Take heed to your selves saith Christ lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness These are somewhat hard words for that which our Age hath learnt to express in much softer terms of Eating and Drinking well Luxury seems a thing quite forgotten to be a Sin among those who are most guilty of it and Intemperance thought so uncertain a thing as though it were impossible to tell when Persons are guilty of it 'T is true that Temperance may vary as to the Degrees and Limits of it and we do not pretend to define it by Grains and Scruples But still there ought to be a Governing our Appetites according to Reason and that is Temperance But what is Reason in this Case Some send us to the Brutes to find out what Reason is and they tell us it lies in a plain simple Diet such as the Beasts use without provoking or raising the Appetite But I know not where God hath forbidden the Use of Art as to our Eating and Drinking and if this were so we must practise Temperance only in the Use of Water and Acorns If meer Satisfaction of Nature were the exact Rule of Temperance then eating or drinking any thing beyond it were a Sin which would fill the Minds of those who are afraid to sin with infinite Scruples and make all Feasting unlawfull Yet our Saviour was present at one in Cana of Galilee and did a Miracle relating to it But we need not run into Niceties in this matter For Intemperance is either an over-charging of Nature so as to make it to sink or totter under the load or it is a wanton humouring and pleasing the Appetit◠not for the Service of Nature but for the Pleasure of Eating and Drinking Or it is as S. Paul calls it making a God of their belly by Sacrificing their Time their Study their Estates in order to the filling and pleasing of it Any of these ways it is no Difficulty to understand what Intemperance is I wish it were as easie to avoid it 2. As to Righteousness Our Saviour hath given one Admirable Rule which all Persons agree to be of excellent Use in all Contracts and Transactions of Men with one another v. 31. And as ye would that men should do to you do ye also to them likewise Which is an Universal Rule of Justice and Equity if it be understood of what we would have others to do to us according to Reason and not according to the Partial Affection we are apt to have to our selves For this Rule is founded upon the second great Commandment as our Saviour calls it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self 3. As to Godliness He lays the Foundation of that upon the first and great Commandment Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Strength We need not to question but where-ever there is such a Love of God as is here required there will be true Godliness in all the parts of it And where this is wanting all external Shews of Devotion want the true Life and Spirit of it For it is the Love of God which makes all our weak and imperfect Services to be acceptable to him and without it all our Prayers and our Fastings and all other Appearances of Devotion are empty and insipid Formalities Not but that the Acts themselves are Commendable but they are like a Body without a Soul dull and heavy or like the leaves of a Tree in Autumn which make a great noise in the Wind but are dry sapless and soon fall to the Ground But where the Love of God prevails it keeps up the Life and Order and Vigour of Devotion and preserves it from being tainted by hypocrisie or choaked by the love of this World or decaying from want of Constancy and Resolution Thus I have set before you some of the most remarkable Duties of Christianity not such as depend on the Opinions and Fancies of Men but such as our Blessed Saviour the great Law-giver of his Church hath made the necessary Conditions of our Salvation by him And what now can we say for our Selves We do call Christ Lord Lord or else we renounce our Baptismal Vow and all hopes of Salvation by him But can we say that we love God when we love what he hates viz. Sin Can we say we love him with all our Heart and Soul when our Hearts are so much divided between him and the Vanities of this World Can we say we love him with all our Might when our Love to God is apt to grow cold and remiss upon any apprehension of Difficulties Can we say that we love our Neighbour as our Selves when we despise and scorn him or over-reach and defraud him or oppress and ruin him If it go not so far are we as tender of his Reputation as of our own as unwilling to see him injured as ready to help him in his Necessities as we should desire it from others if we were in the same Circumstances If strict Sobriety and Temperance be the Duties of Christians where are those Vertues to be generally found I do not speak of particular Persons but I am afraid there is hardly such a thing left as a Sober Party among us What profane customary Swearing is every-where to be met with What Complaints are daily made of the Abounding of all sorts of Wickedness even to an open Scorn and Contempt not barely of Christianity but of any kind of Religion For many who have long denied the Power seem to be grown weary of the very Form of Godliness unless it serves some particular End and Design So that if we look abroad in the World we find little Regard shew'd to the Precepts of Christ and yet those who commit these things call Christ Lord Lord. What is the meaning of all this gross Hypocrisie Nothing would have been thought more Absurd or Ridiculous than for one who used no kind of Abstinence to be thought a Pythagorean or one that indulged his Passions a Stoick or one who eats Flesh and drinks Wine a Brachman or Banian It is really as much for any one to break the known and particular Precepts of Christ and yet desire to be thought a Christian. For a loose profane and debauched Christian is a Contradiction in Morality It is to be a Christian against Christ to call him Lord Lord and yet to defie his Laws and Authority A Star without Light a Guide without Eyes a Man without Reason a Sun with nothing but Spots are not more absurd Suppositions than a Christian without any Grace or Vertue But let us say what we will there are and will be such who will own Christ and call him Lord Lord and yet will not part with their sins for him There were Multitudes of such formerly who would lay down their Lives for the Ground he trod on and yet would not mortifie one Sin for his sake The Reason is still the same which our Saviour mentions they hope that calling him Lord Lord will make amends for all and yet it is not possible that fairer warning should be given to any than he hath given in this Case that let them pretend what they will he will say to them at the great Day Depart from me all ye workers of Iniquity O dreadfull Sentence Not to be mention'd without Horrour nor to be thought upon without Astonishment How miserable for ever miserable must their condition be whom Christ at that day shall bid to Depart from him What is this some will be apt to say but to put all Christians into utter Despair For who is there that can say that he hath done all that Christ hath said Truely we have a sufficient Ground for deep Humility and serious Repentance and timely Reformation But there is a great difference between the Failing of our Duty and the Works of Iniquity between the Infirmities of those who sincerely endeavour to do his Will and the Presumptuous Sins of those who despise it between Sins committed and heartily repented of and Sins habitually practised and continued in without any Marks of Amendment Such must go out of this World in a State of Sin and therefore can expect nothing but that dreadfull Sentence which I tremble at the very thoughts of Repeating But there are others who in the sincerity of their hearts have endeavour'd to do his Will and whose Sincerity will be so far accepted by him that he will say to them at that Day Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World To which God of his infinite Mercy bring us through the Mediation of Christ Jesus our Lord. FINIS Lately Printed for Henry Mortlock at the Phoenix in St. Paul's Church-Yard A Sermon Preached before the Queen at White-Hall Febr. 22. 1688 9. upon 1 Pet. 14. verse 18. A Sermon Preached before the King and Queen at White-Hall March the 23d 1689 90. upon Ecclesistiastes 11. verse 9. Christian Magnanimity A Sermon Preached in the Cathedral Church at Worcester at the Time of the Assizes September 21. 1690. upon 2 Tim. 1. verse 7. All three by the Right Reverend Father in God Edward Lord Bishop of Worcester The Bishop of Worcester's Charge to the Clergy of his Diocese in his Primary Visitation begun at Worcester Septemb. 11. 1690. Quarto Matt. 7. 21. Luk. 13. 26. v. 27. Matt. 5. 5. Jam. 3. 13. Matt. 5. 22. v. 39. v. 40. v. 41. Luk. 12. 14 De Irâ l. 3. c. 8. Tusc. 3. 9. Exod. 21. 24. Levit. 24. 20. Deut. 19. 21. Gr. de I. B. P. l. 2. 1. 10. Luk. 6. 27 35. Luk. 6. 27. 33. 35. Jam. 1. 14. Matt. 5. 28. Matt. 5. 8. Matt. 5. 29. 30. Matt. 6. 15. Luk. 12. 22. Luke 12. 24. Job 38. 41. Psal. 147. 9. 1 Tim. 5. 8. Luke 12. 18 19. v. 20. Matt. 12. 36. v. 31. Matt. 5. 34 37. Luk. 21. 24 Phil. 3. 19. Matt. 22. 39. Matt. 22. 37. Matt. 7. 25. Luk. 13. 27. Matt. 25. 34.
A SERMON Preached before the QUEEN AT WHITE-HALL March the 1 st 1690 1. By the Right Reverend Father in GOD EDWARD Lord Bishop of Worcester Published by Her Majesties Special Command LONDON Printed for Henry Mortlock at the Phoenix in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1691. A SERMON Preached before the QUEEN At WHITE-HALL March the 1st 1690 1. S. LUKE VI. 46. And why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say THese few Words contain in them a smart and serious Expostulation of our Blessed Saviour with such who professed great Kindness to him in their Words but shew'd no Regard to his Commands They owned him to be the Messias and depended upon him for their Happiness and were willing enough to be known to be his Disciples and Followers but yet his Doctrine made little Impression on their Minds and scarce any Alteration in the Course of their Lives They loved to be where Christ was to hear his Doctrine to see his Miracles to observe his Conversation to admire what he did and said but herein lay the whole of their Religion for although they named the name of Christ and it may be rejoyced and glory'd in it yet they did not depart from iniquity Now considering the Circumstances of that time this seems to have been an unaccountable kind of Hypocrisie For their calling Christ Lord Lord spoiled their Interest in this World and not doing what he said debarr'd them from the hopes of Happiness by him in another For if they own'd him to be their Lord they were bound to believe him in what he declared and there is nothing he doth more expresly warn men of than hoping to be saved by him without obeying his Commands Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Which is shorter expressed but to the same purpose here by S. Luke And why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say As though he had said to them It is in vain to think to please and flatter me with your Words when your Actions are disagreeable to them To call me Lord Lord is to own my Authority in commanding you but to do this and yet wilfully to disobey me is to shew your Hypocrisie and Folly together Which Expostulation of Christ was not confined to that time no more than his Commands were but it hath always the same Force where Persons are guilty of the same Folly For although now none can plead for themselves as they did We have eaten and drank in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets yet we may build as presumptuous hopes upon Privileges of another kind which may be as ineffectual to our Salvation as these were when Christ said to those very Persons Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity We all bear the Name of Christ and own his Doctrine and partake of his Sacraments and in one of them profess to eat and drink in his Presence and at his Table and renew our solemn Baptismal Vow and Covenant with him as our Lord and Saviour and so we pray to him and profess to depend upon him for our Salvation and therefore we are as deeply concerned in the Scope and Design of these Words as ever the Iews were to whom our Saviour spake them But that I may the better Apply them to the Consciences of all those who hear me this Day and to make my Discourse more Usefull and Practical I shall single out some of the most Remarkable Instances of those Duties which Christ hath enjoyned to his Disciples of all Ages and Nations and then shew how just and reasonable it is that all who call Christ Lord Lord should do what he saith about them and yet that the Generality of those who do so do very little Mind or Regard them The main part of those Duties which Christ requires from all his Disciples may be reduced to these three Heads I. Such as relate to the Government of our Passions II. To the Government of our Speech III. To the Government of our Actions so as that we lead a Sober Righteous and Godly Life I. As to the Government of our Passions And that may be considered three ways 1. As to the things which are apt to Provoke us 2. As to the things which are apt to Tempt us 3. As to the things which Concern us in respect of our Condition in this World 1 As to the things which are apt to Provoke us Such is the frame of human Nature that we are very tender and sensible not only of any real Hurt or Injury which may be done to our Bodies or Estates but of any thing we apprehend may do so or that touches upon our Reputation And where the Injury is real yet that which often touches most to the quick is the Contempt which is expressed in it For if the same thing be done by one we are satisfied did it not out of any Unkindness or Ill-will the matter is easily passed over and makes no breach or difference between them But if it be intended for an Affront although it be never so little then the brisker mens Spirits are and the higher Opinion they have of themselves so much deeper Impression is presently made in the Mind and that inflames the Heart and puts the Blood and Spirits into a quicker Motion in order to the Returning the Affront on him that gave it But there is a considerable difference in Mens Tempers to be observed some are very quick and hasty others are slower in the beginning but more violent afterwards the Passions in the former are like a Flash of Gun-powder which begins suddenly makes a great Noise and is soon over but the other are like a burning Fever which is lower at first but rises by degrees till the whole body be in a Flame The one is more troublesome but the other more dangerous the Care of the one must be in the Beginning of the other in the Continuance of Passion lest it turn into Hatred Malice and Revenge But what through the Natural Heat of Temper in some the Jealousie and Suspicion in others the crossing each others Designs and Inclinations the misconstruction of Words and Actions the Carelesness of some and the Frowardness and Peevishness of others Mankind are apt to lead very uneasie Lives with respect to one another and must do so unless they look after the Government of themselves as to real or imaginary Provocations There are two Things I shall therefore speak to 1 That it is Reasonable that a Restraint should be laid on Mens violent Passions 2 That Christ hath laid no unreasonable Restraint upon them 1 That it is Reasonable that a Restraint should be laid on Mens violent Passions And that on a twofold Account 1 With Respect to the common Tranquillity of human Life 2 To the particular Tranquillity of our own
as these there is no colour left for natural Right which supposes no determination by Laws I confess it requires a more than ordinary Degree of Christian Fortitude as well as Patience to be able to despise such a prevailing Custom But if Men hope to be saved by Christ they must observe his Commands and if they once declare that they are Resolved to do so in this particular if they do the same in all others it will be then thought to be Conscience and not Cowardice for them to decline a Challenge and that upon good Grounds they contemn such a Custom which no Good man could ever Approve nor any Wise man Defend 3. Love of Enemies This seems to be harder yet Is it not enough to bear them but must we love them too Yes Christ hath strictly required it But I say unto you Love your Enemies and again in this very Chapter But love your Enemies If he had bid Men love their Friends and take heed of their Enemies there are some Ages of the World wherein this had been no impertinent Advice But how can those be supposed to love their Enemies who hardly love any thing but themselves Self-Opinion Self-Will Self-Interest prevail over the far-greatest Part of Mankind I wish I could not say even among those who call Christ Lord Lord. But Self-Love as natural as it is must be artificially disguised for if it appears too openly it meets with so much Self-Love in others that it will not be easily born Therefore the most crafty Lovers of themselves if they design to have the Love of others must conceal their inward Passion For he that appears to set up himself is certain to make the rest of Mankind his Enemies for even those who would do the same will be the most displeased with those who do it Therefore the most certain way to Honour and universal Esteem is to mind the Good of others more than our own to be Just and Charitable and Kind to all and to oblige as many as we can without Partiality or Prejudice And this I say is that Love of Enemies which our Saviour requires which doth not suppose the same kind of Affection to them which we have to our Friends for that is grounded on mutual Love and Good-will to each other which if we suppose in Enemies we suppose a Contradiction for that is to suppose them not to be Enemies but Friends What then is it which our Saviour means It is certainly an Universal Charity or a Readiness of Mind to do Good to all although they have Personally provoked or Injured us And so Christ himself explains it by doing Good to our Enemies praying for them and relieving them in their Necessities and he proposes the best Example in the World for our imitation and that of God himself who maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust But none can suppose that the righteous and holy God can have the same Love or Kindness for the Evil which he hath for the Good or for the Unjust which he hath for the Just. So that this Precept which being misunderstood seems to be irreconcilable to human Nature contains in it nothing but what all Mankind approve in others as unwilling as they are to practise it themselves And now it is time to make a stand and to look about us for I have gone through our Saviour's Commands with Respect to the things which are apt to provoke us And where are those Christians to be found who do what Christ hath said herein who do yet every day call him Lord Lord If Peevishness and Frowardness perpetual Uneasiness and Discontent If Rancour and Bitterness Strife and Envying Faction and Animosity If Impatience of apprehended Injuries and the making of Enemies instead of loving them were the Marks of good Christians we should find Number enough even among those who pretend to Reformation We profess to thank God for a late great Deliverance from the hands of our Enemies I mean as to our Religion and truely there appears more and more Reason for it since it is so much more evident that the Design was no less than a total Subversion of our Religion But what a sad Requital is this for so great Mercies to break out into Factions and Parties instead of pursuing the common Interest of our Religion Instead of laying aside Differences about Religion to increase them nay to make Religion it self not only the Subject of their Quarrels but of their Scorn and Contempt What can be said or hoped for as to such a froward unthankfull Atheistical Generation of Men Thanks be to God there are not wanting some Extraordinary Examples of true Piety and Goodness among us and of Meekness Patience and Vniversal Charity and truely there needs a great deal to bear up against the daring and insolent Profaneness and Irreligion of others When I once see a true Spirit of Reformation prevail among us not meerly as to Doctrines but as to Mens Lives and Tempers when I see them more zealous for God and Religion than for the Interest of particular Parties when I see them really promoting Peace and Unity and not making a Pretence of it to serve private Ends I may then hope for a lasting Settlement of the true Religion among us But till then 2 I proceed to the second Head of our Saviour's Commands and that is as to such things which Tempt us S Iames saith Every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own Lust and inticed Lust is the ungoverned Desire of Sensual Pleasure Now as to this Christ hath laid so strict a Command as seems very hard for human Nature to observe For he not only forbids the Act of Adultery but the Tendencies to it viz. the Impurity of the inward Desires and of Looks and Glances and makes these to be Adultery in the Heart What is that For Adultery is an outward deliberate Act and hath Injustice as well as Vncleanness in it But Desires and Looks are sudden and transient things which may leave no permanent Effect behind them However our Saviour to shew how much God abhorrs Impurity who sees into the Secret Thoughts and Intentions of the Heart declares that the unmortified Desires and inward Lusts are very displeasing to God And therefore that those who hope to see God must be Pure in heart Which as it implies a sincere Endeavour to Suppress all inward Motions which are contrary to it is both a Reasonable and Necessary Duty But the hardest part of Christ's Commands in this matter is that which requires us to pluck out right eyes and to cut off right hands Must the blind and the lame only go to Heaven But he speaks of such sinfull Inclinations in us which seem as delightfull and usefull to us as to the Pleasures of Life as a right Eye or a right Hand yet we must part with them
if we ever hope to get to Heaven Not by any one single Act like the cutting off a Hand or plucking out an Eye but by a serious constant and sincere Endeavour to Mortifie and Subdue them And if this be thought hard the Consideration of future Happiness and Misery ought to Reconcile us to it and surely it is Reasonable we should part with something which is pleasant to us here for the sake of an infinitely greater Pleasure in another World especially since this is only a Sensual Pleasure which cannot be pursued without Disturbance of the Mind and can be enjoy'd but for a little time and the other is no less than Eternal Felicity of Soul and Body together 3 As to the things which Concern us as to our Condition in this World There is no Precept of Christ which seems more inconsistent with the Wisdom of this World than this doth For as that lies in taking great Care for the future so our Saviour on the contrary seems to allow none at all Therefore I say unto you Take no thought for your Life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your Body what ye shall put on What doth our Saviour mean by this Would he have all Christians live like the young Ravens meerly upon Providence Or as the Lillies of the Field which grow and flourish and yet neither Toil nor Spin But Man is an Intelligent Creature and apt to forecast and contrive things for his future advantage and God seems to have left things very much to his own Care and Providence and generally speaking Mens Condition in this World is according to it What then Doth our Saviour indulge Men in a Careless Easie Unthinking Life Or require that his Disciple's thoughts ought to be wholly taken up with matters of Religion Not if S. Paul knew his meaning for he saith Those who provide not for their own have denied the Faith and are worse than Infidels But this only seems to make the Difficulty greater Therefore to clear it we must attend to our Saviour's Scope and Design which was to perswade his Disciples to lay up their Treasure in Heaven to seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness in the first place and then represents this World and another as two opposite Interests so that one cannot serve two Masters which implies a Contradiction to each other So that what follows must be understood in such a Sense as is inconsistent with the main Duty of looking after Heaven as our Happiness and therefore ought not to be understood of a Prudent Necessary Care but of an Anxious Solicitous Distrustfull Care which implies that we place our Happiness too much here And therefore S. Luke subjoyns these Commands to the Parable of the Rich Man whose heart was in his Barns and Store-houses and took great Care to lay in Provision enough for a sensual and voluptuous Life But to shew the unspeakable Folly of such vain Contrivances it was said to him This night shall thy Soul be required of thee and then whose shall these things be which thou hast provided II. I come now to our Saviour's Commands with Respect to the Government of our Speech And he seems to be very severe as to this when he saith That every Idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof at the Day of Iudgment What a heavy Account then are those to make whose time is so much taken up with idle and impertinent talk and who can hardly forbear it when they should be most serious Is it unlawfull then to speak any more than is just necessary to express our Minds May we not imploy our Speech sometimes for our innocent Diversion and Entertainment if we keep within the bounds of Prudence and Religion I do not see that our Saviour forbids it For the idle Words he speaks of there are profane false abusive malicious Reproaches of Religion and the means to confirm it as appears by his bringing it just after the mention of the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost So that all such Abuses of Speech which entrench on Piety and Good Manners or Truth and Sincerity are certainly forbidden by him But there is one particular Vice of Conversation which he hath with most force of Argument forbiddden and yet which is a great shame to any that would be called Christians none more common among some who would pretend to understand the Methods of Conversation and the best Modes of Speaking and that is the profane Custom of Swearing I take it for granted that all are Christians among us till they disown it themselves and however Men may Act they are not willing to Renounce all hopes of Salvation by Christ. I beseech them then to consider what a Contempt of his Authority is implied in this too fashionable sort of Profaneness The other Duties I have mention'd have a great Difficulty in them as to our Tempers and Inclinations but nothing of that Nature can be so much as pretended as to this For no Man could ever say that he had a Swearing Constitution or that it was an Infirmity of his Nature There is nothing in it but the Tyranny of a very bad Custom which every Prudent Man as well as Good Christian will see Cause to break But what a Reproach is it to the very Profession of Christianity among us for so plain so easie a Command of Christ to be broken so commonly so unconcernedly so impertinently as is every day done and yet they call Christ Lord Lord In all Ages there were some pretended Christians who did not sincerely obey the Commands of our Saviour but their Hypocrisie was of a finer and more Artificial make this is gross and rude without the Common Respect which is due to the Religion we all profess to be that or hope to be saved by Some say a Custom in it self is no Sin because it is no Act but certainly a Customary breach of a plain Command is so much greater a Sin as it implies a greater Contempt of him that made it and when Custom hath taken away the Sense of a Fault it is so much more aggravated by it It is really a matter to be wonder'd at that among Persons professing a better sort of Breeding as well as Christianity a Vitious Custom so Untempting in it self so Unbecoming the Decency of Conversation so Affronting to the Divine Majesty so directly contrary to the Commands of Christ should get so deep a rooting in ordinary Conversation that it seems almost impossible to be Reformed But till Men do think of breaking off such a Practise as this I despair of ever seeing them Reform other things which have a deeper Root in their natural Inclinations and have greater Advantages as to this World III. The Commands of Christ extend to the whole Course of our Actions so as that we lead a sober righteous and godly Life 1. As to Sobriety