effect of our near Alliâ—â—e to him by Nature And no less necessary â—â— natural is a mutual accord and agreement Gen. 13. 8 â—â—ongst Brethren and that upon account of â—â—r partaking of the same Blood and Subâ—â—ce deriving both from the same Root â—â— as a Consequence of this from their likeâ—â— of temper for the most part from â—â—ir equality in circumstances and from the â—â—earments of innocent and undesigned Conâ—â—ation all which disposeth them to delight â—â—ine anothers Converse freely to communiâ—â—e their Thoughts and so participate of one â—â—thers Souls as much as they do of â—â—r Bodies so that Nature it self teacheth us â—t Brethren owe to one another love and as â— effect of that union in Heart and Soul â— as the effect of both these a readiness to â—â—ply their Wants either by lending them â— bodily Assistance or Ministring to them of â— Substance which is by the Apostle called 1 Tim. 5. 8. â—â—oviding for those of our own House or Family But besides our Brethren by Nature there â—â— also such by Grace commonly called Spiritâ—â— Brethren who become such by being made â—â— Baptism Members of the same Catholick Châ—â— with our selves we being all united unâ—â— one head Christ Jesus And in this Relation thâ—â— Rom. 12. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. are various Duties we stand obliged to obseâ—â— towards one another For considering that â—â— are Members of the same Body we must neâ—â— think our selves bound to contribute all â—â— can both to the Service of the Members â—â— particular and of the whole Body in generâ—â— for as 't is in the natural Body so is it in the spirâ—â—al One every Member is useful to and receiâ—â— 1 Cor. 12. 21. benefit from another The Eye cannot say â—â— the Hand I have no need of thee nor again the Hâ—â— to the Feet I have no need of you so that it â—â— comes our indispensable Duty as Members â—â— the Catholick Church to render our selves as uâ—â—ful as we can to all our fellow Membâ—â— having the same care one for another which â—â— should exercise in mutual Offices of kindnâ—â— to one another as occasion serves being oblâ—ged to do good unto all Men but as the Apoâ—â— observes more especially unto them that are of â—â— Houshold of Faith to relieve at once the waâ—â— Gal. 6. 10. of their Bodies and promote the good of thâ—â— Souls to admonish them of their Faults briâ—â—ing Mat. 18. 15 Rom. 15. 14. Gal. 6. Rom 15. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 10. 12. 25. them to a Sorrow for them and an ameâ—â—ment of them to bear with the infirmities of â—â— weak Bretheren to convince those that separâ—â— from the Church of the Sin and Mischâ—â— of Schism to persuade them to an immediâ—â— return into the Bosom of the Church and â— constant adherence to her To communicâ—â— with them in all the common Offices of Chriâ—â—anity in adhering to the same Faith aâ—â— Doctrine that Faith I mean which â—â— once delivered to the Saints in joyning in tâ—â— same Worship receiving the same Sacramâ—â—â— Jude 3. of the Lords Supper in offering up the saâ—â— â—â—ayers the same in substance though not in â—e forms of expression being presented to â—e same God for the same common Mercies â—on the same terms through the same Mediaâ—â—n 1 Tim. 2 5. and with the same common Affection â—d Brotherly concern for one another And as â—e are thus to communicate with our fellow â—mbers in matters of religions Worship So â—â—st we also participate of their Joys and â—rrows whether in temporal or spiritual â—ncerns for as the Members of the Body naâ—â—al communicate their Sorrows and their Joys â— all the rest So the Members of the spiritual â—â—dy must sympathize with one another and â—â—ether one Member suffer all the Members should 1 Cor. 12 26 Rom. 12. 24. â—fer with it or whether one Member be honoured â— the Members should rejoyce with it Lastly as we are thus to partake of the Joys â—d Sorrows of the Members in particular So â— so of those of the Church in general wheâ—â—er national or universal In times of Perseâ—ution we must condole the Desolations Then â—â—r Miseries and Calamities should more esâ—ecially excite both our pity to see her in the â—â—st and our Repentance of our crying Sins Psal 102. 14. Hosea 5. 15. Psal 51. 18 â—hich justly draw down direful Judgments â—n her Earnestly beseeching God that he would â—â— good in his good pleasure unto Sion that he â—ould build up the Walls of Jerusalem And in â—er flourishing Condition we must rejoyce â—ith Her expressing our Joy and Gratitude in a â—aithful Obedience to as well as in a constant Communion with Her that God may be thereby disposed to hear our Prayers which we â—hould ever offer up on Her behalf saying O Psal 74. 19 â—eliver not the Soul of thy Turtle Dove unto the â—ultitude of the wicked forget not the Congregation â—f thy poor for ever but strengthen thy Spouse Lastly There is one Relation more which I â—hall mention to you and that is a very Intiâ—ate one I mean that of a Friend who is as Deut. 13. 6. ones own Soul and though this Relation Christianity calls by the name of Charity which aâ— such is to be extended to all Mankind yet because our Capacities are finite and we cannoâ— exercise those Offices of Friendship to all thâ— World which we can to some few particulaâ— Persons therefore this Frindship or particulaâ— Charity must be confined to those few whom either the convenience of Neighbourhood the Probability of their Usefulness our natural Relation to them our delight in them our special Affection for them and above all their known Worth and Goodness shall invite us to admit into our Friendship and when upon any or all of the fore-going Considerations we have made some few Persons our Friends then Christianity as well as the nature of Friendship requires that we love our Friend with the greatest Affection that 1 Sam. 20. 17. we serve him to the utmost of our Power that we freely communicate our Thoughts to him when there be occasion that we advise Prov. 27. 9. him in his Doubts and Scruples that we admonish him of his Faults restrain him from Evil faithfully keep his Secrets that we comfort Ecclus 22. 22. him in Afflictions rejoyce with him in Prosperity doubling his Joys and dividing his Griefs that we heartily wish and pray for his Welfare Prov. 27. 10. and lastly that we be constant to his Friendship and all these Offices of it All this is as I before hinted Charity extended to a Few But Christian Charity is in its own nature much more comprehensive and takes in all Mankind for so the Gospel enjoyns us to love our Neighbour as our selves And Matt. 22. 39. in the Scripture sense whosoever is another is our Neighbour so that according to the Christian Law we must do all the good
Perfections chiefly by the Powers of our Souls yet not excluding those of our Bodies with which we must glorify him as well as with our Spirits and that by such humble gestures of Body as testify and extoll the adorable Perfections of God to others we must entertain right apprehensions of the divine Nature and Excellencies in our Minds frequently call them to mind firmly believe them really delight in Psal 73. 25 28. them and as far as 't is possible imitate those which are imitable by us We must further out of our great Esteem for and deep sense of these his Excellencies admire and adore him 18. 3. 96. 4. Heb 13. 15 Acts 17. 28. â—ow down our Souls before him in Prayer and Praises to him as to our great Creator and â—enefactor in whom we continually live move and â—ave our Beings All this is no more than a just acknowledgment of what God is in himself and here described to us for thus our Faith and Hope that is to say our Assent to the John 6. 40. Truths which he hath revealed and our expectation of what he has promised are debts Rom. 10. 11. we owe to his Veracity or Truth as founded on his Omniscience Holiness and his Omnipotence Our love of and trust in him are 1 Cor. 8. 3. 1. Tim. 4. 10. Isa 26. 4. the necessary effects of our firm Belief of his Almighty Power joyned with his infinite Goodness which renders him both able and willing to do us good Our fear of him or care not to offend him is but the natural consequence Luk. 12. 5. of our Belief of his Omnipresence and Justice armed with his Omnipotence Our patience and submission to his Will are but Heb. 12. 9. in us the reasonable products of his infinite Wisdom and Greatness exerted in his act of Creation Our Honour or our profound Reverence 1 Sam. 2. 30 and Respect to his super-excellent Majesty and to all things relating to him as his Name his Word his Sacraments his Ministers his House and his Day our profound Regard to these naturally flow from our consideration of all his boundless Perfections Lastly his Existing in three Persons Father 1 John 5. 7. Son and Holy Ghost binds upon us fresh Obligations of Obedience to them all particularly of owning and renewing our Obligations and Resolutions of Obedience to them in the blessed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Because herein we make a particular acknowledgment of what each of these blessed Persons have done for us as that God the Father who once gave his Son to die for the Sins of the whole World is disposed to present him here Rom. 5. 8. 1 John 2. 2. for our spiritual Food and Sustenance The Son as he once freely offered up himself for us upon the Cross So again freely offers to us his Body Heb. 9. 14-12 2. Matth. 26. 27 28. and Blood in this heavenly Feast And Lastly the Holy Ghost conveys that strength and refreshment to our Souls which is here received from the Body and Blood of Christ All which enhanseth our Obligations to renew our Obedience Acts 2. 46. 1 Cor. 11. 26. to them all and in order thereto to come often to this Blessed Sacrament for the worthy receiving whereof the best Preparation is to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World And what it is to live Righteously is the second thing to be consider'd by me Now Righteousness is in short nothing else but the giving to every man his due in all those various capacities and relations wherein he stands Thus there being the relation of Magistrate and Subject of Pastor and Flock of Father and Son of Husband and Wife Master and Servant Brethren and Friends there being also a common Relation to all Mankind as our Neighbour Righteousness consists in an exact observance as well of those special Duties which each of these relations may bring us under in particular as of all other Duties which the common relation of Neighbour lays upon us in general that is in the giving to every Man his due not only as he is my Neighbour but moreover and above as he may be concerned with me in any one or more of the forementioned Relations Thus Rom. 13. 1 4. Eccles 10. 20. Pro. 20. 20. besides the common Obligation of Neighbour our Superiors the Magistrates being Gods Vicegerents and of his Appointment and acting by his Authority justly claim of us an â—wful Apprehension of them in our Thoughts â—e making an honourable mention of them â—ith our Lips submiting to them for Conscience â—â—e paying them their Tribute and praying for Acts 23. 5. Jud. 8. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Rom. 13. 5. 7. 1 Tim. 2. 2. â—â—eir happy Government of us that which in â—â—urn they owe unto their Subjects is their Proâ—â—ction against the Assaults of their Enemies a â—nstant maintenance of their Rights Properâ—â—s their Liberty and Religion that under â—â— we may lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all â—â—dliness and Honesty And as to our spiritual 1 Thess 5. 13. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Heb. 13. 17 â—â—ents who have begotten us through the Gospel â—â—se also we must esteem very highly in love for â—â—eir Works Sake and if they rule well count them â—â—thy of double Honour which we cannot betâ—â— express than by attending to their Word and â—â—ctrine with the utmost Application of our â—inds and by falling to the practice of it John 20. 23. 1 Cor. 16. 16. Gal. 6. 6. â—ith all our Hearts which would not only â—event the ungrateful use of the Censures of the â—â—urch which we must submit unto when we â—â—end but would better dispose us to afford â—â—r Pastors an honourable maintenance as it is our â—â—ties to do it being as St. Paul says a matter 1 Cor. 9. 14 â—â— God 's own Ordaining and Appointment that â—â—y which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel â— Lastly we must joyn with them in their ofâ—â—ing Heb. 10. 25 Luk. 2. 37. Acts 2. 46. 1 Thess 5. 17. up the publick Prayers of the Church and â—â—ily present our private Prayers to God for them â—or good Success on their Labours that whilst they â—â—ch to others they themselves may not be cast away but â—â—her may both save themselves them that hear them Again Our natural Parents being under â—â—d the Authors and Maintainers of our Beâ—â—gs acquire hereby a right to our Honour â—â—l Esteem our Fear and Reverence our Mat. 19. 19 â—â—ve and Affection our Obedience to their Col. 3. 20. â—â—ful Commands our submission to their â—astisements and lastly our Gratitude in Adâ—â—nistring Heb. 12. 9. 1 Tim. 5. 4. to their Wants and bearing with â—â—eir Infirmities And they as being our Parents are by the Laws both of Nature and Religion obliged to provide their Children â— as far as they are able with a competent maintenance in respect both of their Souls
we Matt. 5. 24. can to all men not only Friends but Enemies whose injuries must never be otherwise Rom. 12. 20 21. return'd than with Prayers and Kindness but must forgive them as heartily as we desire to be forgiven and deal by them as well as by all other Men as kindly and as justly as we desire to be dealt by for this is the great Rule of the Gospel and of Universal as well as of eternal Obligation All things Mat. 7. 12. whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets So that if we would not be abused injured in our Persons robbed or plunder'd in our Estates over-reached in our Bargains slandered or defamed in our good Name or the like So neither must we offer any of these or the like Abuses to any Man whether Friend or Foe but as in reason we desire to avoid Injuries to have our Rights defended and nothing of them lost so must we in our Observance of this equitable Rule not only not injure but maintain and defend our Neighbour in all his Rights as far as we can otherwise we are not just unto him For if the Nature of Justice be the giving to every Man his due then the Practice of it must certainly consist in never taking away but preserving what we can the Life of our Neighbour in defending his Body from Injuries and his Soul from Sin in granting him the Liberty of reasoning and judging for himself in not slandering him or James 4. 11 lessening his good Name but as far as we can in clearing it when it is aspersed in imparting Eph. 4. 2◠Psal 15. 2 3-4 Jer. 33. 15 16. Lev. 19. 13. Mark 10. 19. 1 Thess 4. 6 our true meaning to him by our Words in performing punctually what we promised to him in fairly using him in our Dealings in never coveting his Goods but rather desiring to promote his Profit In these and such like things consists our justice to him because he being a rational Creature united to us in Society holds his Life his Body and Soul with all the Benefits of Society such as Truth Love Peace Credit Protection and the Profits of Trade by the same Law of Nature with our selves and so can make as good a Title to them as we can to what we have so that according to the stated Notion of Justice and this unalterable Law of Equity the doing as we would be done by we can no more injure our Neighbour than our selves but are strictly bound to defend his forementioned Rights and consequently to free him when we can from those Miseries and Misfortunes which either do or would invade them And though this is often called by another name I mean that of Charity yet it still retains the Nature of Justice it being no more than the miserable Man's due as by consequence it appears to receive relief from his Fellow Creatures when it can be had And to this Notion the Psalmist seems to incline when he gives the Charitable Man as he does very oft Psal 37. 21. 25. 29. c. in the Psalms the Name and Title of Righteous So that Justice to our Neighbour obligeth us to relieve the various Necessities of the miserable whether they relate to the Soul or Body In regard to the Soul sorrow of Mind justly 1 Thess 5. 14. James 5. 19. 20. Rom. 14. 19 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. Rom. 15. 1 2. Acts 20. 35 Psal 41. 1. Luk. 10. 33 34 35 37. James 2. 15. 16. 1 John 17 18. demands our Administration of Comfort Ignorance and Error calls for our Information and Forbearance Perverseness and Obstinacy o◠will for our wholesom Advice and seasonable Reproof Weakness of Judgment for our Direction Pity and Compassion And as to the Body its natural Blemishes and Defects ought in justice to sollicite more our Pity than our Scorn or Laughter its Weakness Infirmities should stir us up to contribute all we can to its support and recovery and as for its outward wants Food and Raiment these call loudly for our Supply as being necessary to the Preservation of the Individual Now in supplying our Neighbour that is every Man that wanteth with all these things as far as our Abilities will serve or his Necessities require is that Duty of Charity which Justice obligeth us to exercise towards him And thus in a faithful discharge of all the forementioned dues to our Neighbour in all his Capacities and Relations consisteth this great Duty of Righteousness or living Righteously The last Duty to be considered is that which respecteth our selves and that is the living Soberly By * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sobriety I understand a Subjection of all the Faculties of the Soul and the Powers of the Body to the Rules of right Reason and the Laws of God that is that we employ our Understandings in searching Psal 119. 15 27. Psal 19. 7 8 9. 2 Chron. 20 20. Psal 37. 4. Ps 119. 127 Mat. 22 ◠Col. 3. 2. 1 John 2. 15. out the noblest Truths and our chief End which are God and Happiness that we bend and dispose our Wills to prosecute our chief End by the fittest Means that is by the Practice of Religion that we proportion our Affections to the Value of things that is that we set our best Affections on the best things that we love the Lord our God with all our Heart with all our Soul and with all our Mind and bestow no greater Affection on the things of this World than their intrinsick Worth requires that we hate and avoid the greatest Evils Sin and Death with our utmost Hatred that we Mat. 10. 28 be less fearful of less Misfortunes and patiently suffer those that are unavoidable that 1 Pet. 2. 1. Heb. 13. 5. Eph. 4. 31. we envy not the Fortunate or covet any thing that is our Neighbours but content our selves with what we have that we revenge not injuries or grow angry at Contempt but shew forth the Fruits of the Spirit in Peace long-suffering Gal. 5. 22. gentleness goodness and meekness That we value not our selves above the real Merits of those 1 Pet. 5. 5. Phil. 2. 3 Rom. 12. 10 1 Pet. 2. 11. 1 Cor. 9. 25. 1 Cor. 6. 18 1 Cor. 9. 27. Gifts which either Nature Grace or Fortune hath bestowed upon us That we restrain our bodily Appetites from the excessive use of Meat and Drink and Venery that we indulge them no farther than answering the End for which they were given us which is the Refreshment of Nature and the Preservation of Mankind and not as too many make them the unhappy Occasions of those notorious and 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Mat. 5. 27 28. Rom. 13. 13 crying Sins Drunkenness Gluttony and Whoredom Lastly that we be moderate in the Use and Enjoyment of Pleasures and Recreations enjoying them no further than as
they serve to refresh our wearied Bodies and restore the languid Faculties of our Souls to their sprightly Operations In a due Observance of all these things consists the great Duty of Sobriety And these I take to be the best Proofs of a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sound Mind which is what the Greek and original Word signifieth And thus having shewn you what it is to deny Vngodliness and wordly Lusts and what to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World I am to tell you next that This do and Luke 10. 28 thou shalt live the Practice of these Duties will most certainly give you abundant Reason to expect with Comfort or look for the blessed Hope Tit. 2. 13. and glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ And therefore this amongst other Arguments is what I would insist upon to press you to the faithful Observance of the forementioned Duties But besides this great and general Motive there are some other Topicks of Argument or Heads of Discourse by which I intend more largely in my Sermons to dissuade you from the foremention'd Sins and persuade you to the Practice of these Religious Duties And my Dissuasions from these Sins shall be drawn First From the great Slavery and Drudgery of our Lusts and Vices Secondly From the Consideration of their being the most disingenous and ungrateful Returns of the most inestimable Mercies Thirdly From the Consideration of their being very prejudicial to all Societies Fourthly From the ill Effects they have upon our Souls Bodies and Estates Fithly And Lastly from the Certainty of their betraying Men into eternal Ruin and Destruction in the other World And my Persuasions to the Duties of Religion shall be taken First From their Agreableness to the present Circumstances of humane Nature Secondly From this Consideration viz. that these Duties of Religion directly consult the Good of our Souls Bodies and Estates Thirdly From the Consideration that there are great Assistances given us to render these Duties not only easie but pleasant to us Fourthly And Lastly that the Practice of our Duty is the indispensable Condition of our future Happiness the only ground upon which we can reasonably look for that blessed Hope and the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ First I would dissuade you from the forementioned Sins upon Consideration of the great Slavery and Drudgery of them Thus the impious disowning God in our Thoughts and the more monstrous Denial of him in our Actions fills the Mind with such uneasie Scruples and Horrors as are never to be stifled Mens vain and unnecessary Curiosity serves only to puff them up with Pride which is directly 1 Cor. 8. 2 opposite to the Charity that edifieth and therefore when Men are not content to rest in the plain wholesom Words of our Lord Jesus Christ they are scarce fit for humane Society because by being Proud and doting about questions and strifes of Words they unhappily occasion envy strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of Men of corrupt Minds and therefore St. Paul adviseth his Son Timothy 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. from such to withdraw himself Again the Disorders of our Wills in persuing Misery under the false Appearance of Good rob us of our true Satisfaction and in exchange thereof give us nothing but real disappointments And so Men's inordinate desires hurry them upon strange and unaccountable Attempts betray them into Injustice Passion and Revenge besides the many distracting Cares and Fears to which at the same time they expose their unhappy Souls Lastly their rebellious Lusts and Appetites put them oftentimes upon hard Service make them toil and sweat for the gratification of them and so in a literal sense they become mere Slaves and Drudges to them and accordingly the holy Scriptures represent such Men as wearying themselves Hab. 2. 13. to commit Iniquity and to labour in the very Fire to spend their Strength for nought to sell themselves 1 Kings 21. 25. John 8. 34. as 't is said of Ahab to work Wickedness So true is our Saviour's Assertion whosoever committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin a Servant too that gets nothing for his Pains but spends his Labour for Isa 55. 2. that which satisfieth not For what Fruit had ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed says Rom. 6. 21. the Apostle to those who had once been the Servants of Sin for End of those things is Death Nothing you see but Shame and Death is to be gotten by such unprofitable Service and these will prove but a sorry Recompence for all that Labour and Vexation which you see the Sinner must be condemned unto in the Gratification of his Lusts Secondly Consider again that they are the Deut. 32. 6. most disingenuous and ungrateful Returns of the most numerous and inestimable Mercies God's Redemption of the World by the Incarnation and Death of his Son is an admirable Instance of the Love of both to Mankind and John 3. 16. received no little Addition by being free on their Part and undeserved on ours they had Rom. 3. 24. 5. 6 7 8. Job 22. 2 3. no Interest to promote no by ends to serve nothing inviting in us no Argument of any sort to move them to it but only infinite Kindness and Compassion beholding the Miseries of wretched Humanity disposed the Father 1 John 4. 9. 10. Ez. 16. 6. Isa 53. 4 5 6. to send his only begotten Son and the Son to take upon him our Miseries make them his own and that too by dying for us that were his Enemies and yet dying for us to procure us the greatest Blessings such as a Freedom from the Power and Punishment of our Mat. 1. 21. Heb. 2. 14 15. 1 Thess 1. 10. Tit. 2. 4. Heb. 5. 9. Sins from the Malice of Satan from the Sting of Death and to settle us in a state of Holiness here and Happiness hereafter Now there is nothing can thwart this generous Love or baffle all it's gracious Designs but our Sins which are so contrary to the Purity of his Divine Nature as well as to his gracious Designs upon us that he cannot but hate and abhor Psal 5. 4. Heb. 6. 6. Eph. 4. 30. them They wound and crucifie his Son afresh they vex and grieve his holy Spirit and therefore to entertain them against all these endearing Obligations to the contrary would be monstrous Ingratitude such as wants a Parallel and was never named among the Gentiles for what greater Argument can we have of our Insensibility of the Divine Favours towards us if these inexpressible ones cannot work upon our Ingenuity so far as to banish our Lusts those implacable Enemies both to God and * Heb. 1◠28 29. our own Souls we are certainly lost to all that is tender and apprehensive in humane Nature if such mighty Benefits cannot move us to express our
grateful sense of them in suitable returns of Care and Endeavour not only to abstain from those fleshly Lusts which war against the Soul but to exchange them 1 Pet. 2. 11. for such good Dispositions as may move us to express our thankfulness to God for all his Benefits in Arts of new Obedience to him Thirdly it may be further considered that these Lusts and Vices which I am now persuading you to deny are very prejudicial to all Societies for besides that they justly expose Men to the Judgments of God Who turns a fruitful Land into Barreness for the Wickedness of them Psalm 107. 34. that dwell therein they have a natural tendency to introduce Mischief Thus it 's evident without any further proof of Argument that Drunkenness Gluttony and Whoredom breed Prov. 23. 21 29 30. 7. 26. Diseases which weaken the Force and Strength of a Nation Malice Envy and Revenge render Men very troublesome to others as well as to themselves turn them into Beasts of Prey fit them more for a Den of Lyons Wolves and Tygers than the Society of rational Creatures James 3. 16. and so Pride Covetousness Injustice and Perfidiousness administer occasion of Contention and set men directly together by the Ears so much reason have we to answer or resolve St. James his Question in the Affirmative from whence come Wars and Fightings among you come James 4. 1. they not hence even from your Lusts which war in your Members And as Men's Lusts have thus a very ill Influence upon them as private Members of Society So they fail not to communicate their Malignity to them in their publick Capacities as Governours for when Magistrates are not just ruling in the Fear of God they weaken their Authority lessen themselves in the Eyes of their People and make their Subjects very uneasie and unmanageable and on the other hand when Subjects by submitting to their Lusts violate and abuse their Conscience they deprive the Publick of it's best Security of their Obedience For this is the only firm and lasting Principle of Obedience which can hold Men fast when all other Obligations to it will fly in pieces He that is Subject only for Wrath and not for Conscience sake will be sure to submit no longer than till he can resist with Safety But he that is subject for Conscience sake will continue so as long as his Conscience keeps up her Authority which when his Lusts have once dethroned then farewel all Submission and Obedience nothing then succeeds but Strife and Contention and every evil James 3. 16. Work and this will turn to our own great Disadvantage being by Nature not only fitted for but made to stand in need of those Benefits of Society of which our Lusts are very destructive Fourthly Ye may please to consider further that Ungodliness and wordly Lusts have very ill Effects upon the Souls Bodies and Estates of Men. Thus as to the Soul Sensuality and Intemperance naturally darken the Understanding Eph. 4. 18 19. for these by overcharging Nature load the animal Spirits keep them low and render them gross which by being low cast a Damp upon the Soul and hinder her in her sprightly Operations So Anger Envy Malice and Revenge pervert our Judgments raise such Prejudices in our Minds as hinder our clear and due Perceptions of things Sensual Pleasures and Delights overcast the Mind with such thick Mists of Darkness that neither are our Understandings able to discern or our Wills to persue their true and chief Good Rom. 7. 15. Lastly the extravagant Motions of our wild Affections and the Rebellions of our brutish Appetites against our Reason hurry us into all manner of unaccountable Follies make us forget our selves and dispose us to act like the Beasts that perish Besides many other necessary but uneasie Effects of these Disorders and Violences offered to our Reason such are the ungrateful Recoilings of Nature the uneasie and perpetual Struglings between the Flesh and the Spirit The miserable Distractions of their Minds which are drawn first one way and then another by contrary and impetuous Passions the great and just confusion of Face Shame and Self-condemnation the continual frettings at their past Follies their grievous Suspicions of an After-reckoning their insupportable Horror Pro. 18. 14. Isa 57. 20. 21. and anguish of Mind arising from their unwelcome Reflections on their past Guilt these are such intolerable Mischiefs as are enough to discourage the most daring Sinner from giving any longer Entertainment to those Lusts which are the unhappy causes of them especially if it be considered Secondly That they incommode not only our Souls but our Bodies too by robbing them of their Health and Ease together Thus the forementioned Vices Luxury Drunkenness and Wantonness have a natural Tendency to ruin our Stomachs spoil our Digestion Corrupt our Blood consume our Spirits and waste our Strength Envy Malice Discontent and Passion rot our Bones sour the Humours stir them up to Excess and put the Pro. 14. 30. whole Body into Combustion Covetousness with all it's Train of carking cares and distracting Thoughts drives away Sleep one of the supports of Nature oppresses the Heart damps the Spirits sets the Humors upon the Fret and in what can we think all these Disorders should end but in all manner of Disâ—â—â—â—â— Paroxysms Epilepses Catarhs and I know not what hard Names and harder things as being the natural Effects of these Lusts And these ill Effects me thinks should the more effectually prevail with wicked Men to forsake their Sins by how much the more they value their Bodies above their Souls and therefore may well be supposed to use more care in shunning those Things which are destructive to them Thirdly It may be consider'd also that your Lusts will as certainly ruin your Estates as they do your Bodies or your Souls and that not only by hastening the just Judgments of Pro. 23. 21. God upon them but by that natural Tendency which there is in some particular Vices to consume them I need to instance only in Sensuality and Revenge as to the former I will leave you to judge whether men cannot by eating fine and drinking hard and using their Palates to both and so render the Gratification of them necessary whether they cannot by these means sooner spend an Estate than satiate their Pro. 21. 17. craving Appetites For an Estate though large is yet limited but so are not our Desires and therefore the one must needs be much sooner spent than the other As to our Revenge how chargeable the Gratification of that is every Lawyer can inform you and now since it is so chargeable to be wicked our Lusts being very expensive to us 't is undoubtedly ill Husbandry and therefore worth no Mans while to give them Entertainment especially considering in the Last place what is worst of all and that is that they most certainly betray men into eternal
Ruin and Destruction in the other World For misery as ye have partly seen is the necessary Consequence of Wickedness and therefore will be so in all Places and at all times so that Men's Lusts and Vicees which they have cherished in this World accompanying Eccles 11 â— their Souls into the other will still work the same direful Effects upon them as they did here only with this Difference that whereas they have here some refreshing Intermissions some little Diversion from the foremention'd Miseries they will there be continual and heighten'd to the utmost Capacities of their Souls to receive them So that the unhappy Sufferers will be condemned to lye roaring upon the Racks of their guilty Minds without Intermission and without end And accordingly we are in the Scripture assured that the Worm there never dieth nor the Fire ever quenched Mark 9. 44. Rev. 20. 10. but that they are tormented Day and Night forever and ever And yet this is to be the Portion of those that live after the Flesh so that he Rom. 8. 13. who indulgeth his Lusts and Vices here must expect no Indulgence or Favour from God hereafter for know ye not that the Vnrighteous shall 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. not inherit the Kingdom of God be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God but what is worse shall have their Portion assigned them in that dismal Mat. 25. 46 Place where there is nothing but Weeping Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth Consider seriously of these things and then tell me whether ye have not sufficient reason to Deny Vngodliness and wordly Lusts But as this is the least Part of our Duty So the greatest Motives are yet to be proposed to you those I mean which are to encourage you to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World And here it may be considered First That the Observance of these Duties is very agreeable to the present Circumstances of our humane Nature Thus our Duties towards God as owning him in our Thoughts Words and Actions hearing his holy Word Praying to him and receiving the Sacrament are all easie to be performed by us and very beneficial to us when they are performed Our 1 Tim. 4. 8. Justice to our Neighbour in all his Capacities and Relations and our Charity to him in all his Necessities naturally tend to our Good both as private Persons as Members of Society As private Persons they promote the good of our Souls Bodies and Estates as I shall shew you presently and as Members of Society they consult our Good in that they promote mutual Good-will Love Peace Unity c. Thus Justice preserving our own as well as others Rights makes us easie in our Stations and promotes mutual Confidence in one another which would naturally produce Peace and Unity and so our Charity to our Brethren gains us an universal Love and Respect from Men together with a Readiness to relieve our Necessities upon Occasion in a grateful return Lastly the unviolated Authority of Conscience disposeth Magistrates to rule well and Subjects to be strictly obedient to them thus Religion in all its Parts is so good natur'd that it tends to make Men peaceable and beneficial towards one another and so advance the Interest of Mankind in general And no less profitable is it in the Second Place to every private Man in particular For it consults the Good of our Souls Bodies and Estates As to our Souls In our Observance of our Duty towards God and worshiping him suitably to his Nature our Understandings are directly led to the Contemplation of the noblest Truths our Wills Ps 73. 25 26 27. to their embraces of their chiefest Good and our Affections are hereby fixed on what they ought to be viz. the Things above And so all the Faculties of the Soul being kept in their due Order and employed to their proper Ends our Souls live and act according to the â—â—w of their own Nature and consequently must needs enjoy great Peace and Tranquility Because there are no Disorders of the Passions no Fears of Guilt to interrupt it And therefore great peace have they who love thy Law and nothing shall Ps 119. 165 offend them Secondly The Practice of the forementioned Duties consult the good of our Bodies and that by preserving them in a perfect state of Health for what can contribute more thereto than a chearful temper of Mind and a moderate Phil. 4. 4. 1 Thess 5. 6. 1 Pet. 4. 7. 1 Cor. 9. 25. use of Meat and Drink and Recreations and these things Religion teacheth and requireth of us Besides the Practice of Religion may reasonably be supposed to procure a more than ordinary Blessing upon these prudent and probable Means of Health from that God who killeth and maketh alive who bringeth down to the 1 Sam. 2. 6. Grave and bringeth up And he accordingly has promised in the Scriptures Health and long Life as a Reward to the Practice of Religion for for length of Days is in her right hand and she is a Tree of life to them that lay hold upon her Wherefore it was an Advice well becoming the Prov. 3. 16 18. the Wisdom of him that gave it My Son forget not my Law but let thine Heart keep my Commandments for length of Days and long Life and Peace shall they add unto thee Lastly the Practice of the forementioned Duties brings down and entails a Blessing upon our Estates and that not only by engaging the Kindness of Heaven to have a more especial eye of Providence towards us both by directing Psal 34. 10 us to those Duties which naturally promote our wordly Interest Thus Justice and Honesty bring Men into Repute that gives them an Opportunity of enlarging their Credit of Trade That their Stocks and These their Revenues and though Fraud and Falsehood may sometimes chance to bring us in a present Advantage yet when it is once detected we lose more Reputation and with it more Customers than ever the dishonest Gain can compensate so that Truth and fair Dealing will bear a Man out when little and sharking Tricks will fail him For as the Wise-man observes he that walketh uprightly walketh surely And so Temperance and Chastity Pro. 10. 9. prevent all unnecessary and extravagant Expenses whereas they who indulge their sensual Appetites to the Violation of their Conscience ruin their Estates to rights if we may believe our own Observation or the the Wiseman's Word who tells us that he who loves Pleasure shall be a Poor Man and he Pro. 21. 17. that loveth Wine and Oyl i. e. love them to Excess shall not be rich Lastly Industry and Diligence in our Callings not only cut off some Opportunities of Extravagance but directly tend to encrease our Fortunes Reason and
our Souls we therefore thine unworthy Cereatures sinful Dust and Ashes present our Selves before Thee to praise thee for the infinite Perfections of thy Nature and to beg of Thee the necessary Supplies of thy Grace and Holy Spirit that we may give thee the Honour due unto thy Name and Worship thee suitably to thy Nature with an holy and a spiritual Worship Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold the least Iniquity and therefore how shall such polluted Wretches as we are dare to approach thy dreadful Majesty who by our Sins and Follies have made our selves so unlike to thee who art righteous in all thy Ways and holy in all thy Works How then shall we presume to come into thy holy Presence who are defiled in our very Natures having nothing but Vanity and Blindness in our Minds Perversness in our Wills both spiritual and carnal Iniquity in our Affections and Appetites and what is worse have defiled our Selves yet much more by our many actual and habitual Sins against thee so that we are altogether unworthy to approach thy Presence or expect thy Favour and yet have so great need of both that without them we are lost for ever O therefore cast us not away from thy Presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from us but out of Pity to thy defective and diseased Creatures receive us graciously and heal our Souls though we have sinned against Thee Rescue us from the Power and Bondage of our Lusts by the greater Power of thy Grace Renew and purifie our corrupted Natures Create in us a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within us Teach us a perfect Denial of all our Sins and establish us in a stedfast Obedience to all thy Laws To which End enlighten our Minds to form clear and true Notions of Thee and open our Hearts to attend upon all the Means that may help us to discharge our various Obligations to Thee Inspire our Souls with thy heavenly Graces Strengthen our Faith confirm our Hope encrease our Love quicken our Fear establish our Trust inspire us with Patience Constancy and Sincerity Enflame our Devotions and envigorate our Endeavours in a faithful Discharge of our Duty to Thee Give us thy Grace also to assist us in the Peformance of our Duty to our Neighbour that we may ever remember and constantly observe thy great and righteous Law to love him as our selves and to this End grant That we may never defraud Him of his Right but give him his due in all the Relations towards us wherein he stands Dispose us therefore good Lord chearfully to obey Them that have the Rule over us whether in Church or State and bless them in an happy Government of us that under them we may lead qulet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and Honesty Bless all Sorts of Parents and Masters grant that they may faithfully discharge the various Duties of their Stations and their respective Inferiours may in a grateful Return thereof ever Love Honour and Obey them Grant to all Men we beseech thee the Spirit to think and do all such Things as be rightful ever adhering to that equitable Rule the dâ—ing as they would be dealt by And grant us O thou Fountain of Mercy and Love a universal Charity towards all Men even to our Enemies that we may be ever ready both to forgive and also to provide that they which are in need and necessity have Righte in a suitable Relief of their various Wants and because our Prayers to Thee from whom every good and perfect Gift cometh are oft the best and only Helps we can afford them therefore do thou O Lord abundantly for them more than we can ask or think Suit thy Mercies according to their various Necessities sanctifie their Afflictions to them and when thou seest it best for them give them a happy Deliverance out of all their Troubles And Lastly O Lord we come unto thee for a Blessing upon our Selves who as we are here Living Instances of thine Almighty Power and Goodness so be pleased to make us the happy Instruments of thy Praise and Glory to which Purpose enable us to subject all the Faculties of our Souls and the Powers of our Bodies to thy blessed Will which is the Law and Perfection of our reasonable Nature Direct our Understandings to the Knowledge of those glorious Manifestations which thou hast been pleased to give us of thy self Clear up our Apprehensions both of the Perfections of thy Nature and the Excellency of those Perfections Direct our Wills to the Choice and Imitation of such thy Perfections as are imitable by us Teach us the Wisdom to proportion our Affections of Things according to the Nature and Value of them that having a less Concern for this World we may fear thee more and love thee better Give us a râ—ght Understanding of our Selves of our own Insufficiency and of our entire Dependance upon thee that so we may not think more highly of our selves than we ought to think Teach us a chearful Submission to thine all-wise Dispensations and in whatever State we are therewith to be content Endue us with a calm and gentle Temper of Soul such as may invite thy Blessed Spirit to come and take up his Abode with us that through his Blessed Operations we may bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit in Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness and Temperance Subdue our bodily Appetites to the Laws of our Reason and the End of their Creation ever remembring that our Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Spirit and that he who defileth the Temple of God him thou hast threatned to destroy Out of an holy Fear and Dread of this and all other thy reasonable Threats grant that we may be ever careful to keep under our Bodies and cleanse our Selves from all Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit that so we may as we are in Duty bound glorifie thee in our Body and in our Spirit which are Thine and we not only beg thy Grace to assist us in but thy heavenly Wisdom to shew us the reasonableness and necessity of our Performance of these Duties that we may make haste and delay not to keep thy Commandments AND as we desire this Morning to enter into For the Morning the World upon our lawful Occasions with this holy Frame and Disposition of Soul so grant that we may never lose it either through Surprize or wilful Neglect but guide us safely by thy Grace through all the Dangers and Temptations of this and all other Days of our Life that escaping the Corruption that is in the World through Lust we may live and die thy faithful and obedient Servants AND now O Lord that we are going to repose For the Evening our selves keep us from all Dangers and Adversities that may happen to our Bodies and from all evil Thoughts and Dreams which may assault and hurt our Souls that we may rise in the Morning with a fresh sense upon our Minds of thy Mercies to us and a full Conviction of the absolute necessity of expressing our Thankfulness not only with our Lips but in the constant Obedience of our Lives spending that Strength which thou hast given us to thy Honour and Service to whom we owe our utmost Praises for all thy free and undeserved Mercies Therefore We not only pray unto thee but desire to bless thee for all thy Benefits from time to time conferred upon us for thy Creation of us out of Nothing for thy Preservation of us ever since we had a Being for all the Accommodations of this Life and the plentiful Provision thou hast made for our Happiness in the other for all that thy Son our dear Redeemer has done and suffer'd for us for his wonderful Incarnation and Birth for his exemplary Life his meritorious Death and Passion for his glorious Resurrection and Ascension and for his sending the Holy Ghost to comfort us for all thy Saints and Servants departed this Life in thy true Faith and Fear beseeching thee to give us Grace so to follow their good Examples that with them we may be Partakers of thy heavenly Kingdom These Prayers and Praises with whatever else thou in thine infinite Wisdom seest most necessary and expedient for us we humbly offer up in the Name and for the Sake of thy Son our blessed Saviour and Redeemer who has commanded us when we pray to say Our Father which art in c. This Prayer may be used by one Person only changing the Words We Vs and Our into I Me and My and saying instead of Creatures Creature c. FINIS