from the error of thy way be well save thy self as soon as possibly thou canst When happiness presents it self to thee do not turn it off and bid it come again to morrow Perhaps thou mayest never be so fairly offered again perhaps the day of salvation may not come again to morrow nay perhaps to thee to morrow may never come But if we were sure that happiness would come again yet why should we put it off Does any man know how to be safe and happy to day and can he find in his heart to tarry till to morrow Now the God of all mercy and patience give every one of us the wisdom and grace to know and to do in this our day the things that belong to our peace before they be hid from our eyes for the sake of our blessed Saviour and Redeemer To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for ever Amen A SERMON Preached before the KING Febr. 25 th 1675 6. 1 John III. 10 In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God IT is certainly a matter of the greatest consequence to us both in order to our present peace and future happiness truly to understand our spiritual state and condition and whether we belong to God and be his Children or not And it is not so difficult as is commonly imagined to arrive at this knowledg if we have a mind to it and will but deal impartially with our selves For the Text gives us a plain mark and character whereby we may know it In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God From which words I shall endeavour by Gods assistance to lay men open to themselves and to represent to every one of us the truth of our condition and then leave it to the grace of God and every mans serious consideration to make the best use of it And it will conduce very much to the clearing of this matter to consider briefly the occasion of these words And this will best appear by attending stedfastly to the main scope and design of this Epistle And I think that no man that reads it with attention can doubt but that it is particularly designed against the impious Sect of the Gnosticks who as the Fathers tell us sprang from Simon Magus and pretended to extraordinary knowledg and illumination from whence they had the name of Gnosticks but notwithstanding this glittering pretence they did allow themselves in all manner of impious and vicious practice turning the grace of God into lasciviousness as St. Jude speaks of them And that St. John particularly aims at this sort of men is very evident from the frequent and plain allusions throughout this Epistle to those Names and Titles which this Sect assumed to themselves as Chap. 2. ver 4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him And vers 9 He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness even until now Which passages and many more in this Epistle do plainly refer to the pretences of this Sect to more than ordinary knowledg and illumination in the mysteries of Religion notwithstanding they did so notoriously contradict these glorious pretences by the impiety of their lives and particularly by their hatred and enmity to their fellow-Christians For as the ancient Fathers tell us they pretended that whatever they did they could not sin And this our Apostle intimates in the beginning of this Epistle If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us And they held it lawful to renounce Christianity to avoid persecution and not only so but also to joyn with the Heathen in persecuting the Christians which seems to be the reason why the Apostle so often taxeth them for hatred to their Brethren and calls them Murderers Now to shew the inconsistence of these principles and practises with Christianity the Apostle useth many arguments amongst which he particularly insisteth upon this That nothing is more essential to a Disciple of Christ and a Child of God by which Titles Christians were commonly known than to abstain from the practise of all sin and wickedness vers 6. of this Chap. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him whatever knowledg they might pretend to it was evident they were destitute of the true knowledg of God and his Son Jesus Christ and vers 7 Little Children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous and vers 8 He that committeth sin is of the Devil and vers 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin let men pretend what they will wickedness is a plain mark and character of one that belongs to the Devil as on the contrary righteousness is an evidence of a Child of God In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil c. I shall briefly explain the words and then consider the matter contained in them By the children of God and the children of the Devil are meant good and bad men It being usual in the phrase of Scripture to call persons or things which partake of such a nature or quality the children of those who are eminently endued with that nature and disposition Thus they who are of the faith of Abraham and do the works of Abraham are called Abraham's children In like manner those who in their disposition and actions imitate God are called the children of God and on the contrary those that addict themselves to sin and impiety are counted of another race and descent they resemble the Devil and belong to him as the Chief and Head of that Faction By righteousness is here meant universal goodness and conformity to the Law of God in opposition to sin which is the transgression of that Law By being manifest is meant that hereby good and bad men are really distinguished so that every one that will examine his condition by this mark may know of which number he is and to what Party he belongs I come now to the main argument contained in the words which is to give us a certain character and mark of distinction between a good and bad man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God In the management of the following Discourse I shall proceed in this method First We will consider the character and mark of difference between a good and bad man which is here laid down Whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God Secondly I shall endeavour to shew that by this mark every man may with due care and diligence come to the knowledg of his spiritual
Imprimatur Guil. Sill R. P. D. Henr. Episc Lond. à Sac. Dom. Novemb. 2. 1677. SERMONS PREACH'D Upon several Occasions By JOHN TILLOTSON D.D. Dean of Canterbury Preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincolns-Inn and one of His Majesties Chaplains in Ordinary The 〈…〉 Printed 〈…〉 at tâ—◠〈…〉 SERMONS Preach'd upon Several OCCASIONS By JOHN TILLOTSON D. D. Dean of Canterbury Preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincolns-Inn and one of His Majestie 's Chaplains in Ordinary The Second Volume LONDON Printed for Edw. Gellibrand and are to be Sold by Henry Bonwicke at the Red-Lyon in St. Paul's-Church-Yard 1678. SERMON I. ISaiah IX 12 13 For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still For the people turneth not to him that smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts SERMON II. Heb. III. 13 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin SERMON III. 1 Cor. III. 15 But he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire SERMON IV. Psal CXIX 156 Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them SERMON V. Psal CXIX 59 I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies SERMON VI. Psal CXIX 60 I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments SERMON VII 1 John III. 10 In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God SERMON VIII Luke XV. 7 I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth more than over ninety and nine just persons which need no repentance SERMON IX Matth. IX 31 32 Wherefore I say unto you all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man it shall be forgiven him But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this world neither in the world to come SERMON X. Acts X. 38 Who went about doing good A SERMON Preached before the KING June 30 th 1667. Isa IX 12 13. For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts IN the former part of this 12th verse the Prophet threatens that Israel should be brought into great distress and set upon by Enemies on every side the Syrians before and the Philistines behind and that they should devour Israel with open mouth And though this was like to be a very sore and dreadful Judgment yet he foretells that this would not stay Gods hand nor satisfie his anger because he foresaw that they would still grow worse and continue impenitent For all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts In which words there are these two things very useful at all times but at this time especially most proper and seasonable for our consideration 1. The design and intention of God in sending Judgments upon a People and that is to reclaim them from their sins imply'd in these words For the people turneth not to him that smiteth them which intimate to us that this is the end which God aims at in his Judgments to take us off from our sins and to bring us to himself 2. The reason of the continuance of Gods Judgments because the people were not reclaimed by them And this is fully express'd in the Text that therefore Gods anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still because the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them c. Of these Two I crave leave to speak as plainly and briefly as I can I. The design and intention of God in sending Judgments upon a people And that is to reclaim them from their sins This indeed is the intention of all Gods dispensations towards us in this World The end of all his mercies and benefits is to take us off from sin and to oblige and win us to our duty So the Apostle tells us Rom. 2.4 That the design of Gods goodness and long-suffering and forbearance towards us is to lead us to Repentance And this is the way wherein God delights to deal with us The way of Judgment and severity is that which he is more averse from a course which he unwillingly takes with us and not without some difficulty and reluctancy He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men And were it not that we are such perverse Creatures as not to be wrought upon by kindness so wild as not to be tamed by gentle usage God would not handle us in any other way It is our obstinacy and intractableness to the methods of his goodness which constraineth and almost forceth him against his inclination to take the Rod into his hand and to chastise us with it He would draw us with the cords of love and the bands of a man as he expresseth himself in the Prophet but we will not follow him And therefore we provoke him to turn these Cords into whips and to change the gentle methods of his kindness into ways of harshness and severity And yet when he comes to take this course with us he still like a kind and tender-hearted Father aims at our benefit and advantage He designs kindness to the sons of men by all those judgments which do not kill them and cut them off from the opportunity and possibility of improving them If he send Evils upon us it is that thereby he may do us some greater good If he afflict us it is not because it is pleasant to him to deal harshly with us but because it is profitable and necessary for us to be so dealt withall And if at any time he imbitter our lives by miseries and sufferings it is because he is loth to see us perish in pleasant ways and chuseth rather to be somewhat severe towards us than suffer us to be utterly undone This Moses declares to have been the great end of all the severe Providences of God towards the People of Israel in their long wandring in the Wilderness and all the difficulties and hardships they were there exercised withall for the space of forty years Deut. 8.15 16 Who led thee through that great and terrible Wilderness wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions c. That he might humble thee and that he might prove thee to do thee good at thy latter end So that the afflicting providences of God are not only apt in their own nature to do us good but which is a more express argument of the Divine goodness God intends and aims at this end by them He does not send Judgments upon this Theatre of
inclinations and appetites without any consideration of the future consequences of things and without fear of any thing but of a present and sensible danger like Brute creatures who fear no evils but what are in view and just ready to fall upon them Whereas to a prudent and considerate man a good or evil in reversion is capable of as true an estimation proportionably to the greatness and distance of it as if it were really present And what do we think has God given us our reason and understandings for but to foresee evils at a distance and to prevent them to provide for our future security and happiness to look up to God our Maker who hath taught us more than the Beasts of the earth and made us wiser than the Fowls of heaven but to consider what we do and what we ought to do and what makes most for our future and lasting interest and what against it What can a Beast do worse than to act without any consideration and design than to pursue his present inclination without any apprehension of true danger The most dull and stupid of all the brute creatures can hardly exercise less reason than this comes to So that for a man not to consider his ways is to the very best intents and purposes to be without understanding and like the beasts that perish 2. This is the end of Gods patience and long-suffering towards us to bring us to consideration The great design of Gods goodness is to lead men to repentance He winks at the sins of men that they may repent He bears long with us and delays the punishment of our sins and doth not execute judgment speedily because he is loth to surprize men into destruction because he would give them the liberty of second thoughts time to reflect upon themselves and to consider what they have done and to reason themselves into repentance Consider this all ye that forget God lest his patience turn into fury and he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver 3. Consideration is that which we must all come to one time or other Time will come when we shall consider and cannot help it when we shall not be able to divert our thoughts from those things which we are now so loth to think upon Our consciences will take their opportunity to bring our ways to remembrance when some great calamity or affliction is upon us Thus it was with the Prodigal when he was brought to the very last extremity and was ready to perish for hunger then he came to himself When we come to die then we shall think of our ways with trouble and vexation enough And how glad would we then be that we had time to consider them And perhaps while we are wishing for more time Eternity will swallow us up To be sure in the other world a great part of the misery of wicked men will consist in furious reflections upon themselves and the evil actions of their lives 'T is said of the Rich voluptuous man in the Parable that in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments as if he had never considered and bethought himself till that time But alas it will then be too late to consider For then consideration will do us no good it will serve to no other purpose but to aggravate our misery and to multiply our stings and to give new life and rage to those Vultures which will perpetually prey upon our hearts But how much a wiser course would it be to consider these things in time in order to our eternal peace and comfort to think of them while we may redress them and avoid the dismal consequences of them than when our case is desperate and past remedy And now what can I say more to perswade every one of us to a consideration of our own ways We are generally apt to busie our selves in observing the errors and miscarriages of our neighbours and are forward to mark and censure the faults and follies of other men but how few descend into themselves and turn their eyes inward and say What have I done 'T is an excellent saying of Antoninus the great Emperour and Philosopher No man was ever unhappy for not prying into the actions and condition of other men but that man is necessarily unhappy who doth not observe himself and consider the state of his own soul This is our proper work and now is a proper season for it when we pretend to God and men to set apart a solemn time for the examination of our selves and for a serious review of our lives in order to humiliation and repentance to the reforming and amendment of what is amiss And though we would venture to dissemble with men yet let us not dissemble with God also For shall not he that pondereth the heart consider it and he that keepeth thy soul shall not he know it and shall not he render to every man according to his ways I know it is a very unpleasant work which I am now putting you upon and therefore no wonder that men are generally so backward to it because it will of necessity give some present disturbance to their minds They whose lives have been very vicious are so odious a sight so horrid a spectacle to themselves that they cannot endure to reflect upon their own ways of all things in the world they hate Consideration and are ready to say to it as the evil Spirit did in the Gospel to our Saviour What have I to do with thee Art thou come to torment me before the time But let not this affright us from it for whatever trouble it may cause at present it is the only way to prevent the anguish and the torments of Eternity The things which I have offered to your consideration are of huge moment and importance They do not concern your bodies and estates but that which is more truly your selves your immortal souls the dearest and most durable part of your selves and they do not concern us for a little while but forever Let me therefore bespeak your most serious regard to them in the words of Moses to the people of Israel after he had set the law of God before them togeher with the blessings promised to obedience and the terrible curses threatned to the transgression of it Deut. 32.46 Set your hearts to the words which I testifie to you this day for it is not a vain thing because it is your life Your life your eternal life and happiness depends upon it And besides a tender regard to your selves and your own interests which methinks every man out of a natural desire of being happy and dread of being miserable should be forward enough to consider Be pleased likewise to lay to heart the influence of your example upon others I speak now to a great many persons the eminence of whose rank and quality renders their examples so powerful as to be able almost to give authority either to
tarrying 6. Lastly consider what an unspeakable happiness it is to have our minds settled in that condition that we may without fear and amazement nay with comfort and confidence expect death and judgment Death is never far from any of us and the general Judgment of the world may be nearer than we are aware of for of that day and hour knoweth no man And these are two terrible things and nothing can free us from the terror of them but a good conscience and a good conscience is only to be had either by innocence or by repentance and amendment of life Happy man who by this means is at peace with God and with himself and can think of death and judgment without dread and astonishment For the sting of death is sin and the terror of the great day only concerns those who have lived wickedly and impenitently and would not be perswaded neither by the mercies of God nor by the fear of his judgments to repent and turn to him But if we have truely forsaken our sins and do sincerely endeavour to live in obedience to the Laws and Commands of God the more we think of death and judgment the greater matter of joy and comfort will these things be to us For blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he comes shall find so doing Let us therefore as soon as possibly we can put our selves into this posture and preparation according to that advice of our blessed Saviour Luke 12.35 36 Let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord. And now I hope that enough hath been said to convince men of the great unreasonableness and folly of these delays nay I believe most men are convinced of it by their own thoughts and that their consciences call them fools a thousand times for it But O that I knew what to say that might prevail with men and effectually perswade them to do that which they are so abundantly convinced is so necessary And here I might address my self to the several ages of persons You that are young and have hitherto been in a good measure innocent may prevent the Devil and by an early piety give God the first possession of your souls and by this means never be put to the trouble of so great and solemn a repentance having never been deeply engaged in a wicked life You may do a glorious I had almost said a meritorious thing in cleaving stedfastly to God and resolving to serve him when you are so importunately courted and so hotly assaulted by the Devil and the World However you may not live to be old therefore upon that consideration begin the work presently and make use of the opportunity that is now in your hands You that are grown up to ripeness of years and are in the full vigor of your age you are to be put in mind that the heat and inconsiderateness of youth is now past and gone that reason and consideration are now in their perfection and strength that this is the very age of prudence and discretion of wisdom and wariness So that now is the proper time for you to be serious and wisely to secure your future happiness As for those that are old they methinks should need no body to admonish them that it is now high time for them to begin a new life and that the time past of their lives is too much to have spent in sin and folly There is no trifling where men have a great work to do and but little time to do it in Your Sun is certainly going down and neer its setting therefore you should quicken your pace considering that your journey is never the shorter because you have but little time to perform it in Alas man thou art just ready to dye and hast thou not yet begun to live Are thy passions and lusts yet unsubdued and have they had no other mortification than what age hath given them 'T is strange to see how in the very extremities of old age many men are as if they had still a thousand years to live and make no preparation for death though it dogs them at the heels and is just come up to them and ready to give them the fatal stroke Therefore let us not put off this necessary work of reforming our selves in what part and age of our lives soever we be To day whilst it is called to day least any of you be hardened thorough the decitfulness of sin Nay to day is with the latest to begin this work had we been wise we would have begun it sooner 'T is Gods infinite mercy to us that it is not quite too late that the day of Gods patience is not quite expired and the door shut against us Therefore do not defer your repentance to the next solemn time to the next occasion of receiving the blessed Sacrament Do not say I will then reform and become a new man after that I will take leave of my lusts and sin no more For let us make what haste we can we cannot possibly make too much properat vivere nemo satis No man makes haste enough to be good to cease to do evil and to learn to do well Be as quick as we will life will be too nimble for us and go on faster than our work does and death will go nigh to prevent us and surprize us unawares Do do sinner abuse and neglect thy self yet a little while longer till the time of regarding thy soul and working out thy own salvation be at an end and all the opportunities of minding that great concernment be slipped out of thy hands never to be recovered never to be called back again no not by thy most earnest wishes and desires by thy most fervent prayers and tears and thou be brought into the condition of prophane Esau who for once despising the Blessing lost it for ever and found no place of repentance though he sought it carefully with tears To conclude Art thou convinced that thy eternal happiness depends upon following the advice which hath now been given thee Why then do but behave thy self in this case as thou and all prudent men are wont to do in matters which thou canst not but acknowledg to be of far less concernment If a man be travelling to such a place so soon as he finds himself out of the way he presently stops and makes towards the right way and hath no inclination to go wrong any farther If a man be sick he will be well presently if he can and not put it off to the future Most men will gladly take the first opportunity that presents it self of being rich or great every man almost catches at the very first offers of a great place or a good purchase and secures them presently if he can least the opportunity be gone and another snatch these things from him Do thou thus so much more in matters so much greater Return