And therefore he was 
 
 com- 
 
in drpeliing with Men upn Earth, 289 
 
 commanded to burn inccnfe when he went in ; Sermon 
 that the fmoke of it might prevent his fight of XI. 
 that glorious perfon who dwelt there. Arid he ^"'^^r-^ 
 /hall take a cenjer full of burning coals of fire from^^"^'^"^^' 
 off the Altar before the Lor'd, and his hands full ^^^ ^^' 
 of five et incenfe beaten f/nall, and bring it within 
 the vail. And he fJjall put the incenfe upon the fire 
 before the Lord, that the cloud of the incenfe may 
 cover the ??iercy-feat that is upon the tejlimony, that 
 he die not. That is, fay the Jewijh writers, 
 " To the end that he might not behold theAinfw. 
 " majefty of God, as 'tis written. No fndn fhall^^^^^' 
 *' fee me and live^ *twas necelTary that he fhould 
 " firft darken the houfe with incenfe : And this 
 made them ahciently fo ready to look upon 
 themfelves as dead men, when they had been 
 favour'd with an eminent manifeftation of thejudg-xiir. 
 divine glory. ^-l' . 
 
 Now to evidence to you, that God's dwelling ' ' ^* 
 in fuch a manner with men on earth, is a juft 
 caufe for the moft joyful amazement \ let me 
 take notice of thefe following things : 
 
 I. That hereby a very great honour is done 
 to Men. When the apoflle is fetting forth the 
 great advantages and privileges of the Jeivs., 
 above all other people, he takes particular notice 
 of this among the reft, that to them belong'd the'^oxn. ix. 
 glory. And the refidcnce of the divine glory among 4* 
 that people was without doubt a fignal honour 
 and glory to them. And they had good reaforl to 
 magnify their privilege, and to boaft of the ho- 
 nour done them ; that they had the temple of God 
 among them. We reckon it an honour, when 
 one, very much our fuperior, will condefcend 
 to make us a vifit, and take up with fuclv accom- 
 modations as we are able to give him. And 
 how inconceivably «reat then muH the honour 
 U be 
 
^^o The furprifing Condejcenfion of God 
 
 Sermon be which is done to any people on the earth, 
 
 XI. when the glorious God will vouchfafe to vifit, 
 
 St^-^"^ to dwell, to fix his habitation and abode with 
 
 them ! Muft it not be very ftrange, that the 
 
 fupream Lord Ihould fhew fiich a regard to the 
 
 fons of men ? 
 
 2. The friendfliip which is hereby exprefs'd 
 is moll advantageous. We are not to look upon 
 this as a bare, empty, and ufelefs honour. If 
 it be duly confider'd, it muft appear an invalu- 
 able benefit : For what can we think that all 
 this condefcenfion in him, and all the great pre- 
 parations which he appoints to be made of an 
 houfe and habitation for him can be for •, but that 
 he may be nigh to his people in a peculiar man- 
 ner, nigh to them in all they call upon him 
 for ; nigh to them to receive their fervices, to 
 accept their offerings, to anfwer their prayers, 
 and give forth to them a fupply of all their 
 wants ? 
 
 And to this purpofe we have many exprefli- 
 Exod. - ons concerning God's houfe under the law. 'This 
 xxix. 41, jjj^li i)Q ^ continual burnt offering throughout your ge- 
 ^^' nerations at the door of the tabernacle of the congre- 
 
 gation, before the Lo r d : where I will meet with 
 -jou to fpeak there u7ito thee. And there will I meet 
 Chap. XXX. <^f^^ the children of Tfrael. And again : Thou fh alt 
 put it before the vail, that is by the ark of the tejli- 
 mony ; before the mercy-feat that is over the tefii- 
 mony, where I will meet with thee. 
 
 Can any friendfliip, any intercourfe or com- 
 munion be more advantageous to men on earth, 
 than what God is pleas'd to afford them with 
 himfelf ? Well then might it affecSb king Solomon, 
 when he confider'd for what God was pleas'd 
 to take up -his refidence with, men on earth, and 
 how great advantages would certainly redound to 
 them thereby, 3, The 
 
in dtoellmg with Men u^on Earth. a 9 1 
 
 3. The circumftances of men here on earth. Sermon 
 render it the more amazing that God Ihould XL 
 come and dwell with them. As we can't raife -^^"-y^ 
 our thoughts high enough when we think of 
 God, fo we can hardly think contemptibly. 
 enough of our felves, when we compare our 
 felves with him. If we look to our original for- 
 mation, and confider the matter of v/hich we 
 are compofed ; may we not thence learn to en- 
 tertain a low opinion of our felves ? How little 
 do we value the dull under our feet ? And yet 
 of that were we made, as in a little time will be 
 fufRciently demonflrated, when we come to be 
 refolved into our firft principles j and the duft 
 that was taken from the earth, returns to the 
 earth, and becomes dull again. See how affedled 
 Abraham was with this thought : He could not 
 but look upon it as a kind of prefumption for 
 him to fpeak unto God, wnen he confider'd 
 what he himfelf was, dufi and ajhes. He appre- 
 hended the great God might refent his interpo- 
 fmg in the hohdli o^ Sodom as a daring affront, 
 and therefore he ufes that caution : Behold now J^'^en. jcviii. 
 have taken upon me to fpeak unto the Lord, which ajn ' ''' ^°* 
 tut duft and aJhes. -And again, O let not the Lord 
 he angry, and I will /peak. And if our circum- 
 ftances, as fuch weak, mean, and frail creatures, 
 befpeak it a condefcenlion in God to fuffer us to 
 fpeak to him, much more muft it be thought 
 a condefcenfion in him to fuffer fuch to build 
 a place for his abode, and then to vouch- 
 fafe to abide and dwell in it, that he may be 
 near to us to do us good. And we may efpeci- 
 ally thus conceive of this matter, when we re- 
 member how much fm has depreit us below GUI' 
 firft original. Though we were made of the 
 dull of tiie earth, yet by reafon of that nol^le 
 XJ 2 and 
 
■1^1 The furfrifing Condefcenfan of God 
 
 Sermon and immortal fpirit which was immediately 
 XI. breathed into us by God, we were the top oi 
 
 s-^'V'^ this lower creation. But fin has made us more 
 vile than the beafts that perifh. This has over- 
 Ipread our nature, marr'd the w^orkmanfhip of 
 God, and rendered us molt wretchedly unfit for 
 fo pure and holy a God to converfe with. This 
 therefore renders the thing yet the more afto- 
 nifhing. However mean the matter of our com- 
 pofition at firfl was, yet we were his oWn crea- 
 tures, and his wifdom and power were glorioufly 
 difplay'd in forming the vile duft fo curioufly ; 
 and making of it creatures capable of fuch ex- 
 cellent and noble purpofes. And it could not 
 be any real difparagement for him to fhew a 
 kind regard to creatures, which it was not below 
 his wifdom to produce. But now for him to be 
 willing to take up his abode with thofe who 
 have fo vitiated themfelves, and loft the great 
 excellency and glory of their nature •, for him to 
 accept of a dwelling place of their preparing, 
 and to come and fet his glory in the midft of 
 them, and to converfe with them in a gracious 
 manner -, this may well be marvellous in our eyes. 
 4. His condefcenfion muft be herein very ad- 
 mirable, feeing he is infinitely above the want 
 of any thing of this nat'jreupon his own account. 
 What need do we think he that form'd all 
 things, that laid the foundations of the earth, 
 and ftretched out the heavens as a curtain, that 
 has made this vaft fabric, whofe greatnels fur- 
 paffes our conception, and the proportion and 
 harmony of all whofe parts and motions is ex- 
 quifite ; what need, I fay, can he have of any 
 houfe of man's erefting for him to dwell in ? 
 Can he want a place of abode, who-was before 
 the mountains were brought forth, before the 
 
 earth 
 
in dwelling with Men upon Earth. 295 
 
 earth and the world were form'd, who wasSermon 
 from everlafting, and is to everlalting God ? XI. 
 
 If he needed fuch an habitation, where do we '"-^'"Y^^^ 
 think he was before he made all thefe things ? 
 How nobly does the apoftle argue this matter ? 
 God that made the world, and all things therein, A<^^s xvii. 
 feeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dzvell-^-h -"i- 
 eth 7iot in temples made with hands ; neither is war- 
 fhiped with ??iens hands, as tho' he needed any thing ; 
 feeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things, 
 Since lip is Lord of heaven and earth, he can't 
 need any earthly temple to dwell in : And feeing 
 he gives toall rnenwhatever they have, he can't be 
 in v/ant of any thing they can give or make forhim. 
 
 And as the apoitle fpeaks here concerning his 
 houfe, fo God himfelf elfewherc fpeaks concern- 
 ing the table he kept in it, or the meat of his 
 houfe, that is, the facrifices offer'd there upon 
 his altar ; fliewing that he receiv'd not thefe 
 things as tho' he had any real want of them. 
 Every heaft of the fore fi is mine, and the cattle upon'^^S^^' ^' '°' 
 a thou f and hills. I know all the fowls of the vioun- 
 tains ', and the wild heajls of the field are mine. If 
 I were hungry, I would not tell thee, for the world 
 is mine, and the fulnefs thereof. Will I eat the flefh 
 of hulls, or drink the hlood of goats ? And fince God 
 is fo tranfcendently above any want of thefe 
 things, his accepting them mull be an ad: of 
 pure goodpefs, which may wel] appear moft admi- 
 rable, when we confider to whom 'tis fliown. 
 
 5. God's dv/elling thus with men on earth is 
 the more admirable, becaufe the moft ilatcly 
 building that can be erefted by men on earth, 
 is fo vaftly below the greatneis and magnificence 
 of Jiis majefty, A temple is confider'd as the 
 houfe of God, as his palace, and the place of his. 
 refidence and abode. Now a palace fliould be 
 U 3 imfxYei"- 
 
■ih %, 6. 
 
 294, The JuYfrifing Condefceyifion of God 
 
 Sermon anfwerable to the magnificence of the prince that 
 XT. inhabits it. A low and mean cottage, a nar- 
 ^-""V^^ row and contemptible ftrufture, would be reck- 
 on'd a difparagement to a great monarch. And 
 all ages teftify, that fuch are ambitious of fhew- 
 ing their magnificence by the ftatelinefs of their 
 palaces, and apt to pride themfelves therein. 
 Dan.iv. T\\us JSJehuchadnezzaf, when he was w^x/H;?^, and 
 i9i 3c. ftrutting in the palace of the ki?2gdo7n of Babylon, 
 he fpake and faid : Is not this great Babylon that I 
 have built for the hoiife of the kingdom^ hj the might 
 of nvj power, and for the honour of 771^ majefl'j ? 
 And as the temple which Solo7non built was to 
 be the houfe of God, fo it was built with the 
 utmoft magnificence upon the account of the 
 greatnefs of that God for whom 'twas built. 
 Chron. '■fh'ehoufe, fays he, which I build is great ; for our 
 God. is great above all Gods. But who is able' to 
 build hiTn an houfe, feeing the heaven, and heaven of 
 heavens, ca7t7iot contain hi7n ? Who am I then that I 
 Jloould build him an hoife, five only to burn facrifice 
 before him P In which words he alleges the great- 
 nefs of God, as a reafon for the greatnefs of the 
 tem.ple to be built for him i and at the fame 
 time owns that the temple he fliould build, how- 
 ever magnificent it fhould be, would yet by no 
 means be anfwerable to his greatnefs : That 
 though it was to be indeed God's houfe, yet it 
 was not fo properly for his ufe as for his people's, 
 that they might offer facrifices before him. 
 And though that temple was the moll magni- 
 iicent in the whole world -, yet what a fmall, 
 inconfiderable fpot did it fland upon, in compa-' 
 fifon of the whole" earth ?■ and what is even that 
 If. l.y.vi. |o the place of God's abode l Thus faith the Lord: 
 ^^ ^^ ' The h^'a^en is m-j throne, and the earth is 77iy footjJool : 
 IFhere is the houfe ye build unto me ? and where is 
 
in dwelling with Men upon Earth. 295 
 
 ibe place of 7ny refl ? For all theje things hath mine Sermon 
 hand made^ and all thefe things have been. For XI. 
 the great God then to take up his refidence in W'y'V 
 an earthly temple, and to dwell with men ort 
 earth, is like the condefcenfion of a prince (to 
 ufe the allufion there) who fhould come down 
 from his throne, to fit fiimiliarly with his fubjedls 
 upon the loweft part of his footllool. And this 
 fill'd Solomon with wonder, that fo great a God 
 fliould yet vouchfafe to dwell with men on earth. 
 Therefore he fpeaks of it in this manner : But 
 will God in very deed dwell with jnen on earth ? 
 Behold^ heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot 
 contain thee ; how much lefs this hotife zvhich I have 
 built ? 
 
 And thus I have fhewn you how aflonilhing 
 'tis, that God fhould dwell with men on earth, 
 in fuch a manner as he once dwelt in the Jewifh 
 tabernacle and temple. Give me leave, before 
 I pafs to the other part of my difcourfe, to make 
 this one remark upon what has been faid, viz. 
 That God's dwelling on earth is certainly not fo 
 light a matter as fome men would make of it : I 
 mean thofe who would pretend to allure us of 
 God*s dwelling in all the temples they are pleas'd 
 to build and to confecrate ; and to allege, I know 
 not what Shechinah, or glory, that is at their 
 altars, as a reafon why men fhould bow toward 
 them. What warrant have they for this ? David 
 and Solomon would not venture upon building an 
 habitation for the great God, without his fpeci- 
 al appointment. 
 
 The building of places of worfhip is certainly 
 very commendable, and this among the Jews 
 any one might do, who could go to the cofb. But 
 there was a vaft difference between their fyrta- 
 gogues and the temple. There was no divine 
 U 4 Shc^ 
 
^9^ The JitrfYifing Condefcenfion of God 
 
 Sermon Sbechinah, or glory in the fynagogues •, nay, nor 
 XI. in the fecond temple, when they had loft the 
 ^-'"'V'^ ark of the teftimony. We have no order for 
 letting apart places now for any Inch purpofe ; we 
 have no promife of God's dwelling peculiarly in 
 them, nor is there any evidence or fign of his 
 doing fo. The only temple God has ever had 
 among the Gentiles is his church and people ; 
 in them, and not in any houfes made with 
 hands, does he now dwell. The very notion 
 thefe men have is fuperftitious j but the pradlice 
 they build upon it, when upon this ground they 
 direft their worfhip toward a particular place, 
 as though a divine glory refided there, I take 
 to be much worfe ; and is fuch an evil as I am 
 forry it Ihould be found among chriftians, and 
 efpecially among proteftants. 
 
 II. I come now to fhew you, that 'tis a moft 
 affedting and furprifing thing, that Gcd fhould 
 dwell with men on earth in that manner in which 
 he did at the incarnation of our bleffed Lord, 
 when the word was made flefh, and dwelt among 
 us. And as the tabernacle ard temple of old 
 were typical of his tabernacling among us, and 
 of the temple of his body ; fo 'tis not unreafo- 
 nable to fuppofe Solo?non might have fome im- 
 perfeft notion of this matter, and fome regard 
 ro it in the uttering thefe words, M^ili God in 
 ven deed, divsll ivith men on earth ? 
 
 'Tis indeed very natural, when we think of 
 God's dwelling by his Son in the temple of Je- 
 riifkle?n, to make a tranfuion in our thoughts 
 to his dwelling in our nature. Our Saviour him- 
 felf has taught us to dofo^ by his taking occa- 
 fion from, the temple, "when he was in it, to 
 johii i.i. fbcak of the temple of his body. Dejl'roy this 
 ■■^> '-' ta-pth'^ andinthree da\'S I zvillraije it tip: JBuLhs. 
 
in dwelling with Men upon Earth, 197 
 
 /pake of the temple of his hod^. And if it was fo Sermon 
 furprifing a thing that he Ihould dwell in an XI. 
 earthly temple, much more is it furprifing he wO^*^ 
 fhould dwell in flefh. This I fhall now make 
 out by thefe following confiderations. 
 
 I, An unfpeakably greater honour is done us 
 by the incarnation of the Son of God, than by 
 his dwelling in any earthly temple. 'Tis a 
 vaftly different, and a much greater thing for 
 the Son of God to become man, by taking our 
 nature upon him, than it was for him to dwell 
 in that manner he did for a time among the 
 Jews in an earthly temple. 'Tis reckon'd a 
 greater honour to a corporation, when a prince 
 accepts of his freedom among them, whereby , 
 he makes himfelfone of them, than 'tis for him 
 barely to flay a little while among them. And 
 indeed the highefl honour has been done to our 
 nature by the Son of God's affuming it into 
 fo clofe an union with himfelf It was an ho- 
 nour to it, that he was pleas'd of old to appear 
 in the form and refemblance of a man, as it 
 feems reafonable to think he did upon feveral 
 occafions mention'd in the old teftament ; and 
 might, for ought we know, in fome fuch manner 
 inhabit the tabernacle and firft temple. But 
 ftill that was not our f^efh, that was not our 
 nature : But this he actually affum'd at his in- 
 carnation. Of what higher advancement was 
 our nature capable than this which is now con- 
 fer'd upon it ? The angelic order deftre to look into 
 thefe things^ and behold, with admiration, our 
 nature promoted to a dignity, which their own 
 is a flranger to. For verily' he took not upon hifn 
 the nature of angels, hut the feed of Ahrihdim ; and 
 lecaufe the children zvere partakers of flefh and blood, 
 be fikeivife himfelf took part of the fame. 
 
 2 Further, 
 
aaS The fur pri fag Condefcenfion of God 
 
 Sermon Further, his afiuming our nature was not a 
 XI, fnort temporary bufmefs : He ftill retains it in 
 Si^Y'>>j the neareft union with himlelf, and has made it 
 partake of all his prefent advancement and glo- 
 ry. He has carried it with him into heaven, 
 and there in it fits at the right hand of God, 
 crown*d with dignity and honour, having all 
 power both in heaven and earth confer'd upon 
 him : So that our nature could not be more 
 honour'd by being aflum'd by a more honourable 
 perfon, or by being more highly advanc'd and 
 exalted. And well may we lay, who are we, 
 or what is our father's houfe^ that we fhould- be 
 thus dealt with, and highly honour'd ? And if 
 Elizabeth was \'o affefted at the coming of his 
 Lukei. 43. mother, when fhe cried out. Whence is this to me, 
 that the mother of my Lord Jl:>oidd come to me ? 
 Much more may we cry out with admiration,; 
 whence is it that our Lord himfelf Ihould in this 
 manner come to us, and in this manner take 
 us to himfelf ; take our nature to a participation 
 in his glory ? 
 
 2. He is by this means come much nearer to 
 us than he ever was before. Whatever the 
 glory was in which he dwelt of old in the tem- 
 ple, it was not accommodated to a mortal eye. 
 i chron. The glorj of the Lord filled the houfe ; and the 
 '^"•. ^' '.:. pyiejls could not. enter into the houfe of the Lord, 
 iKiHg.vni.^^^^^^y^ /^<f glory of the Lord had filled the LoRo'i. 
 * * hoife. 
 
 . And the like was the cafe at the fetting up, 
 
 the tabernacle. The Ipiendor and glory of the 
 
 . divine prefence v/as too ftrong for Mofes him- 
 
 Exod.xu ielf to behold. Then a cloud covered the tent of 
 
 34> 5 5- the congregation, and the ^ior^ of the Lord, 
 
 filled the tahernade. And Mofes ijoas not able 
 
 to enter into ths tent of the congregation, becaufe 
 
 tks 
 
in dwelling with Men u^on Earth, '299 
 
 the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the L.okd Sermon 
 filed the tabernacle. But how different was the XI. 
 cafe at his incarnation ? Then the word was ''•'^"V^^ 
 made flejh, and tabernacled with us (andwe,beheld]ohtii.i^o 
 his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Fa- 
 ther) full of grace and truth. Then he that was 
 the brightnelsofhis Father's glory, and the ex- 
 prefs image of his perfon, was in the fulleft man- 
 ner reveal'd ■■, and the Father in and by him ; 
 fo that he that faw the Son, faw the Father 
 alfo. 
 
 And not only was he brought nearer to our 
 view, but he became more nearly allied and re- 
 lated to us. He has taken our nature into an 
 union with himfelf, has taken part with us in 
 our flefh and blood, and has been, as we all are, 
 born of a woman : And by thus becoming man 
 he Hands in a near relation to us, and is, not 
 now alham*d to call us brethren. And is it not 
 an amazing thing, that the king of glory fhould 
 condefcend to be thus related to us, that by fuch 
 a method he and we fliould become brethren ; 
 that he by becoming the fon of man, fhould 
 be a brother to men, that they by virtue of 
 their relation to him might again be related to 
 God, and as brethren be the children of the 
 fame father, have his Father for their Father, 
 and his God for their God ? 
 
 3. His dwelling in this manner with men on 
 earth is the more affecting and furprifing, up- 
 on the account of the lownefs of that condition , 
 into which he put himfelf at his incarnation. 
 He is the king of glory, and had a glory with 
 the Father before the world was. And when he 
 dwelt in the tabernable and temple, he by no 
 means divefted himfelf of his glory. He refided 
 there with a majefty and glory fuitable to his 
 '■ 2 nature. 
 
3 OO The furfrijing Condejceytfwn of God 
 
 Sermon nature, and too great for men to behold or bear 
 XI. the prefence of. Here was a condefcenfion in- 
 
 (y^VV) deed, in dealing fo kindly with men ; but there 
 was no condefcenfion in obfcuring and vailing his 
 glory. The majefty and glory of his prefence 
 then was awful to all that were near the place 
 of it. But how amazingly different was his con- 
 dition when he came into the world ! He had 
 then indeed the glory of the only begotten of 
 the father ; but not in a fenfible and confpicu- 
 ous manner, not fo as to affedt a bodily eye. 
 He had thus no form nor comelinefs to raife the 
 wonder, or attraft the defire of thofe that be- 
 held him. He that was in the form of God, 
 took upon him the form of a fervant •, became 
 fuBjeft to the government of parents and magi- 
 ftrates. He was made like to us in all the fmlels 
 frailties and infirmities which the human na- 
 ture, ever fince the fall, has been fubjedl to. He 
 led a life as we do, expos'd to danger and trou- 
 ble -, was a weak infant •, perfecuted that he 
 might be deftroy'd upon his firft coming into 
 the world i was all along a man offorrows, and 
 acquainted with grief-, encounter'd the tempta- 
 tions of the devil -, indur'd the contradiftion of 
 finners, being reviled, abafed, derided, buffeted, 
 fcourg'd, fpit upon, and crucified by men. And 
 can any thing be more aftonifhing than this ? 
 
 Well may we call the univerfe to obferve 
 and wonder at this. Hear, Oh heavens, and 
 give ear. Oh earth : The creator, he by whom 
 God made the worlds, has become an infant ; 
 and he that made all things has been made of a 
 woman : He that gives life to all, has conde- 
 fcended to receive life by the means of fuch to 
 whom he gave it. The Son of the blefled, that 
 Yf'is mofl blefled in the bofom of the Father, 
 
 has. 
 
in dwelling with Men upon Earth, 501 
 
 has indur*d the fharpeft affliftion, and mofl bit- Sermon 
 ter curfe •, and the Lord of life has died an XL 
 ignominious and painful death, even the death of \y\'^ 
 the crofs. And would he ever thus in very deed 
 dwell with men on earth? has he actually now done 
 it ; and have we not reafon, with Solomon, to be 
 aftonifh'd at the thoughts of it ? 
 
 4. His dwelling thus with men on earth is the 
 more marvellous, if we confider the defign of 
 it. For what end did he come in'To the world, 
 and live in it, was he tempted, did he fufFer, 
 bleed and die, but for our advantage ? What an 
 affedion to, and tendernefs for us has he ac- 
 ijuir'd by taking our nature, experiencing our 
 troubles and temptations ? How mercifully is 
 he now inclin'd to fuccour us in all our difficul- 
 ties ? What a clear revelation has he given us 
 of the divine law, and what an example has he 
 fet us of obedience, patience, and fubmiflion to 
 the divine will ? And what a perfe6t expiation 
 and atonement has he made for our fins ? This 
 
 was the end of his appearance. We know he was i John iii» 
 manifefled to take away our fins. Alton ifhing 5« 
 grace ! His condefcenfion is our exaltation ; his 
 abafement our glory •, his forrows are our com- 
 forts *, his grief our joy ; his wounds are our 
 healing, and his death our life. He humbles 
 himfelf to dwell with men on earth, to open a 
 way for their advancement to dwell with him 
 in heaven. 
 
 5. That which heightens the wonder of all is, 
 that Lhefe methods are purfued, and thefe tranf- 
 actions fet on foot for the benefit of fuch rebels 
 and enemies as men here on earth are. For 
 them that had forfeited his favour, and deferv'd 
 his vengeance ; for them that would fo unkindly 
 receive him i for them at whofe hands he was 
 
 to 
 
^ol The furprifing Condefcenfion of God 
 
 Sermon to undergo his grievous forrows -, for them, I 
 XI. fay, and their benefit, he came to dwell here 
 
 ^•V"w on earth : Them he came to ferve, by whom 
 he was fo greatly to fuffer. And if Solomon had 
 reafon to fpeak with fo much wonder of God's 
 • dwelling with men on earth, in an earthly tem- , 
 pie, much more reafon have we to fpeak with 
 wonder of his thus dwelling with us in our nature. 
 This is indeed the Lord's doings, condefcenfion 
 and goodnefs too great for any heart but his ; 
 and therefore 'tis marvellous in our eyes. 
 
 I fhall now conclude with fome refledions upon 
 what has been faid. 
 
 1. Hence we may fee how great an evil fm is, , 
 and how difficult and important a work it is to 
 fave finners. Had fin been as light and jirivial 
 a matter as foolifh finners are apt to make of it, 
 there would have been no need of fuch an a* 
 mazing abafement of the Son of God to take it 
 away. Were other offerings and facrilices of no 
 value for this end, was fuch a facrifice requifite 
 in our cafe ; was it expedient that no lefs a per- 
 fon than the bleffed Son of God fhould be made 
 flefh, made a curfe and a facrifice for us, in 
 order to his atoning for it ; and muft it not 
 then be a moft hateful and abominable evil ? 
 And were the filvation of fuch as have been 
 guilty of it, an eafy thing to be accomplifh'd, 
 doubtlefs it had been elfeded without putting 
 fo glorious a perfon as he was to the greateft 
 Ihame and pain. But the difficulties of the work 
 requir'd fuch an undertaker ; and the deplora- 
 blenefs of our cafe call'd for the help of one who 
 was mighty to fave. 
 
 2. Hence we may fee the great obligations we 
 ■ are under to our redeemer. How earnefrly 
 
 defirous does he appear to have been of our 
 
 welfare,. 
 
in dwelling with Men upn Earth, 503 
 
 welfare, fince he ftuck at no abafement, no trou- Sermon 
 , ble or grief in order to his procuring it. What XI. 
 greater evidence could he give us of his affedti- v^-y-*^ 
 on, than he has done by his being willing to 
 vail his glory, to put himfelf into fuch a low 
 condition, and live fuch a forrowful life here in 
 a mofl miferable world ; and at laft, die the 
 moft ignominious and accurfed death of the crpfs 
 for us ? Is it an amazing thing, that fuch a 
 perfon fhould dwell with men on earth, and 
 fhall we not efteem it the moft marvellous de- 
 monftration of his love ? What could he have 
 done more for us than he has done P Or how 
 could he come nearer, or be more ftridlly allied 
 to us, than by taking upon him our nature, and 
 dwelling in our fleih ? 
 
 3. The more aftonifhing his condefcenfion is 
 in dwelling with men on earth, the more fhould 
 our remembrance of it excite us to blefs and 
 glorify God. Thus were the angels imploy'd 
 at his coming into the world, ^nd fuddenly there Uikt ii. 
 was with the angel a ?nultitude of the heavenly hojl 1 3, 14, 
 praifing God, and faying. Glory to God in the 
 higbejl, and on earth peace, good-will to 7nen *,• and 
 yet he came not to dwell with them, but with 
 men on earth. Shall not we therefore look upon 
 our felves under more peculiar obligations to 
 blefs and magnify the name of our God upon 
 this account ? This fhould be frequently our 
 bufinefs: Chrifl fhould be the moft conftant fub- 
 jed of every chriflian's praife and thanklgiving. 
 And as tiiis fliould run through all our fervice, 
 fo particularly fliould it now be the imployraenc 
 of thofe who would obferve an annual re- 
 membrance of it. This would be to ohferve it to 
 the Lord, and fhould be no matter of offence to 
 any, provided it were done wicli charity," and 
 
 with- 
 
504. The ftcrpri/ing Condejcenfion of God 
 
 Sermon without intrenching upon our chriftian liberty^ 
 XL But if men only make this an occafion to the 
 
 Wyvi/ fiefh, to be the more loofe and profligate, you 
 may be aflur'd the amazing condefcenfion of 
 Chrift in dwelHng with men on earth will never 
 juftify or excufe them. Chrift was jnanifejled 
 to dejiroy the works of the devil ; they therefore 
 deal very injurioufly by him who commemorate 
 his birth, as though he came to be the 7?imjler 
 of fin. 
 
 4. Let us hence learn to be more careful not 
 to debafe our nature which the Son of God has 
 fo highly honour'd and dignified by taking it 
 upon himfelf. Has he fet fuch a value upon it, 
 and fo glorioufly exalted it ; let not us under- 
 value and difparage it. We c£in boaft of an 
 honour confer'd upon our nature, that never 
 was upon the angelical ; and fhall we, notwith- 
 ftanding, proftitute it, as tho* it were no better 
 than that of the beafts that perifh ? As the vifion 
 faid to Peter, What God has deanfed, that call not 
 thou common ; fo fay I to you, what God has 
 honour*d, make not thou vile. Is that nature 
 which the Son of God has honour'd with fo 
 intimate an union to himfelf, fit to be abufed by 
 intemperance and excefs ? Is it fit to be difho- 
 nour'd and defiled by impure and fenfual lufts ? 
 He by taking our nature is become one with us, 
 and we are now to confider our felves as under 
 
 1 Cor. vi. peculiar obligations to be his. Now, as the 
 
 13. apoftle lays, the body is 7iot for fornication, hut for 
 
 the Lord, and the Lord for the body. Let us then 
 
 remember we are under peculiar obligations to 
 
 honour our redeemer with that nature, which 
 
 'Ke has himfelf fo highly honour'd. 
 
 5. Since he has come and dwelt with men on 
 earth, let us make him our pattern : Since he 
 
 has 
 
in dweliifig with Men upon Earth, ^05 
 
 has born our nature, we may be affurM from Sermon 
 his wifdom, his perfed and fpotlefs purity, that XL 
 his example muil be the moil exadl and noble wO^-'Ne* 
 that was ever given in it. Moft worthy there- 
 fore is he of our imitation, and we ought to 
 walk, as he alfo walked ; the fame mind Ihould 
 be in us that was in him •, and as he was, fo 
 ihould we be in the world. 
 
 6. Has he teftified his willingnefs to come 
 and dwell with us, let us be earneflly defirous 
 of dwelling with him. 'Tis difmgenuous for us 
 to be Ihy or indifferent, when one {o tranfcen- 
 dently above us fiiews a defire of being near to 
 us. Shall we affeft a diftance from him, who 
 came down from heaven to dwell upon this mife- 
 rable earthy that he might be near us ? Is it 
 not both our honour and our happinefs that he 
 will dwell with us, and fuffer us to dwell with 
 him ? Let us then fhew our felves pleas'd with 
 his gracious condefcenfion, by indeavouring to 
 promote this cohabitation he is fo defirous of. 
 
 1. Let us cultivate that principle which is 
 moft fubfervient hereto. The apoftle fpeaks 
 
 of Chrijl's dwelling in our hearts h'j faith '. TheEph, iii. 
 more we live by faith, the more fhall we expe- ^7« 
 rience of his prefence and influences. 
 
 2. Let us cherilh the motions of his holy fpi- 
 rit, by whom he fulfils his promife of being with 
 his people alway, to the end of the world. By 
 him he dwells in i?s, whence we are ftiled the 
 temples of the Holy Ghoft. Grieve not therefore 
 his good fpirit ; but indeavour readily to follov/' 
 his conduct, and to do the things that are plea- 
 flng to him. 
 
 3. Let us earnellly defire and indeavour, that 
 we may dwell with him for ever. This v^as his 
 great defign in coming down to dwell with us 
 
 X ©n 
 
506 The furprifing Condejcenfim^ &C. 
 
 Sermon on earth, to raife us up to dwell with him in 
 XL heaven j and 'thither he is return'd to pre-pare a 
 
 )^^y^ place for you^ that where he is you viay he dlfo. Let 
 your minds then continually afcend to him, and 
 feek thofe things that are above, where Chrift 
 fitteth at the right hand of God. Count the 
 being with him in thofe manfions in his Father's 
 houfe, and the beholding his glory, to be far 
 better than all the comforts of a fenfual life 
 . here on earth. And therefore give all diligence 
 to pradife every virtue, and difcharge every 
 duty, that fo you may be admitted to a blifsful 
 abode with him who came down to dwell with 
 
 1 Pet. i. you on earth ; and that you may have an entrance 
 
 '*' minijired unto you abundantly ^ into the everlafiing 
 
 kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrijl. 
 
 Tk 
 
507 
 
 The Nature and ^efign of Chrifi^s Com- 
 mijffton to his A^ofiles. 
 
 S E R M O 
 
 PreachM 
 
 MAY 8, 1718. 
 
 Before the 
 
 ASSEMBLY 
 
 At the 
 
 Morning-Lecture. 
 
 Matt, xxviii. cto. (former part*) 
 
 Teaching them to obferve all things ^what^ 
 foever I have commanded jou, 
 
 THERE is hardly any thing which Sermon 
 men more eagerly covet than power ; XH. 
 and it cannot feem ftrange if that ^^-vs.* 
 often does, as it happens very re- 
 hiarkably in our time, become the occafion of 
 much conteft. And as 'tis a prefumption for 
 X 2 men 
 
2o8 The Nature and ^efign of 
 
 Sermon nien to aflume a power which does not belong 
 XII. to them, and invade the liberties of their neigh- 
 
 VXV^-^ bours ; foour fubmiflion to fuch a power, when 
 'tis of any confiderable confequence, is a mean 
 and bafe betraying of our right i and when 'tis 
 in the affair of religion, is inexcufable, becaufe 
 'tis inconfiftent with the allegiance, which as 
 chriftians we owe to our great Lord. In this 
 cafe, the fureft method of trying men's pre- 
 tences, is to have recourfe to the commiflion 
 from whence their authority is deriv'd. 
 
 For this end I have chofen thefe words as the 
 fubjeft of my difcourfe, becaufe in them our 
 Lord gave his apoftles their commiflion ; which 
 I freely own extended not only to them, but to 
 all who were to fucceed them in their office to 
 the end of the world. For as the promife in the 
 latter part of the verfe, reaches fo far (and 'tis 
 a poor criticifm that is alleg'd to the contrary) 
 lb it plainly fuppofes them (that is them arid 
 their fucceffors) to continue to the end of the 
 world. 'Tis therefore very proper to examine 
 what this commiflion does extend to. 
 
 The words then acquaint us with thefe two 
 things, which in my difcourfe I fhall accordingly 
 confider. 
 
 I. The general nature of that authority or 
 pOYv'er with which Chrift has intrufted his 
 miniflrers. 'Tis an authority to teach 
 men. 
 
 II. The particular matter in which they were 
 to exercife this power or authority, or 
 what they were to teach men •, and that is, 
 to ohferve all things wkatfoever Chrift has com- 
 manded them, 
 
 - ' L The 
 
ChrijPsCommiffionto his A^oflles. 309 
 
 I. The general nature of that authority with Sermon 
 which Chrift has intrufted his minifters ; *tis an XII. " 
 authority to ieach men. When our Saviour fent wO/^v/ 
 his apoflles into the world to preach the gofpel, 
 he knew how Itrong the prejudices were which 
 men had conceived in favour of the religions 
 they profefs'd, and how difficult 'twould be to 
 ^■emove them ; yet he defign'd not they lliould 
 fpread his doctrine and advance his kingdom by 
 the help of any carnal weapons, or by any 
 other force than that which was proper, in its 
 own nature, to work . upon the reafon and con- 
 fciences of men. Their bufinefs therefore was 
 to 7nanifeft the truth where they came, and by a Cor., 
 doing that, to approve themfelves to the confciences ^' 
 of men ^ in the fight of God. There is a confider- 
 able difference between thofe firft teachers, who 
 were immediately fent forth by Chrill: himfelf, 
 and thofe who come after them. Though the 
 fubjeft matter of the teaching of both be the 
 fame, as we fhall fee when we come to the other 
 part of our difcourfe ; yet the vaft fuperiority of 
 gifts and advantages which the firft minifters of 
 Chrift's kingdom had, muft necellarily befpeak; 
 them to have had an higher degree of authorityo 
 This difference will eafily appear, while 1 ex- 
 plain the way in which Chrift's minifters were tO: 
 teach men •, which I fliall ck) in thefe following 
 particulars : 
 
 I. They were to piihlifh and atlefl the truth 
 of God, and the way offalvation by Chrift, un- 
 to the world. This is the bufinefs of all thofe 
 ■who are imploy'd a.s the minifters, of Chrift. 
 We, indeed, can only publifti it as receiving it 
 f"rom them, and muft appeal to that teftimony, 
 ^hich they gaye,^ or rather which God gave by 
 X 3 thoni. 
 
3 1 o The Nature and ^efign of 
 
 Sermon them of the truth of it. But the apoftles were 
 XII. impower'd in a fingular and extraordinary man- 
 
 W"^--' ner to deliver thefe things unto the world. 
 Many of the things which are to be publilh'd 
 by the preachers of the gofpel, are matters of 
 fadV, as the preaching, miracles, death, refur- 
 reftion and afcenfion ofChrill: And thefe they 
 could bear witnefs to, as we who come after 
 them cannot ; becaufe we are not, as they were, 
 the eye-witneffes of them. 
 
 Befides, they had extraordinary gifts of the 
 Holy Spirit to inable them to do this. When 
 once the whole will of God, concerning our fal- 
 vation, is made known, and fully and certainly 
 deliver'd to the world, this is fuch a teft and 
 ftandard "of truth, as renders a farther revelation 
 fuperfluous ; and therefore the extraordinary di- 
 reftion of the fpirit was only requifite for the 
 firft fixing and fettling the great rule of our 
 judgment and pradice. When once that is put 
 into mens hands, if it be as clear and full as 
 God intended it lliould be, all the purpofes are 
 anfwer'd which a continued revelation could be 
 fuppos'd to ferve •, unlefs we can be fo abfurd as 
 to fuppofe that the all- wife God is* capable of im- 
 proving with time, and that he could not make 
 as clear and full difcoveries at once, if he pleas'd, 
 as he could by a continued courfe of them. 'Tis 
 true, before the fun of righteoufnefs appear'd, 
 clouds and darknefs coverM the world °, and thefe 
 it pleafed God gradually to difperfe as his arifmg 
 drew nearer. Hence there was fuch a continued 
 feries of revelation afforded to the ancient ped- 
 ple of Jfrael ; by which means God did in a 
 manner compenfate for the obfcurity of that 
 ceremonial religion which' he had eftabl'fh'cl 
 amons; them. But the cafe is yaftlv dificrent 
 
 now; 
 
Chriji's Commijjion to his Apoftles. 511 
 
 now grace and truth are come by JefusChrift -, Sermon 
 now life and immortality are brought to light XII, 
 by the gofpel ; now the vail being taken away, OrY">i^ 
 we all with open face heboid as in a glafs the glory 
 of the Lord. Chrift having taken care to leave 
 us a compleat fyftem of truth, his church does 
 not need any new revelation ; the fame that was 
 fufficient for chriltians at firft, is fufHcient for 
 them in all ages, if they will but keep to it. 
 
 But then 'tis evident, that for the firft deli- 
 vering this revelation to the world, an extraor- 
 dinary afliftance from God was neceffary. As no i Cor. \u 
 man knoweth the things of a man ^ fave the fpirit of^^' 
 man which is in him ; even fo the things of God 
 knoweth no 7nan^ but the fpirit of God. How 
 fhould the natural man^ that is, any man who 
 has not a revelation either immediately or me- 
 diately, receive the things of the fpirit ? How 
 fliould any one know the mind of the Lord, unlefs 
 he is pleafed to difcover it to him ? The things 
 which God has revealed by his fpirit, are fuch as 
 eye has ?iot feen, nor ear beard, jior have ever 
 entered into the heart of man : They could not be 
 known but by a divine manifeftation. 
 
 And this is the ground upon which we build, 
 that the facred pen-men of the fcriptures were 
 fo dired:ed and guided by the fpirit of Chrift, 
 as that they could not deliver any thing, in the 
 rule they have left us of truth, that was difa- 
 greeable to it. And indeed fuch afliftance was 
 neceflfary for them, who have delivered to us 
 thofe difcourfes of our Lord, which they them- 
 fclves heard out of his own mouth. They were 
 not taken by them in writing, as he delivered 
 them, nor v/ere they prefendy penn'd by thofe 
 who have deliver'd them to us ; but feveral of 
 ^heip. at tiie diftance of a great many years % 
 X 4. as. 
 
,y 1 1 The Nature and ^efign of 
 
 S^rmop as particularly the difcourfes recorded in St. John\s, 
 XII, gofpel are generally acknowledged to have been, 
 V^V^w Now whofe memory is naturally ftrong enough 
 £q retain fuch long difcourfes, as fome of them 
 are, with a fufficient exaftnefs ? Qr fuppofing 
 perfons to have a great ftrength of memory ; 
 yet how hard would it be for others to depend 
 vpoji that in fo nice a matter as the ftandard of 
 truth ? A fmall variation in a circumftance, or 
 a fingle word, which a man may eafily be guilty 
 pf, who repeats another's difeourfe long before 
 (^eliver'd •, and efpecially when he repeats it in 
 a different language from that in which it wa$ 
 at firft fpoken ; liich a fmall variation, I fay, 
 may make the fenfe conveyed to us vallly diffe- 
 rent from the fpeaker's. And if we could depend 
 Vpon the memory of the reporter, yet that 
 would hardly in this cafe be fufficient. For we 
 muft likewife fuppofe that he certainly took the 
 fpeaker right, and did not miftake his meaning ; 
 o.therwife his memory will, only help him in this 
 cafe, to acquaint us with hi-s own miftake. And 
 thi^ he muft certainly do, without leaving us 
 any remedy for our information, when he ex- 
 preiTes a difeourfe, not in the original words and 
 fyllables of the fpeaker, but in thofe of another 
 lan.guage> which he muft be fuppofed to choofe 
 as they appear to him moft proper to exprefs 
 his miftaken apprehenfion. We could not there- 
 fore have an intire fatisfadion in, the accounts^ 
 they have left ua i'a their writings, had we not' 
 j-eafon to believe they were guided themfelves 
 by the fpirit in what they wrote, This our. 
 Lord promis'd. his apoftleg before his departure. 
 'iphxL -4iv% iSraiii them. Mat the Comforter^ the Hcly Qhofi^ 
 ¥■' 'whosn the Fatlsr will fend in my ncime^ he fmUi^ach. 
 •pti dl things^ and bring all ihjf^gs iQ yoiir remeju-' 
 J • * ' " • ifrance^ 
 
Chrifi*s Commijffion to his Apoftles. 5 1 5 
 
 ^fAnce^ whatfoever I have /aid unto you. And Sermon 
 ^gain : How be ii, -when the fpirit of truth is come, XII. 
 i)e will guide you into all truth. W'V^^. 
 
 Another thing that was neceflary for thofe^°^" ^^' 
 firft minifters ot Chrift's kingdom, and which ^^* 
 diflinguifhes their teaching from that of their 
 fuccefTors, is the atteftation of miracles. 'G<?iHeb. ii. 4: 
 hore them witnefs, both with figns and wonders, and 
 with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghofi, 
 according to his own will. It was not enough for 
 them, when they brought a new doftrine to 
 the world, to declare they receiv'd it from God. 
 When men only bear witnefs to themfelves, 
 they are not to be bcliev'd in fuch an important 
 matter as this, of fetting up a new religion, and 
 teaching the way of eternal falvation to men. 
 There have been feveral who have pretended 
 to this, whofe pretences have been lo inconfiftent 
 with one another, that 'twas impolTibie they 
 Ihould all of them be allow'd. 
 
 There muft therefore be fome way, whereby 
 God himfelf does bear witnefs to the commiffion 
 of thofe whom he imploys as his mefiengers, to 
 bring a new revelation of his will to mankind. 
 And certainly the extraordinary operations of 
 i^he holy fpirit, which accompanied the apoflles 
 and firft preachers of the gofpel, were as full an 
 evidence as any could be given of their being- 
 fent of God. " The miraculous gifts of heal-- 
 ing, of tongues, the power of raifing the dead, 
 ^nd fuch like, could proceed frdm no other au- 
 thor but God, And 'tis not to be fuppos'd that 
 he would beftow thefe upon fuch as falfly pre- 
 tended to have receiv'd a commifllon from him. 
 He would not fet hi^ feal to their Iham commiffi- 
 on, and by fuch an atteftation recommend them 
 ^s. his oieflengers to the world, when they came, 
 yitha iyc in their mcuth. And. 
 
5 1 4 The Nature and lyefign of 
 
 Sermon And thus did the apoftles teach, giving fuU 
 XII. proofof their doctrine by the works which the 
 
 WV^ Ipirit wrought by them. Hence their dodrine 
 was not rcceiv'd as theirs, but as Gad's, who 
 fent and bore witnefs to them. Upon -which 
 account one of them thus expreffes himfelf : 
 
 I Cor. ii. And my fpeecb and my preaching was not with in- 
 
 4» ^* ticing words of man's wifdom, but in de?nonJi ration 
 of the fpirit and of power ; that your faith jIdouU 
 not Jland in the wifdom of men^ hut in the power of 
 
 I Thef. i. Qod. And eifewhere : Our gofpel came net unto 
 
 5* you in word only^ but alfo in power, and in ths 
 
 boh ghofl^ and in much afurance. 
 
 Some fjch evidence was neceffary for them, 
 when they brought a new doftrine j but *tis not 
 for us. The confirmation then given fo mira- 
 culoufly to their teaching, is really a confirma- 
 tion of ours ', and we may appeal to it as fuch, 
 if we preach nothijig but what they did. And 
 indeed unlefs we allow this, we mufl fuppofe 
 no teacher worthy to be received, who is not 
 himfelf impower'd to work miracles ; which 
 would make miracles fo ordinary and common 
 in all ages of the church, that they would then 
 lofe perhaps a confiderable degree of the evi- 
 dence they now carry in them, by reafon of their 
 being itrange and unufual, 
 
 2. The minilters of Chrill are to teach men 
 by diligently explaining and 'urging^ in their 
 puUick difcourfes^ the things which God has 
 reveai'd to the world. This the apoftles did ; 
 
 •A^cs XX. who, where they came, kept back nothing that was. . 
 
 ^°' prof table to the people, but J/j-ewed them, and 
 
 taught them puhlickly. And this they were able 
 to do with an infallible certainty, by reafon of 
 the in'piration of the fpirit : And yet they rea- 
 ibn'd Vv'ith men, and ufed fuch arguments as 
 
 were 
 
Chrifi*s Commiffion to his Apoflles, 5 1 5 
 
 were proper to convince their judgments. Their Sermon 
 Endeavour was to perfuade vien. Thus we read XII. 
 of St. Faul at Ephefus^ that he went into the fyna- ''^^"V^^ 
 gogue, and /pake boldly for the fpace of three months^ ^ ^°^* '^• 
 difpnting and perfuading the things concerning the ^^^ ^.5^ g 
 kingdom of God. His manner was to reafon with the Ads xvii.' 
 Jews and Greeks, and perfuade them^ as we find -• and 
 by feveral paflages concerning him, and the ac-^^'"'* 4j 
 count given of fome of his difcourfes. He ex- ^^* 
 pe6led no further credit from his hearers, than 
 what the force of his reafonings would procure 
 him : And moft diligent and laborious was he 
 in following this his imployment. And as the 
 preaching of the v/ord is the great means God 
 ufes for the converting and faving men, this is 
 a work, to which thofe who would pafs under the 
 charafter of minifters, ihould give themfelves. 
 The apoftle makes it one qualification of perfons 
 who were to be admitted to the facred office, 
 that they fhould be apt to teach ; however fome 
 men now difparage this part of the office, and 
 in a way of contempt, bellow the name o^ teachers 
 as a diminutive one upon the men they defpife 
 and hate \ not thinking it honourable enough for 
 themfelves. 
 
 I hope, however we obferve the contempt 
 with which fuch men are pleafed to ufe us, we 
 fhall nop/er be alham'd of the honourable name, 
 but a(5l according to it ; and indeavour to teach 
 men, not that wifdom which they will need to 
 be untaught, if they have ever learned it, I 
 mean that wifdom that lies in bitter envying and 
 flrife •, but that wifdom v/hich is frorrt above, 
 which is firft pure, then peaceable, gentle, eafy 
 to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, 
 "^^ithout partiality, and without hypocrify. 
 
 • 3. A no- 
 
5 1 6 The Nature and Defign of 
 
 Sermon g. Another way of teaching Vv'hich the mini" 
 
 XII. iters of Chrift are to pracSlife, is more privat^ 
 
 v/'V**-' and psrfonal. Of this the apofbles are example^ 
 
 to us. So St. Paul taught at Epbefus, not only 
 
 Ads XX. publkkly, but from houfe to houfe : And for the 
 
 ^°^ ^^' jpace of three years, ceafed not to warn every one 
 
 ?iight and day with tears. And thus he fays to the 
 
 1 Thef. U'Theffalonians : Tou know how we exhorted, and com- 
 
 ^^' forte d, and charged every one of you, as a father 
 
 doth' his children. And *tis not unrealbnable to 
 
 fuppofe, he intends to recommend the like per-^ 
 
 fonal application, when he gives Tiniothy diredti-^ 
 
 ons for the difcharge of his office toward feveral 
 
 fort of perfons, i 'Tim. v. 1,2. and vi. 17, 18. 
 
 2 Tifn. IV. 1. 
 
 This I fear is a fort of teaching which we are 
 all too defective in at this day. And though the 
 fault lies v^ry much at the door of minifbers, 
 yet 'twill not be, perhaps, altogether in oup 
 power to remedy it, unlefs the people will in- 
 courage us to it, by fliewing a readinefs and for- 
 wardnefs on their part to receive us in this, 
 manner. Doubtlefs,- much good might be done 
 this way now, as well as in tlie apoftles times, 
 were there but a fuitable concurrence of the 
 indeavours of minifters, and the defircs of the 
 people in this refpexSt, It feems to me a much 
 eafier thing to entertain the people with» fet dif- 
 courfes in publick, than to guide and dired: 
 private converfation to the moft ufeful purpo- 
 ses. A refervednefs, that'is the effect of a man's 
 natural temper, or of a ftudious kind of jife i 
 ipr a want of a prefence of mind will ioon dif~ 
 cover a man's unfkilfiilnefs in this refped: \ un- 
 ]ipfs thofe he. deah wirh vv^ill contribute their, 
 .^(iiftance, by incouraging inflrudive and ufeful, 
 ■jifcourfe, and net take occafion to turn off the 
 
 « coiv. 
 
Chrijl^s Commiffm to his Apofilcs, 5 1 j 
 
 cpnverfation from any profitable fubje<51: when Sermon, 
 'tis ftarted. I am too fenfible of the duty to '•^'^V^^ 
 omit the mentioning it •, and yet am fo confcious 
 of my own defed, that I am fure I may well 
 blufli to fay more about it. Mr. Baxter^s trea- 
 tife, call'd Gildas Sahianus, cannot well be read 
 without trembling, by thofe who fall fo vaftly 
 fhort of what he feems to have attain'd, of a 
 iitnefs and capacity for this moft ufeful work and 
 bufmefs of a minifter. 
 
 4. Another way of teaching which minifters 
 are to ufe is that of exainple. Thi*; is a very 
 proper way of leading men into the difcharge of 
 religious duties and fervices. Men will not fo eafi- 
 ly learn thefe by bare rules and diredlions, rho* 
 laid down with great exa6lnefs, as they will by 
 'feeing others go before them putting them in 
 '.praftice. This is fo obviousj that 'tis not ufual 
 for men to attempt to learn any art or trade 
 without the help of example, as well as precept. 
 And minifters are to indeavour, by their exam- 
 ple, to recommend thofe virtues which they 
 urge upon their hearers in their preaching. They 
 are in an efpecial manner the lights of the world : 
 And *tis their duty to indeavour that thtvc light 
 ma'j fo Jhine before men^ as that the^j may fee their 
 good works^ and glorify our heavenly Father. They 
 are more eminently the fait of the earth j but if 
 they have loft their favour, they are thenceforth 
 good for nothing but to be caft out, and trodden 
 under foot of men. The apoftles were very 
 careful in their* converfation ; and could appeal 
 to the confciences of thofe among v/hom they 
 lived and preach'd, as teftifying concerning their 
 behaviour. 7'e are witneffcs^ fays St. Paul to the i Thef. ii. 
 'Theffalonians, and God alfoy how holily^ andjuflly^ lo. 
 und t(nhla?neably we behaved our fclves among you 
 
 that 
 
3 18 The Nature and ^efign of 1 
 
 Sermon that believe. He would even abridge himfelf of 
 XII. what he might have infifled upon as his right, 
 that, he might 7nake himfelf an example to them^ 
 that they might follow him. Nor was he uncon- 
 cern'd whether others in the miniilry were like 
 himfelf in their converfation. He infifts upon 
 it as a neceflary qualification of the perfons who 
 lliould be admitted into the miniftry, that their 
 
 I Tim. iii. behaviour fhould be blajnelefs, and their virtues 
 
 a> 7. fo confpicuous, as not only to gain them an 
 approbation among chriftians, but likewife a 
 good report of them that are without. He urges 
 it therefore upon Timothy, that he fhould be 
 
 Ch.iv. ii>an exajnple of the believers in word, in converfation, 
 in charity, in fpirit, in faith, in purity : And 
 
 Tit. ii. 7. upon Titus, that in all things he ihouldfiew him- 
 felf a pattern of good works. And another apo- 
 file urges it upon the elders in general to dif- 
 
 iPet.v. 3- charge their duty to their flocks, not as being 
 lords over God*s heritage, but being enfamples to the 
 flock. 
 
 Let mens improvements and accomplifh- 
 ments be ever fo great in other refpedls, they 
 will make very forry teachers without this. The 
 notorioufly wicked and ungodly life of the 
 preacher, will enervate the ftrength of his argu- 
 ments, and the charms of his eloquence. Mens 
 love to their fmful courfes is very flrong, and 
 will not fuffer them much to regard the preach- 
 er's arguments, when it plainly appears he does 
 not much believe them himfelf. There are no 
 greater pells in the chrifbian church, than vici- 
 ous and fcandalous miniflers. Thefe grieve the 
 pious, difhearten the weak, incourage the loofe 
 and profane, and harden the enemies of our holy 
 religion in their prejudices againft it, and contempt 
 of it. No doubt this has been one great occa- 
 
 fion 
 
Chrifi^s Commiffion to his Apofiles. 5 1 9 
 
 fion of the great loofenefs and debauchery of the Sermoft 
 prefent age, and of thofe vaft fwanns there are XIL 
 of profefs'd enemies to revealed religion among -"-vn^ 
 us. Nor can it feem ftrange, that the zeal of 
 fuch men flames out againit virtuous and fober 
 minifterSj whether they are, or are not, of their 
 own communion. And for God's fake, my 
 brethren, if we would do any good in the world 
 by our preaching, or ifwe would not have true 
 religion and godlinefs quite perifli out of the 
 land, let us be very careful, that whatever we 
 lofci, we may never forfeit this part of our 
 charafter. There's an end then of bur ni'eful- 
 nefs, and we muft become the fcorn and contempt: 
 of mankind. We may fee it in fuch perfons 
 among our adverfaries, who cannot avoid being 
 the jell and fcorn of thofe who carefs them as 
 the tools of their fadlion. And how Ihould it ht 
 otherwife ^ How natural is it to twit fuch men, 
 as theapoftle does thofe that were confident that Kom. H. 
 ihey were guides to the blind, and a, light ^^^Pj-'j-i. 
 them that were in darknefs ? And to fay to them 
 as he does, 'Thou therefore which teachejl another^ 
 ieachefi thou not thy felf ? ^hou that preachefi ,a 
 man pould not fiscal, dojl thou fteal ? Thou that 
 fayefi a man (hould not commit adultery, dojl thou 
 commit adultery ? Thou that abhor reji idols, dojl thou 
 com?7iit facrilege ? And in like manner. Thou that 
 preacheft a man fhould not be drunk, art thou a 
 drunkard ? Thou that fayefl a man fhould not 
 prevaricate, doll thou prevaricate ? Thou that 
 fayefl a man fhould not rebel againfl the ma- 
 gillate, dofl thou rebel .? Thou that abhorred 
 fchifm, art thou guilty of perjury ? And when 
 men lay themfelves open to fuch reproaches, 
 what good can they expedl to do ? I conclude 
 therefore, that he that would te?.ch others to 
 
^20 The Nature and ^ej^n of 
 
 Sermon arty purpofe, mull be careful to do it, as well by 
 XII. his good converfation, as by his good doftrine 5 
 
 V'V"^-* and that the rule our Saviour gave his apoftles, 
 when he fent them out during his life time, is 
 neceflary in both the parts of it, for thofe who 
 now minifter in his name ; that they Ihould not 
 
 Mat. X. 1 6. only he wife as fer^enls, but Wkemfe mnoceni as 
 doves. 
 
 5. The only way of teaching, that I can think 
 of, befides thefe, is by the ufe of chriftian difci- 
 ;pline. It can't feem ftrange, if the apoftles aded 
 in an extraordinary manner in this, as well as 
 fome other refpedls. They had the immediate 
 and infallible direftion of the holy fpirit, and 
 were able, without the information of any one 
 elfe, to dete^b the wickednefs of mens hearts ; 
 and to declare the judgments God weuld inflift 
 in particular cafes ; as we may fee by the account 
 
 Aftsv. I, we have oi Ananias and Sapphira^ &c, 
 
 '^^' Herein they aded wholly by divine direcflion^ 
 
 and not under the influence of their own pafllons : 
 And their fucceflbrs cannot pretend to the like 
 infallibility. In fuch cafes the judgment was ex- 
 ecuted by God himfelf-, and God's revealing to 
 them his intention to infii6l it, was the reafon 
 of their denouncing it, and not their denouncing 
 it the reafon of the execution. And 'tis really 
 impious to imagine, that God has lodg'd his 
 vengeance in the power of weak and fallible men^ 
 and obliged himfelf to he difpleas'd, or pleas'd 
 with men, juft as his miniflers lliall think fit to 
 diredt him. The apoftles indeed had in readi- 
 nefs to avenge all difobedience, but then their 
 guidance,, in the ufe of it^ was as extraordinary 
 as the thing it felf And well is it for our poor 
 land, that fuch a power is not now lodg'd in the 
 hands of our angry ecclefiaftics, of any party 
 
 a mono; 
 
Chrifi^s Commiffm to his Affiles. 521 
 
 among us ; for we may eafily guefs, by theirSermon 
 temper, what mad work rhey would make, were XII. 
 it left to their mercy and difcretion to difpenfe w^'V'Ni' 
 temporal death, and eternal damnation to man- 
 kind. 
 
 The apoftles could deliver wicked men over to 
 fatan*, which, if it imported the putting them un- 
 der his immediate power to infli6t difeafes and di- 
 ftempersupon them, muft needs belook'd upon as 
 extraordinary and miraculous, and has therefore 
 ceafed with them : At leall I could never hear, 
 that thofe who pretend to this power, and 
 within remembrance were very forward and ex- 
 pert in the ufe of it, could much boaft of any 
 great ratifications of their cenfures in that man- 
 ner. If by delivering over to fatan be meant 
 no more, as fome think, than the excluding men 
 from the communion of the church, and the 
 declaring them to belong to the kingdom of 
 darknefs, or of fatan, from whence men are 
 tranflated into the kingdom of God's dear Son ; 
 the apoftles, who could difcern mens fpirits, 
 were able to do this with an infallible certainty ; 
 nt>r can it be reafonably doubted, that there is 
 ftill a power belongs to the church to exclude- 
 from their communion, men who are notorioufly 
 unworthy of it. To deny this, would be to 
 make the church a common inftead of an in- 
 clofure *, and to confound the kingdom of Chrift 
 and fatan. But then we muft acknowledge that 
 this fentence makes no real alteration in a perfon's 
 ftate with refpeft to God. The offender is exclud- 
 ed the communion of the church, not to deprive 
 him of God's favour, but becaufe he is fuppofed 
 already to have depriv'd himfelf of it. And if 
 the church neglefts to exclude fuch an one, that 
 will not fecure him the divine favour j and if 
 y (he 
 
^2 2 The Nature and ^ejign of 
 
 Sermon fhc excludes a perfon without juft caufe, he 
 XII. fhall not upon that account be call off by God. 
 
 v*''"Vv.' So that mens being accepted, or not accepted 
 with God, their being heirs of falvation or dam- 
 nation, don't depend upon the abfolutions and 
 excommunicationsof poor weak and rafh men; 
 nor do thefe affedt the dates of men in the other 
 world. 'Tis true, if a man, by his notorious 
 wickednefs, has difhonour'd God, and given of- 
 fenfc to, and brought a reproach upon the 
 church, and is thereupon excluded her commu- 
 nion •, the church may infift upon a fatisfadiion, 
 and a man's not giving it may affed: his ftate 
 in the other world, becaufe he does not give 
 that fatisfaftion to which his duty binds him. 
 But then what is that fatisfaftion, the not giving 
 of which affefts a man's ftate ? 'Tis no other 
 than a latisfaftion of his repentance. True re- 
 pentance certainly reflores a man to the divine 
 favour, and will ingage a man to give all rea- 
 fonable fatisfa(5lion to thofe, whom by his fin 
 he has offended. And fuppofing an offender 
 truly repents, and gives all reafonable evidence 
 hereof, and the church notwithftanding is not 
 fatisfied, and continues her cenfure ; can this, 
 do we think, hinder fuch an one's acceptance 
 with God ^ Can this affed: his flate in the other 
 world ? 'Tis impoffible. The power of the 
 church here, is very much like the power of 
 any injur'd perfon. He that has wrong'd his 
 neighbour is bound to repent of it ; and his re- 
 pentance cannot be fmcere, unlefs he is willing 
 to do every thing that is reafonable to make 
 fatisfadlion to the perfon he has injur'd. With- 
 out this, his repentance will not be accepted 
 of God. But can we think, that where there is 
 fuch a repentance difcovering it felf in all proper 
 
 methods. 
 
ChrijTs Commijfion to his Apofiles. 525 
 
 methods, a man's acceptance with God Jhall de- Sermon 
 pend upon his neighbour's being fatisfied ? Or XII. 
 that liis infilling upon a fatistaclion which is "^OTV 
 beyond reafon, -or out of the injurer's power, 
 ITiall certainly intail upon him eternal damna- 
 tion ? Thefe two cafes do fo fully agree, that 
 I hope the apprehenfions men have of the one, 
 will help them to judge rightly of the other. 
 
 'Tis hard to know what men mean, who would 
 carry their power higher than this account al- 
 lows. They cannot themfelves but grant that 
 the churches fentences are then only of force, 
 when they are managed, Clave ?wn errante : And 
 if that be true, a man's acceptance with God 
 muft depend upon his own fmcerity, and not 
 upon the judgment of the church. And they 
 who appear moll folicitous to magnify this 
 power of the key of difcipline, have the moil 
 reafon, in their prefent flate, to fay leall about 
 it ; fince 'tis notorious, that among them the 
 key is put into fuch wrong hands, that it muft 
 be wonderful if it ever go right. 
 . That the true fcripture difcipline is one way 
 Chrift has appointed of teaching, feems plain 
 from feveral palTages. This was defign'd for 
 the reclaiming and faving the offender ; the 
 bringing him to a fenfe of his fin, and an hearty 
 repentance for it. So the apollle fpeaks of the 
 heavy fentence he infiicfled upon Hy?neneus and x Tim.4. 
 Alexander: Whom^ fays he, I have deliver edunto'^'^' 
 fatan^ that they ?na^ learn not to hlafpbeine. This 
 was the end aimed at by him, when he ordered 
 the Corinthians when they were gathered together r Cor. v. 
 with his Jpirit, that they fhould deliver the in-4j 5- 
 ceftuous Corinthian unto jatan, that the fpirit might 
 he faved in the day of the Lord Jefus. The com- 
 munion of the church is a moft ufeful and 
 y 2, valua- 
 
^1^ The Nature and Defign of 
 
 Sermon valuable privilege, and to deprive a perfon of 
 
 XII. it, who ufed to injoy it, is a likely means of 
 
 ^"OP^ putting him upon reflecting bitterly on the caufe, 
 
 if he has been himfelf guilty of any thing to 
 
 deferve it. 
 
 And then this is an ufeful inftruftion and warn- 
 ing to others, that they may avoid the like evil 
 courfcs, and the fad confequences thereof Hence 
 the apoftle prefcribes Tiinothy this courfe with 
 I Tim. V. offenders : 'Them that fin rebuke before all, that 
 io. others alfo 7nay fear. 
 
 But 'tis manifeft, that this way of teaching 
 extends only to thofe who are in the communion 
 iCor. V. of the church. JVhathaveltodo, fays the apo- 
 i^jij" ftle, to judge them alfo that are without? Do not 
 ye judge them that are within ? But them that are 
 without God judgeth. Therefore put away from 
 among your felves that wicked perfon. 
 
 'Tis indeed a grand abfurdity for men to pre- 
 tend to exercife this difcipline upon any but thofe 
 of their own church ; that is, to turn thofe out 
 of the communion of their church who were ne- 
 ver in it. And 'tis really very wonderful, that 
 men who pretend to common fenfe, fhould ever 
 plead for the reviving fuch kind of dilbipline : 
 Jobxx. li-But the truth is, this morfel was ^onr\tr\y fweet 
 in their mouth, and therefore they flill hide it under 
 their tongue. 
 
 And as this way of teaching is only to be ufed 
 in the cafe of great and heinous offences, fo it 
 belongrs not to the miniiters of Chrift to inforce 
 It by any temporal penalties. There are fome 
 Judg.vjii, who are for teaching men as Gideon taught the 
 ^^' men of Snccoth, with thorns of the wildernefs and 
 
 briars. But if they will look into the commiflion 
 they pretend to have received from Chrift, 
 they will find nothing of this nature therein. 
 
 He 
 
ChrtJPs Commiffion to his Apojlles, 525 
 
 He has never allowed his minifters the ufe ofSermon 
 carnal weapons for compelling men into his fer- XII. 
 vice : It belongs to magiilrates to punifh any ^•'V**-' 
 immorality that difturbs the peace of the civil 
 fociety, by fines or corporal punifliments, ^c. 
 but the power of minifters is purely fpiritual. 
 They are to teach fuch as are willing to learn ; 
 and if men will not receive them as their teach- 
 ers, and hearken to their doftrine, they have 
 nothing more to do but to fhake off the dull of 
 their feet againft them -, and leave them to him 
 whofe meflage they bring, and who judges them 
 that are without : Or if they have been enter'd 
 into the church by baptifm, they may caft them 
 out of it, if they deferve to be fo dealt with. 
 But to punilh them in their perfons, eftates, or 
 civil liberties is what they have no power to do, 
 Chrift's kingdom is fpiritual, the fan 61 ions of his 
 laws are fuch •■, and they pervert the defign of 
 his inftituting a miniftry in his church, who 
 would lodge a temporal power in his minifters 
 to make men obedient to his laws. He may 
 himfelf break his enemies in pieces with an iron 
 rod •, but if he had defign'd his minifters fhould 
 make ufe of any fuch, he would certainly have 
 left us fome where or other, in his gofpel, a little 
 hint of it ; and the zealous advocates for fuch 
 a power, would before this time have been able 
 to difcover it, and fo have clear'd themfelves 
 from that imputation which now lies upon 
 them i that 'tis covetoufnefs and luft of power 
 that makes them pretend to it. For our parts 
 we affect not, nay, we utterly difclaim any 
 fuch power. We own our office is purely de- 
 fign'd for your good, and we are your fervants 
 for Chrift's fake. If we are rulers over our fnajler's 
 houjholdy 'tis but in the nature of ftewards and 
 Y 3 fer^ 
 
516 The Nature and ^efign of 
 
 Sermon fervanis, to give '^ou jneat in due Jeafon. And 
 XII. the Lord make us wife and faithful to do it as 
 
 W'^V'*-' we ought 1 I wifh they who are for heating 
 their felloiv fervants, would confider the awful 
 threatning our Lord has denounced againft fuch. 
 Mat. xxiv. 48, i^c. And thus I have confider'd 
 the general nature of the imployment aflign'd 
 to the miniHers of the gofpel, or the power 
 Chrift has intrufted them with •, *tis to teach. 
 
 II. I come now to confider the fubjed matter 
 of their teaching ; or what they were to teach 
 men, viz. to obferve all things whatfoever Cbriji 
 bad commanded thera. 
 
 The things which Chrift has commanded are 
 of two forts, according to a very common and 
 good diftinftion. Some things he has commiand- 
 ed us to believe, and fome things he has com- 
 manded us to do : And 'tis the bufinefs and duty 
 of m.inifters to teach men to obferve both thefe, 
 and no more. 
 
 I. Then they are to teach men to obferve, 
 that is, to believe the things which Chrift has 
 commanded them to believe. Perhaps fome may 
 be ready to think, that the expreflion of olfir-^ 
 ving what he has commanded.^ muft be reftrain*d 
 v/holly to matters of pradlice, and not take in 
 thofe of faith. But there is no reafon for that ; 
 we are as much bound to conform our belief, 
 as our practice to his commands \ and minifters 
 have no more authority to prefs any thing upon 
 men, beyond his command, in one cale than 
 another. Nor is there any impropriety in the 
 term, that we have here render'd obferve^ when 
 'tis applied to miatrers of faith. To which pur- 
 pofe I need only take notice of one place of fcrip- 
 ture,. where the fame word is ufed ; and that is, 
 " '^^^' ^^- where the apoftle lays of himfelf, I have kept the 
 ^' faith. The 
 
Chriji's CommiJJion to his Apofiles, 517 
 
 The Romiih church has multiplied articles of Sermon 
 faith which are not to be found in the fcrip- XII. 
 ture : And one advantage the reformation gain'd --'"V"^ 
 by it ; that the extravagant number of them 
 gave proteftants in general a furfeit of thofe kind 
 of impofitions, as it well might •, and put them 
 upon a necefiity of cutting off all at once, with 
 that noble principle, which is the foundation of 
 the reformation •, and in which proteftants have 
 prefefs'd their agreement, That nothing can be 
 made a neceffary article of the chriftian faith, 
 which is not contain'd, and delivered as fuch, 
 in the revelation which God has given us. What 
 Chrift has required men to believe, that mini- 
 fters are obliged to teach them ; but by what 
 authority do they require them to receive more ? 
 The infpiration by which the holy fcriptures are 
 written, renders them an infallible rule for ou!" 
 faith : But how can we be affur'd that thofe 
 who had not that infpiration, were not miftaken 
 in what they have deliver'd to us ? The church 
 of Rome^ which aflumes a power of fixing ar- 
 ticles of faith, does very confiftently with that 
 pretence, claim an infallibility, which is the 
 only thing upon which fuch a claim can be built. 
 But the proofs by which they would fupport 
 this important claim are fo very weak, and the 
 evidences in faft, of their having erred, are fo 
 many and plain, that we can't be under any 
 great temptation for their fakes, to queftion 
 whether the fcriptures are the only rule of our 
 faith. 
 
 And one would think our principle fhould not 
 be in any danger of an attack from thofe men, 
 who are themfelves forced to efpoufe and defend 
 it in their difputing with our common enemies. 
 Xi very much refembles the unrighceoufnefs there 
 Y 4 is 
 
5^8 The Nature and ^efign of 
 
 Sermon is in having divers weights and divers meafures, 
 XII. when men will not allow us that principle, 
 l/W) which they earneftly contend the papifts Ihould 
 allow them. 
 
 And to fuppofe that any man, or body of 
 men, without infpiration, has a right to fix and 
 determine the fenfe of fcripture, fo that others 
 fhall be bound to receive their interpretations 
 upon the account of their authority, is really 
 to give up this principle. For what other rea- 
 fon can there be, why I am to believe any arti- 
 cle of chriftianity but this, that God has decla- 
 red it in that revelation which he has vouch- 
 fafed us ? So far then only as I fee God has re- 
 vealed any thing in his word, can I reafonably 
 believe it. But if I mufl take it upon truft, 
 without feeing the evidence my felf, I then don't 
 depend upon the teftimony of God, but of men, 
 who being fuppofed fallible, may as well give 
 a falfe interpretation as a true one : And after 
 this rate I may be bound to receive that as an 
 article of faith which God has never revealed 
 at all. Nor is there any doftrine fo abfurd, 
 that men may not by this artifice turn into an 
 article of faith. 'Tis but for them, with a bold 
 face, to declare that fuch or fuch an interpre- 
 tation is true, and the thing is done. If men 
 may determine the fenfe of fcripture by autho- 
 rity, without reafon and argument, how eafy is 
 it for them to eftablilh the doftrine of purga- 
 tory ? 'Tis but to declare, by their authority, 
 I Pet. i:i. ^Yi2Lt thofe texts. He went and preached to the 
 i^C •■■ fpi^iii in prifon, and, He hmfelf Jhall be faved, 
 J5. ' 'y^^ fi ^^ h fi^^ ' ipe^k of purgatory. Nay, 
 how eafily may tranfubftantiation it felf, by 
 this means, commence an article of faith, if 
 thefe interpreters will but fee fit to exert their 
 I autho- 
 
Chrifi's Commtjjion to his Apflles. 319 
 
 authority in fixing the fenfe of our Lord's words, Sermon 
 This is ?ny body. XII. 
 
 'Tis pretended by fome, the church has this^-^^^*^, 
 power in doubtful and difficult cafes. But this 
 is only a cunning fetch to recover that authority 
 which they v/ould feem to give up : For it 
 would be very ilrange, if the church fliould have 
 this power in doubtful and difficult cafes, and not 
 in thofe that are not doubtful and difficult ; that 
 is, if fhe fhould have it where fhe is moft, and not 
 where fhe is leaft liable to miftake. Befides, 
 what are thefe doubtful and difficult cafes, but 
 fuch about which men cannot agree ? And thus 
 the church muft have this power in any con- 
 troverfy, to determine it on which fide fhe 
 pleafes. And can the pap'ifls defire more ? or 
 have they any occafion to ufe their authority 
 where men don't differ from them ? So that 
 this hooks in as ample a power in all cafes as they 
 pretend to ; juft as the fpiritual power of the 
 church draws the temporal after it, with an 
 in Grdine ad fpmtualia. And this cannot be a- 
 voided, if they claim (as doubtlefs they will 
 claim) a right to determine which are the diffi- 
 cult cafes. And either thefe cafes are difficult 
 and doubtful only to the people, or elfe to thofe 
 alfo who affume this authority. If they are 
 difficult and doubtful to themfelves, how can 
 they be fecure of the goodnefs of their determi- 
 nation ? If they are only difficult to the people, 
 why fhould they not rather depend upon the 
 force of their own reafons and arguments, than 
 their authority } Why ffiould they not treat the 
 people as reafonable creatures, indeavouring to 
 convince rather than inflave their judgments ? 
 It breeds a fufpicion that cafes are not clear to 
 rpen, and that they are very unfit to determine 
 
 them. 
 
2 go The Nature and Tiefiga of 
 
 Sermon them, when they flpe to a pretended authority 
 XII. fo'f the defence of their determinations ; and 
 
 ^•V^ care not to let them reft upon the ftrength of 
 the reafons they have to allege in their be- 
 half 
 
 No uninfpired perfons therefore have a right 
 to infift upon others receiving any thing as an 
 article of faith, that is not contained in the 
 holy fcriptures. And I will add, that it ought 
 to be very clearly and exprefly contained 
 there, in order to our having any right to infift 
 upon its being believed. A great difference is 
 to be made between a clear and pofitive aflertion 
 of a thing, and a deduftion of it from other 
 things, by a train of confequences. In the lat- 
 ter we are liable to'miftake, and therefore are 
 to make allowances to thofe who do not fee the 
 force of our reafoning. A thing that is not ex- 
 prefly afTerted in fcripture, may fometimes be 
 well proved from it by confequences : But then 
 'tis only proved to him that fees the proof; and 
 however clear the proof is to my felf, if I 
 cannot make it plain to another, I ought not to 
 be unwilling to bear with him in his dilfent from 
 me ; lince the things that are abfolutely necefla- 
 ry to falvation are laid down in the moft clear 
 and exprefs terms, and do not depend upon any 
 fuch deduftions and confequences. 
 
 2. There are other things which Chrift has 
 commanded men to do ; and thefe his minifters 
 are to teach people to obferve. Thefe are of 
 two forts. 
 
 I . He has Q-iven us commands concernino; our 
 converfation and behaviour in the world. The 
 holy fcriptures, being a compleat rule of all 
 thofe virtues that are to fhine forth in our con- 
 veriations, the minifters of the gofpel have no 
 
 occa- 
 
ChriJTs Commijjion to his Apofiles, 5^1 
 
 occafion to teach men any other. And as the Sermon 
 great defign of revelation is to make men good XTI. 
 and holy, fo nothing is more proper to be ex- ^"-^"y^^ 
 plain'd and inculcated upon our hearers, than 
 thofe rules of goodnefs which Chrift has required 
 men to obferve. We are to teach them to 
 praftife that juftice, charity, mercy, meeknefs, 
 beneficence, patience, temperance, and fuch like 
 virtues, which Chrift has recommended to us, 
 both by his example and by his commands. And 
 in this, I fuppofe, men will not pretend we are 
 to teach men any thing but what he has com- 
 manded. 
 
 2, There are other commands which he has 
 given us for the worfhip of God ; and thefe we 
 are to teach men to obferve. And if the fcrip- z Tim. iii. 
 tares are profit able for do£frine, for reproofs ybr 16,17. 
 corre5iion^ for inflruoiion in righteoufnefs ; that the 
 tnan of Gcd^ i. e. the minifter of the gofpel 7nay 
 he perfe^^ throughl'j furnifh^d unto all good works, 
 i. e. compleatly furnifh'd for every part of his 
 office ', there can be no need of his teaching 
 men to obferve any other rules of worfhiping 
 God, than thofe Chrift has left us. And he that 
 pretends to prefcribe other laws of v/orfhip 
 than Chrift has done, invades his prerogative 
 as king of the church, and virtually accufes 
 him of being defe<flive in the difcharge of his 
 oifice. And our Saviour has exprefly guarded 
 againft the officioufnefs of thofe who would add 
 to the rule of worfhip ; afTuring us, that all the 
 worfhip that is of humane device, and not of 
 divine appointment, is vain. Thus when the 
 Scribes and Pharifees pleaded the traditional 
 commands of the elders for the wafhing hands 
 before meat, making it a religious adt, ne- 
 celTary to be done, becaufe injoyn'd by fuch 
 
 autho- 
 
55^ The Nature and ^e/ign of 
 
 Sermon authority; our Saviour anfwers them : Well hath 
 XII. Efaias prophefied of '^ou hypocrites, as 'tis 'written, 
 v-rv'x-' This people honoureth me with their lips, but their 
 Mark vu. heart is far from me. Howbeit, ifi vain do they 
 ^^' worjhip me, teaching for doffrines the co?nmandments 
 of men. 'Tis true, the words in vain are not in 
 Efaias, according to the reading of our prefent 
 copies ; but it feems reafonable, upon the au- 
 thority of Chrift and the feventy, to fuppofe that 
 was the ancient reading *. 
 
 However that be, 'tis evident that fuch wor- 
 Ihip is vain, and not pleafing to God. By what 
 right then can men require us to pradlife it? 
 Chrift has given us commands concerning the 
 worfhip of God ; thefe he requires his minifters 
 to teach people to obferve ; and can this be 
 any warrant to them to give them other rules 
 ofworfhiping God? The worfhip of God will 
 be intire and decent when Chrift's commands 
 alone are obfcrv'd, without the additions which 
 men make to them. 
 
 Having thus fpoken to the two things I pro- 
 posed from the words, I ftiall conclude with 
 thefe three reflexions : 
 
 I. If the commifllon our Lord gives his mini- 
 fters is of this nature ; how great is the unhap- 
 pinefs of the chriftian church, that this commifll- 
 on has not been kept clofer to ! How many 
 mifchiefs would have been prevented, if men 
 had contented themfelves with the charadler of 
 teachers, without affefting a dominion over mens 
 confciences ; or arrogating a temporal power to 
 
 com- 
 
 * The alteration I fuppofe made, is only the changing of 
 a 1 into ^ and that we fhould read ^T\^\'\ for \ini, and 
 fuch a change of thofe two letters is many times abfblutely 
 neceflary to be made, and therefore aftuallv is made in the 
 Keri. 
 
ChriJTs Commiffion to his Apofiles, 555 
 
 compel them to obey them ! Many families have Sermon 
 been ruin*d, much blood has been Jhed, and XII. 
 many mens confciences have been wounded, WV^ 
 while the commiflion of Chrift has been tranf- 
 grefled. 
 
 2. Let this be a warning to us in the miniftry ; 
 and let us labour to keep clofe to the bufmefs 
 Chrift has intrufted us with. And we have efpe- 
 cial reafon to be upon our guard, that we may 
 not break bounds, becaufe we condemn others 
 for doing fo. We blame thofe who affume an 
 authority over mens confciences ; let us not then 
 make our felves obnoxious to the fame charge. 
 If we are to teach only what Chrift has com-, 
 manded, let us not infift upon doubtful matters, 
 or exped: an uniformity of mens notions with our 
 own, in things not exprefly revealed, and that 
 are not abfolutely neceflary to falvation. And 
 while we juftly blame men for making their own 
 articles, creeds, or confeflions the ftandard of 
 truth, which they require others to fubfcribe, let 
 us prefs nothing but the holy fcriptures, and 
 infift upon them only as the rule of faith and 
 pradlice. We blame men, and with good rea- 
 fon, when they bring in their peculiar and 
 doubtful notions into a liturgy, which they pre- 
 fcribe for publick ufe, and from which they 
 allow not men to vary : Let us then beware of 
 any thing of the like nature in our prayers, that 
 are without a form. Thefe are not defign'd to 
 publifti nice fpeculations, and our judgment in 
 matters doubtful and controverted. They are 
 defign'd that all may readily join with us in them 
 in our addrefles to God -, and therefore 'tis my 
 humble opinion they fliould be fo ordered, as 
 not to bring in any thing unneceftary, that any 
 good chriftian would ftick at. 
 
 3- If 
 
554- ri?^ Nature and ^cfign^ Sec. 
 
 Sermon 3. IfChrift has given us fuch a commifllon, 
 XII. then is it the duty of people to hearken to us, 
 
 ^^•V">^ and comply with us as long as we keep to it. 
 What Chrift has made it our duty to teach, he 
 has made it your duty to learn. And if we urge 
 nothing upon you but the commands of Chriit, 
 you can't refufe to hear us without refufmg him 
 that fpeaketh to you from heaven. We profefs 
 we defire not any farther to be regarded in 
 any thing we recommend as a matter of faith or 
 praflice, than as the fame appears to be fo re- 
 commended to you by Chrift himfelf in his gof- 
 pel. And if we are careful on both fides in 
 doing our duty, we in teaching, and you in 
 learning to obferve all things whatfoever he has 
 commanded, we may expeft his blefling and 
 concurrence, fince he has promis'd to be with 
 us alway^ even to the end of the ivorld. Amen. 
 
 ih 
 
535 
 
 The Sufferings of the Apoflle a further^ 
 ance of the GofpeL 
 
 A 
 
 SERMON 
 
 Preach'd at 
 
 E X M 
 
 Dec. 27, 1719. 
 
 At the Opening of the new built 
 Meeting-House there. 
 
 Phi lip. I. 12. 
 
 But I would that ye (hould underfland^ 
 brethren^ that the things which hap- 
 pen d unto me^ have fallen out rather 
 to the furtherance of the Gofpel, 
 
 1"^ H E methods of divine providence Sermon 
 are oftentimes very myfterious in XIII. 
 the beginning •, nor is it unufual that v^V^^ 
 the firft fteps that are taken to- 
 wards any glorious event, Ihould appear dark 
 
 2 and 
 
53^ ^'^^ Sufferings of the Apofile 
 
 Sermon and puzzling, till the bright fcene in the clofe 
 
 XIII. begins to open, and to difcover the admirable 
 
 VOO^ wifdom and contrivance of the whole procedure. 
 
 The greateft advantages of the church have 
 
 been frequently ufher'd ^in by the Iharpeft 
 
 troubles : IVeeping has indur^d fof a nighty 
 
 when joy was to fucceed in the morning. And 
 
 God has defign*d to bring about much good to his 
 
 people, by thofevery things which they have 
 
 been apt haftily to pronounce to be all againfi 
 
 them. 
 
 Many inftances of this nature are left upon 
 record in the holy fcriptures. When the gofpel, 
 the great means of eternal falvation, was to be 
 preached through the world, the preachers were 
 at firft very few •, the number was indeed foon 
 increafed ; but the apoftles, who were Chrift's 
 chief minifters, and who alone were intrufted 
 with the moft full and ample powers, were not 
 only few at their firft fending, but continued 
 fo i there having been only one, or at moft two 
 added to their original number. And when 
 their number was fo fmall, and yet their work 
 fo important, what pity was ir, as we are ape 
 to think, that they fhould be at all interrupted 
 or hinder'd in the exercife of their miniftry ? 
 What a noble inftrument did this apoftle, after 
 he was converted and call'd, prove, of fprcad- 
 ing the religion of the bleffed Jefus in the world ? 
 And what chriftian, wiftiing well to the fuccefs 
 of the gofpel, could be otherwife than concerned 
 and troubled, when he faw a reftraint laid upon 
 his miniftry j and that he himfelf was a prifoner, 
 and in bonds, who was unwearied . in going up 
 and down to preach the gofpel ? And yet this 
 was his cafe, when he wrote the epiftle wherein 
 is the text. And the Philippians^ who were a 
 
 church 
 
a furtherance of the GofpeL 5^7 
 
 (!hurchofhis own planting, very much indearedSermon 
 to him, not only by their ready receiving the XIII. 
 gofpel, but alfo by their hearty and afteftionate' 
 concern for him, could not but be now troubled 
 upon his account. Hence he appears folicitous 
 here to comfort them ; and to that end affures 
 them that his very bonds were become of con- 
 fiderable fervice to the gofpel. Thus in the 
 words of the text : Bift 1 'x-oidd ye Jhould under- 
 ficnd, brethren, that the things zuhich happened unto 
 int\ have fallen cut rather to the furtherance of the 
 gofpel : And in what manner they turn'd to fuch 
 account he fhews in fome following verfes. 
 In fpeaking to thd'e words I will, 
 
 I. Take fome further notice of the thbm that 
 happened to the apoftle, and (hew you what 
 they were. 
 
 II. Reprefent to you how thefe things fell out 
 rather to the furtherance of the gofpel. 
 
 III. Indea^ur to improve this to our own 
 comfort, in our prefent circumftances. 
 
 I. Then I am to confider what the apoftld 
 means by the things which happen' d unto him, or 
 the thines that related to him. 
 
 And the things, he here fpeaks of are, 
 I. What I have already mentioned, his bonds 
 for the fake of the gofpel. In the next verfe to 
 the text, he fliews plainly that thefe were what 
 he chiefly intended. So that, fays he, my bonds 
 in Chriji, or for Chrift, are manifeft in all the 
 palace, and in all other places. In the end of the 
 Afts of the apojtles, you have a large account 
 of the manner of his becoming a prifoner, and 
 of his being fent as fuch to Rome -, and there he 
 was j and very probably 'twas during that fame 
 Z im- 
 
3^8 The Sufferhigs of the Apoftle 
 
 Sermon imprifonment that he wrote this epiftle. That 
 XIII. he was prifoner at Ro7)ie feems plain, partly by 
 ^•'V*'-' his mentioning the palace^ or pretoriuin^ which 
 our margin renders Cejar*s coia't^ ver. 13. and 
 partly, and more fully by his fending to the 
 Philippians the falutatlons of thofe of Cefar's honfe- 
 hold^ Chap. iv. 22. 
 
 And as this epiftle has a confiderable likenefs 
 to thofe to the Ephefians and Colojfimts, they are 
 all three generally fuppofed to be written much 
 about the fame time ; nor do I find it much 
 doubted whether that was not during St. PauTs 
 firft imprifonment, of which we have, as I faid, 
 an account in the ^i^s. 
 
 When the apoftle Ihews himfelf fo folicitous, 
 that the Philippians fhould underftand that his 
 bonds had turn'd to an advantage, he implys, 
 what 'tis very eafy to fuppofe, that there was 
 fomewhat in the nature of them that was grie- 
 vous, and might be thought likely^ turn to a 
 difadvantage. And certainly whatever there was 
 grievous and troublefom in them, had a ten- 
 dency to affright and difcourage perfons from 
 imbracing a religion which they faw expofed to 
 fuch things. 
 
 'Tis grievous to us to be abridg'd of our li- 
 berty. As we are free agents, we love to ad: 
 out of choice, and v/ithout reftraint and compul- 
 fion, to be at our own difpofal, and not fubjed: 
 to the will and controul of other men. Befides, 
 variety and change is agreeable to our bufy 
 minds •, perpetually to be imploy'd in the fame 
 bufmefs, or confin'd to one place, is difagree- 
 able to us. Motion and exercife, the beholding 
 of new objedts, and a free converfing with our 
 friends, without any to watch and obferve us, 
 the taking our own time for what we do ; thefe 
 I and 
 
a furtherance of the Gofpel. 359 
 
 and fuch like things are pleaHmt and entertain- Sermon 
 ing ; and we cannot without rehidlance and re- XIII. 
 grer, bear to be depriv'd of them. And let -0<^^ 
 
 the reftraint be in other refpeds ever fo eafy, yet 
 to be depriv'd of our natural right in a thing 
 that is juftly lb dear to us, and to be always 
 in the pov/er, and under the eye of thofe who 
 are already difpleafed with us, and confequently 
 whom it will be hard not to offend, and to be 
 fubjecl to a continual dread of their farther dif- 
 pleafure, muft make fuch a ftate of life to be 
 very unpleafant and uneafy to any man. 
 
 There are befides, many inconveniencies thac 
 often accompany fuch a condition, prifons being 
 not ordinary places of good accommodation ; 
 the rough tempers, unhealthy air, bad compa- 
 ny, and coarfe ufage which are generally met 
 with in fuch places, render them very uncom- 
 fortable. 
 
 'Tis true, God lighten'd St. Patd's trouble in 
 thefe refpedts ; for though he was a prifoner, 
 yet by the providence of God he was a prifoner 
 at large ; not llraitly confined, but fuffcr'd to 
 dwell by himfelf with a foldier that kept him, 
 A6ls xxviii. 16, 30. But befide the inconveni- 
 ence of fuch company, and fuch a conftant fpy 
 upon a man's converfation, there is one thing thaC 
 muft make it a great burthen, and that is the 
 charge which fuch a confinem.ent muft of ne- 
 celTicy bring upon him. 
 
 Farther, there is a difgrace and reproach thad 
 is always fuppofed to accompany this condition. 
 As the ufage is a puniiliment^ fo it implies, when 
 'tis not for debt, that there is fome guilt that 
 is the caiife of it. The refpecH: that is due to 
 magiftrates who are to execute juftice, requires 
 that we fhould prefume, till the contrary ap- 
 Z 2 pears. 
 
54-0 The Sufferings of the Apofile 
 
 Sermon pears, that they do not inflift any punilhmenc 
 XIII. without fome crime that has juftly deferved it. 
 
 v^'V'x-' The apoftle therefore takes notice of this as an 
 aggravation of his trouble, 2 Ti>w. ii. 9. JVherein 
 J fuffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds. 
 And tho' chriftianity provides us with proper 
 fupports, yet to be treated as a criminal, cannot 
 but be grievous to an ingenuous mind. 
 
 Befides, this could not but be grievous to the 
 apoftle, as it was an hindrance to him in the 
 work his heart v/as fo much fet upon, and he 
 was, when at liberty, fo abundant in. Nothing 
 was more agreeable to him than to be preach- 
 ing the gofpel, and fpreading the knowledge of 
 Jefus Chrift in the world •, in this he was willing 
 to fpend., and to be fpent ; he valued not life it 
 felf, but that he might promote the honour of 
 his Lord ; and therefore a reft:raint upon him 
 by bonds could not be otherwife than very trou- 
 blefom and affliftive. This now is the chief 
 thing which he defigns by this exprelfion, T'he 
 things which happen''d unto me. 
 
 1. Another thing, which though it be not 
 the chief, yet may well enough be underftood 
 to be included, fmce he afterwards exprefly men- 
 tions it, is the env^j and oppofition he met with 
 from fome of his brethren, who were alfo 
 preachers of the gofpel. This he takes notice 
 of, ver. 15. So7ne indeed preach Chriff even of^nvy 
 and ft rife, and fome alfo of good will. 'The one 
 preach Chrifi of contention, not fincerely, fuppo- 
 fing to add affliftion to my bonds. By thefe, 
 as he hints afterward, ver. 18. Chrifi was preached 
 in pretence ; and their defign feems to have 
 been, according to ver. 20. to make the apoftle 
 afhamed. He does not here exprefly mention 
 who thefe preachers were \ but 'tis eafy to guefs 
 I they 
 
a furtherance of the GofpeL 54. 
 
 they were the fame kind of men he ufed to Sermon 
 have the greateft trouble from, viz. the Jcwi/h XIII. 
 converts, who being zealous for the ceremonial w^-v^^ 
 law, gave him no fmall difturbance by their 
 indeavours to corrupt the gentile churches, from 
 the fimplicity that was in Chrift. And the 
 trouble which the apoftle met with from them 
 in his bonds at Rome, fo fenfibly afFeded him 
 when he was writing to the Philippians, that he 
 could not but earneflly caution them againft 
 them, as he does at large in the beginning of 
 the third chapter. 
 
 The great aim of this fort of men, feems to 
 have been to fet up and magnify themfelves, by 
 depreciating and running down St. Paul. For 
 this end they improved every trifle againft him, 
 the meannefs of his bodily prefence, and the 
 unpleafantnefs of his voice : And above all, they 
 made a mighty advantage of his paying but 
 little deference to the ceremonies of the old 
 law, and his flighting that ceremonial righte- 
 oufnefs, of which they themfelves made the 
 highefl: account. The apoftle throughly under- 
 ftood, and earneftly defended the chriftian liber- 
 ty : And 'tis not hard to conceive how this 
 might be improv'd againft him, as a popular 
 prejudice, among the converts from judaifm. 
 They were fo wedded to their old religious 
 fervice, fo early and ftrongly prepoflTeft with 
 the opinion of the excellency and unalterable- 
 nefs of the Mofaic conftitution, that it could not 
 be hard for thefe evil workerSy who fought to 
 undermine St. Paul^ to work upon them, and 
 to inflame their paflions againft him in that re- 
 fped:. But 'tis really hard to account for it, 
 that this ihould be, as yet by his epiftles to the 
 gentile churches it feems to have been, a popular 
 Z 3 pre- 
 
54^ The Suffer zrrgs of the Afofile 
 
 Sermon prejudice among them ; and that they fhould 
 XIII. be eafily inamour'd with bondage, and be dif- 
 
 W-V""- pleafed with fo excellent an advocate for chri- 
 Itian liberty. But if we refle6l upon fucceeding 
 ages, and particularly if we make any careful 
 and prudent obfervation of our own •, we muft 
 allow that there is fomewhat very unaccounta- 
 ble in mens condu6t in this regard, and that 
 they feem to a6l under fome ftrange infatuation. 
 And this feems to have been the apoftle's fenfe 
 of the matter, when he put that queftion to 
 the Galatians in a way of admiration, Gal. in. i. 
 O foolijJo Galatians, who hath bewitch'd '^ou ? 
 
 This muft be owned likewife to be a confi- 
 derable trouble, when we meet with oppofition 
 from thofe who are particularly bound to in- 
 courage and forward us ; or as the apoiUe 
 fpeaks in another cafe, when we have forrow from 
 them of whom we ought to rejoice. From open 
 and profefTed enemies nothing is to be expected 
 but oppofition ; and fo there is no difappoint- 
 ment when we meet with it : But it mull be a 
 great difippointment and vexation, when our 
 chief hindrance is from our friends and brethren, 
 when thofe who profefs the fame religion, own 
 the fame God, call themfelves the difciples and 
 fervants of the fime Lord, and minifters of the 
 fame gofpel -■, when fuch, I fay, fhall rife againft 
 us, and oppofe us for doing our duty, become our 
 enemies for fpeaking the truth, and ftu dying 
 the things that make for peace j when they 
 fhall make it their bufmefs to prejudice people 
 againfi: us, rob us of our reputation, and cry 
 us down as deceivers and corrupters of the gof- 
 pel •, and cur fmcere indeavours to fpread the 
 truth, and advance the intereft of our great 
 Lord, fhall be moft baffled by thofe who fhould 
 
 in* 
 
a furtherance of the GofpeL 5^5 
 
 incourage and joyn with us in the defign ; theSermon 
 unreafonablenefs and unaccountablencis of fuch XIII. 
 conduft, may well be furprifing and trouble- Vi^'>/^^ 
 fom. And this was one of the things which 
 happen'd to the apoftle. 
 
 II. I am next to reprefent to you how thefe 
 things may be underflood to have fallen out 
 rather to the furtherance of the gofpel. The word 
 rather either is to be taken to fignify efpecially, 
 or in a peculiar 77ia?2?ier^ or elfe it has a fort of 
 tacit reference to the defign of his enemies, and 
 the natural tendency of their condu6t, q. d. You 
 are fenfible what I have met with, and with 
 what defign fuch a violent oppofition has been 
 made againll me -, but I would ye fhould un- 
 derftand that the a6tors have been exceedingly 
 difappointed in their enterprize ; inftead of an- 
 fwering their expe<5lation, and retarding the pro- 
 grefs of the gofpel, they have occafion'd the 
 contrary, and the gofpel has by their proceed- 
 ings been promoted ; and while I have been 
 bound, that has been inlarg'd ; as he ipeaks 
 elfewhere, 2 Tun. ii. 9. Wherein^ or for which 
 gofpel / fuffer trouble^ as an evil doer, even unto 
 bonds ; but the word of the Lord is not bound : 
 My rellraint has not been a reflrainr upon that ; 
 that has had a free courfe notwithilanding *, nay, 
 has diffufed and fpread it felf the more. 
 
 Now the things v/hich happen'd unto him, 
 may be fuppofed to ho.vc fallen out to the fur- 
 therance of the gofpel in thefe refpe(51:s follow- 
 ing : 
 
 I. His affliflions may be fuppofed to have 
 moved the compafTion and pity of .chriftians 
 toward him, and to have heighten'd their regard 
 to what he faid. As prejudice againft the . 
 preacher ftops the ear, and hardens the heart 
 Z 4 againft 
 
544- T/3<? Suffer wgs of the Apfile 
 
 Sermon againft receiving any advantage by what he 
 XIII. fays, and renders men proof againft the ftrong- 
 
 V^'"^-' elt arguments, and the moft moving rhetorick -, 
 fo affeftion ingages a regard, and gives the 
 greateft advantage imaginable to the arguments 
 and perluafions of any inftrufbor. When once 
 pity is moved, it foftens the mind, and difpofes 
 It to receive imprefTions, When we meet with 
 a pcrfon whofe affliftions and pains are obvious, 
 and our compaflion is ftirr'd toward him, how 
 readily do we cred't all the account he gives 
 ofhimfelf ? And fo it may well be fuppofed to 
 have been in the apoftle's cafe. His bonds would 
 create pity, and then he could not eafily fail of 
 that regard he defired from chriftians. 
 
 We may obferve therefore that St. Paul, who 
 feems to have throughly underftood all the pro- 
 per ways of moving the affeftions, and work- 
 ing upon the pafTions, and accordingly ufes 
 them v/ith the greateft art for the gaining his 
 moft noble defign, did not fail to befpeak the 
 regard of chriftians in this very manner. Thus 
 in his epiftle to the E^hefinns^ chap, iii. i. For 
 this caufe, /Paul, the prifontr of Jefus Chriji for 
 you Gentiles -, chap. iv. i . / therefore the prifoner 
 of the Lord, hefeech yen that ye walk worthy of the 
 vocation wherewith ye are called. Thus again, 
 when he defires their prayers for himfelf, that 
 he might make known the fnyfery of the gofpel, he 
 puts them iq mind of this, and immediately 
 adds, For which I am an amhaffador in bonds, 
 chap. vi. 20. In like manner he requefts the 
 prayers of the Coh(Jians, chap. iv. 3. And he 
 feems to declare here in the chapter wherein is 
 the text, t'hat the Philippians had been moved 
 vvith compaflion toward him by his bonds. Thu$ 
 he fpea|cs, ver. 7. efpecially if v^e follow the 
 
 render- 
 
a furtherance of the GofpeL 54.5 
 
 rendering of our margin, which feems the beft. Sermon 
 
 Even as Uis meet for 7ne to think this of you all, XIII. 
 becaufe you have me in your heart, in as much as ^^yy>^ 
 both in my hands, and in the defence and confir- 
 mation of the gofpel, ye are all partakers of my 
 grace. He feems to mean that by their fellow- 
 Ihip for the fervice of the gofpel, ver. 5. that 
 is, by fending to him in his bonds, and commu- 
 nicating to his wants, and incouraging him in 
 his noble defence of the gofpel, they were in- 
 titled to a part and fhare in the reward of his 
 fufferiogs and fervices. So that the Philippians 
 themfclves were an evidence that his bonds fell 
 out to the furtherance of the gofpel, fmce upon 
 this occafion they were made more zealous for 
 the gofpel, and became more abounding in love 
 and good works, the fruits of righteoufnefs. 
 
 2. His bonds might prove a furtherance to 
 the gofpel among chriftians, as they gave an 
 occafion to Chrift to difplay his power and kind- 
 nefs in fupporting his fervant, and carrying him 
 through thefe his troubles. Perfecution is a 
 frightful and difcouraging thing ; but when it 
 evidently appears to us, that the grace of Chrift 
 is fijfEcient for his people under their tryals, and 
 that he acflually fupports them under them ; this 
 abates the dread of them, and reconciles chrifti- 
 ans very much to a perfeverance in religion, 
 notwithftanding the danger. 
 
 We find nature is apt to ftirink at the thought 
 of fuch tryals as chriftianity has expofed men to ; 
 and we eafily judge, that as we are all of one 
 make, others feel the fame relu6i:ance to fuffer- 
 ing and trouble in themfelves -, but when we fee 
 what our feeble nature is able to do under divine 
 influences, this may well raife our drooping 
 fpirits, fmce we may perceive that our difficulties 
 
 are 
 
-^^6 The Sufferings of the Apofile 
 
 Sermon are not to be incountred in our own bare 
 XIII. ftrength ; but we may depend upon xh^ faith- \ 
 
 \^^'y^>j fulness of God, that he will not fuffer us to be 
 tempted above that we are able, but will with the 
 temptation alfo make a way to efcape, that we may 
 be able to bear it, i Cor. x. 13. 
 
 3. The apoftle's patience and comfort under 
 his trouble, was a furtherance of the gofpel, as 
 it gave incouragcment to many in freely preach- 
 ing the gofpel. This is an inftance exprefly 
 mention'd in the context, ver. 14. And many of 
 the brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my 
 bonds, are much more bold to fpeak the word zvith- 
 out fear. When the ftorm fell upon the preachers 
 efpecially, this might occafion thofe that were 
 fit for the work, to decline being imploy'd in 
 it ; but when they found by the behaviour of 
 the apoftle in his bonds, that the trouble fat 
 eafy upon him, they might well refume their 
 courage, and the more undauntedly go on with 
 their work. So it fell out upon that occafion 5 
 many became the more confident, and were the 
 more bold to fpeak the word without fear. No 
 queftion they were fenfible that the work was 
 truly noble and important •, but while the diffi- 
 culties feem'd fo great, and they unreafonably 
 magnified in their own thoughts the hazard and 
 danger they ran, they were backward to it -, but 
 the apoftle's bonds ferving to abate of that dread, 
 they became earneft and zealous in the wo>li. And 
 this may well be thought to have been a furthe- 
 rance of the gofpel. There never yet was too 
 great a plenty of faithful labourers, in God's 
 harveft, never more than there was occafion for. 
 However loiterers may abound, when the times 
 are profperous, and perfons may feed themfelves 
 rather than the flock ; yet always has there 
 
 been 
 
a furtherance of the Goffel. :^^j 
 
 been a want, rather than a fuperfluity, of fuch Sermon 
 as had an hearty concern for the true honour ot XIII. 
 God, and the good of fouls, and efpecially in all W'V'w/ 
 times of difficulty and danger. Never yet was 
 the dirc(fl:ion of our Lord unfeafonable, that we 
 fhould pray the Lord of the harveji, that he would 
 fend forth labourers into his harvefi. So that fince 
 St. Paul's bonds occafion'd many to preach the 
 gofpel, and that very freely, they fell out rather 
 to the furtherance of the gofpel. 
 
 4. .His bonds were a furtherance to the gofpel, 
 as they occafion'd many to inquire what that 
 gofpel was for which he fuffer'd. 'Tis natural 
 when we hear of any punifhments being infli6ted 
 upon a perfon, to defire to know what the 
 crime is he fuffers for ; and we may well fuppofe 
 that men would be more than ordinary curious 
 in fuch a cafe as this. 'Twas manifeft, that 
 the reflraint he fuffer'd was neither for debt, nor 
 for any wickednefs and immorality. He did 
 not fufFer as an extortioner, a thief, an adulterer, 
 or under any fuch odious chara6ler. 
 
 They who are moft forward to give men trou- 
 ble in fuch a cafe as the apoflle's, are often ten- 
 der enough in cafes that manifeftly deferve the 
 ufe of feverity. 
 
 The only reafon for his confinement was his 
 opinion in matters of religion •, his not falling 
 in with the received and prevailing notions of 
 thofe times, his avowing and openly propagating 
 the gofpel of Chrift. The danger of fufiering 
 could not reflrain him from preaching this, as 
 long as he had his liberty : Nor could his fuffer- 
 ings, when they came upon him, in the, leafl 
 dejed him, or make him repent of what he had 
 done, or think of any other courfe when ever 
 he fhould again obtain his liberty. And when 
 
 the 
 
34S The Sufferings of the Apoflle 
 
 Sermon the Heathens were at fo great uncertainty in mat- 
 XIII. ters of religion, could they avoid inquiring what 
 
 ^'''^V'^*^ that religion was that animated men to fuch 
 refolution and conftancy -, and made them defy 
 all dangers, and in a manner choofe fufFering 
 and trouble ? Now this very inquiry that his 
 bonds occafion'd, was a confiderable furtherance 
 of the gofpel, One great reafon why men did 
 not believe the gofpel, was becaufe they would 
 not give it a fair hearing. A wretched indiffe- 
 rence and careleffnefs, with refpeft to matters 
 of truth and religion, commonly prevails among 
 men. They are willing to take it for granted, 
 without giving themfelves the trouble of looking 
 into the reafons of things, that the principles 
 they imbibed in their youth, the religion of 
 their country, which has defcended to them from 
 their anceftors, is true. If men would but take 
 the .pains to examine, they could not long avoid 
 the difcovering the unreafonablnefs of thofe 
 religious principles which are grofly falfe ; nor 
 could they fail of perceiving the excellency of 
 the true religion, when they had an opportunity 
 of knowing the nature of it. The gofpel of 
 Chrift is a fcheme of religion that will bear the 
 raoft curious and critical examination ; and the 
 more throughly 'tis confider'd, the more will it 
 . approve it lelf to the reafon and confcience of 
 men. Afluredly therefore, whatever occafions 
 a careful and diligent inquiry into the nature of 
 the gofpel, muft of necelTity be a furtherance 
 of it. And this was the happy effeft of St. Paul's 
 bonds : 'The things^ fays he, which happen' d unto 
 me^ have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the 
 gofpel : So that my bonds in (or for) Cbrijl, are 
 manifejl in all the palace^ and in all other places. 
 And had not this, do we think, a good effed in 
 
 all 
 
a furtherance of the G of pel, 54.9 
 
 all thofe places? Was it not an advantage for Sermon 
 the fpreading the chriftian religion in them ? XIII. 
 Judge of the other places by what 'tis reafonable "^OT*^ 
 to imagine concerning iht palace, or Cefar's court, 
 as our margin renders it, or the ca?np, as others 
 underftand it. Certainly this was one thing that 
 occafion'd his remarkable falutation in the con- 
 clulion of his epiftle, chap. iv. 21. All the faints 
 falute you, chiefly they that are of Cefar^s houfehold. 
 His bonds then occafion'd the very courtiers to 
 look into his affair •, and the confequence was, 
 that there were foon faints or chriftians to be 
 found even among them, with a falutation from 
 whom he could therefore grace his epiftles to the 
 Philippians. 
 
 5. Another advantage, or furtherance of the 
 gofpel, which we may fuppofe to be owing to 
 his bonds, was that they occafion'd his caufe to 
 be more throughly confider'd ; and this appro- 
 ving it felf to the confciences of the inquirers, and 
 efpecially to perfons of figure, thofe about Ccfar, 
 did leffen the number, and abate the fury and 
 violence of the enemies of chriftian ity ; and fo 
 made it lefs hazardous for minifters to preach, 
 and people to imbrace the goipel. St. Paul, 
 as an apoftle, was a prime minifter of the gof- 
 pel ; and his fervent zeal and abundant labours 
 had render'd him a very remarkable perfon, in 
 the world as well as the church. And the bonds 
 of fuch an one would move the curiofity of 
 many more, than thofe of an ordinary chrillian, 
 or an ordinary minifter. And as this no: only 
 lefTen'd the number of their enemies, and in- 
 creafed that of their friends, and efpecially as 
 it procured them friends among perfons of figure 
 and intereft, it blunted the edge of the perfecuti- 
 on, and fo gave a fairer opportunity for fpreading 
 the gofpel. And 
 
55o The Suffer iyigs of the A^oflle 
 
 Sermon And thus I have done with the explication of 
 XIII. the text ; all that remains is, 
 
 s^-Y**^ III. That I indeavour to improve what has • 
 been faid to our own comfort in our prefent cir- 
 cumftances. I do not pretend that our cafe is 
 exaflly parallel to that which is mention'd in 
 the text. Thanks be to God, we are not in 
 bonds, however defirous fome have fhewn them- 
 felves that they might fee us in that condition. 
 If in other refpeds we compare our cafe with 
 St. Paul's, no impartial perfon can, I think, 
 blame us. I queftion whether our load of re- 
 proach be much lefs than his : If it is, the 
 difference mull be owing to the fuperior genius 
 of that time in inventing calumnies, and not to 
 the modefty or good temper of our own ; for, 
 as far as I can fee, their wit and invention has 
 been upon the ftretch •, and while they have faid 
 all manner of evil concerning us, if there was 
 room for their faying worfe, it certainly mufb 
 be attributed to the barrennefs of their invention, 
 rather than to any want of a good will to the 
 brave imployment. 'Tis evident we have been 
 t?tade the filth and off-fccuring of the world ; and 
 the moft fenfelefs and palpable lies have been 
 induilrioufly invented, and greedily imbraced by 
 our enemies. And if flanders and reproaches are 
 our only trouble, we have great reafon to thank 
 a good God, who fuffers not our enemies to have 
 power to go any farther. 
 
 There is one thing wherein our trouble very 
 much refembles that of the apoftle, viz. That 
 a great part of it proceeds from our brethren ; 
 for God forbid that we lliould difown their be- 
 ing fuch, or that we lh.ould here treat them 
 as they do us. All good men are brethren, 
 however peevifh fome of them may be j and as 
 
 good 
 
a furtherance of the Goffel, 5 5 1 
 
 good chriilians, we fliould put the moft charita- Sermon 
 ble conftruftion upon their anions. The afti- XIII. 
 ons themfelves we cannot but condemn •, but we'^-^Y^s/ 
 fhould even ftretch our charity, rather than not 
 fuppofe that ignorance does alleviate their guilt. 
 We may bear them record, that they have 
 a zeal of God, though not according to know- 
 ledge. And we mull have taken little notice of 
 their conduct, if we have not been fenfible, that 
 they are weak enough to be eafily tranfported 
 by a warm and miftaken zeal, which we fliould 
 both hope and pray they may at length come 
 to repent of 
 
 But it fliall not be my aim to inlarge on our 
 troubles. 'Tis true, no man has more right to 
 do it than my lelf, as no man has had a greater 
 fliare in them ; but 'tis needlefs, fmce, as Solo- 
 mon fays, Prov. xiv. 10. The heart knoweth its 
 own hitternefs. And our complaint will hardly 
 move the compafTion of thofe who are not al- 
 ready touch'd with a fenfe of that reproach, 
 contempt, and vile ufage we have met with. 
 My indeavour fliall be to follow the example of 
 the apoflile, and to divert you from poring up- 
 on the melancholy and dark fide of your trou- 
 ble, and to open to you a more bright and 
 pleafing fcene •, to ingage you to confider the 
 happy account to which thefe things which have 
 happen'd to us, already do, and in all likely- 
 hood will yet more and more turn. For I would 
 that ye Jhoiild underjiand, brethren, that the things 
 which have happen'd to us, have fallen out rather 
 to the furtherance of the gofpel. And I fliall now 
 therefore lay before you fome inftances, wherein 
 I apprehend they have done fo. And here I 
 only dcfire it may be remember'd through the 
 whole, that whatever advances any part of the 
 
 gofpel. 
 
55^ The Sufferings of the Afojlle 
 
 Sermon gofpel, or any thing that properly belongs to it,' 
 XIII. ought to be efteem'd, and may therefore be 
 
 ^.^^YNw juftly called a furtherance of the gofpel. It can- 
 not indeed be denied, that the things that have 
 happen'd to us, have been in fome refpeds a 
 hinderance to the gofpel. The animofities which 
 have been raifed, and the prejudices v/hich have 
 been artfully and induftrioufly inflill'd into many 
 againft the miniihers who had, and might have 
 ftill, been ufeful among them, the diverting 
 people from regarding, with their chief care, 
 the practical part of religion ; thefe, and fome 
 other things, are doubtlefs a confiderable hin- 
 drance to the gofpel. Such offences are declared' 
 to be a woe to the world ; and thanks be to 
 God that I have had no hand in their coming : 
 While others are chargeable with the evils that 
 have happen'd, God has turn'd what has be- 
 fallen us to the furtherance of the gofpel, and 
 that in the following inflances. 
 
 I. I take what has happen'd to us to have 
 fallen out very much to the furtherance of true 
 proper gofpel worlhip. If I am able to under- 
 stand any thing of my bible, the true fcheme of 
 chriflian worfliip, there deliver'd, is that' of 
 worfhiping the one only living and true God, 
 through Jefus Ghrift the one only Mediator, by 
 the afTiftance of the one Spirit. That honour 
 and worfhip is to be paid to Chrifl is paft doubt 
 with us, as I am apt to think 'tis with all that 
 call themfelves chriftians ; but ftill all that ho., 
 nour and worfhip is to be paid to him as medi- 
 ator j and ought to terminate on that God with 
 whom he mediates. If we may take our Savi- 
 our's word, the true worjhipcrs^ in the times of 
 the gofpel, were to worfhip the Father in fpirit 
 and in truths John iv. 23. Our comings according 
 
 to 
 
a furtherance of the Gofpel. 555 
 
 to the apoftie, is to be lo God, but by Chrift, Sermon 
 Heh. vii. 25. And in general, the method of XIII. 
 chriftian worfhip is f^jmmarily deliver'd by the --''V**-' 
 apoftie, Epb. ii. 18. For through him [Chrift] 
 we both [Jews and Gentiles] have an accefs by one 
 fph'it unto the Father. This notion and fcheme of 
 chriftian worfhip is fo obvious in the new tefta- 
 ment, that it has generally prevailed ; nor was 
 it ever heard of, I believe, till lately, and here 
 in our learned part of the world, that we are 
 to pray to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, 
 through the Son the mediator ; or that the Son 
 was to be confider'd as a mediator between him- 
 felf and finners -, or that we are to blefs the 
 Father, Son, and Spirit for fending his [or ra- 
 ther, if they would fpeak properly, their'] Son^ 
 and pray that he would give us his fpirit. That 
 this is not fuch worfliip as the gofpel diretfls, 
 is I think evident from hence, that the gofpel 
 never reprefents Chrift as the Son of any other 
 than the Father : No man can there difcover 
 iany fuch abfurdity as that the Son is the fori 
 of himfelf, or that the Spirit is the fpirit of 
 himfelf 
 
 They that find fault with us, are not able to. 
 deny that our worfhip is agreeable to the chri^ 
 ftian do6trine -, but *tis ftrange they fhould avow 
 a worfhip fo utterly deftitute of all foundation 
 therein. And if I miftake not, the things that 
 have happened unto us, have fallen out rather 
 to the furtherance, of the gofpel in this refpecl. 
 You are fenfible that after this manner I have 
 all along chofen to otder my worfhip among 
 you. This was done peaceably and quietly for 
 a long time, without any one's pretending to 
 be offended at it. But when the fpirit of con- 
 tention began to work, what was innocent be- 
 A a fore. 
 
554- The Sufferivgs of the Apofile 
 
 Sermon fore, came to be muchcenfur'd and condemn'd ; 
 XIII. and the great aim and defign was utterly to put 
 
 v-or*^ us down, that liich a conftant adherence to the 
 fcripture worfliip might be effedlually ftopt. 
 For this end were we denied any place of wor- 
 fhip, and they who drove us into an obfcure 
 and inconvenient corner, took that advantage 
 of infuking both us and our worfhip. But thro* 
 the good providence of God, who has raifed 
 jip a noble and generous 1'pirit in a few perfons, 
 the contempt our neighbours treated us with 
 before, is now turn'd to envy. We are now got 
 out of our dark corner, and are not like a candle 
 put under a bed or a hijheU that I may allude to 
 our Lord's words, but like a candle jet upon a 
 candlejlick, or a city fet upon a hill. And the men 
 who thought to difgrace us, have rather made 
 us confpicuous, as they have, though in a very 
 bad way, been the occafion of our being the firfl; 
 congregation who openly declare for the true 
 worfhip of the gofpel j and thro' the good hand 
 of our God have we now an houfe built to his 
 honour, which our worft enemies cannot con- 
 temn, and wherein none need be afham'd to 
 appear and join with us. And what has been 
 done to difgrace our worfhip, has at length 
 fallen out to the honour of it. And let me, by 
 the way, fay for the incouragement and com- 
 fort of thofe upon whom the burden has lain ; 
 and who have yet, however heavy, chearfully 
 gone thro' with it, that what they have done in 
 the integrity of their hearts for God's honour, 
 is taken kindly by him at their hands. And I 
 pray God that their zeal in building an houfe for 
 him may be abundantly recompenfed to them 
 by his blelling their houfes, as he did of old 
 that of Obededom, and by giving them a part 
 
 in 
 
a furtherance of the GofpeL 355 
 
 in the building of God, an houfe not made with Sermon 
 hands, eternal in the heavens. XIIL 
 
 2. The things that have happen'd unto US5 (/VNJ 
 have, 1 verily believe, fallen out to the difcou- 
 ragement of perfecution, and fo to the furthe- 
 rance of the liberty which the gofpel fecures to 
 us. There is nothing more contrary to the fpiric 
 of the gofpel than perfecution ; nor is there the 
 lead word to be found therein in favour of if., 
 Compulfion is indeed prefcribed, but 'tis mani- 
 fefl: that 'tis only by reafon and argument ; but 
 the way of reviling and reproaching men, the 
 injuring them in their temporal property, or 
 the executing of any penal laws againft them, 
 for the fake merely of their confciences, is as 
 contrary to the gofpel as darknefs to light. 
 
 And farther, according to the gofpel, every 
 man's own confcience is his immediate guide 
 and diredlor ; nor are we to fubjeel our under- 
 ftandings to the direction or authority of any 
 man, or body of men upon earth. As chrifti- 
 ans we are the fervants of Chrift, and him only 
 are we to own as our mafter •, we are call'd 
 unto liberty, and ought not in matters of reli- 
 gion, and the things of Gody to be the fervants 
 of men. We are not here to take things upon 
 truft, and to afl with an implicit faith, but to 
 fee with our own eyes •, and that man invades 
 our chriftian liberty who would pretend to infift 
 upon our making any thing an article of faith, 
 or our fubmitting to any thing as a term of 
 communion, which God has not exprefly reveal- 
 ed, or plainly commanded. 
 
 That a violent attempt has been made upon 
 
 oiir chriftian liberty, is, I think, notorious to 
 
 all the world ; nor will thofe that made it, with 
 
 any confiftency, be able to deny it, when they 
 
 A a 2 con- 
 
55^ 7 he Sufferifigs of the Apoflle 
 
 Sermon confider in what manner they ufed both to think 
 XIII. and fpeak of the like ufage from the eftablifh*d 
 
 W'V*^ church. For without all doubt they have as 
 much right to demand our affent to thirty nine 
 articles of human compofure, as others can 
 pretend to have to require it to one. We 
 counted it our unhappinefs, but I can't help 
 faying that 'tis our great honour, that we were 
 called to bear the firft fhock -, and make the firft 
 Hand, as it were, againft this incroachment. The 
 onfet has been indeed violent j but thanks be to 
 God we have not been daunted, or given way 
 hitherto. 
 
 And is not this a furtherance of the gofpel ? 
 Had we behaved with lefs firmnefs, when the 
 providence of God called us to this fervice, had 
 we tamely given up our chriftian liberty, and 
 our confciences to thole who fought them, how 
 would not only they, but thofe of the fiime 
 fpirit every where, have triumphed in the fuc- 
 cefs, and gone on moft heroically with the won- 
 derful exploit ? Whereas the difappointment and 
 fhame they have reaped from their management^ 
 has been, I am perluaded, a curb upon fuch % 
 and I am not without hope, that as we are the: 
 firft, we fhall likewife be the laft example of 
 fuch violent proceedings ; and our fufferings will 
 become a means of many others being left to think 
 the more freely. You know very well what a 
 noble ftand has been made for chriftian liberty ,~ 
 by our brethren in the metropolis of the king- 
 dom : You cannot be infenfible how very great 
 a furtherance that is to the gofpel -, and I may 
 well fay, that whatever advantage that has, or 
 may prove, it has been occafion'd by the things 
 which have happen'd to us, 
 
 3. i 
 
a furtherance of the GofpeL 557 
 
 3. I can't but think that the things which Sermon 
 have happened unto us, have fallen out to the XIII. 
 furtherance of the charity required by the gof- v.^^y'n^ 
 pel. I mull own, and every one would be fenfi- 
 ble of it if I did not, that the law of charity, 
 a fundamental duty of the gofpel, has been very 
 much broken upon this occafion ; while thofe 
 who have oppofed us have not only broken all 
 meafures of love, kindnefs, and even common 
 civility with us, but have likewife taken upon 
 them rafhly to cenfure our flare, reprefenting 
 us as holding damnable opinions, and denying 
 the Lord that bought us. It may therefore feem 
 flrange, that I fhould reckon that has any ten- 
 dency to further charity, which has occafion'd 
 fo great a breach of it. But when the matter 
 is rightly flated, I hope we fhall have a different 
 view of it. The breach of charity we have 
 feen, however it has difcover'd it felf upon this 
 occafion, has been owing to the uncharitable 
 principles which have been long inculcated, and 
 have taken deep root in mens minds. People have 
 been taught to lay the ftrefs of mens falvation 
 upon their believing a do6lrine which is no where 
 expreHy revealed, and which no one that I can 
 find pretends to underfland. This has been the 
 true mifchievous caufe of that uncharitablenefs 
 which was bound up in mens hearts before, and 
 has now taken the advantage of breaking forth. 
 But the things that have happen'd unto us, 
 have led us to flrike at the very root of this, 
 mifchief We have openly made a ftand againfl 
 this cenforious and uncharitable temper -, we 
 have, and do declare againfl mens judging one. 
 another's ftate upon the account of any difference- 
 about fuch opinions. And it v/ould be flrange, 
 'd they who plead for chriflian liberty, fhould: 
 A a ^ not 
 
558 The Sufferings of the Apofile 
 
 Sermon not at the fame time be friends to charity ; it 
 XIII. being only a ftingy notion of the former, that 
 
 W''Y^^ occafions, in this cafe, the breach of the latter. 
 And as 'tis evident we have not a6led againll 
 the great gofpe'l rule of charity, by judging any 
 man for differing from us -, fo I am not with- 
 out hope that we have been an occafion to many 
 who were before difpofed to judge uncharita- 
 bly, to confider things itiore calmly, and to 
 come to a much better and more chriftian tem- 
 per. 
 
 4. The things that have happen'd unto us 
 have been for the furtherance of the gofpel, 
 as the rule of mens faith and praftice. One 
 would think, when God has given us a revela- 
 tion from hi.mfelf, and declared it to be able to 
 make us wife unto falvation, to be a perfe<5t rule 
 both of truth and duty, tliat fuch as receive this 
 revelation fhould be contented therewith ; and 
 not fet up any other rule for themfelves or 
 others. But we fee hov/ prone men have been 
 to aft quite otherwife. How commonly, in for- 
 mer times, were the creeds of councils made 
 the flandard of the chriftian faith ! And we 
 find by the management of the difputes which 
 arofe in the fecond and third centuries, concern- 
 ing the time of keeping Eafie?\ and the bap- 
 tifm of hereticks, that unlcriptural traditions 
 began very early to be pleaded as a warrant 
 or rule among chriftians. The papifts to this 
 day build a great part of their religion upon 
 them -, and finding them to be fo ierviceable 
 to their caufe, the holy fcriptures are little re- 
 garded by them \ nay, they utterly deny them 
 to be a complcat and perfect rule in themfelves, 
 without the church to fix the fenfe of them.' 
 0-n<i would have thought, that tl;e protei3:ants, 
 ' • J who 
 
a furtherance of the Gofpel, 559 
 
 who have been oppofing the papifts upon this Sermon 
 point for thefe two hundred years, fhould have XIII. 
 kept themfelves free from all blame about it. w'Vv^ 
 But it feems the controverfy is not whether the 
 church is to fix the fenfeof the fcriptures, but 
 which is the church that has a right to do it 1 
 and proteilant fynods and affemblies may do 
 that which popifli councils may not ; articles, 
 confefTions, and catechifms have been fet up as 
 the llandards of truth, to the difparagement of 
 the fcriptures, to which alone that honour is 
 due. And how much the fcriptures are out of 
 date with thefe men, we may perceive by the 
 method of their proceedings. The fcriptures give 
 us a plain and exprefs rule, that againfi an elder 
 an accufation is 7iot to be received., hut before tijuo or 
 three witnejfes^ i Tim. v. 19. And this is agree- 
 able to all rules of julticc. But however it 
 might ferve for the apoftles days, 'ris not thought 
 very proper to be regarded in ours ; and there- 
 fore a new way, never heard of in the primitive 
 church, has been fubftituted in its room ; and 
 we, as 'tis now manifeft to all the v/orld, have 
 been proceeded againft by an Inquifition. 
 
 Farther, when men have been at a lofs for 
 fcripture to fupport their alTertions, they have 
 had recourfe to tradition, and the long pofleflion 
 that the church has had of a dodrinc *, and we 
 are required to take things for truth upon the 
 prefcription of ages paft, and out of a refpedl- 
 ful deference to the fenfe and judgment of our 
 anceftors. The cafe was much the fame for- 
 merly among the J^a'j, who befide the written 
 law pretended they had a traditionary law hand- 
 ed down to them from Mofes., that obliged them 
 to many things which were not mentioned in 
 the written law. The ceremonial lavr' which 
 A a 4 was 
 
3 6o T.lDe Sujferirigs of the Afofile 
 
 Seirrion was written, was a yoke fevere enough ; but 
 
 XIII. this was a vaft addition to the feverity and bon- 
 
 v-Or^ dage of that difpenfation. The apoftle calls 
 
 this their vain convcrfation received by tradition 
 from their fathers -, and he calls it a vain conver- 
 fation, for the fame reafon as our Saviour told 
 the Jews that they in vain pretended to worjhip 
 God by thefe things, Matt. xv. 9. the worfhip 
 which is built upon the command of men, and 
 not upon the command of God, is vain worlhip. 
 Now the apoftle informs us that it was the 
 defign of the Son of God to redeem the Jews 
 from this vain converfation by his precious blood, 
 I PeL i. 18, 19. Te know ye were not redeefned 
 with corruptible things, as filver and gold, from 
 your vain converfation, received by tradition from 
 your fathers ; but with the precious blood of Chrift. 
 And certainly he that died to redeem the J^^^;! 
 from fuch a vain conversation, could have no 
 defign that his followers fhould in times to conie 
 receive fuch another by tradition from their 
 fathers. Length of time, wherein a tradition 
 has been received, makes no difference in the 
 cafe. In all religious matters we are to have 
 recourfe to the original inftitution, and to con- 
 fider, as our Saviour has taught us, how it 
 was in the beginning. And they who boaft of 
 the opinion of fourteen centuries, will do well 
 to confider, that the Jews Were confident in 
 boafting of more in behalf of that vain con- 
 verlation, from which Chrift died to redeem 
 them. /" ' ■ • ■ 
 
 "I think 'tis' jrianifeft that we have avowed the 
 fcripTure to be' the only rule, in oppofition to 
 whatever men have indeavour'd to fubftitute in 
 the room of it.- Nor dol fee how we could in' 
 ^ more noble way atteft this to the \vorld, than; 
 • % that,' 
 
a furtherance of the Gof^d. 561 
 
 that which we have taken •, I mean our chearful Sermoii 
 fuffering, becaufe we will fubmit to no other. XIII. 
 And I make no doubt, that God has made our ^^-^V^ 
 conftancy and llifferings a means of furthering 
 the gofpel, as it has occafion'd many to abate 
 of their exceflive regard to human compofures, 
 and to pay a greater deference and regard to 
 the holy fcriptures as the only flandard of all 
 revealed truth and duty. 
 
 5. The things which have happen'd to us 
 have a good tendency to advance the reputation 
 and credit of the gofpel in the world. No 
 greater differvice can be done to the chriftian 
 feligion, than by reprefenting it as abfurd and 
 inconfiilent in its doftrines. I am fully fatisfied 
 that the gofpel teaches a religion molt agree- 
 able to the perfedtions of God, and the nature 
 and fallen condition of mankind j and that it 
 muft commend it fclfto the confcience of every 
 one who will ferioully examine it, being free 
 from the influence of ftrong prejudices, and 
 flefhly lufls. But whoever defires to underftand 
 it, ought to learn it from the bible, where the 
 faith and obedience it requires are deliver'd in 
 a plain and eafy manner, that does not exceed 
 the weakeft capacity, though proper to fatisfy 
 the ftrongefl. Chriftianity is. to be feen in its 
 native purity and true perfeftion, as 'tis deli- 
 ver'd in the gofpel it felf ; when men attempted 
 to adorn and beautify it by mixing opinions of. 
 the feveral fedls of philofophers, aiid efpecially 
 the jargon of the fchoolmen with it, they really • 
 corrupted it. And the truth is, that the moft 
 beautiful and orderly fcheme of religion' in the 
 world, was by degrees changed to an heap of 
 my fiery and confufion ; and thofe parcels of 
 truth (as I may call them) that were retain'd 
 
 la 
 
5^1 The Sufferings of the Afofile 
 
 Sermon in the Romijh church, loft their proper luftre> 
 XIII. by their being buried in a vaft heap of rubbiih* 
 
 K^Y'sJ Nor has any thing been a greater fcandal and 
 offence to Jews^ and Mahometans, or more har- 
 den'd them in their prejudices againft our holy 
 religion, nor has any thing more promoted 
 deifm and infidelity in chriftian countries, than 
 the myfteries which men have invented, and 
 which they would have people believe are the 
 moft important points of the gofpel, though they 
 are not to be found there. And can there be 
 any doubt that we have taken a proper courfe 
 to remove mens prejudices, and reconcile them 
 to the gofpel, when, though we approve our 
 ielves as hearty friends as any to the chriftian 
 religion, yet we thus openly declare, that we 
 count not the devices of men which are princi- 
 pally obje(5led againft it, as any part of our re- 
 ligion ? In ftiort, we are confiftent with our 
 felves ; we declare we take the fcriptures for 
 our only rule, and therefore we difclaim all the 
 other rules men would fet up in competition with 
 them ; We plead that every man has a right 
 to judge for himfelf, and therefore we indeavour 
 to difcard all implicit faith : We judge that 
 God only has a jurifdidion over mens confci- 
 ences, and therefore we neither claim any our 
 felves, nor do we fubmit to any when claim'd 
 by others. And in all things I hope we keep, 
 I am confident we defire and indeavour to keep, 
 to tlie principles we profefs as chriftians, pro- 
 teftants, and diflentcrs. 
 
 6. The things that have happen*d to us oc- 
 cafion chriftians looking more carefully into the 
 grounds and reafons of their faith, which is 
 certainly a confiderable furtherance of the gof- 
 pd. The principles cf the chriftian do6lrine 
 
 are 
 
a furtherance of the GofpeL 565 
 
 are taught us when we are young, if we areSer.mon 
 fo happy as to have a truly chriftian education. XIII. 
 But then our tender minds are not capable of'^^^'y^^ 
 perceiving much of the reafons and evidences of 
 things, and we take them upon truft from them 
 that teach us : But though 'tis allowable for us 
 to think and fpeak as children, while we are 
 children, yet when we become men, 'tis time 
 for us CO put away child ifli things. We ought 
 then to examine the principles we have received, 
 and to fee that we build upon good and folid 
 grounds. This men are apt enough to do in 
 other matters j but a flothful negligence and 
 careleflhefs about religion, which deferves to be 
 ferioufly minded above all things, makes men 
 eafily take what they have been told in their 
 infincy for granted ; and fo their faith ftands in 
 the wifdom of men, and refts upon their autho- 
 rity, and not upon the teilimony of God. 
 
 It cannot be fuppofed but the great noife 
 that has been made concerning us, has made 
 many to look more narrowly into the reafons 
 of their fiith ; and let the confequence of a fe- 
 rious, diligent, and fincere inquiry be either the 
 fixing a man in his former opinion, or a con- 
 vi6lion of his miftake, he may be fatisfied that 
 he takes the proper courfe, and that his faith 
 fliall be the more acceptable and pleafing to 
 God. And whether men preach Chrift of con- 
 tention or of good will, I doubt not it fhall 
 occafion many to fearch the fcriptures the more 
 carefully, and to come to the knowledge of 
 the truth. Nor do I think we have been altoge- 
 ther unferviceable to the truth, in as much as 
 what we have fuffer'd, has occafion'd fome with 
 the more freedom and boldnefs to own and ap- 
 pear for it. 
 
564. The Sufferings of the Apoflle 
 
 Sermon I fhall clofe all with three refledlions briefly, 
 XIII. I. Since the things that have happen'd to 
 
 v^'V"^*^ us have certainly fallen out rather to the fur- 
 therance of the gofpel, and have ferved fo ex- 
 cellent and noble a purpofe, let none of us grudge 
 or repine at what we have met with. Who 
 would not be v/illing to bear reproach upon fuch 
 an account ? we fhould blefs God when he is 
 pleafed to honour us v/ith being any way fer- 
 viceable to him, to his Son, to his intereft and 
 truth. And though cruel mockings are no light 
 trial, yet I mull tell you they are much lighter 
 than what God might have called us to, and 
 v/hat as chriftians we have bound our felves to. 
 be ready to indure, and what many of God's 
 fervants have indured ; for ye have not yet re~ 
 Jifled unto blood. 
 
 And chriilians are to be prepared not only to 
 bear reproach, but to take joyfully the fpoiling 
 of their goods. Equivalent to this is the de- 
 priving you of your juft right, ■ and the obliging 
 you to expend a part of your fubfcance, which 
 had been needlefs if you had been juflly dealt 
 with. But I need not inlarge upon this ; the 
 place you have built for the worfhip of God is 
 a witnels that you have not grudg'd what you 
 have done ; but have taken joyfully the fpoil- 
 ing of your goods, fmce you have voluntarily 
 exceeded in the expence, and provided not barely 
 for neceffity, but for an agreeable decency ai>d' 
 comelinefs. 
 
 2. Since, our fufferings are caufelefs, and yet 
 fo ferviceable for the furtherance of the gofpel, 
 there can be ,no good reafon why any fhould: 
 beafliamed to own. us, and join with us. The 
 reproaches cad upon us are for the lake of Chrift, 
 his triitli, his authority ; and \i Mofes^s faith is, 
 ' ■ worthy 
 
a furtherance of the GofpeL 565 
 
 worthy of our imitation, we fliould <'/,?^;« thefe Sermon 
 greater riches than the treafures of a kingdom. XIII. 
 All that we contend for, is that we may have ^-''''V*^. 
 no 7najler hut one^ even Chrijl^ that the words of 
 men may be no rule to us, while all the words 
 of Chrift we moft chearfully receive and believe. 
 Let men therefore ferioufly confider thofe awful 
 words of our Saviour, Mark viii. 38. IVhofoeuer 
 ./hall be apoamed of me, and of m'j words, in this 
 adtdterous and finful generation, of hi?n alfo Jhdll 
 the Jon of man he afhamed when he cometh in the 
 glory of his Father, with the holy angels. 
 
 3. Since God has done us the honour to turn 
 the things that have happened to us to the fur- 
 therance of the gofpel, let us be very careful, 
 that we do not hinder the promotion and ad- 
 vancement of it any other way. The eyes ot 
 the world, my brethren, are upon us *, the re- 
 putation of truth and liberty will be ferved or 
 differved by our behaviour. Let us fee then that 
 we credit both, by our meeknefs and mildnels, 
 bearing patiently, as I hope we have hitherto, 
 the infults and abufes which affeft not us only^ 
 but Chrift, the mafher we profefs to ferve. Let 
 us be moft exa6l and circumfpeft in our whole 
 condufl, and be holy in all manner of conver- 
 fation, A drunkard, an extortioner, a cheat, 
 or an unclean perfon may difgrace, but he will 
 not be able to do much to the furtherance of 
 the gofpel. Let it be feen by our lives, that 
 we are fieking for glory, honour, and i?mnortality. 
 This will be the moft convincing confutation of 
 the damning fentences which men may pafs up- 
 on us. L.et not our religion lie in fpeculation 
 or in talk, but in practice ; and with the form 
 of godlinefs let us join the life and power thereof. 
 If we take this courfe, we may exped that 
 
 God 
 
566 The Sufferings of the A^oflle^ &.C. 
 
 Sermon God will honour us as we honour him s we 
 XIII. fliall furmount the oppofition we meet with -, 
 
 V-^'V^'by our patience and innocence weary our re- 
 vilers, and triumph over all their weak attempts ; 
 we fhall efFe(5lually make them afhamed who 
 blame our good converfation in Chrift, and put 
 to filence the ignorance of foolilh men. Ameni 
 God grant it for Chriji*s fake> 
 
 How 
 
367 
 
 Horn St. Paul was known to le Jet for 
 the defence of the Gojpel. 
 
 SERMON 
 
 Preach'd 
 
 MAYS, 1720. 
 
 ' Philip. I. 17. 
 
 But the other of Love knowing that I 
 amfetfor the ''Defence of the Gofpel, . 
 
 ^f^ — ^ IS a great unhappinefs among chri- Sermon 
 I ftians, that they are fo little able XIV. 
 
 I to bear with one another in the k^v**** 
 
 JL differing fentiments they entertain j 
 and that party ftrife and contention fo commonly 
 drown love and charity among thofe who may 
 be, perhaps all of them, diligently and impar- 
 tially fearching for the truth. No one that 
 makes any careful obfervation of the behaviour 
 of the feveral parties into which chriftians are 
 now fadly divided, can fail of taking notice of 
 the zeal with which differences in religion are 
 
 inflamed. 
 
368 
 
 How St, Paul was hnown to 
 
 Sermon inflamed. Nothing is more common than t6 
 XIV. fee the fierce zealots, in a religious contro- 
 
 v^'-V^^ verfy, magnify the weight and importance 
 of the tenet rhey are fond of: And let it be 
 ever fo whimfical, abfurd, or trifling, 'tis great 
 odds if it does not foon commence a fundamen- 
 fal, and the ftrefs of mens eternal falvation be 
 not laid upon it. 'Tis great pity religion fliould 
 be ufed as a means of fovv^ring mens tempers, 
 and rendering them morofe, fiirly, and uneafy 
 to thofe a^out them. One would think it fhould 
 be no hard matter for perfons to believe, that 
 their neighbours, who live foberly and virtu- 
 oufly, may be very fmcere and impartial in 
 their feeking the truth, however they may hap- 
 pen to difagree with them in the judgments 
 they form. We all, for inftance, profefs our 
 felves Chriftians, and declare that we take the 
 bible for the rule of our faith and praflice, and 
 that we indeavour to frame all our notions ac- 
 cording to that : And while we do not by a 
 negle6t of the chriftian rules of piety and virtue, 
 deftroy the credibility of our profefllon, why 
 may we not obtain the favour at the hands of 
 men to be thought honefl and fmcere, and fuch 
 as may be accepted of God ? Why fhould men, 
 who pretend to fenfe as well as religion, indulge 
 themfelves in a vain cant, and call all their pe- 
 culiar fancies g^TP^/, and every contrary opinion 
 a damnable herefy ? Why muft the facred fcrip- 
 tures, the words of the Holy Ghoft, which de- 
 ferve to be treated with the higheft veneration,- 
 be tortured to condemn, or eftablilh what they 
 fpeak not of? There is nothing more eafy than 
 for men to make the fcriptures alTert what they 
 pleafe, if they may but firfl: be allow'd to in- 
 title their own notions true gofpeh But as no 
 
 opinion 
 
be fet for the 1>efence of the Gofpel 569 
 
 opinion can be jufliy eftablifh'd, or folidly Sermon 
 confuted, by fuch a precarious application of any XIV. 
 text, without proving the relation it has to that -^"V*^ 
 opinion ; i'o nothing is more weak and child ilh 
 than fuch a way of arguing from any general 
 term, which may be equally applied by all par- 
 ties to their refpeilive purpofes, till the fenfe 
 of it be determin'd by other plain evidence. 
 
 When once a man takes it for granted, that 
 his opinion is gofpel, he immediately triumphs 
 in the application of any text wherein mention 
 is made of the gofpel. And by this means all 
 the rage of a party fhall be juftified as though 
 it were for the defence of the gofpel. 
 
 I have now chofen to infifl upon this text, that 
 I may refcue it from the finifler interpretation put 
 upon it by fuch as catch at the found, rather 
 than fearch for the true fenfe and meaning of it. 
 
 St. Paul informs the Philippians, at the 12th 
 verfe of the chapter, that the things which hap- 
 pened unto him, had fallen out rather to the fur- 
 therance of the gofpel \ that is, that his bonds and 
 imprifonment had been the occafion of the grea- 
 ter fpread of the gofpel. This was owing partly 
 to mens curiofity, which naturally puts them 
 upon inquiring into the reafons and caufes of 
 things -, and fo it being notorious that the 
 apoitle's fufferings were for the fake of the gof- 
 pel, this Qccafion'd mens inquiring what this 
 gofpel was for which he fuffer'd •, the happy 
 efied: of which was what may eafily be fuppofed 
 concerning fuch a rational inftitution ; that it 
 approved it felf to the minds and confciences 
 of all impartial inquirers. Again, the advan- 
 tage which the gofpel gain'd by his bonds was 
 partly -^wing to the etfed: it had upon the 
 preacher^ of that time, as it provoked their 
 B b zeal. 
 
^'Jo TJoTP St,Vdi\x\ was %nown id 
 
 Sermon zeal, diligence, and courage in the difcharge of 
 XI V» their duty. This is mention'd, ver. 14. A}2d 
 
 >>^^Y^^ 7?iany of the brethren in the Lord waxing confident 
 hy my hondsy are much more hold to [peak the word 
 without fear. Upon his mentioning this, he takes 
 occafion to obferve the very different behaviour 
 of two forts of preachers at that time, njer. 1 5. 
 Some indeed preach Chrifl^ even of envy and firife ; 
 and fome alfo of good-will. St. Paul himfelf was 
 the objedl of the envy of the one, and of the 
 love of the other, as he Ihews by what follows : 
 The one preach Chriji of contention^ not fincerely^ 
 fuppofing to add affliSfion to my bonds. They preach'd 
 Chrift with a defign of oppofing the apoflle, 
 being grieved at the reputation and interefb he 
 had gain*d, and indeavouring to undermine him ; 
 and by this means to add to the trouble of his 
 bonds by vexing and grieving his fpirit. Of 
 the other, which were the truly generous and 
 noble fort, he fpeaks in the words of the text : 
 But the other of love, that is love and good-will 
 to the apoflle, as may appear not only by the 
 15th verfe, but likewife by the laft claufe of 
 the text, knowing that I am fet for the defence 
 of the gofpel 
 
 Some think the words fhould rather be ren- 
 dered, knowing that I lie^ that is in bonds, for 
 the defence of the gofpel. The fenfe would be very 
 good, if the words were fo underflood : But as 
 1 doubt whether the exprelTion in the original 
 would bear that rendering, and our own may be 
 juftified from feveral other places, particularly 
 I ThefT. iii. 3. 7hir fehes know that we are ap- 
 pointed thereunto : I think there is no need of' 
 making any alteration in our tranflation. They 
 knew therefore that he was fet^ that is, ap- 
 pointedy for the defence of the gofpel. And the 
 
 appoint- 
 
he fet for the defence of the Gofpel. ^ 7 I 
 
 appointment he fpeaks of, muli be underftood Sermon 
 to be the appointmencof God or of Chrift. XIV. 
 
 In fpeaking to the words, I will, ^^^-w^ 
 
 I. Confider how they could know that St. Pciul 
 was let, or appointed of God, for the de- 
 fence of the gofpel. 
 
 II. Inquire how far we can have reafon to 
 apprehend the fame to be true or falle con- 
 cerning any in our own time. 
 
 I. I am to confider how thofe who preach'd 
 Chrift out of love and good-will to St. Pau!^ 
 could know that he was fet, or appointed of God, 
 for the defence of the gofpel. And certainly 
 we may well fuppofe there was fomewhat pecu- 
 liar in his cafe, and which he may therefore be 
 underftood here to refer to. 
 
 I. They were apprized of his being in an 
 extraordinary and immediate manner called to 
 the higheft office in the chriftian church. The 
 apoftles were the prime and chief minifters 
 in the church, with whom no others were to be 
 compared •, and one thing that feems to have 
 been necelTary for the conltituting an apoftle, 
 was that he fliould. be immediately appointed 
 by Chrift, without the intervention of men. And 
 hence as St. Paul was immediately and extra- 
 ordinarily called to this office after our Savi- 
 our's death, he takes notice of this particular 
 circumftance -, Gal. i. i. Paul an apojile, not of 
 men., neither by man, hut by Jef.is Chrift and 
 God the Father, ijoho raifed him from the d^ad. 
 Now 'tis but reafonable to fuppofe that they 
 who are unqueftionably called and appointed ot 
 God to the higheft office in the chriftLin church, 
 are appointed by him alfo to the chief and 
 B b 2 moft 
 
27^ How St. Paul was hiorvn to 
 
 Sermon moft important fervices. They are in a parti- 
 XIV. cular manner put in trail with the gofpel, 
 
 v..^-Y"^w/ I Theff. ii. 4. We were allowed of God to he put in 
 truft with the gofpel. And muft not this be one 
 part of the truli, that they defend it ? Thus he 
 tells us elfewhere, i Tim. i. 2. 'The glorious gof- 
 pel of the hkffed God was committed to his truft. 
 
 2. They knew he was extraordinarily inftru6l- 
 ed and furniflied lor the defence of the gofpel, 
 as well as by his office called and appointed 
 to it. When God fends men upon any work, 
 he qualifies them for it. And as the apoftles 
 were in a particular manner intrufted with the 
 gofpel, fo they had extraordinary qualifications 
 for the difcharge of that truft. And there is 
 one qualification which is manifeftly necelTary 
 for him who is fet for the defence of the gofpel, 
 and with which the apoftles were furniih'd above 
 all others •, and that is a thorough knowledge 
 of the gofpel they were to defend. Without 
 this they would have been very unfit for the 
 errand they were fent upon, to fet up a new 
 religion in the world. Bur being furnifh'd with 
 an extraordinary illumination of the Holy Spirit, 
 and by him being led into all truths they were 
 able to declare the whole coiinfel of God, and with 
 an infallible affurance publilh to the world the 
 dod:i ine they preached. It would have been a 
 great difgrace and hindrance to the gofpel, had 
 the firft publiiliers of it difcover'd themlelves to 
 be uncertain or inconfiftent in the preaching of 
 it. They might then have been eafily puzzled 
 and nonplus'd by the cunning Ibphiiters of the 
 age. But they were fecured againft this by 
 the exaft and full knowledge they had of that 
 gofpel which they were to defend as well as pub- 
 lifh. God made them able minijlers of the new tefta- 
 m.nt, 2 Cor. iii. 4. . 3. The 
 
he fet for the Defence of the Gojpel, 575 
 
 3. The figns and miracles which God wrought Sermon 
 by St. Paul were a full evidence of his apollle- XIV. 
 fhip, and by confequence of his being fet for wOo^ 
 the defence of the gofpel. It was not fufficient 
 to fatisfy the world that the apoflles brought 
 a well kid and confiftent fcheme of do6lrine ; 
 there was need of fome clear evidence that the 
 things they declared were actually true. Sup- 
 pofmg the doftrine they pubiifh'd was rational ; 
 yet Its being fo was not alone enough to prove 
 that God had fent them to make it known, or 
 that it mufb be received on pain of eternal dam- 
 nation. They came as amhajfadors of Chrifi, 
 and as though God did befcech men by them^ they 
 p'afd them in his fiead. Was it not therefore 
 neceflary that they fhould be able to produce 
 their commiflion, and fhew that it was well 
 attefted, and that they afferted nothing but what 
 they had good warrant for ? This the apoftles 
 were able to do by thofe extraordinary works 
 which they performed ; nor had any chriftians 
 or miniilers of that time an equal meafure of 
 the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghoft with 
 them. And thus we read particularly of this 
 apoftle, A^s xix. 11, 12. God wrought; fpeciai 
 miracles by the hands of Paul : So that from his 
 body were brought to thefick^ handkerchiefs and apronSy 
 and the difeafes departed from tbem, and the evil 
 fpirits went out of them. And thus God bore wit- 
 nefs to thefe firfl preachers of the gofpel both 
 with figns and wonders^ and with divers miracles 
 and gifts of the Holy Ghoft, according to his own 
 will, Heb. ii. 4. By fuch extraordinary opera- 
 tions, both the commi^ion and doftrineof St.P^z// 
 were attefted and confirm'd to the world •, nor 
 could any thing but harden'd impudence ftand 
 againft fuch a defence of the gofpel j it being 
 B b 3 evideiiC 
 
V' 
 
 74- Ho^ ^i' P^ul was hiown to 
 
 Sermon evident the dodrine muft be from God, which 
 XIV. God is pleafed in fo plain a manner to fet his 
 
 ^-^''V*^ leal to. 
 
 4. There feems to have been fomewhat very 
 peculiar in the providence of God, with refe- 
 rence to St. Paul^ as though even among the 
 apoftles thenifelves, he had been more eminently 
 fet for the defence of the gofpel. Notwithftand- 
 ing all the apoftles were equal as to their office, 
 they were not all equal in other refpefls -, but 
 fome of them were more eminent than others. 
 Our Saviour, in his life time, by his behaviour 
 in taking Peter, James, and John only with him 
 upon extraordinary occafions, fcems to have di- 
 ftinguifn'd them from the reft ; and afterwards 
 they were reputed pilars. Gal. ii. 9. And thus 
 St. Paul fpeaks of the ver'^ chiefejl apojlles, 2 Cor. 
 xi. 5. And in the fame place tells us, he 
 was not a whit behind them. And if we confi- 
 dcr the extraordinary refolution and courage he 
 difcover'd, the indefatigable induftry and pains 
 he took in preaching the gofpel, the many fuf- 
 ferings he indured for the fake of it ; and the 
 frequent publick defences he made of it in the 
 prefence of its greateft enemies, we may well 
 acknowledge there was fomewhat peculiar in his 
 cafe which might make thofe who were ac- 
 quainted with the hiftory of his life, think him 
 above any of his fellow apoftles fet for the de- 
 fence of the gofpel. Providence feems to have 
 mark'd him out as the perfon by whom the 
 gofpel fhould be more defended than by any 
 other •, at leaft the accounts which are left us, 
 do not inform us of any one who did fo much' 
 in defence of the goipel as he did. 
 
 Upon the whole therefore, the preachers 
 St, Patd fpeaks of might know that he was fet 
 
 for 
 
be fet for the Tie fence of the GofpeL 575 
 
 for the defence of the gofpel, fince they had Sermon 
 full evidence of his commifTion as an apoftle, XIV, 
 and might plainly perceive that providence led <«'"V'n* 
 him more than any of the reft of the apoftles 
 to defend the gofpel by his preaching, writings, 
 and fufferings. 
 
 II. I fhall now inquire how far we can have 
 reafon to apprehend the fame to be true or falfe, 
 concerning any in our own time •, that they alfo 
 are fet by God for the defence of the gofpel. 
 Now here I defire it may be obferved, that 
 the inquiry I make, is not whofe duty 'tis to 
 defend the gofpel. There can no queftion be 
 made of its being the duty of all who believe 
 the gofpel, and profefs themfelves chriftians, to 
 defend it in the beft way they are capable. 
 Private chriftians are obliged to this, and much 
 more, fuch as are minifters in the chriftian 
 church are obliged in duty, not only to preach 
 the gofpel, but to vindicate it, and put to fllence 
 gainlayers. But the queftion here is, when we 
 can have reafon to think that God does now 
 defign, and particularly imploy and appoint any 
 perfons to this province of defending the gofpel ? 
 And this is the more needful to be conftder'd, 
 becaufe 'tis fo common for men to cover their 
 zeal with a pretence of their concern for the 
 gofpel, and their being fet for the defence of it. 
 Now I will comprize all I fhall fay on this 
 head under thefe following particulars : 
 
 I . That we are not to think men fet for the 
 defence of the gofpel, but upon our having the 
 cleareft evidence and proof that what they de- 
 fend is really gofpel. There is nothing more 
 apt to miftead and deceive men, than when 
 they take up any thing for gofpel, not becaufe 
 they Ccc it proved to be fo, but becaufe they 
 ?, b, 4 ai;e 
 
376 
 
 How St, Paul was hnown to 
 
 Sermon are confidently told by thofe they too much rely 
 XIV. upon that 'tis fo. 
 
 fc^^yx. Sometimes we fee men are apt to rely upon 
 their teachers, becaufe of their ordination ; as tho' 
 thofe who were ordain'd by fuch and fuch per- 
 fons, or in fuch and fuch a manner, muft needs be 
 inirufted with the keeping of the truth, and be the 
 defenders of the gofpel. 'Tis true, were men now, 
 as of old, immediately fent of God, or did their 
 ordainers now proceed by a fpirit of difcerning, 
 and fo feparate none to the facred office but thofe 
 whom God called to it, there would be more 
 reafon for our placing a confidence in them. 
 
 But the cafe is far otherwife •, and the or- 
 dainers, of whatever fide they be, are liable to be 
 miftaken, and to fend thofe whom God does not 
 call or efteem duly qualified : And they are 
 innocent many times in doing fo •, fmce God 
 has not given them ability to look into the 
 hearts of men, and therefore expefts no more of 
 them, than to judge according to appearance. 
 The ordainers therefore may proceed according 
 to rule, and yet fend forth iuch as God does 
 not fend or approve ; and to be fure in this cafe 
 he does not let them for the defence of the 
 gofpel. The beft men, when they proceed mod 
 exadlly according to rule, may lend the word, 
 being miftaken concerning them ; and the beft 
 of men, and thofe whom God will make moft 
 ufe of for the defence of his golpel, may happen 
 fometimes to be ordain'd, or lent by the worff. 
 And this is evident among all parties, as I fpeak 
 not with regard to any one party in oppofition to 
 another. 'Tis evident therefore that we can't 
 judge of the doftrine now by the perfons that 
 bring it, however they may come recommended 
 to us. And indeed fliould we judge according to 
 
 this 
 
he jet for the defence of the Gofpel, 577 
 
 this rule, we muft be reduced to the utmofl con- Sermon 
 fufion : P'or let a man fix upon what party he XIV. 
 will, he fhall find them difagree among them- ^^^'Vs*' 
 felves, fome of them recommending that for 
 gofpel which others cry down as herefy. 
 
 Nor again can we take any thing to be gofpel 
 upon a truft to numbers. A do<5lrine is not 
 prefently gofpel, becaufe it has the common 
 vogue, and the generality of thofe who profefs 
 the chriftian religion fall in with it ; or becaufe 
 the major part of fallible minifters, whether they 
 are or are not affembled in council, declare for 
 it, and earneftly recommend it as fuch. Neither 
 the people, nor the minifters of the chriftian 
 church, have any infallible aflurance of their be- 
 ing always in the right ; and in fadl we find 
 the majority of either, or both forts, have many 
 times been in the wrong. 
 
 Were this a rule of judging, a reformation of 
 corruptions muft be humanly fpeaking impofli- 
 ble. For how Iliould it be begun when the cor- 
 ruption, as in the times of popery, is become 
 general ? You muft either fuppofe that God 
 Ihould by a miracle work a convi6tion at once 
 in the majority j or elfe the thing is not fea- 
 fible : For whatever a few perfons may offer, 
 and however ftrong, clear, and unanfwerable 
 their reafons may be, they may eafily be born 
 down with this pretence, if it be allowed to have 
 any fenfe in it, that the majority are againft 
 them ; and 'tis to be ftjppos'd that they are in 
 the right. 
 
 We muft therefore firft know what is gofpel, 
 before we can have reafon to judge that men 
 who undertake the defence of it, are fet for 
 the defence of the go pel. And this we muft 
 learn from quire anotiier rule than the opinions 
 
 and 
 
37S 
 
 How St, Paul was hnown to 
 
 Sermon and judgments of men. This mufl indeed be 
 XIV. learnt from the gofpel it felf. 
 
 y-yy^-^ The gofpel is to be underftood in different 
 fenfes •, fometimes it fignifies the glad tidings of 
 a Saviour, and fometimes 'tis taken more largely, 
 as comprehending the whole chriftian revelation, 
 whatever by the new teflament we are required 
 to believe and pradife. In the firft fenfe 'tis to 
 be hoped that all the contending parties of 
 chriftians are agreed in their belief and defence 
 of the gofpel, being perfuaded that Jefus of 
 Nazareth is the Son of God, the Saviour of the 
 world, and that there is falvation in no other 
 name but his. This is evidently gofpel, and he 
 that defends this, fo far defends the gofpel. But 
 taking the gofpel in a m.ore large and extenfive 
 fenfe, as comprehending the whole rule of chri- 
 ilian faith and pra6tice, ^tis certain there is a 
 confiderable difference among thofe who bear 
 the name of chriftians ; fome judging and re- 
 commending that as gofpel which others can 
 by no means receive as fuch. 
 
 Now would we know who of the contenders 
 defend the gofpel, and who do not ; the only 
 way that I can think of to be fure, is to examine 
 the feveral pofitions which are advanced, by 
 that revelation which is confeffed on both hands 
 to be the rule by v/hich we are to determine. 
 Indeed I can't but think rhat what is truly gof- 
 pel, and abfolutely neceifary to be received by 
 us as fuch, is laid down very plainly in the new 
 teftament i and may be eafily underftood without ■ 
 any great matter of logick or metaphyficks, or 
 a long train of confequences. But however, 
 fince we muft look upon our felves as bound to. 
 receive whatever we fee does naturally flew; trom. 
 any fcripture afierticns, when ever men prove 
 
 any 
 
he fet for the defence of the Goffel 7^']<) 
 
 any of their doftrines to be plainly deduced from Sermon 
 fcripture, we may then judge they are really, XIV, 
 and not imaginarily only, defending the gofpel, v^T*^ 
 when they are indeavouring to vindicate thofc 
 confequences. 
 
 I think then *tis evident, that let mens zeal be 
 ever fo great, and their other qualifications ever 
 fo excellent, yet 1 can have no reafon to believe 
 they defend the gofpel, and much lefs that God 
 has fet them for the defence of the gofpel, till by 
 reafons and fair argument they make it plain to 
 my underftanding, that the things they fo zea- 
 loufly defend are indeed exaclly according to the 
 gofpel. It can never be, that God has fet them 
 up for the defence of the gofpel, however they 
 may fet up themfelves under that pretence, if 
 the points they maintain are not according to the 
 gofpel. 
 
 2. I can never think that God has fet up fuch 
 men for the defence of the gofpel, whofe lives 
 are contrary to the rule of the gofpel. A man 
 who lives a vicious and ungodly life, may indeed 
 happen to be right in his notions concerning 
 gofpel truth ; and were not this allow'd, with 
 what party of men could we hope to find the 
 truth, fmce there is no party of chriflians that 
 has not fome bad men intermixed among them ? 
 But yet certainly, however fuch men may hap- 
 pen to be in the right, God has never fet them 
 for the defence of the gofpel, fmce the tenour 
 of their converfations is a mofl notorious oppo- 
 fition to it. Men may be innocent in fending 
 forth a drunkard, a lyar, a reviler, or an un- 
 clean perfon, when they are not able to fee thro* 
 his difguife, and difcern his abominable wicked- 
 nefs : But are fuch men of God's fending or fet- 
 ting up ? Does not he know what they are, 
 2 and 
 
380 
 
 How St, Paul was known to 
 
 Sermon and how unfit they are to defend the caufe, 
 XIV. which they really are concern*d no farther to 
 
 V/'yv^ ferve, than as they find it will ferve them ? 
 
 3. We cannot reafonably judge thofe to be 
 fet up for the defence of the gofpel, who in- 
 flead of gofpel methods of defending it, betake 
 themfelves to thofe that are notorioufly unjuft 
 and unrighteous, and moft diredly contrary to 
 the gofpel. When men pretend to be fet up 
 for the defence of the gofpel, 'tis common, as we 
 iee, for them to juftify all they do, as done for 
 that caufe. But does God, do we think, ever 
 need the help of injuftice and unrighteoufnefs ? 
 Or does he ever give men a commiflion to make 
 ufe of fuch methods ^ We have a plain rule of 
 proceeding in all cafes : The gofpel is to be 
 Ijpread by perfuafiort, the force of reafon and 
 argument ; men are not to be bullied into any 
 opinion in religion ; and all ecclefiaftical pro- 
 ceedings againft fuch as are accufed in any re- 
 fpedl are to be according to evidence -, and the 
 rule that reaches all cafes is, that in the mouth of 
 two or three witnejfes every word /hall be ejlablijh^dy 
 and an accufation be received. What forry de- 
 fenders muft they then be of the gofpel, who 
 inftead of this, fet up an inquifition to make 
 offenders -, and upon their non-fubmillion pro- 
 ceed againft them as though they were really 
 fuch ? Does God ule to fend men to defend hi-^ 
 truth by impofing their own tenets upon the 
 belief of men? Or can we think that they who 
 take fuch coiirfes are fet by him for the defence 
 of the gofpel ? We may affu redly fiy, that as 
 his word gives no countenance to thefe methods, 
 io the methods themfelves may moft defervedly 
 Jcflen our regard to thofe who ufe them. If 
 they are of God, yet undoubtedly not in this 
 
 matter ; 
 
 \ 
 
le jet for the Defence of the Gofpel. 581 
 
 matter : If they have the truth on their fide, Sermon 
 which 'tis very unlikely they have, fince that XIV. 
 never needs fuch arts, yet without doubt God '^OP*'. 
 never fent them by this way to maintain it : And 
 however they may defend the gofpel in other re- 
 fpefts, in this they difparage it, and fubvert the 
 moft equitable and ufeflil rules of it. 
 
 I would not that this fliould be ftretch'd too 
 far. I don't think that every little miftake is an 
 evidence that God does not imploy men for the 
 defence of the gofpel. Allowances muft be 
 made for fallible men, when God is pleafed to 
 make ufe of fuch •, and all their jull" methods 
 are not to be cenfured and condemn'd for the fake 
 of a few overfights : But where injuftice, cruel- 
 ty, and oppreffion run through the whole de- 
 fence of a caufe, this muft give us quite another 
 view of it ; nor can it be eafy for us to fuppofe 
 that fuch perfons are fet for the defence of the 
 gofpel. 
 
 4. When God fets men for the defence of the 
 gofpel, their zeal will bear a proportion to the 
 refpeftive importance of thofe things of the 
 gofpel which they defend. If a perfon who is 
 placed in a garrifon to defend it, bufies himfelf 
 in fecuring fuch parts of the fortification as are 
 mofl inaccellible and out of danger, and neo;- 
 iedls others which are weakeft, and where the 
 enemy may do him moft mifchief, he Ihews him- 
 felf very unfit for his pofl : And fo in like man- 
 ner, if mens zeal is carried out in defence of very 
 obfcure matters, which at belt 'tis difputablc 
 whether they have any truth in them, and at the 
 fame time they are fecure and calm with refpeit 
 to fuch doftrines as directly rend to weaken mens 
 indeavours' after holinefs and virtue -, or if their 
 
 defence 
 
38 
 
 a How St, Paul tpas hnown to 
 
 Sermon defence is fo wholly and virulently imployed 
 XIV. about matters of fpeculation, as to negledt, or it 
 
 V^vx^ may be deftroy charity ; 'tis evident they are 
 very unfit to be fet for the defence of the gofpel. 
 And however God may fend them in other re- 
 fpe(5ts, there is little reafon to think he raifes 
 them up for any fuch purpofe as they may be apt 
 to pretend. 
 
 5. Where perfons are really fet for the de- 
 fence of the gofpel, they will, if we may judge 
 from St. Paul's example, have an hearty defire of 
 the fuccefs of the gofpel, and rejoice in any pro- 
 bable means ufed in order to it. This you fee 
 was his temper : There were fome preach'd 
 Chrift of envy and ilrife in oppofition to him, 
 and to add to the afflidion of his bonds, and 
 others preach'd Chrift out of love and good-will : 
 Was it then only in the latter that he rejoyced ? 
 No, but as he fays in the verfe immediately fol- 
 lowing the text : IVbat then ? Not'withfiandmg 
 every way, whether in -pretence or in truth, Chrijl is 
 preached ; and I therein rejoyce ; yea and will re- 
 joyce. 
 
 I am forry I am able to fay there has been of 
 late fo much preaching of Chrift out of envy 
 and ftrife : Judge now by the apoftle's example, 
 who look moft likely to be fet for the defence 
 of the gofpel ; we who cannot indeed rejoyce in 
 any oppofition made againft what we believe to 
 be the truth, but yet do rejoyce, and recommend 
 it to you to rejoyce, in the liberty and opportu- 
 nities our brethren have to preach the great 
 truths of the gofpel, and to do good to the fouls 
 of men ; or they who have ftiewed themfelves 
 fo very uneafy at our having any opportunity to 
 preach at all •, and that notwithftanding we op- 
 
 pofed 
 i 
 
he fet for the Defence of the GoffeL 385 
 
 pofed them not in our preaching, as to that point Sermon 
 upon which they think fit to lay fo great a XIV. 
 Itrefs. ..^V-%/ 
 
 Laftly, I might add, that where perfons are 
 fet for the defence of the gofpel, they will dif- 
 cover a refolution to bear all things for the fake 
 of the gofpel. Such a temper this apoftle fre- 
 quently difcovers, and the like I doubt not is 
 always found in fuch as God in his providence 
 raifes up for that purpofe at any time. But I 
 do not think it proper to inlarge upon this : 
 For however I might fuggefl under the lafbhead, 
 that we might, according to that charafter, 
 pretend, with a better grace than our brethren, 
 to be fet for the defence of the gofpel ; yet I 
 would not be thought fo vain as to put in for 
 any thing which founds fo great ; 'tis enough 
 for us to fay, that we are fure 'tis our duty to 
 do our utmoft to defend the gofpel, according 
 to the bell judgment we can form of it j and we 
 hope if God defigns any thing farther concern- 
 ing us, he will give us fuch a firmnefs and refo- 
 lution, as that none of the things we fhall meet 
 with fhall be able to move us. And as to our 
 brethren, I need not inlarge on this head upon 
 their account. For 'tis manifeft, if they have, 
 as fome of them for ought I know may have, 
 fuch a refolution, yet they have at prefent no 
 opportunity of Ihewing it, and therefore it can- 
 not as yet be any argument on their fide that 
 they are fet for the defence of the gofpel. 
 
 I fliall now conclude with a few reflexi- 
 ons. 
 
 I. From my difcourfe you may learn, that the 
 methods men ufe muft juflify them, and that 
 their names are not fufficient to juflify their 
 
 me- 
 
38+ 
 
 How St. Paul was known to 
 
 Sermon methods. Fallible men are liable to miftake in 
 XIV. the courfe they take, and you can't, from their 
 
 v^^V^^ bare charafter, be fure they have done well ; 
 but if you would judge rightly of that, you 
 muft examine and fift their aftions themfelves. 
 To tell us that a minifter, or an aflembly is 
 fet for the defence of the gofpel, that what they 
 have done is for the defence of it, and therefore 
 they are free from blame, is childifh. Suppo- 
 fmg it were true, and it could be proved, yet 
 who can warrant that they have every way 
 anfwer*d their charad:er, without being tranf- 
 ported by their own affeftions to fuch methods 
 as are not good. Shew firft that they have 
 a£bed according to their rule, and then there 
 will be no occafion to fly to fuch a poor fhelter 
 as this. 
 
 2. Let none be terrified with fuch fwelling 
 words of vanity. Every thing is not gofpel, 
 which fome men, who take to themfelves the 
 honour of being fet for the defence of the gof- 
 pel, will tell you is fo. Try then the fpirits : exa- 
 mine and fearch, and fee if you can find that 
 in your bibles, which they would perfuade you 
 is gofpel -, though they tell you not in what 
 corner of the gofpel you are to find it. Believe 
 them not for their own aflfertion ; take nothing 
 for gofpel upon trull from them •, but fee ic 
 with your own eyes •, and remember that the 
 more unaccountable to reafon any doctrine ap- 
 pears to be, the more caufe you have to expe(5l 
 it Ihould be frequently, exprefly, and in the 
 ftrongeft terms deliver'd in the fcriptures, pro- 
 vided God expected you fliould receive it as 
 fuch. 
 
 I 3. Let 
 
le Jet for the 'Defence of the GofpeL 585 
 
 3. Let this be a caution to you in reading Sernpn 
 the holy Icriptures, that you carefully obfcrve XIV. 
 what any pallages or texts therein relate to : ^-OT^*' 
 Otherwile you may be eafily milled by thofe 
 
 ■who catch at any phraie or exprelTion that feems 
 to iound fomewhat to their purpofc, though it 
 be moft foreign to the fenfe of the Holy Gholl. 
 There are other miftakes which men run into, 
 by applying texts, which fpeak wholly of the 
 apoitles and firft extraordinary minifters of the 
 chrifkian church, to all minifters in fucceeding 
 ages. But there is one thing which I wonder is 
 not obferved by thofe who bring thefe into party 
 difputes i and that is, that fuch things are e- 
 qually liable to be applied by any party among 
 chriftians, if a man has but affurance and weak- 
 nefs enough to do it. For inftance, one man 
 takes it for granted that fuch minifters, or fuch 
 an alTembly, are fet for the defence of the gof- 
 pel, and that therefore all they fay is to be re- 
 ceived and applauded •, but then \yhy may not the 
 contrary party as well fay, they are fet for the 
 defence of the gofpel, and that the gofpel is op- 
 pofed by the others ? And when fuch general 
 expreflions have beer) bandied to and fro ever 
 fo long, both fides in the end are juft as wife 
 as they were in the beginning, and not a hair's 
 breadth the nearer to the truth. 
 
 4. Since God fet his apoftles, and does doubt- 
 lefs by his providence, though in a lower {e.ni'e, 
 fet perfons in fucceeding ages for the defence of 
 the gofpel, you may be affured that the gofpel 
 is a moft important thing, and fuch as requires 
 your moft careful regard. See then that you 
 diligently ftudy it, ftedfaftly believe it, and 
 frame your lives according'to it. Do not you by 
 
 C c an 
 
386 Hort> &. Paul was hnown^ Sec. 
 
 Sermon an ungodly life betray that gofpel, which this 
 XIV. apoftle was fet to defend, to the contempt and 
 
 (^/^/NJ reproach of its enemies. And while others 
 pleafe themfelves with a notional religion, let 
 this be your chief care, that your converfation be 
 as becomes the gofpel of Chy'ift. 
 
 Th 
 
38; 
 
 7 be diflinguifiM Honour of aged Tiety, 
 
 A 
 
 SERMON 
 
 Preach'd 
 
 APRIL i8, 1722. 
 
 A T T H E 
 
 FUNERAL 
 
 O F 
 
 Mrs. H' . 
 
 Prov. XVI. 51. 
 
 The hoary Head is a Crown of Glorj^ 
 if it be found in the Way oj Righte- 
 oufnefs. 
 
 ■^ Here is no beauty or comelinefsSermdn 
 like that of holinefs. Nothing tends XV. 
 more to adorn or recommend a perfon s,>'^'W^ 
 than this. And as 'tis natural to men 
 to be concern'd that they may make a feemly 
 Q c 2 appear- 
 
^88 The dijlinguijV d Honour ofagedTiety. 
 
 Sermon appearance, and they are commoniy ftudious to 
 
 XV. adorn themfelves as much, at leaft, as their cir~ 
 
 N«0/^^** cumftances will allow ; fo the Holy Ghoft has 
 
 recommended this to us, under the notion of a 
 
 moft excellent and comely ornament, which 
 
 fuits perlbns of any age or condition. 
 
 Thus is it reprefented in thofe who are young, 
 Prov. i. 9. Where the wife man fpeaking of 
 inllruftions to fear and ferve God, when they 
 are obferved and pradis'd by fuch as are in that 
 age, fays, 'they /ball be an ornament of grace 
 unto thy head, and chains about thy neck : where 
 he alludes to the ornaments of well fet hair, 
 and golden chains, and fo declares the great 
 feemlincfs of virtue for thofe who are young. 
 
 But the providence of God at prefent fuggefls 
 to our confideration the fuitablenefs of the fame 
 thing in thofe who are old i and the removat 
 of an aged perfon from among us, calls upon 
 fuch in a more efpecial manner to bethink them- 
 felves. And for this purpofe I have chofen 
 thefe words as the ground of my prefent dif~ 
 courfe, The hoary head is a crown of glory, that is, 
 'tis a glorious crown, or like a noble and royal 
 diadem, if it he found in the zvay ofrighteoiftiefs. 
 
 The words in the original being, as is ufual in 
 fuch proverbial fpeeches, fomewhat abrupt and 
 concife, there has been room left for a variety of 
 fentiments, concerning the true rendering them. 
 
 Some think they are a propofal of the moft 
 likely courfe men can take to prolong their 
 days i and therefore they thus render them : 
 "The hoary head is a crown of ghr^^, zvhich is to be^ 
 or which /hall be found or obtained in a way of 
 righteoufnefs . 
 
 And this is agreeable to the fifth command- 
 mcnr, where a promifc of long life is made to 
 
 2 obedi-= 
 
The dijlinguift!' d Honour of aged Tiely. 589 
 
 obedience-. Honour th\ father and mother, that thy Sermon 
 days may be long in the land zvhich the Lord thv XV. 
 Godgiveth thee. To the like purpofc tiie Pfalmifi v-<v^»i.^ 
 commends virtue as the readiell way to prolong 
 mens Hves, Pfal. xxxiv. 12, i'?, 14. M^at man is 
 he that defircth life, and loveth many days, that he 
 may fee good ? Keep thy tongue from evil, and th^ 
 lips, from fpeaking guile : Depart from evil, and do 
 good: Seek peace and pur fue it. We can have but 
 little realon to expeft any particular flivour 
 from God in lengthening out our lives, it Vv'e 
 are not careful to obey and pi cafe him. 
 
 Some think that the duty of the aged is here 
 prefcribed -, and fo they render the text thus : 
 'The hoary head is a cro-mi of glor\, it muji be, or, 
 it Jhould be found in the way of' righteoufnefs •, as 
 though he had faid, " Age is honourable, and 
 " gray hairs are an ornament : But then thoie 
 " who are thus aged, ought to be careful of 
 " their duty, and not fail to be found themfclves 
 *' in the way of righteoufnefs. 
 
 Our own tranflators have infer ted the word 
 if in their rendering, if it be found in the ivay of 
 righteoufnefs : And as there is nothing inconve- 
 nient in the fenfe they have exprefTed, or the 
 manner of their rendering, I fliall confine my 
 feif to it -, and fo the words declare to us. That 
 then is the hoary head more efpecially an ornament 
 and glory, when 'tis found in the way of righteouf- 
 nefs. 
 
 There is fomewhat venerable in old age ; 
 whence God joins the ancient and the honourable 
 together, Ifa. ix. 15. And he commanded in 
 the old law that refpeft fhould be paid to fuch. 
 Lev. xix. 32. Thou Jbalt rife up before the hoary 
 bead, and honour the face of the old man. And 
 Solomon tells us, Pr0v.xx.2g. T'^e ghr\f of young 
 ■ C c T Pie/i 
 
:? 9 o T^^ dijlingui/Fd Honour of aged Tiety. 
 
 Sermon men is their firength \, and the beauty ' of old men 
 XV. is their gray head. 
 
 VV^-' Young men who are in the prime of their 
 ftrength, are lively and fit for action •, but the 
 old, till their underftanding becomes impair 'd, 
 are fuppos'd moll fit for counfel, and fo for 
 rule and authority. A refpeft therefore and de- 
 ference has by the wifeft nations beep reckon'd 
 due to their years The Roman Senate was ori- 
 ginally compoled of old men, and took its name 
 from thence : And the council, or yi^^(^ict among 
 the Greeks^ was of the fame nature : And among 
 our fclves one name of magiftrates [Aldermen) 
 is derived from their age : And fo among the 
 Jews, their great council confifted of the elders 
 of the people ; and one proper name ot the 
 minifters of the gofpel fignifies an aged per- 
 fon. 
 
 But when men are old in righteoufnefs as well 
 as years, then is the hoary head indeed a crown 
 of glory, a moll excellent ornament that fliould 
 command much refpe(5l and regard. And this 
 I Ihall now indeavour to confirm by the follow- 
 ing confiderations. 
 
 I. Their knowledge may be fuppos'd to be 
 very confiderable, by reafon of the long time 
 they have had for the acquiring it. Knovv^ledge 
 is not born with us, but is obtain'd by hearing, 
 reading, and making obfervation. Herein men 
 gradually improve : And therefore they may be 
 fuppos'd to have gain^-d the mofl confiderable 
 flock of ufeful knowledge, who have had the 
 iongeft time for it, provided they have made a 
 good ufe of their time, as they mufl be fupposVl 
 to have done, v/ho have chofen the way of 
 righteoufnefs. Hence when the apoflle com- 
 mends the young men for their ftrength, he com- 
 i mend? 
 
The difiingui/h'^d Honour of aged Tiety. 591 
 
 mends the fathers for their knowledge, i John ii. Sermon 
 14. 'Tis the duty of fathers to inftrud and teach XV. 
 their children : And God has provided this >-0/'">i' 
 help for thofe who are young, and want under- 
 ftanding themfelves ; that they are to be guided 
 by thofe who have had more time for the gain- 
 ing knowledge and experience, and who by their 
 natural affeftion, as well as his command, are 
 obliged to give them the befl inftruftion. See 
 VeiiL iv. 9, 10, It being fo natural to fuppofe 
 that knowledge Ihould advance with age, Elihu 
 very decently gave Job^s friends the preference, 
 hecaiife they were elder than he. Job xxxii. 4. and 
 fays he, ver. 6, 7. / a?7i young, and ye are very 
 old : Wherefore I was afraid, and durjl not fhow 
 you mine opinion. I faid, days fhould fpeak, and 
 jnultitude of years fhould teach wifdom. It muft be 
 a great reproach if fuch as are old are ignorant 
 in matters of religion ; if, when for the time they 
 ought to be teachers, they have n:ed that one teach 
 them again, which are the firjl principles of the ora- 
 cles of God, Heb. v. 12. And though there may 
 be a great difference in perfons, which may be 
 owing to their different natural abilities, im- 
 ployments and opportunities, &c. yet there is 
 no chriflian who has fet out early in religion, 
 and has lived to a sood old age, but he muft 
 have gain'd a confiderable ftock of knowledge 
 by his own experience. Such a long life muft 
 furnifti him v^^ith a great variety of obfervations 
 concerning the methods of providence, the plea- 
 fure of religion, and the courfe a chriftian fhould 
 take. The name that was at firft given to the 
 followers of the bleffed Jefus, was that of difci- 
 ples : And as no fchool is more profitable than 
 Chrift's, thofe who have been long in it, muft \ 
 be fuppos'd to have made fome confiderable 
 C c 4 pro- 
 
39^ T '/^<? dtfiingui/Fd Honour of aged Tietw 
 
 Sermop proficiency in knowledge and experience. They 
 XV. muft have obferv'd much of the goodnefs ot 
 
 ^'^V"^ God toward them, that has carried them thro* 
 their prolong'd Hvcs -, and the favourable turns 
 of his providence toward them niuft have often 
 fenfibly affected them. 
 
 They have had a long time to be acquainted 
 with the changes of the world, and to convince 
 them of the uncertainty of all things here below, 
 and to take notice of God's wife and righteous 
 government over the world. They have had 
 a long time to experience the ways ofwifdom to 
 be ;plcafantnefs^ and her paths -peace \ to lafle and 
 fee that the Lord is gracious, and that he is never 
 wanting in his returns to them that faithfully 
 ^ ferve him. Such a life as theirs mull make them 
 know much of the evil of fm, as that which 
 offends God, caufes him to hide his face, quenches 
 his fpirit, and breaks the chriftian's peace. 
 
 'Tis common for young perfons to think they 
 know much ; but length of time makes them 
 afliamed of their former conceit ; and then 
 while they really improve in their knowledge, 
 they are lefs puffed up with an opinion of it. 
 
 2. The virtue and fmcerity of the aged is 
 more cried and approved than of thofe who 
 have but lately fet out and ingaged in religion. 
 Length of time tries all things : And we can 
 fpeak with mpre affurance and confidence of the 
 goodnefs of any thing, when we have been con- 
 vinc'd of it by a long experience. Such a thing, 
 is a man ready to fay, 1 have ufed for fo many 
 years \ and it has proved well al.l the while, 
 and therefore I dare warrant it to be good. 
 -.'\nd fo't!sin the cafe before us, 'Tis indeed a 
 nioit excellent and pleafing tiling to fee perfons 
 let cut well in ixligio^i, vind i:arucularly ta 
 
 *"' ■■ behold' 
 
The difimguilh* d Honour of aged Ttety, 595 
 
 behold thofe who are young applying themfelves Sermon 
 . to mind fpiritual and heavenly concerns : And XV. 
 every one who has the leaft degree of piety does, v-'^'V^ 
 and cannot but rcjoyce at fuch a fight : But yet 
 give meleave to tell fuch, that when we rejoyce 
 upon this account, we i-ejoyce with trembling : 
 We rejoyce that fuch fet themfelves to this 
 work ; but v>^c tremble, being afraid left they 
 fhould lay it afide again -, and left their good- 
 nefs, like Ephrahn^%^ Hof. vi. 4. fhould be as 
 the morning cloud, and as the early dezv JJoould go 
 a-way. We are noc able to fee into the fecrets 
 of perfons hearts, and therefore can only judge 
 by appearance : And though when we have a 
 hopeful profped, we rejoyce ; yet when we 
 confider the many inftances there have been of 
 thofe who have made a flourifhing fliow in reli- 
 gion for a while, and have afterwards utterly 
 abandon'd it ; when we confider the m.any and 
 powerful temptations fuch are like to meet with, 
 how can we be otherwile than greatly concern'd, 
 and jealous for them ? I would not that any 
 fliould mifunderftand me, as though I dcfign'd to 
 difcourage the indeavours of young perfons. Far 
 be it from me. May fuch go on and profper ! 
 Would to God wc could fee their numbers in- 
 creafe ! The proper ufe they are to make of this 
 is, to be the more watchful and ferious in the 
 work •, and therefore let them think that my 
 aim is only the fime with the apoftles, who. 
 fays to the Corinthians, i Cor. iv. 14. As my 
 beloved fins 1 1:; am you. 
 
 But now where perfons have long chofen and 
 walked in the paths of righteoufnefs, and have 
 exprefs'd a conftant regard to the chriftian rule^ 
 and made it, as far as wc can judge, the bufinefs 
 of a long life to pleafe and obey God -, there we 
 
 readilv 
 
5 94- The diflinguifi^d Honour of aged Tieiy, 
 
 Sermon readily look upon the matter as pall doubt or 
 XV. fufpicion. Such a long courfe of piety and god- 
 
 \-/'V'N«» linefs that has weather'd ftorms and difficulties, 
 and has held out againft all oppofition from the 
 devil, the world, and the flefh, is not fo liable 
 to be called in queftion, as that which is yet to 
 incounter all thefe. 
 
 It was a prudent caution which the king of 
 Jfrael fuggefled, i Kings xx. 1 1 . Lei not him that 
 gvdeih on his harnefs boaji himfelf^ as he that put- 
 eth it off; and very applicable 'tis in the pre- 
 fent cafe. Thofe who are fetting out in religion, 
 are like perfons buckling on their harnefs to 
 the combat ; and when they do it refolucely and 
 manfully, 'tis well ; and they defer ve much 
 commendation and incouragement : But yet 
 they are to acknowledge a great difference be- 
 tween themfelves and fuch as are of a long Hand- 
 ing, who have ingaged the enemy, and flood 
 their ground a great while, and are ready as 
 It were to put off the harnefs, having gained the 
 vi(5lory. When you fet out you are following 
 them ; but it muil be acknowledg'd at a con- 
 fiderable dillance : And though you may here- 
 after, when you come to be of their {landing, 
 yet at prefent 'tis plain you have not reach'd to 
 them. You have imitated them in their fetting 
 out ', but you have rheir example to follow in 
 holding on to a good old age, and fpending your 
 whole life in the fervice of God. 
 
 3. As the virtue and holinefs of the aged is 
 more tried and approved through their long 
 ftanding, fo 'tis to be fuppofed upon the fame 
 account to be more confiderable in the mea- 
 fure and degree of it. Their perseverance does 
 not only befpeak the fmcerity of their fiith, 
 hope and love, but likewife a gcod improvement 
 
 therein. 
 
The difiinguifi^d Honour of aged Tiety, 395 
 
 therein. Thefe virtues are in their nature pro- Sermon 
 greflive ; And the promife of God fecures to XV. 
 fuch as keep his way a continual increafe. Ibey Vi^'VV^ 
 thai wait tipon the Lord Jhall renew their Jirength, 
 Ifa. xl. 31. God cxercifes a conftant care over 
 all fincere chriftians to render them more and 
 more fruitful, John xv. 2. And therefore the 
 longer they have been under his care, the more 
 confiderable mqft their improvement be fuppos'd 
 to be. 
 
 There is a double improvement which we 
 may fuppofe chriftians to make ; the one by 
 becoming more confirm*d and eftablifl:^ in their 
 holy religion ; and the other by- their abound- 
 ing more in the fruits of righteoufnefs. And 
 this is agreeable to the reprefentation which is 
 fometimes made of good men in fcript;ure, as 
 trees of the Lorcfs planting, which you know grow 
 at the root as well as in the branches, according 
 to that allufion of the prophet, Ifa. xxxvii. 31. 
 The remnant that is efcafed of the houfe of Judah, 
 Jhall again take root downward^ _ atid bear fruit 
 upward. Now both thefe advanOtges are fecu- 
 red to fmcere chriftians in the ufe of their in- 
 deavours. The apoftle fuppofes the faithfulnefs 
 of God ingages him to confirm and eftablifh 
 thofe who are called into the fellowjhip of his Son 
 J ejus Chriji, 1 Cor. i. 8, 9. And their union with 
 Chrift their head, fecures the other alfo : For 
 from the head, that is Chrift, all the body by 
 joints and bands- Ixiving nourifoment minifired, and 
 knit together, increajeth with the increaje of God, 
 Col. ii. 19. Whence the righteous are fuppofed 
 continually to improve, and the path of the juji 
 is reprefented by the Jhining light that JJjinctb 
 inore and more unto the perfect, dayy Prov. iv. 1 8. 
 
 Now 
 
5 9 6 The dijllngui/h'^d Honour of aged Tiety, 
 
 Sermon Now if virtue and holinefs are ornaments, as 
 XV. moft certainly they are, when they are thus con- 
 
 w^'^y>*«' firm'd and increaled by a long continuance un- 
 der divine aids, they muft be as a crown of glory ^ 
 as a bright and noble diadem to adorn any 
 perfon. 
 
 4. Such perfons are eminent inftruments of 
 bringing glory to God, and of ufefulnefs in his 
 church. The more confpicuous the power of 
 religion is in perfons, the m.ore is God glorified 
 by them. Herein^ fays our Lord, John xv. 8. 
 is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. And 
 St. Pcz^^/ affures us, Philip, i. 11. That l\\t fruits 
 of right eoiifnefs, wherewith chriftians are filledy 
 are by Jefiis Chrifi unto the glory and praife of God. 
 Now when is it that the power of religion does 
 moft agpear, but when it fhines thro' a long and 
 well order'd life and converfation, when it has 
 been the governing principle of a man's actions 
 from his youth unto old age, and has brought 
 forth the fruits of righteoufnefs all along therein } 
 The excellency of a religious principle, toge- 
 ther with the noble defign of the chriftian in- 
 ftitution, does then very fignally appear, when 
 it regulates the whole courfe of a long life -, 
 curbing the diforderly afteftions of human nature, 
 and overcoming the many and ftrong temptati- 
 ons of our fpiritual adverfarics, and manifeftly 
 fubje6ting the whole man to the guidance and 
 government of the divine law. 
 
 The power of God's grace is by this means 
 difplay'd, and a noble incouragement is given 
 to others to mind religion, and to devote their 
 lives to the fervice of God. Who can have the 
 face to pretend that 'tis a vain thing to fet 
 ifibout religion^ and that the holincfs rc.quir'd 
 
 • by 
 
 h 
 
The dijUnguijFd Honour of aged Tietj. ^97 
 
 by the gofpel is not to be attain'd by men, Sermon 
 when he fees with his own eyes thofe who by XV, 
 the grace of God have attain'd it ? 
 
 And as the efficacy of God*s grace, fo the 
 goodnefs of his law, is nobly difcover'd by this 
 means. There is a fingular excellency in the 
 law of God, which eafily recommends it felf to 
 a well difpofed mind that attentively confiders it : 
 But the generality of men are little inclin*d to 
 fuch inquiries, and fo eafily overlook the good- 
 nefs of the rule ; but when 'tis copied out fairly, 
 and drawn to the life in mens converfation, 'tis 
 Hot eafy to avoid obferving how amiable and 
 lovely it appears. And therefore fuch perfons 
 as have led long and exemplary lives, or boary 
 heads found in the way of right eon fnefs, are or- 
 naments to their holy profeffion, and a credit 
 to the religion of the blefled Jefus : They take 
 the courfe to Ibame thofe that would reproach 
 it, and to put to filence the ignorance of iudhfoolifb 
 and unrealonable men. Such perfons fhine as 
 bright lights in the ?nidji of a ferverfe and crooked 
 generation ■■, and while others behold their good 
 ■zvorks^ they gIo?'ify their heavenly Father. By their 
 converfation they teftify the necefTity of true 
 piety, and that the favour of God is not to be 
 expected in a dilTolute and ungodlv courfe of 
 life. 
 
 Farther, by their watchfulnefs and diligence 
 in religion, they are of eminent fcrvice in the 
 places where they live -, in as much as God has 
 a particular regard to thofe who arc thus de- 
 voted to his fear ; and by their carnefl feeking 
 to him, and ftanding in the gap, they avert the 
 judgments which the loofnefs and profanetiefs of 
 others are pulling down. 
 
 In 
 
598 The difihigui/Fd Honour oj aged Tiety, 
 
 Sermon In them is riianifefted the truth and faithful- 
 XV. nefs of God, as he appears to have made good 
 
 wo^-srf to them thofe promifes upon which they have 
 depended. They are apt to fpeak of that loving 
 kindnefs and tfuth which has fo often affefted 
 them •, and to own God's bounty and care in 
 providing for them, and his faithfulnefs in afflift- 
 ing them, and in giving them necefTary aids and 
 fupports to carry them through the world. And 
 were they to be filent, yet would the faithful- 
 nefs of God appear in their perfeverance, and 
 . the fruitfulnefs of their old age -, while they con- 
 tinue to ferve and honour him in an age that 
 is moft unfit for fervice, and are made to abound 
 in the fruits of righteoufnefs, and flourifh in 
 their fouls under the decays of nature and bodi- 
 ly ftrength. The PJalmiJl has taught us thus to 
 make our obfervation of God*s difpenfations to- 
 ward his people, Pfal. xcii. 13, 14, 15^ Thofe 
 that he planted in the houfe of the Lord Jh all flour iflj 
 in the courts of our God. They fhallflill bring forth 
 fruit in old age : They fhall be fat and fiourifhing % 
 ' to Jhew that the Lord is upright. 
 
 And thus do they become a means of incou- 
 raging the fearful, and of ftrengthening the hands 
 of the weak and feeble. It fhould be an incou- 
 ragement to thofe who are fetting out in religion 
 when they behold thofe who have fo long held 
 on in it. Upon the fame God who has upheld 
 them may you depend, that he will likewife up- 
 hold and flrengthen you. If you are fincere, 
 the fame promifes tliat were made to them, are 
 made to you ; the fame covenant that was their 
 fecurity fhall be yours -, and the fame grace 
 chat was fufficient for them fliall be for you 
 alfo. And is it not the greateft glory toa per- 
 fon thus to bring honour to his maker, and to 
 
 0-" 
 
 be 
 
The difiingui/Pd Honour ofagedTiety, 599 
 
 be ferviceable in his church? Then 'tis that a Sermoa 
 man does truly anl'wer the end of his being, and XV, 
 lives to a good purpofe -, but without this, v-^-v'>*^ 
 what good account can be given of him ? And 
 how ufelefs and infignificant a creature is he in 
 the world ! 
 
 5. The hoary head that is found in the way 
 of righteoufnefs is ripe for glory, and juft ready 
 to enter into it. To this purpofe are the words 
 of Eliphaz, Job v. 26. Thou pall co?ne to thy grave 
 in a full age^ like as a jhock of corn cometh in, in his 
 feafon. Aged chriftians are come very near to 
 the conclufion of their days, and their work of 
 preparing for the other world is almofl happily 
 over : And they can have but a little while 
 to continue out of that blefled place which they 
 have fet their hearts upon, and which they have 
 been growing up unto. 
 
 And certainly the hoary head may be well 
 confider'd in this refpeft as a crown of glory. 
 If we have any value for the blefled inhabitants 
 of the other world, the more perfons refemble 
 them, and the nearer they are to their being 
 removed to their fociety, the more we oughc 
 to efleem them. To them then is the hoary 
 head a crown of glory, whom God has brought 
 to it through a courfe of righteoufnefs *, for 'tis 
 a fign and indication that God is about to re- 
 ceive them to glory. The hoary head is a fign 
 of their approaching diflblution ; and becaufe ot 
 its being found in the way of righteoufnefs, 'tis 
 a fign of the happinefs of that change which 
 they fhall then make. 
 
 To thefe confiderations I might add, for a 
 farther illuflration of the matter, that when God 
 was pleafed to afford his fervant in a vifion fomc 
 fcnfible and glorious reprefentation of himfelf, 
 
 he 
 
^oo The difiingui/Fd Honour of aged Tiety. 
 
 Sermon he chofe to do it in this manner, Dan. vii. 9. / 
 
 XV. leheld till the thrones were cajt down, and the an- 
 V'V**-' cient of dap did fit, whofe garment was white as 
 fnow, and the hair of his head like the pure wooll. 
 In like manner, when our blefled Saviour was 
 beheld by Sc. John in a vifion. Rev. i. 14. it was 
 in this form : His head dnd his hairs were white 
 like wooll, as white as fnow. So that the hoary 
 head that is found in the way of righteoufnefs, 
 does refemble the ever bleffed God, and our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, by bearing what is their 
 trueft image, righteoufnefs ; and is moreover fuch, 
 as if they were to make a fenfible reprefenta- 
 tion of themfeJves to us in our prefent ftate, 
 they would choofe •, and therefore well may it 
 be fliled a crown of glory. 
 
 Having thus clear'd the affertion of the wife 
 man in the text, I might draw various inferen- 
 ces from it. As, 
 
 I. I might hence infer the unreafonablenefs 
 of that contempt that young perfons fometimes 
 Ihew to thofe who are old, mocking at their 
 infirmities, and efpecially when they are good 
 men. An inftance we have of this, and the fc- 
 vere punifhment of it, 2 Kings 'n. 23, 24. where 
 we read of forty two children that were kill'd 
 by two bears for mocking at Elijha, faying. 
 Go up, thou h aid head \ go up, thou bald head. And 
 'tis the more unreafonable and heinous crime, 
 when perfons are gnilty of this toward thofe to 
 whom they are under fpecial obligations ; I 
 mean toward their parents. God took care to 
 fecure the honour to be paid to them among 
 the Jews, by a fpecial commandment ; and he 
 that defpifes them not only llns againft Godj 
 but really difgraces himfelf 'Tis therefore good 
 advice wh\c\\Soh?non gives, Prov. xxiii. 22. Hearken 
 
 unto 
 
The diftingmfi'd Honour of aged Tiety, 40 1 
 
 unto th-j father that begat thee, and defpife not thy Sermon 
 mother when Jhe is old. XV. 
 
 2. I might hence infer the reafonablenefs of wv'^ 
 that rule of the apoftle, i Pet. v. 5. Te younger^ 
 fubmit your felves unto the elder. They are your 
 fuperiors, and a deference and regard is due to 
 
 them as fuch. You are to give way to them, and 
 let daysjpeak, and a midtitude of years teach wifdom. 
 You are to hearken to their advice, and follow 
 their example in what is good. God's provi- 
 dence has fet a crown (and a crown of glory 'tis) 
 upon their heads, and that fhould command 
 your regard. 
 
 3. I might hence infer, how 'tis thatperfons 
 Ihould make preparation for the honour and 
 comfort of old age, even by choofing the ways of 
 righteoufnefs while they are young. 
 
 But agreeably to the prefent occafion I fhall 
 rather choofe to addrefs my felf to the aged ; 
 both to thofe who are, and thofe who are not 
 found in the way of righteoufnefs, 
 
 I . As to thofe upon whom God has fet fuch 
 a crown of glory, ^and who are found in the way 
 of righteoufnefs, I would fuggeft the following 
 particulars by way of advice. 
 
 I. I think nothing can be more proper for 
 you, whofe cafe this is, than to live much in 
 the expectation of death. The hoary head is a 
 plain indication and fign that death cannot be 
 far off. The wife man in his elegant defcription 
 of old age, calls the gray head the almond tree ; 
 and when that flourijhes, and the grajhopper be- 
 comes a burden^ a man cannot be far from his 
 long home, Eccl. xii. 5. You, one would think, 
 can have no room to flatter your felves, as the 
 young are very apt to do. You know that your 
 time can't be long : You feel continual warnings 
 D d by 
 
4-0 2 The diflingui/Fd Honour of aged Tietj. 
 
 Sermon by the manifold weakneffes and infirmities which 
 XVi old age brings along with it, that death, of which 
 
 S<V*w thefe are harbingers and forerunners, can't be 
 far behind. Nay, death is as it were aflually 
 attacking you, while it impairs your faculties^ 
 and waftes your ilrength. And does not this call 
 upon you to think of it before-hand ? Will you 
 Yorget the grave, when you are juft ready to 
 fall into it, and find your felves too weak to 
 avoid {looping towards it ? You fee what holy 
 JoFs refolution was, chap. xiv. 14. All the days 
 of fny appointed time will I wait till my change Jhall 
 come ; and much more when that change is near, 
 and ready as it were to enter at the door, 
 does it become you to live in the expeftation 
 of it. 
 
 2. Let it be now your care, in an efpecial 
 manner, to have the evidences of your title to 
 
 . future happinefs and glory as clear as pofiible. 
 Certainly I need not urge Ais upon you with 
 feafons and arguments •, your felves feel thofe 
 which one would imagine fhould be more cogent 
 than any I can ufe. Your manifold weakneffes 
 and infirmities mufl convince you how much 
 your circumftances need comfort -, and fo they 
 may naturally quicken you to look after this, 
 which you can't but know to be, the beft com- 
 fort of all, 
 
 Befides, is not this very requifite in order to 
 your being able to meet death chearfully, and 
 without amazement ? Ufe then the time that 
 God gives you, to clear up to your felves the 
 Hate and condition of your fouls, your interefl 
 in the promife of a bleffed reward, and your 
 right to the glorious and eternal inheritance. 
 
 3. In order to this, labour now to be moil 
 abounding in all the fruits of righteoufnefs, and 
 
The diflingui/Fd Honour of aged Tiety, 4.0 5 
 
 to be doing all the good you can by the holi-Sermoii 
 iiefs and exemplarinefs of your lives and con- XV. 
 Verfations, in that little time you have yet re- ^^^'-\''-^ 
 maining. Your concern fliould be, that your 
 lafl works may be your beft. Glorify God then 
 by all your words and adions •, fhew a refign'd 
 frame of fpirit to the will of God, and patiently 
 bear the infirmities you feel, and may farther 
 exped ; and hold on in the courfe which you 
 have been hitherto following. 
 
 Take incouragement, your work is near done, 
 and your warfare almoft accomplifhed. And you 
 have need now of only a little patience more ; 
 for yet a little while, and you fliall be freed from 
 all your infirmities and troubles, and be at reft. 
 The dufk of that night that will put an end to 
 your work, fhould quicken you to this. You 
 have now but a little time left, wherein you can 
 aft for God and his glory here in the world, and 
 therefore lofe as little of it as polllble. The 
 review and remembrance of your paft faiUhgs 
 and neglefts, which is very proper in your con- 
 dition, fhould likewife prompt yoii to this : 
 And the more fenfible you are that you have 
 in time paft come Hiort of your duty, the more 
 zealous ftiould you now be in the performance 
 of it. 
 
 4. Set loofe to this world, and labour to ex- 
 ercife and ftrengthen your faith in realizing 
 views and expeftations of a better world. Are 
 you heirs of glory, and juft ready to enter upon 
 the pofTeflion of it, and can it become you to 
 be unmindful of it.? How fhould your thoughts 
 be taken up with it, and your fouls long after 
 it ! Glorious things are fpoken of the place you 
 are haftening unto, and where you are fliortly 
 to be fix'd for ever. God will fpeedilyy7j?-:c^ you 
 D d 2 tifg 
 
404 Th^ diflinguijFd Honour ofagedTiety. 
 
 Sermon the path of life, and bring you to his prefencf, 
 XV. where there is fulnefs of joy and pleafure for ever- 
 
 ^i/^y^^^ more \ where the vail fhall be done away, and 
 you fhall not fee as in a ^afs darkly , hut face to 
 face, and know as you are alfo known ; where you 
 fhall be with the blefTed Redeemer to behold his 
 glory, and to be made like to him -, where you 
 fhall be freed from all fins, all temptations, and 
 all forrow, and become compleatly glorious, and 
 endlefsly blefTed. 
 
 Lift up then the hands that hang down, and 
 ftrengthen the feeble knees ; raife now your 
 thoughts to the heavenly manfions that are in 
 your Father's houfe, and delight your fouls with 
 the contemplation of that blifs to which you fhall 
 be fuddenly advanc'd. Confider the promifes 
 of Go 3, which both defcribe and fecure that 
 blefiednefs to you : And let your faith be exer- 
 cis'd to greaten it to you. This will be a mighty 
 eafe and a wonderful incouragement to you ; and 
 tl^ more you cherifh thefe thoughts, the more 
 will your minds be reconciled to the expedtations 
 of death, and the lefs frightful will it appear 
 to you. 
 
 And while you are perfuaded of thefe things, 
 and imbrace the divine promifes, let it appear 
 that you look upon your felves only as ftrarigers 
 and pilgrims in this world ; that as you do not 
 place your happinefs in it, fo you are not much 
 concern'd about it. 
 
 ^Tis a fiiame to a chriflian to have his heart 
 i at any time glewed to this world •, but more 
 
 dpecially when lie is juil about leaving it. How- 
 ever frequent this is with chriftians, 'tis very 
 difagreeable : It looks as though they and the 
 -v/orld had been too good friends, that they are 
 »o unwilling to part with it. But if thou art a 
 
 chriflian 
 
The dtfiinguiJFd Honour of aged Tiety. 40 5 
 
 ^hriftian indeed, thou muft look upon the world Sermork 
 as thine enemy : And if thou doft l"o account it, XV. 
 let it be thy indeavour to flight it, and live v^-y-s^ 
 above it. I am fure the more lively thy appre- 
 henfions are of the other world, the lefs affeded 
 wilt thou be with all the occurrences of the pre-, 
 fent Hate. 
 
 5. Plead with God his own promifes. I mean 
 thofe promifes which are particularly fuited to 
 your cafe, fuch as, thofe which ingage him never 
 to leave or forfake his people. Thefe you may 
 inforce by the circumftances you are in, which do 
 more efpecially call for his aid, as the Pfalmifi 
 thus urges his plea grounded in generalupon God's 
 promifes, and the ufual difpenlations of his grace 
 toward his people, Pfal. Ixxi. 9. Caji me not off 
 in the time of old age^ forfake me not when my 
 firength faileth. And again, ver.iy^ iS.OGod, 
 thou haft taught me from my youth : and hitherto have 
 I declared thy wondrous works. Now alfo when I 
 am old and gray headed, O God, forfake me not. 
 But more efpecially lliould you plead the pro- 
 mife that is made of the fruitfulnefs of thofe of 
 your years, Pfal. xcn, 13, 14. Thofe that be planted 
 in the houfe of the Lord, fhall flourifh in the courts 
 of our God. They fhall fill bring forth fruit in old 
 age ; they fhall he fat and flourijhing. 
 
 6. Look back upon the mercies of God to 
 you, and be much in blefllng God for them. 
 Such a life as yours muft have been attended 
 with a great variety of mercies, for which a large 
 tribute of praife is due to him. In how grateful 
 and decent a manner did Jacob, toward the end 
 of his life, think and fpeak of what he had in- 
 joy'd ! Gen. xlv'ni. 15. The God, fays he, which 
 fed ?ne all ?ny life long unto this day : And herein he 
 is worthy of your imitation. You have received 
 
 D d 3 iiiuciv 
 
4. o 6 The dijlhiguz/h\l Honour of aged Tietj, 
 
 Sermon much at his hands : 'Tis he who has furnifh^d 
 X\. you with the comforts or neceffaries of life 
 
 Sry's^ you have injoy'd, who has prefer v'd you from 
 dangers, dehver'd you from troubles, healed 
 your difeafes, given you health and ftrength, 
 and broughL you thus far, and has now fet that 
 crovv'n of glory the text fpeaks of upon you : 
 To him you are indebted that you are found in 
 the way of righteoufnefs, which makes your 
 hoary heads to be indeed crowns of glory •, as 
 'tis he who gave you that counfel, and inclined 
 your hearts to follow it, and who has led you m 
 the paths of righteoufnefs^ not for your defert, but 
 for his ozvn name fake : ^Tis he who in confe- 
 quence hereof has pardon'd your fins, accepted 
 your perfons and fervices, bound up your broken 
 hearts, raifed you up when you were call: down •, 
 ^.nd, in a word, made all things to work together 
 for your good here, and has given you a title 
 to eternal life and joy hereafter. And is it not 
 inoft rcafonable, when you are thus indebted to 
 him, that your fouls, and all that is within 
 you, fhould be ftirred up to blefs his holy 
 name ? 
 
 7. Repine not at your prefent circumftances, 
 nor be fretful in your condition, though attended 
 with various infirmities, and much wearinefs and 
 pain. Your hoary heads being found in the way 
 of righteoufnefs are crowns of glory : What 
 caufe can you then have to repine ^ Blefs God 
 who has made you thus truly honourable, and 
 Vv'onder not that the wearing a crown fhould be 
 accompanied with fome troubles. The fame is 
 the cafe of all earthly crowns •, but the troubles 
 of yours will laft but a little while. 
 
 8. Be much in 'the exercife of truft in Chrift^ 
 and frequent in commending your fouls to his care. 
 
 2 Upon 
 
The dijl'mgulfi}*d Honour of aged Ticty, 407 
 
 Upon his mediation you mufl depend, becaufe Sermon 
 nothing will ftand you in flead without it. He is XV. 
 able and ready to procure you a compleat par- '^•O/'*^, 
 don of all your fins, to give you comfort in 
 palTing through death, and minifter to you abun- 
 dantly an entrance into his everlafting kingdom. 
 He has the key of hell and death. Rev. i. 18. is 
 Lord of the invifible world, and of death .the 
 paffage into it •, he opens, and none can fhut ; 
 and jQiuts, and none can open •, nor can any ^luck 
 Qut of his hand thofe who are under his care. In 
 him therefore are you totrufl, and to him you 
 are to commend your fpirits. And fmce the in- 
 firmities of your age daily admonifh you, that 
 death can't be far off from you -, and fince the 
 thread of life is fpun out fo fine with you, that 
 the fmallefl; matter is fufiicicnt of a fudden to 
 fnap it ; fhould not this be your daily imploy- 
 ment, to be commending your fouls to hisfpeci- 
 al care, intreating him to be your conduftor to 
 death, and at death to receive you to glory ? Is 
 it not a fatisfi^lion to you, when you think / 
 
 of leaving your felves upon hinj and his care ? 
 and when you know in whom you believe, and 
 that he is able to keep that which you commit 
 to his care ? And have you not need therefore 
 frequently to be renewing this your trufl in him ? 
 2. On the other hand, let me now apply my 
 felt to thofe who are old, or well towards it, and 
 yet are not found in the way of righteoufnefs. 
 And furely 'tis high time for you now to be- 
 think your felves, and change your courfe. Have 
 you all your days walk'd in an oppofite and 
 contrary path, neglefting to follow after holinefs, 
 and can you quellion whether you ought imme- 
 diately to fet about it ? Give me leave to expoftu- 
 late the matter with vou. And, 
 
 Dd 4 I. Is 
 
4o8 The difiiyigui/h^d Honour of aged Tiety, 
 
 Sermon i. Is it not plain that you turn your glory in- 
 XV. to a reproach ? Your hoary heads, that fliould 
 c^-Y^^ be to you as crowns of glory, and would be fo if 
 you were found in the way of righteoufnefs, are 
 now your fhame ; as they are an aggravation of 
 all your negleft and carelefnefs. You who ought 
 to have remembered your creator from the day's of 
 your youth, and to have fpent your whole lives 
 in his fervice, are now become old in your for- 
 eetfulnefs of him, and negledl of his fervice. 
 What a reproach is it to you to have fpent fo 
 many years in the world, and yet to remain un- 
 acquainted with the very end and bufinefs which 
 you came into the world for ? You have lived fo 
 long, but have been dead to God and his fervice 
 while you lived. One would think that the 
 world fhould long ago have convinced you of its 
 vanity ; and that your own experience fhould 
 have taught you, that nothing here was fit to 
 be the reft and portion of your fouls, and fhould 
 therefore have put you upon feeking after God ; 
 and yet, though you have had fo much time, 
 and fo many opportunities, this is hitherto ne- 
 gledled ; and neither the indulgence of God in 
 fparing you, nor perhaps his feverity in afHifl-' 
 ing you, have reclaim'd you to the path of 
 righteoufnefs : But now your life is almoft done,' 
 you are to begin to live. Is not your ignorance, 
 or negledl of God and your duty to him, of your 
 felves and your own hearts, and of the way of 
 life and falvation by Chrilt, Cis not this, I fayj 
 y a fhame to you at thefe years ? For the time 
 that you have lived, and that in the church of 
 God, ye ought to be teachers : And yet there is 
 need that one 'teach you which are the firjl princi- 
 fles of the oracles of God \ and now when your work 
 ihould be juft finifh'd, the very foundation is not 
 fb much as laid, . -. 2. Is 
 
The difiingui/Fd Honour of aged Tiety, 40 9 
 
 2. Is it a fitting thing that you fhould follow Sermon 
 the path you are in to the end of your lives ? XV. 
 Is it a fitting thing that death fhould find you ^■''*V"X 
 going aflray from the way of righteoufnefs ? and 
 that you Ihould come into the world, and go 
 out of it, without ever entertaining any ferious 
 thoughts of the main bufinefs of life ? 
 
 Is this agreeable, do you think, to the end 
 for which God made you, and fent you into 
 the world, that you fhould live here fo many 
 years, and all the while do him no manner of 
 fervice ? 'Tis your reproach that you have 
 fquander'd away the bell of your time, and have 
 nothing now but the dregs to offer to your 
 maker ; and are they too good for his fervice 
 alfo ? Can't you now at length find in your hearts 
 to feek him in the way of righteoufnefs ? or are 
 you refolved that your Creator and Lord £h?JI 
 have no fervice at all from you ? Methinks the 
 time you have lofl fhould quicken you now to 
 ufe double diligence in your work •, fmce the 
 work it felf is great, and of everlafting confe- 
 quence, and you have increas'd the difficulty of 
 it ; while you have been hardening your hearts 
 through a long courfe of fin •, and you have left 
 your felves but very little time for the doing 
 it. 
 
 3. If you can't think of minding this affair 
 now, when will you ? You have no room to 
 reckon upon a long ftay here ; and therefore 
 iinlefs you fet about it now, it mufb remain for 
 ever undone. Is it not then yet time for you 
 to feek the Lord ? Or muft he be flill put off 
 farther by you ? 
 
 4. Should not the mercy of God fbir you up to 
 feek him ? 'Tis marvellous' mei'cy there fhould' 
 he ftiil any hope left in your cafe. The work 
 
 ■ is 
 
A I o The diflhigui/Fd Honour of aged Tiety, 
 
 Sermon is not utterly impoflible, though it muft be 
 XV. own'd your coarfe has render'd it very hard and 
 
 W^w difficult. Divine patience is flill prolong'd, and 
 the offer of the gofpel is renew'd ; you have 
 yet time to feek God in and through his Chrift, 
 and to pray for his fpirit to inlighten your minds, 
 foften your hearts, and renew your fouls ; With 
 God all things are pojfible. Awake then out of 
 your fecurity, and fhake off your (loth, and call 
 upon God as for your lives ; break off •joiir fins by 
 repentance^ and from a conviction of your guilt, 
 and a fenfe of your danger, flee for refuge to lay 
 hold of the hope fet before you ; and while you 
 have yet time, and a merciful redeemer is intreat- 
 ing you, hearken to his call, and give up your 
 felves to his condu6t, 
 
 5. Should you not be moved by what is like 
 to be the terrible iflue and confequence of your 
 negle6t and carelefnefs ? If you will not be found 
 now in the way of righteoufnefs, you muft not 
 expeft to be fettled in the manfions of the righte- 
 ous ; you can't then reafonably expedl that you 
 fliould die the death of the righteous^ or that your 
 latter end fhould be like his : You muft then afTu- 
 redly perifli in your iniquity, and your blood 
 will be upon your own heads. God has prepa- 
 red vengeance for fi4ch, and he will render 
 to them a due recompence in the o her world. 
 And though your lives fhould be ever fo far pro- 
 long'd, yecare you accurfed •, for the finner being 
 an hundred years old, Jhall be accurfed, Ifa. Ixv. 20. 
 God is angry zvith you every day ; and though you 
 may flight that now, yet hereafter he will make 
 you feel the terriblenefs of his wrath. 
 . Be not then ftrangers to your own advantage ; 
 but as you have fuch plain figns of your ap- 
 Pi-oaching change, lay them to heart. Gnd 
 
 fpeaks. 
 
The diflinguiJFd Honour of aged Tiety. 4. 1 1 
 
 /peaks of Ephraim as grofly ftupid, becaufe he Sermon 
 was fo little apprehenfive of the figns of his own XV. 
 cafe, Hof, vii. 9. Gray hairs are here and there '•OT^^ 
 upon him, and he kmweth it not. Do thefe in a 
 literal fenfe appear upon you, and fhould you 
 not confider what they are the fore-runners of? 
 Or can you confider this, and not be concerned 
 to prepare for it ? Keep it fix'd upon thy mind, 
 that death will foon overtake thee ; whether thou 
 wilt mind this work or no, in a little time, as 
 thou now followeft others, thou thy felf fhalt be 
 followed by others to thy grave ; for duji thou 
 art, and unto duJl thou Jh alt return. And if that 
 were all, it. were indeed a light matter, in com- 
 parifon of what is certainly join'd with it ; for 
 when the duft returns to the earth as it was, then 
 (O think of it, and prepare for it •, then I fay^ 
 the fpirit Jhall return unto God who gave it. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
A 
 
 Scripture-Catechism; 
 
 O R, T H E 
 
 PRINGIPLES 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Chriflian Religion^ 
 
 Laid down in the 
 
 # 
 
 Words of the Bible; 
 
415 
 
 THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 * J "^ H E defign of a catech'tfm^ is to teach the 
 i principles of revealed religion. Whence many 
 have thought that the beji 'wa'j of compoftng 
 one^ is to fet down thofc principles in the ver^j words 
 of revelation. Could ■m'j i?nportunit-j have prevailed 
 with any of thofe able perfons whom I folicited to un- 
 dertake it, the world would long fince have been 
 favoured with fuch an one, -without needing to be 
 troubled with this. But when they who declined 
 the work, yet thought it highly necejfary ; I chofe 
 rather to undertake it my felf, than let it retnain un- 
 done. 
 
 I have ufed my befi judgment in colleEiing fuitdble 
 texts of fcripture, and in framing quejlions to intro- 
 duce them, and help the memories of fuch as are to 
 learn them. I hope I have not omitted any firjl or 
 neceffary principles of religion, Jior by the quejlions 
 given a wrong turn to any of the tests. 1 wijio I 
 could have brought it into a narrower compafs, that 
 young meimries fnight be the ??iore eafed : But if there 
 be prudent management ufed by teachers, the tajk wilt 
 not be hard to be learnt by thofe who have a tolera- 
 ble capacity. And here they learn nothing but the 
 fcriptures ; and fo need not be burden'' d with an addi- 
 tion of proofs, as they are fometi?ncs when they havg 
 learnt other catechifms, 
 
 I havi 
 
^i6 The Preface. 
 
 / have put the chapter and verfe into the mar- 
 gin ; that they who would, by comparing the contexts, 
 fatisfy them/elves whether they are applied in their 
 true fenfe, may he able readily to turn to them in their 
 bibles j and that children tnay not be burdened to little 
 purpofe in getting fo many numbers by heart. 
 
 As ^ twill be an advantage to the catechumens, that 
 they are here to learn, not the words which man's 
 wifdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghoft 
 teacheth ; fo it may be a fatisfa5iion to any cate- 
 chift who fjall think fit to ufe it, that he will not 
 have the words of fallible men, hut only the holy fcrip- 
 iuYes to explain. 
 
 IJhall be very glad if the defers of my performance 
 Jhall convince my friends, that they ought now, tho* 
 they would not before, hearken to my requeft, and 
 fet forth a catechifm in fome fuch form. But if they 
 •will choofe to bear with this, rather than put them- 
 felves to that Jrouble -, 1 deftre they will look upon 
 this only as an effay, and that they will favour me 
 with their thoughts, that if ever it fhould come to 
 another impreffwn, I may be ajfified by their advice 
 in mending it. I promife to make the heft ufe I can 
 of whatever fhall be offer* d by fir angers as well as 
 acquaintance, by church-men or diflenters, who, 
 in this, may, I hope, perfectly agree. And my book- 
 feller will take care to convey to me whatever floall 
 be left zvith hrinfor mc. 
 
 May the God of all grace, and the Father of lights, 
 vouchfafs to blefs this, or fome fuch attempt, to the 
 fpreading of the knowledge of the fcriptures, which 
 are able to make us wife unto falvation. 
 
 A 
 
417 
 
 Scripture Catechijm^ &c. 
 
 Queft.T TTi/^7' are the firfl principles of 
 \\ religion, both natural and revcal- 
 ^ ' ed? 
 
 A. He that cometh to God, muft believe Heb. xi. ^. 
 that he is^' and that he is a rewarder of them 
 that diligently feek him. 
 
 Q^ How 7nay it be c£rtainly known by all men, 
 that there is a God ? 
 
 A. 'The inviftUe things of him from the crea-Rom. i, 2&. 
 tion of the world, are clearly feen, being under-, 
 flood by the things that are made, even his eter- 
 nal power and Godhead. 
 
 Q. Is the light of nature a manifejlation from 
 God, which we may depend upon ? 
 
 A. That which may be known of God, isRo°i'*' iS^« 
 manifeft in them \that is, in the Gentiles,] 
 for God hath Jhewed it unto them. 
 
 Q. Have not chrijlians another rule^ beftdes 
 the light of nature ? 
 
 A. From a child thou hafi: known the holy 2. Tim. ii-, if^ 
 fcriptures, which are able to make thee wife ^^» *7. 
 unto falvation, thro* faith which is in Chrifl 
 Jefus. All fcripture is given by infpiration 
 of God, and is profitable for do^rine, for re- 
 proof, for corre^ion, for inftru5fion in righteouf- 
 nefs : That the man of God may be perfe<5l, 
 throughly furnifhed unto all good works. 
 
 Q^ Does the word fcripture fgnify the wri- 
 ti?}gs of the apoflles themfelves, as well as the old 
 fiafnent ? 
 
 E e J. 
 
^i8 A Serif ture Catechifm. 
 
 ^Tet.iii. i6. J. In which [that is, St. Paul's epiflles] 
 are fome things hard to be underftood, which 
 they that are unlearned and iinflable wreft, 
 as they do alfo the other fcriptures, unto their 
 own deflfucfbion. 
 
 Q^ All fcripture then muft he by infpiration, 
 provided it appears that the apojlle who tejlifies 
 thiSf was himjelf infpired ; 7iow what does he fay 
 of himfelf in this refpeEl ? 
 I Cor. ii. 12, A. We have received, not the fpirit of the 
 ?3' world, but the fpirit which is of God,^ that we 
 
 might know the things that are freely given 
 to us of God. Which things alfo we fpeak, 
 not in the words which man's wifdom teach- 
 cth, but which the Holy Ghoji teacheth. 
 
 Q^ How does it appear that this teftimony he 
 gives of himfelf ^ is true? 
 1 Cor.xii. II. A. Truly the figns of an apoflle were 
 wrought among you in all patience, infigns^ 
 and wonders^ and fnighty deeds. 
 Q^ What then is our duty ? 
 johnv. 39. A. Search the fcriptures. 
 
 Q^ How many Gods are there ? 
 1 Tim. ii. 5. ^. There is one God. 
 
 Q^ Who is this one God ? 
 I Cor. viii. 5, A. Tho* there be that are called Gods, 
 ^* whether in heaven or in earth (as there be 
 
 gods many, and lords many) yet to us there 
 is but one God, the Father., of whom are all 
 things, and we for him. 
 Epli. iv. 6, One God and Father of all, who is above all, 
 and thro' all, and in you all. 
 Q^YIhixtisGod? 
 John Iv, 14. A. God is a fpirit. 
 
 Q^ What does his being a fpirit teach you ? 
 John i\'. 24. yf. They that worfhip him, muft worjhip 
 him in fpirit and in truth. 
 
 Q^What. 
 
A Scripture Catechifni: 4 1 9 
 
 Q^ IVhat'k'md of Jpirit is he ? dan you tell 
 me any of his attributes ? 
 
 A. The MeJled' and only potentate, the T^C/;?^ i Tim. vi. 15^ 
 of kings, and Lord of lords -, who only hath '*^" 
 immortality, .divelling in the light ivhich no' man 
 can approach unto^ whom no man hath feen, or 
 can fee. 
 
 The King eternal^ immortal, invifihle. i Tim. i. i7» 
 
 The Father of lights, with whom is no vari-J^mQs i. i?- 
 ahlenefs, neither fhadow of turning, 
 
 G/'^^/ is our Lord, and KJi great power -, hisPral.cxlvii. 5. 
 underfldnding is infinite. 
 
 Holy, holy, holy. Lord God Almighty, which ^^v-^^- «• 
 was, andw, zndis to come. 
 
 The Lord is righteous. P^^^- ^'^'^>^- 4- 
 
 There is none good but one, . that is God. ^*"- ^'^' ^7- 
 
 The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gra- ^^^^' xx\\v. 
 cious, long-fuff'ering^ and abundant in goodnef and ' '^' 
 truth, keeping mercy for thoufands, forgiving 
 iniquity, and tranfgreffion, znd fin, and that will 
 by no means dear the guilty. 
 
 Q. JVhat learn you fro7n thefe attributes ? 
 
 A. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be^^''^'*^^vih. i^ 
 praifed. 
 
 Who fhall not fear thee, O Lord, and^/5- ^^^'- ^^- 4- 
 ri/)' thy name } 
 
 Trujly^ in the Lord for ever; for in the ^'^- ^'^^''- 4- 
 Lord Jehovah is everlafting ftrength. 
 
 As he v/hich hath called you is holy, fo be ^ ^^^' '• Hj 
 ye hoh in all manner of converfation -, becaufe 
 'tis written, be ye holy, for I am holy. 
 
 I will love thee, O Lord my flrength. ThePfal. xviii. i. 
 Lord is my rock, and my fortrefs, and my i, 3o 
 deliverer, my God, rriy ftrength in whom 1 
 will truji, my buckler, and the horn of my 
 falvationi and riiy high tower, I will call upon 
 the Lord wha is "worthy to he praifed: 
 
 E e 2 Be 
 
A.10 A Scripture Catechifm, 
 
 Luke vi. 36. Be ye therefore merciful^ as your Father 
 alio is merciful. 
 
 Q^ Is creation the work of God ? 
 Gen. i. i. A. In the beginning God created the heaven 
 
 and the earth. 
 
 Q^ How did God make man ? 
 Gen. ii. 7- ^- The Lord God formed man of the dufl 
 
 of the ground, and breathed into his noftrils 
 the breath cf life i and man became a living 
 foul. 
 G^n. i. Z.J' So God created man in his own image, in the 
 
 'image cf God created he him. 
 Q^ tVbat learn you from this ? 
 Neh. ix. 6. A. Thou, even thou art hord alone, thou 
 . : . haft made heaven, the heaven of heavens, 
 with all their hoft, the earth, and all things 
 that are therein, the Seas, and all that is 
 therein. 
 Rev. iv. II. Thou art awZ/j)', O Lord, x.o receive glory, 
 and honour, and power -, for thou haft created 
 all things, and for thy pleafure they are, and 
 were created. 
 ^xl. xii. I. Remember now thy creator in the days of 
 thy youth. 
 
 Q^ Does God take care of the creatures he 
 made ? * 
 
 Nch, ix. 6. A. Thou prefervejl them all. 
 
 Mate. X. 29, One fparrow fhall not fall on the ground 
 30' without your Father. But the very hairs of 
 
 your head are all numbered. 
 Aftsxvii.iC. In him we live, and move, and have our 
 being. 
 
 Q^ TVhat duty then leaiii you hence ? 
 Matr. X. 51". A. Fear ye not therefore. 
 Mace, vi, 31. Therefore take no thought, faying, what 
 fliall we eat } or what fhall we drink, or 
 wherewithal fhall we be cloathed ? 
 
 Cajiing^ 
 
A Scripture Catechifm. ^ii 
 
 Cafting all your care upon him, for he careth i Pet. v. 7. 
 for you. 
 
 Q^ Need ive no other knowledge, but this 
 of the only true God, in order to our Jalvation ? 
 
 A. This is life eternal, that they might John xvii. 5. 
 know thee, the only true God, and Jejiis Chrifi 
 whom thou haft fent. 
 
 Q. IVho is Jefus Chrift ? 
 
 A. The Son of the living God. Matt. xvJ. i6> 
 
 Q^ IVloy was he called Jefus, that is, a Sa- 
 viour ? 
 
 A. Thoufhalt call his name Jefus ; for he Matt. i. 21. 
 Ihall fave his people from their fins. 
 
 Q^ fVhy was he called Chrift, or Meflias, 
 that is, in Englifh, the anointed } 
 
 A. God anointed Jefus of Nazareth wilb the Afls x. 38. 
 Holy Ghofi, and with power. 
 
 Q^ Do you read any thing of him, or any flate 
 he ifas in, before he came into the world ? 
 
 A. In the beginning W2.S the word, and thejohni. r, i, 3. 
 word was with God, and the word was God. 
 The fame was in the beginning with God. All 
 things were made by him, and without him was 
 not any thing made that was made. 
 
 Q^ Tou faid before, that God ??iade all things ; 
 how then do you now fay that Chrift made 
 them } 
 
 A. By Chrift God made the worlds. Hcb- i. 2. 
 
 Q. JVIjat characfler does Chrift bear ? 
 
 A. There is one mediator between God and i xim. ii. 5. 
 men, the man Chri^ J^fit^- 
 
 Q^ PFIjat was the condition of m^n that need- 
 ed the help of a mediator ? 
 
 A. All h3.ye finned and come floor t of the glory Rom. iii. 24. 
 of God. 
 
 Q^ How came men at firft into this condi- 
 tion ? 
 
 E e 3 yf. By 
 
j3^2 2 a Scripture Catcchifm, 
 
 Rom. V. li. J. By o^e man ,fm entred into the world, 
 and death by fin. 
 
 Q^ Hg%d did Chrijl come into the warid ? 
 
 John i. 14. A. The word was made jiejh^ and dwelt 
 
 among us. 
 
 Q^ At whofe will and pleafure was this ? 
 
 Gal. iv. 4. A. When the fulnefsof the time was come, 
 
 God fent forth his Son made of a woman. 
 Q^ JVhat does Chrifl himfelf fay of it ? 
 
 John vlii. 41. ji. I proceeded forth, ^nd came from God i 
 neither came I of my felf, but he fent me. 
 
 John vi. 38. I came down from heaven, not to do mine 
 own will, bi^t the will of him that fent tne. 
 Q^ What do you read concerning his birth ? 
 
 Matt.i. 185-3. A. The birth of Jefus Chrift was on this 
 wife : When his morher Mary was efpoufed 
 to Jofeph (before they came together) fhe was 
 
 found with child of the Holy Ghojl. Behold, 
 
 a virgin fhall be ivith child, and fhall bring 
 forth a Son, and they fhall call his name 
 Emmanuel, which being interpreted, is God 
 with us. 
 
 ■ lukc ii. 7, She brought forth her f.rfl -lorn Son, and wrap- 
 
 ped him in fwadling-clothes, and laid him in 
 a manger, 
 
 Q^ Was not his life attempted to he taken 
 away foon after he was born ? 
 
 Matt. ii. 16. A. Thtn Herod, when he faw that he was 
 mocked of the wife men, was exceeding wroth, 
 and fent forth, and flew all the children that 
 were in Bethlehem, and in all the coafts there- 
 of, from two years old and under, according 
 to the time which he had diligently inquired 
 of the wife men. 
 
 Q^ Do y.jU read any thing of Chrifi in his 
 jphildhood, wherein h£ Jhould be imitated ^v 
 children ? 
 . '/ A. He 
 
A Scripture Catechifm- 41^ 
 
 A, He went down with his parents, and Luke ii. 51, 
 came to Nazareth, and was fubjch unto them. ^-' 
 
 And Jefus increafed in wijdotn and fiature, 
 
 and in favour with God and man. 
 
 Q^ fVho was the meffenger/f;?/ before Chriji ? 
 
 A. There was a man fent from God, whofe John i. 6, 7. 
 name was John. The fame came for a wit- 
 nefs, to bear witnefs of the light, that all men 
 through him might believe. 
 
 Q. What office did Chr'tft execute ? 
 
 A. Mofes truly faid unto the fathers, a pro- Afts iii. it. 
 phet fhall the Lord your God raife up unto you 
 of your brethren, like unto me. 
 
 Q^ What fort of prophet was he ? 
 
 A. A prophet /wfg^/) in deed and word be- Luke xxi v. 19. 
 fore God and all the people. 
 
 Q^ How can it be known that Chrifi was a 
 prophet, or teacher come from God? 
 
 A. We know that thou art a teacher come John iii. z. 
 from God : for no man can do thefe miracles 
 that thou doft, except God be with hi?n. 
 
 Q^What is your duty to hi?n as he is a pro- . 
 phet ? 
 
 A. Him ihall ye hear in all things, what- Afts iii. zz. 
 foever he fhall fay unto you. 
 
 Q^ Does Chriji execute an'j other office befide 
 that of a prophet ? 
 
 A. Jefus made an high prieji for ever. Heb. vi. lo. 
 
 Q^ After what order is Chriji a prieji ? 
 
 A. Another prieft fhould rife .after the order Heb. vii. i r, 
 of Melchifedec, and not be called after the order 
 of Aaron. 
 
 ■ Q^ Woat was the hufinefs of the priejls after 
 the order of Aaron ? 
 
 A. Daily to offer up facrifice, firftfor his ownHeb.vii. 17. 
 fins, and then for the people's. 
 
 Q^ Had Chriji any need to do this ? 
 
 E e 4 ^. He 
 
4^4- "^ Scrifture Catechijm, 
 
 ibid. A. He needeth not daily, as thofe high priefts, 
 
 to offer up facrifice. 
 Q. Did he ever do it ? 
 ibid. J, This he did once when he ofFer'd up him- 
 
 felf. 
 
 Q^ To whom did he offer up himfelf? 
 Eph. V. z. J, Chrift hath loved us, and hath given 
 
 himfelf for us, an offering, and a facrifice to 
 God, for a fweet-fmelling favour. 
 
 Q^ For what end Jz^ Chrift offer himfelf? 
 Matt. XX. 28. ^_ The Son of man came — to give his life 
 a ranfomfor many. 
 
 Q. What was /^i? death Chrift died? 
 Philip, ii. 8. ji. He became obedient unto death, even 
 the death o^the croft. 
 
 Q^ ^^^/ was the manner of this death of the 
 croft ^ 
 Pfal. xxii. 16. A. They pierced my hands and my feet. 
 A<5ts x. 39- Whom thcyftew, and hanged on a ^rc"^. 
 
 Q. /FIj; ^^fr^- ^^-y /^///g confiderable in this 
 death befide the pain ? 
 Heb.xii. 2. A. He indured the crofs, defpifing the 
 
 fhame. 
 Gal. iii. 15. Chrift hath redeemed us from the curfe of 
 the law, being made a curfe for us ; for it is 
 written, Curfed is every one that hangeth on a 
 tree. 
 
 Q. JVhai was Chrift's behaviour on the 
 croft ? 
 
 And firft, how did he carry himfelf toward 
 thofe who crucified him ? 
 Lukcxxii'. 34. A. Then faid Jefus, Father, forgive them, 
 for they know not what they do. 
 
 Q^ ffhat faid he to the penitent thief? 
 Lukexxiii.45. A. Verily I fay unto thee, to day fhalt thou 
 be with me in paradife. " 
 
 Q. What ft.id he when dying I 
 
 A, He 
 
A Scripture Catechifm, 4:5 
 
 A. He faid, ^Tis fimjhed -, and he bowed John xix. 30. 
 his head, and gave up the ghofl. 
 
 And when Jefus had cried with a loud Luke xxiii. 46, 
 voice, he faid, Father, into th'^ hands I com- 
 mend my fpirit : and having faid thus, he gave 
 up the ghoft. 
 
 Q^ JVhat advantages have we by his death ? 
 
 A. In him we \\2iVQ. redemption through hisEph. i. 7. 
 blood, the forgivenefs of fins. 
 
 Having hldnefs to enter into the holieft by Heb. x. 19. 
 the blood of Jefus. 
 
 He bore our fins in his own body on the 1 Pet. ii. 24. 
 tree, that we being dead to fin, fhould live 
 unto righteoufnefs : by whofe flripes ye were ^ 
 healed. ^ ' 
 
 Chriil: fuffered for us, leaving us an example, i Pec. ii. if, 
 
 that ye fliould follow his fteps. -Who^?- 
 
 when he was reviled, reviled not again ; when 
 he fuffer'd, he threatned not : but committed 
 himfelf to him that judgeth righteoufly. 
 
 Walk in love, as Chrift alfo hath loved uSjEph. v. 2. 
 and hath given himfelf for us. 
 
 Q^ What followed upon his death ? 
 
 A. That he V!2iS buried ; and that he r^?/^ i Cor. xv. 4. 
 again the third day, according to the fcrip- 
 tures. 
 
 Q^ Was there any reafon for his rifing again 
 fo foon ? 
 
 A'. David (eemg this before, fpake of thcAftsii. 31. 
 refurrecSion of Chrift, that his foul was not 
 left in hell, neither his flefh did fee corrup- 
 tion. 
 
 Q^ Who raifed Chrifl from the dead? 
 
 A. God the Father raifed him from thecal. i.r. 
 dead. 
 
 Q^ But does not Chrifl fay of the temple of 
 his body, Deftroy this temple, and in three 
 
 days 
 
Ai6 A Scripture Catechifm. 
 
 days I will raife it up ? John ii. 19. How then 
 
 could this be done by the Father ? 
 Johnx. 18. A. I have power to lay it[/^^//j, my life] 
 
 down, and I have power to take it again. 
 
 This commandment have I received of my 
 
 Father. 
 
 Q^ IVhat may we learn from Chrijlh refur- 
 
 reciion ? 
 Rom. i. 4. A. He was declared to be the Son of God, 
 
 with power according to the fpirit of holinefs, 
 
 by the refurreftion from the dead. 
 A^sptvii. 51. God hath appointed a day in the which he 
 
 will judge the world in righteoufnefs, by that 
 
 man whom he hath ordain*d, whereof he hath 
 
 given aflurance unto all men, in that he hath 
 
 rgiifed him from the dead. 
 iCor. XV. 10. Chrift is rifen from the dead, and becoiiie 
 
 the firfi fruits of them that flept. 
 
 Q^ IVhat follow'd upon his refurre^ion ? 
 ■i.Cor.xv. ^-,6. A. He wsLS feen of Cephas, then of the 
 
 twelve ; after that, he was feen of above Jive 
 
 hundred brethren at once. 
 kds i. -. To his apoftles he Jhew^d hijnfelf alive after 
 
 his paflion, by inany infallible proofs, being feen 
 
 of them forty days, and fpeaking of the things 
 
 pertaining to the kingdom of God. 
 
 Q^ What became of him at the end of the 
 
 forty days ? 
 A£ts i. 9. ^' While the apoftles beheld, he was -/^^^w 
 
 up, a.nd 2L cloud receiv\i him out of their fight. 
 Q^ PFas not our Lo^'d's priefthood at an end 
 
 when he went into the heavens ? 
 Hcb. vii. ir. ^- The Lord fware, and will not repent, 
 
 thou art a prieft for ever. 
 
 Q. 5)1 whofe appointment was this eternal 
 
 priefthood committed to him ? 
 
 A. Chrift 
 
A Scripture Catechifm. 4.17 
 
 j^. Chrift glorified not himfelf to be madeHeb. v. 5. 
 an high prieft ; but he thatfaid unto him, thou 
 art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 
 
 Q^ Does then the begetting there fpoken ofy 
 relate to God*s raifing him from the dead ? 
 
 yf. The promife which was made unto the Adsxiii. 32, 
 fathers, God hath fulfilled the fame unto us 3 3- 
 their children, in that he hath raifed up Jefus 
 again : As 'tis alfo written in the fecond 
 pfalm, thou art my Son, this day have I be- 
 gotten thee. 
 
 Q. How is Chrifi reprefented now he is af- 
 cended ? 
 
 A. We have fuch an high priefl, who is Heb. viii. r. 
 Jet on the right hand of the throne of the ma- 
 jefly in the heavens. 
 
 Q. fVhat advantage was this to the chriftian 
 church ? 
 
 A. Being by the right hand of God exalted. Acts ii. 33. 
 and having received of the father the promife 
 of the holy ghofl, he hath jhed forth this which 
 ye now fee and hear. 
 
 Q^ How did Chrifi obtain this gift ? 
 
 A. I ^xWpray the Father, and he Ihall give. John xiv. 16. 
 you another comforter. 
 
 Q^ J'Fbat is to be learn'' d from this pouring 
 out of the Spirit .? 
 
 A. Therefore let all the houfe of Ifrael \d.si\. 36. 
 know afluredly, that God hath made that fame 
 Jefus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and 
 Chrifi. 
 
 Q^ And is not this a confirmation of the 
 chrifiian religion in general ? 
 
 A. The great falvation, which at the firflHeb. ii. 3, 4. 
 began to be Ipoken by the Lord, was con- 
 fir m'd unto us by them that heard him, God 
 alfo bearing them witnefs, both with ftgns and 
 
 ivonders. 
 
*j.l8 A Scripture Catechifm, 
 
 wonders^ and with divers miracles and gifts of 
 
 the holy ghofiy according to his own will. 
 Q^ Since you have ?nention^d the holy ghoft, 
 
 give now a farther account of him : Andfirfl I 
 
 ajk whofe fpirit he is ? 
 Matt. Hi. J 6. A. The fpirit 0/ Goi. 
 I Cor. ii. i. The fpirit that is of God. 
 Matt. X. lo. The fpirit of your Father. 
 Ifa. Ixi. I. The fpirit of the Lord God. 
 
 Phil. i. 19. The fpirit of Chrift. 
 
 Q^ How do you ^rove he is not the Father 
 
 himfelf ? 
 John i. 32. A. John bare record, faying, \faw the fpi- 
 rit defcending from heaven like a dove, and it 
 
 abode upon him. 
 
 Q^ Could not the Father then poflibly have 
 
 been feen ? 
 John V. 37. A. Ye have neither heard his [that is, the 
 
 Father's] voice at any time, nor feen his 
 
 Jhdpe, 
 
 Q^ How do you prove the holy fpirit is not 
 
 Chrill himfelf? 
 John xvi. 7. ^' It ^s expedient for you that / go away ; 
 
 for if I go not away, the comforter will not come 
 
 unto you : but if I depart, I will fend him 
 
 unto you. 
 
 Q^ Is he then really diftinft hoth from the 
 
 Father and Chrift ? 
 John xiv. 16, ■^- I wil^ P^^'^ the Father, and he fhall give 
 17. ^ow another comforter, that he may abide with 
 
 you for ever, even the fpirit of truth. 
 Q^ Did he infpire the old Prophets ? 
 z Pet. i. zi. A. Holy men of God, fpake as they were 
 
 moved by the holy ghofl. 
 
 Q^ Did he teach the apoflles ? 
 John xiv. i6. A. He fhall teach you all things. 
 
 Q. Is 
 
A Scripture Catcchifm, 4.19 
 
 Q^ Is not he the author of all extraordinary 
 gifts, and miraculous operations ? 
 
 A, All thefe worketh th^t one and the y^^i Cor.xH. ii. 
 fa7ne fpirit, dividing to every man feverally as 
 he will. 
 
 Q^ fFas he the guide of our Lord while 
 here on earth ? 
 
 A. Jefus being full of the holy ghofl, return'd Luke iv. i. 
 from Jordan, and was led by the fpirit into the 
 wildernefs. 
 
 Q^ Did Chrijl by the fpirit perform his ini- 
 racles ? 
 
 A. Iflcajl out devils by the fpirit of God. Matt.xii. z8. 
 
 Q. Is our falvation owing to this fpirit ? 
 
 A. God our Saviour favesus hy //^^ Tit. Hi. 4, 5,6. 
 
 renewing of the holy ^oft, which he fhed on us 
 abundantly thro' Jefiis Chrift our Saviour. 
 
 Q^ What then is his great work on Chrijii- 
 ans ? 
 
 A. Sanftification of the fpirit. 2 TheH ii. 13. 
 
 Q^ What do Chrijlians under his influences ? 
 
 A. Through Chrift we both {that is, JewsEph. ii. i8. 
 and Gentiles] have an accefs by one fpirit unto 
 the Father. 
 
 If ye through the fpirit do mortify the deeds Rom. viii. i j. 
 of the body. 
 
 Q^ Wljat then is their courfe of life ? 
 
 A. Thty walk not dikcr the fie fh, but after Rom. viii. 4. 
 the fpirit. 
 
 ■ Q^ Does the fpirit of God dwell in them ? 
 
 A. Know ye not that ye are the temple ofi Cor, iji. 16, 
 God, and that the fpirit of God dwelleth in 
 you ? 
 
 Q^ How does their being the temple of God 
 agree with what St. Paul fap, i Cor. vi. 19. 
 that the Chrifiian*s body is the tefnplc of the holv 
 ghoft ? 
 
 A. In 
 
4,30 A Scripture Catechifm. 
 
 Eph. ii. Z2. A, In whom [that is, in Chrift] you alfo 
 are buiJcled together for an habitation of God 
 thro* the fpirit. 
 
 Q^ JVJjat is the bctiefit Chrijliam have by the 
 fpirifs dwelling in them ? 
 
 Rom, viii, II. J, If the fpirit of him that raifed up Jefus 
 from the dead dwell in you, he, that raifed 
 up Chrift from the dead, fhall alfo quicken 
 your mortal bodies ^ by his fpirit that dweiletb 
 in you. 
 
 Rom. viii. 14, As many as are led by thd fpirit of God, 
 
 17' they are the fons of God. — If children^ then' 
 
 heirs, heirs of God, 2j\dijoynt heirs with Chriji; 
 
 Q^ What incouragement ha'ue we to pray 
 for the fpirit ? 
 
 Lokcxi. 13. A. If ye then^ being eVil, know how to 
 give good gifts unto your children, how much 
 more Ihall your heavenly Father give the 
 holy fpirit to them that alk him ? 
 
 Q^ JVhat is our duty with regard to the holy 
 fpirit ? 
 
 Eph. iv. 30. A. Grieve not the holy fpirit of God. 
 
 I Thef. V. 19, ^ench not the fpirit. 
 
 Q^ Befide this gift of the Holy Spirit, what 
 other advantage /^^•i'd"te't' ^y Chriji's prie/I/y office 
 now in heaven ? 
 
 Heb. vii. 25. j^ He is able to faVe them to the utter moft,- 
 that come unto God by him, feeing he ever 
 liveth to make interceffwn for them. 
 
 Q^ TVhat is our duty arifing from this coy;fi~ 
 deration ? 
 
 Heb. iv. 14, A. Seeing then that we have a great High 
 Priefb that is paffed into the heavens, Jefus 
 the Son of God, let us holdfafl our prof effion.— 
 Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that 
 we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help 
 in time of need. 
 
 h 
 
 16. 
 
A Scripture Catechifm. 4.5^1 
 
 By him therefore let us offer the facrifice ofHch. xiii. i<;. 
 praife to God continually. 
 
 Q^ JVbat other office has Chrift ? 
 
 A. He is Lord of lords, and King of kings. Rev. xvii. 14. 
 
 Q^ Whence has he his kingly power ? 
 
 A. I have fet [<?r, anointed] my King upon pfai. ji. c. 
 my holy hill ofSion. 
 
 Thou haft give}i him power over all flefli, john xvii. i. 
 that he fhould give eternal life to as many 
 as thou haft given him. 
 
 The Father loveth the Son, and hath ^fi7<?« John iii. 3<;. 
 all things into his hand. 
 
 Q^ All what things ? 
 
 A. All power is given unto me in ^^^-y^w Mat. xxviil. 
 and in earth. *^* 
 
 Q^ Are the angels then fuhje5i to him ? 
 
 A. The God of our Lord Jefus Chrift, theEph. i. 17, io. 
 Father of glory — ^— raifed him from the dead, Hj n* 
 and fet him at his own right hand in the 
 heavenly places, far above all principality, and 
 power, and might, and dominion, and every 
 name that is named, not only in this world, 
 but alfo in that which is to come ; and hath 
 put all things under his feet, and gave him to 
 be the head over all things to the church. 
 
 Q^ Is the church then peculiarly our Saviour's 
 kingdom upon earth ? 
 
 A. Chrift is the head of the church, and he Eph. v. z;, 
 is the Saviour of the body. ■ The church -4- 
 is fubjeSf unto Chrift. 
 
 Q^ Is Chrifl's a worldly kingdom. ? 
 
 A. My kingdom is not of this world. Johnxviii. 36. 
 
 Q^ Has Chrifl as King left us any laws to 
 ohferve ? 
 
 A. Teaching them to ohferve all things Matt, xxviii. 
 whatfoever I have cor?t?nah'ded you. - - - 
 
 I (^ Does 
 
45^ A Scripture Catechijm, 
 
 Q^ Does Chrijl pronife worldly rewards to 
 our obedience ? 
 Matt. xvi. 14. A. Then faid Jefus unto his difciples, if any 
 man will come after me, let him deny himfelf, 
 and take up his crofs, and follow me. 
 Q^ What is the reward of our obedience ? 
 Heb. V. 9. A. He became the author oi eternal falva- 
 
 tion unto all them that obey him, 
 
 Q. TFhat then is the certain punifhment of 
 difobedience ? 
 z TheC i. 7, 8, A. The Lord Jefus fhall be revealed from 
 ^* heaven, with his mighty angels in flaming 
 
 fire, taking vengeance on them that know not 
 God, and that obey not the gofpel of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift *, who fhall be punifhed 
 with everlajling dejlruoiion. 
 
 Qj_ Is the authority over confcience peculiar 
 to Chrijl ? 
 Matt, xxiii. 8, A. One is your majter^ even Chrijl. 
 'o* Q. Are then the commandments of men no 
 
 rule for our confciences in the worjhip of God ? 
 Matt. XV. 9. A. In vain do they worfhip me, teaching 
 for doftrines the commayidments of men. 
 
 Q. Are ijoe not bound to obey the jewifli law, 
 fince that was the law of God ? 
 Eph.ii. 15. A. Chrifl has aboUJh'd in his fiefli the en- 
 mity, even the law of co?nmandments, con- 
 tain'd in ordinances. 
 
 Q^ But has Chrijl' abolifh^d that morality 
 which was required in the old tejt anient ? 
 Matt. V. 17. ^. Think not that I am come to dejlroy the 
 law or the prophets : I am not come to de- 
 jlroy, but to fulfil. 
 
 Q^ What then is the fu?n of that righteoufnefs, 
 required by the law, which Chrijl ca?ne not td 
 deftroy, but to fulfil ? 
 
 A, Thou 
 
A Scripture Catechijm] /|.^j} 
 
 A. Thou flialt love the Lord thy God with Mat. xxii. 371 
 all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with ^^> ?^j 4o« 
 all thy mind. This is the firft and great 
 commandment. And the fecond is like unto 
 it, Thou fhalt love thy neighbour as thy 
 felf. On thefe two commandments hang all 
 the law and the prophets. 
 
 Jf ye fulfil the royal law, according to the Jam. ii. 8." 
 fcripture. Thou fhalt love thy neighbour as 
 thy felf, ye do well. 
 
 Q^ IVImI ivas the firft of the ten cofnmand* 
 ments in the law ? 
 
 A. I am the Lord thy God which haveExod.xx.z, 3; 
 brought thee out of the land of Eg\pt, out of 
 the houfe of bondage. Thou 'fiialt have no 
 other Gods before me. 
 
 Q^ Have we any the like rule in the 7iew 
 tejiament ? 
 
 A. We preach unto you, that ye IhouldASsxiv. 15. 
 turn from thefe vanities unto the livifig God, 
 which made heaven, and earth, and the £ea, 
 and all things that are therein. 
 
 Worfhip God. Rev. xix. 10. 
 
 Q^ JVhat was the fecond commandment ? Sp xxii. 9. 
 A. Thou fhalt not make unto thee any Exod. xx. 4, 
 graven image, or any likenefs of any thing 5, <5. 
 that is in heaven above, or that is in the 
 earth beneath, or that is in the water un- 
 der the earth. Thou Ihalt not bow down 
 thy felf to them, nor ferve them -, for I the 
 Lord thy God, am a jealous God, vifiting 
 the iniquity of the fathers upon the children 
 unto the third and fourth generation of them 
 that hate me, and fhewing mercy unto thou- 
 fands of them that love me and keep my 
 commandments. 
 
 F f CL H^'^-e 
 
434- ^ Scripure Catechifm. 
 
 Q^ Have 'jou any the like commandment in 
 the 7iew tejlament ? 
 
 X Cor. X, 7. ^- Neither be ye idolaters, as were feme 
 of them, 
 
 1 John V. a I? Keep your felves from idols. 
 
 Q. JVhat was the third commandment ? 
 
 Exod. XX. 7. A. Thou fhalt not take the name of the 
 Lord thy God in vain •, for the Lord will not 
 hold him guiltlefs that taketh his name in 
 vain. 
 
 Q^ Is perjury or falfe fwearing more contra- 
 ry to this law, than to the go/pel ? 
 
 1 Tim i. 9, A. The law is not made for a righteous 
 
 JO, u. man, but for the lawlefs and difobedient,— 
 
 for liars, ^ov perjured perfons, and if there be 
 any other thing that is contrary to found 
 do^rine, according to the glorious gofpel of the 
 blefled God. 
 
 Q^ But if oaths are conftder^d as taking 
 God's name in vain, not only when they are 
 farife, hut when they are ufelefs, fuch as are 
 mens profane oaths in converfation ; are they 
 then alfo forbidden by the gofpel ? 
 
 Matt. V. 33 -^- Y^ have heard that it hath been faid by 
 
 54, 3 5, 36^ 37. them of old time. Thou fhalt not forfwear 
 thy felf ; but fhalt perform unto the Lord 
 thine oaths. But I fay unto you, Swear not 
 at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's 
 throne j nor by the earth, for it is his foot- 
 flool ; neither by Jerufalem, for it is the city 
 of the Great King. Neither flialt thou fwear 
 by thy head, becaufe thou can'fl not make 
 one hair white or black. But let your com- 
 munication be, yea, yea ; nay, nay ; for what- 
 foever is more than thefe, cometh of evil. 
 Q^ Can an oath he now of any ufe ? 
 
 A. Men 
 
A Scripture Catechifm. 4.55 
 
 A. Men verily fwear by the greater ; and Heb. vi. 16. 
 an oath for confirmation is to them an end 
 of all jlrife. 
 
 Q^ Is there in the ne"^ tefiament an-j inftance 
 of good mens taking an oath ? 
 
 A. The God and Father of our Lord Je- i Cor. xi. 5 1. 
 fus Chrift, which is blefTed for evermore, 
 knoweth that I lye not. 
 
 Q^ What was the fourth commandment ? 
 
 A. Remember the fabbath day to keep itExod.xx. 8,p, 
 holy. Six days ihalt thou labour, and do all i^> ^f- 
 thy work, ^ut the feventh day is the fabbath 
 of the Lord thy God : In it thou fhalt not 
 do any v/ork, thou, nor thy fon, nor thy 
 daughter, thy man-fervant, nor thy maid- 
 fervant, nor thy cattle, nor the ftranger that 
 is within thy gates. For in fix days the 
 Lord made heaven and earth, the fea, and all 
 that in them is ; and refted the feventh day ; 
 wherefore the Lord bleffed the fabbath day, 
 and hallowed it. 
 
 Q^ Was there not fomewhat jnerely ceremo- 
 nial in this comfnandment^ by which confequently 
 chrijlians are not hound ? 
 
 A, Let no man judge you in meat or incol, ii. 16, 17. 
 drink, or in refped; of an holy day, or of the 
 new moon, or of the fabbath days ; which are 
 a fhadow of things to come, but the body 
 is of Chrift. 
 
 Q^ But is there no day chriflians are to oh- 
 ferve^ as having a relation to Chrifl ? 
 
 A. I was in the Spirit on the hordes day. j^ev. i. lo. 
 
 Q^ Was it on that day Chrijl rofe from the 
 dead ? 
 
 A. Now when Jefus wa§ rifen early the Mark xvl. p; 
 frft day of the Week. 
 
 Ff2 Q^I^id 
 
/^:^6 A Scrtfiure Catechifm, 
 
 Q^ Did the primitive chrifiians hold their 
 aflemblies, and perform their religious fervice 
 on that day ? 
 Afls XX. 7. ^' Upon the firjl day of the week, when 
 the difciples came together to break breads Paul 
 preached unto them. 
 
 Q. And did he by any order he gave, approve 
 or confirm this pra^ice ? 
 I Cor. xvi. r, A. Now concerning the colleftion for the 
 a. faints, as I have given order to the churches 
 
 ofGalatia^ even fo do ye. Upon the firft day 
 of the week, let every one of you lay by him 
 in ftore as God hath profpered him. 
 
 Q. Do you know of any particular fummary 
 given by our Saviour, of the fix laji command- 
 ments, which contained 7nen^s duty to one ano- 
 ther ? 
 Lukevi. 31. A. As ye would that men fliould do to 
 you, do ye alfo to them likewife. 
 Q^ What was the fifth commandment ? 
 Exod.xx. 12. A. Honour thy father and thy mother, 
 that thy days may be long upon the land 
 which the Lord thy God giveth thee. 
 
 Q. Have we the like in the new teftament ? 
 Eph. vi. I, z, A. Children, obey your parents in the 
 3. Lord, for this is right. Honour thy father 
 
 and mother (which is the firfl commandment 
 with promife) that it may be well with thee, 
 and thou may 'ft live long pn the earth. 
 Q^ PFhat was the fixth commandment ? 
 Exod. XX. 13. A. Thou Ihalt not kill. 
 
 Q^ JVhat command does our Saviour give in 
 this -point ? 
 Matt. V.2 1,12. A, Ye have heard, that it was faid by 
 them of old time. Thou flialt not kill : and 
 whofoever fhall kill, fhall be in danger of 
 the judgment. 'Q\xx.l fay unto you ^ that who- 
 I foever 
 
A Scripture Catechifm. 4.37 
 
 foever Is angry wich his brother without a 
 caufe, fhall be in danger of the judgment -, 
 and whofoever fhall fay to his brother, Raca, 
 (hall be in danger of the counfel : But who- 
 foever fhall fay, Thoufooly fhall be in danger 
 of hell-fire. 
 
 Q;_ fVhat was the feventh commandment ? 
 
 A. Thou fhalt not commit adultery. Exod. xx. 14. 
 
 Q^ What direufion does our Saviour give in 
 this point ? 
 
 A. Ye have heard that it was faid by them Matt. v. 17, 
 of old time. Thou fhalt not commit adultery. -^» *^^' 
 But I fay unto you, that whofoever looketh on 
 a woman to lufi after her, hath committed 
 adultery with her already in his heart. 
 
 Q^ What was the eighth commandment ? 
 
 A. Thou fhalt not fteal. Exod. xx, i^. 
 
 Q^ Is the fa?ne thing forbidden in the nevj 
 iejlament ? 
 
 A. Let him that flole, fleal no more ; butEph. iv. i?» 
 rather let him labour, working with his 
 hands the thing which is good, that he may 
 have to give to him that needeth. 
 
 Neither thieves, ■ nor extortioners — • 1 Cor. vi, 10," 
 Ihall inherit the kingdom of God. 
 
 Q^ What was the ninth commandment ? 
 
 A. Thou fhalt not bear falfe witnefs againft Exod. xx. 16. 
 thy neighbour. 
 
 Q^ Is the fame thing condenut'd ^ cur Sa- 
 viour ? 
 
 A. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts. Matt, xv- i9j 
 murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, fal[e -o^ 
 witnefs, blafphemies. Thefe are the things 
 which defile a man. 
 
 Q^ What ride does the apoflle give concern- 
 ing this matter ? 
 
 A. Pur- 
 
A3 8 A Scripture Catechijm. 
 
 Eph. iv. z'). A. Putting away lying, fpeak every man 
 truth with his neighbour. 
 
 Tit. iii. i. Speak evil of no man. 
 
 Q^ What ijoas the tench commandment ? 
 
 3Esod. XX. 17. A. Thou fhalt not covet thy neighbour's 
 houfe, thou fhalt not covet thy neighbour's 
 wife, nof his man fervant, nor his maid fer- 
 vant, nor his ox, nor his afs, nor any thing 
 that is thy neighbour's. 
 
 Q^ Does our Saviour forbid the fame thing ? 
 
 Ijikexii-M- ■^' -f^^ *'^^^ ^^'^^ them, 1'ake heed and be- 
 ware of covetoufnefs. 
 
 Q^ And what rule does the apofile give in this 
 point ? 
 
 Reb. xiii. ?. A. Let your converfation be without cove- 
 toufnefs ; and be content with fuch things as 
 ye have. 
 
 Q. Can you rehear fe to me any places of the 
 new teflament^ which declare the judgments of 
 Cod againft feveral forts of fmners together, 
 which ought therefore to deter chrifiians from 
 ibofe fins ? 
 
 X Cor. vi. 9> A. Know ye not that the unrighteous Ihall 
 
 ***• not inherit the kingdom of God ? be not de- 
 
 ceived ; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor 
 adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abufers of them- 
 felves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, 
 nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, 
 fhall inherit the kingdom of pod. 
 
 Gal. y. 19, ao, The works of the flefli are manifeil, which 
 
 i*- are thefe. Adultery, fornication, uncle annefs, 
 
 lafcivioufnefs , idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, va- 
 riance, emulations, wrath, firife, feditions, he- 
 refies, envyings, murders, drunkennefs, revellings, 
 and fuch like ; of which I tell you before, as I 
 have alfo told you in time paft, that they which 
 do fuch things fhall not inherit the kingdom of 
 God. But 
 
A Scripture Catechifm. /j.^^ 
 
 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the Rev. xxi. 8» 
 abominaUe, and murderers, and whoremongers, 
 zndforcerers, 2Lnd idolaters, and all /}'^n, fhall 
 have their part in the lake which burnetii 
 with fire and brimftone ; which is the fecond 
 death. 
 
 Q^ Can you tell me any fhort fummary of 
 our pofitive duty ? 
 
 A. Teftifying both to the Jews 'and alfoAd^ xx, lu 
 to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and 
 faith toward our Lord Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Q. Is repentance necelTary to falvation ? 
 
 A. Now God commandeth oilmen every where hSi% xvii. 30^ 
 to repent ; becaufe he hath appointed a day 3i« 
 in the which he will judge the world in righte- 
 oufnefs. 
 
 Q^ What . does the apoflle joyn with repent- 
 ing, to explain it. 
 
 A. That they fhould "repent, and turn to Ads xxvi. io: 
 God, and do works meet for repentance. 
 
 Q^ Is faith toward our Lord Jefus Chrifi 
 necelTary to falvation ? 
 
 A. He that believeth on the Son, hath John iii. 36, 
 everlafting life ; and he that believeth not 
 the Son, fhall not fee life ; but the wrath of 
 God abideth on him. 
 
 Q^ What are we to believe concerning him ^ 
 
 A. That Jefus is the Chrift -the Soft i John v. 1,5, 
 
 of God. 
 
 Q. What advantage Jhall we have by believ- 
 ing in Chrifi ? 
 
 A. Thro' this man is preached unto you Afts xiii. 38, 
 the forgivenefs of fins. And by him all that 39- 
 believe are jujlified from all things, from 
 which ye could not be juftified by the law of 
 Mofes. 
 
 ^ Q^WlMt 
 
ij.^o A Scripture Catechifm. 
 
 Q^ ^hat other advantage have we hy helie- 
 'ving in him ? 
 John i, iz. A. As many as received him, to them gave 
 he power to become the fous of God, even to 
 them that believe on his name. 
 
 Q^ fFtll faith without works be of any advan- 
 tage ? 
 jsmcs ii. 17. A. Faith, if it hath not works, is dead be- 
 ing alone. 
 
 Q^ Are there any additional commandtnents 
 peculiarly given hy Chrifi ? 
 John xiii. i^. A. A new commandment I give unto you, 
 that yo. love one another, as I have loved you, 
 that ye alfo love one another. 
 
 Q^ Has he added any other commandment of 
 this fort ? 
 Luke xvii. 5,4. ^. Take heed to your felves : If thy bro- 
 ther trefpafs againft thee, rebuke him ; and 
 if he repent, forgive him. And if he trefpafs 
 againft thee feven times in a day, and feven 
 times in a day turn again to thee, faying, I 
 repent, thou fhalt forgive him. 
 
 Q^ Under what fandlion does our Lord com- 
 
 7nand this ? 
 
 Matt. vi. 14, A. If ye forgive men their trefpafles, your 
 
 15. heavenly Father will alfo forgive you. But 
 
 if ye forgive not men their trefpafles, neither 
 
 will your Father forgive your trefpaffes. 
 
 Q^ /; there any farther commandment of this 
 nature given hy him ? 
 
 ^'?att. V. 44. -''^- ^ ^^y ""^° y^^-> ^^^^ y°^^ enemies, blels 
 them that curfe you, do good to them that 
 hare you, and pray for them which delpite- 
 fully ufe you, and perfecute you. 
 
 Q. Is there any other new law added by Chrijt 
 in the zofpel ? 
 
 A. Ve- 
 
A Scripture Catechifm, 4+^ 
 
 J. Verily, verily, I fliy unto you, whatfo- John xvi. z?, 
 ever ye Ihall ajk the Father in my narne^ he will ^4* 
 give it you. Hitherto ye have alked nothing 
 in my name ; ajk^ and ye fliall receive, that 
 your joy may be full. 
 
 Q^ Has Chrift appointed an'j new ihftitution 
 in the form and method of religion ? 
 
 A. Go and teach all nations, baptizing Matt, xxviii. 
 them in the name of the Father, and of the ^^* 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. 
 
 Q. Is this baptifm a means of falvation ? 
 
 A. He that believeth, and is baptized, Iliall Mark xvL i6* 
 be faved. 
 
 Q^ Shall all then 'who are baptized he faved ? 
 
 A. Baptifm doth now fave us (not the put- 1 P^^- '"• ^r- 
 ting away of the filth of the flefli, " but the 
 anjwer of a good confcience towards God) by 
 the refurreflioii of Jefus Chrill. 
 
 Q. Is there any other inflitution of this kind in 
 the gofpel? 
 
 A. He took bread, and gave thanks, and Luke xxii. i^j 
 brake it, and gave unto them, faying. This is-^* 
 my body which is given for you, this do in 
 remembrance of me. Likewife alfo the cup 
 after fupper, faying. This cup is the new 
 teflament in my blood, which is fhed for you. 
 
 C^What are thefe things the figns or mtd.ns of? 
 
 A. The cup of bleffing which we blefs, is * Cor. x, it. 
 it not the communion of the blood of Chrifi ? 
 The bread which we break, is it not the 
 communion of the body cf Chrifi ? 
 
 Q. What is it then we do by this ordinance ? 
 
 A. As often as ye eat this bread, and drink i Cor. xi. z 6, 
 this cup, ye do fbe\v the Lord's death till he 
 come. 
 
 Q^ la ivbat manner are we to attend on this 
 ordinance ? 
 
 Gg A. Chrill 
 
44-^ -^ ScTzfture Catechifm. 
 
 I Cor. V. 7:8, vf. Chrifl our pafTover is facrificed for us. 
 Therefore let us keep the feaft, not with old 
 leaven, neither with the leaven of 7naUce and 
 iiickednefs ; but with the unleavened bread of 
 fincerity and truth. 
 
 Q^ Is Chrift to he worlliiped ? 
 Hcb. i. 6. A. When he a2:ain bringeth in the firft 
 
 begotten into the world, he faith, And let all 
 the angels of God worfhip him. 
 
 Q^ Upon what is this co^nmand founded ? 
 Heb- i. 4. A. He is made fo much better than the 
 
 angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more 
 excellent name than they. 
 
 Q^ Upon zvhai ground are men to give ho- 
 njur to Chrift ? 
 
 A. The Father judgeth no man •, but hath 
 committed all judgment unto the Son ; that 
 all men fhould honour the Son, even as they 
 honour the Father. 
 
 He humbled himfelf, and became obedient 
 unto death, CA'cn the death of the crofs. 
 Wherefore God, alfo hath highly exalted him, 
 2indi given him a name which is above every 
 name ; that at the name of Jefus every knee 
 fhould bow, of things in heaven, and things 
 in earth, and things under the earth ; and that 
 every tongue fhould confefs that Jefus Chriil 
 is Lord. 
 
 Q. Does this honour terminate tdtimately in 
 Chrift ? 
 Philip. ii. II. A. Everv tong-ue liiould confefs that Tefus 
 Chrift is Lord, to &iC glory cf God the Father. 
 
 Q^ Has Chrift givtn us any rule for our 
 
 prayers ? 
 
 Luke xi. 2, 3, ^4nd he faid unio them, v/hen ye pray, f^y, 
 
 ^' Our Father which art in heaven •, hallowed 
 
 be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will 
 
 be 
 
 Joh, 
 
 n V. 
 
 1 ~'. 
 
 -» 
 
 ij. 
 
 
 
 
 VhW 
 
 • ii. 
 
 8, 
 
 9: 
 
 10> 
 
 11. 
 
 
 
A Scripture Catechifml ^^2 
 
 be done, as in heaven fo in earth. Give us 
 day by day our daily bread. And forgive us 
 our fins ; for we alfo forgive every one that 
 is indebted to us. And lead us not into temp- 
 tation, but deliver us from evil. 
 Q^ How long /ball Chriji reign ? 
 
 A. He muft reign till he hath put all ene- i Cor. xv: \ <i 
 mies under his feet. 
 Q^ What is the laft enemy ? 
 
 A. The laft enemy that fhall be deftroyed i Cor. xv. z6,' 
 is death. 
 
 Q^ How/hall that he defirojed ? 
 
 A. The hour is coming in the which all that John v. a 5, 
 are in the graves fhall hear his voice, and^^* 
 lliall come forth. 
 
 Q^ What change Jhall the todies of the faints 
 then undergo ? 
 
 A. The Lord Jefus Chrift fhall change ourphiUp Hi. zr. 
 vile body, that it may be fafhioned like unto 
 his glorious body. 
 
 It is Town in corruption, it is raifed in incor- 1 Cor. xv, az 
 ruption : It is fovvn in difhonour, it is raifed in 4 3, 44. 
 glory : It is fown in weaknefs, it is raifed in 
 power : It is fown a natural body, it is raifed 
 .1 fpiritual Body. 
 
 Q^ What follows after this refurrcBion ? 
 
 A. The dead were judged according to Rev. xx. u. 
 
 their works. 
 
 Q_^ To what will Chrif adjudge the righteous 
 and the wicked ? 
 
 A. Then fhall the king fay unto them onMatt.xxv. 34, 
 his right hand, Come ye bleffed of my Fa-4f5 46, 
 ther, inherit the kingdom prepared for you 
 from the foundation of the world. ^ — Then fhall 
 he fay alfo unto them on the \tii hand, De- 
 part from me, ye curfed, into everlaiting fire, 
 prepared for the devil and his angels.^ — And 
 
 thefe 
 
^A/L ' A Scripture Cafechifml 
 
 thefe fhall go away into everla fling punifh- 
 ment ; but the righteous into life eternal. 
 
 Q. What effect Jhguld this confideration hav^' 
 upon us ? , 
 
 2. Pet. iii. 14. ^- Wherefore, beloved, feeing that ye look 
 for fuch things, be diligent that ye miyht found 
 of hipi in peace, -without fpot, d.nd blamelefs. ^ 
 Q^ When fhall this judgment he ? ?• -, 
 
 Markxiii. 31. ^- Of that day and that hour knoweth no 
 man, no not the angels which are in heaven, 
 neither the Son, but the Father. 
 
 Q^ What ufe are we to make of this uncertainty 
 of the time ? 
 
 Markxiii. 33. ^' Take ye heed, watch and^r^^i *, for ye 
 know not when the time is. 
 
 Luke xii. 40, Be ye therefore ready alio. 
 
 Qj^ What fhall follow after this final judgment ? 
 
 1 Cor. XV. 24, Then cometh the end, when he fliall have 
 
 •*^'. delivered up the kingdom to God, even the 
 
 Father. And when all things lliall be fub- 
 
 dued unto him •, then fhall t^e Son alfo him- 
 felf be fubjed unto him that put all things un- 
 der him, that God may be all in all. 
 
 The CREED. 
 
 T Believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker 
 "*- of heaven and earth ; and in Jcfus Chrift, his 
 only Son, our Lord, which was conceived by the 
 Holy Ghoft, born of the virgin Mary, fuffered un- 
 der Tontius 'Pilafe, was crucified, dead, and buri- 
 * That is His ^d, he defcended into hell *, the third day he rofe 
 foul 'Went into again from the dead, he afcended into heaven, and 
 the place of fe- ^T^^^Q^h at the right hand of God the Father Al- 
 farate fouls, mighty j from thence he ihall come to judge the 
 quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghoft, 
 the holy catholick church, the communion of flints, 
 the forgivenefs of fins, the lefurreftion of the bo- 
 dy, and the life everlaitn^. 
 
 F I N I S. 
 
'/f- 
 
 r# 
 
^21 6600 
 
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