principles as might accommodate them for those works to which they were appointed And he Governs all things by such Laws as are suited to those several natures which he had at first implanted in them The most universal principle belonging to all kinds of things is self-preservation which in Man being a rational Agent is somewhat further advanced to strong propensions and desires of the Soul after a state of happiness which hath the predominancy over all other inclinations as being the supreme and ultimate end to which all particular designs and actions must be subservient 2. By Moral Duties I mean such Habits or Actions as are the most proper means for the attaining of this end About these we have a liberty of Acting to which we are to be induced in a moral way by such kind of Arguments and Motives as are in themselves sufficient to convince the Reason So that self-love and the proposing of happiness as our chief end though it be the Foundation of Duty that basis or substratum upon which the Law is founded yet it is not properly a moral duty because every Man must do it necessarily nor can he do otherwise Now to suppose that the Holy and Wise God should impose any thing as a duty upon his Creatures which is inconsistent with those principles that he himself hath implanted in their natures in their first Creation is an apprehension as absurd in it self as it is unworthy of God This natural Principle of endeavouring after happiness is the Foundation of all Moral Duties For the highest moral inducement or motive to perswâ—de men to any thing is to represent such a thing as necessary to their happiness so that our Obligation to Duty is from the Law of God but the great motive to it is Love to our selves and a natural desire of happiness 2. From the chief scope of all those promises and threats so frequent in Scripture which are certainly intended for this very purpose to excite and quicken us in our Obedience Now it cannot be denyed but that 't is our duty to make that the aim and end of our actions which the Scripture it self proposes to be so namely to avoid the evil and obtain the good therein mentioned Deut. 30.19 20. After that large Catalogue of Mercies and Judgments before recited Moses puts them in mind that he had set before them that day life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that thou and thy seed mayest live c. Upon this account it is that several precepts in Scripture are press'd upon us with so many affectionate insinuations taken from the consideration of our own good Deut. 5.29 Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would fear me and keep my Commandments always that it might be well with them and their Children after them And Chap. 6. v. 24. The Lord Commanded us to do all these things for our good always that he might preserve us alive c. Now I say it is not only lawful but 't is our duty to serve God upon his own motives and encouragements and to make that a principal reason and end of our obedience which he himself proposes to us under those Considerations 3. From the nature of that Principle which hath the chief influence upon the very life and actions of every Religious Man and that is Faith The just shall live by Faith As Reason is the Foundation of all humane actions so is Faith of Religious dutys And every one under the notion of just or Religious is acted by this principle of Faith as brutes are by Sense and Men by Reason Now Faith v. 1. Is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Where among the things hoped for and not seen are clearly meant the happiness and salvation which we expect hereafter the rewards of a better life which Faith doth as realy discern in the promises as if they were actually present to the Sense Hence it is that Salvation is said to be the end of our Faith receiving the end of your Faith even the Salvation of your Souls 1 Pet. 1.9 So then if all Religious actions be derived from Faith as the main root and principle of them and if Faith doth chiefly refer to the rewards hoped for and not seen then it must needs follow that it is as necessary for a believer to have a principal aime at the rewards as it is for him to live by Faith And that he may as well pretend to be above the life of Faith as to be above the help of those encouragements of the rewards and promises proposed in Scripture and so far as Faith hath an influence upon our Religious actions so far must we respect the recompence of reward 4. From the nature of our Love which is another Principle whereby the Soul is acted and carried on in all its attempts and prosecutions Now the proper object of Love is not so much that which is absolutely good in it self as that which is relatively so to us And this being rightly understood will give very much light unto the chief difficulties about the Point in hand 'T is true indeed there are in the Deity attributes of such a superlative goodness that of themselves they do deserve infinitely more than the best of our affections but yet they prove effectual to the winning over of our love and desires so far only as they are apprehended to be convenient for us And therefore the exactest Schoolman who spends most of his time and endeavours in the contemplation of those transcendent excellencies which are to be found in the Deity after all his Studies may find his heart as cold and stupid as the most ignorant man These things may raise his wonder but not his affections or in the phrase of a good Divine they may dazle his understanding into a more distempered ignorance but will never be able to ravish his Soul with those angelical flames of love which sanctified men do feel on Earth and the glorified Saints do fully enjoy in Heaven Hence is it that though the Devil doth understand those absolute perfections in the divine nature better than any man in the World as that God is most wise most holy most glorious yet he doth not love him because he himself cannot receive any benefit by him And upon the same ground is it that though a man should be sufficiently perswaded that his neighbour hath more grace than himself and so is absolutely more lovely yet he is not bound to love his neighbour better than himself because it is not absolute but relative good that is the surest ground of love And therefore the beloved Disciple who had most skill in the nature of this grace tells us that we loved God because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4.19 Implying some kind of necessity of apprehending God under the notion of a Friend or a Saviour before we shall love him He that comes to God
At the Spittle Isaiah XXXII 8 The liberal deviseth liberal things and by liberal things shall he stand Pag. 289. SERMON XI Luke VII 5 For he loveth our nation and hath built us a Synagogue Pag. 327. SERMON XII Proverbs XXV 15 A soft tongue breaketh the bone Pag. 359. SERMON XIII Philippians IV. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand Pag. 391. SERMON XIV XV. Romans XII 19 Dearly beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Pag. 429 457. The First Sermon HEBREWS XI 26 For he had respect unto the recompence of reward AMongst the many doubts and scruples which are apt to disquiet the hearts of good Men there are none more frequent than those occasioned by their own mistake concerning the scope and ends they aim at For when upon an impartial enquiry into their own condition they find that which has the chief influence upon them in any temptation or difficult service is not so much the deformity of sin or the beauty of holiness as the fear of Hell and the hopes of Salvation this is apt to deject them with sad doubts and fears concerning their own sincerity as if they were yet only in a mercenary slavish state of Unregeneracy and had not in any measure attained to those filial affections which belong to the state of Adoption And by this means it comes to pass that they do often needlesly disquiet themselves and discourage others My design therefore from the Text is so to clear up and state the Truth in this case as may prevent those mistakes and the ill consequences of them The chief scope of this Chapter is to set forth the nature and the power of Faith The Nature of it is described ver 1. to be the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen The Power of it is afterwards exemplified by diverse instances out of the Old Testament concerning many strange Difficulties and Trials which those holy men of Antient times were enabled to undergo being strengthened chiefly by this Grace of Faith In the relation of which there is an observable mixture of Examples some of lesser note with others of remarkable eminency least weak Christians might be discouraged at those great Examples of Abraham and Isaac and Moses as being unable ever to imitate such patterns Amongst the rest of these Examples this of Moses is one of the most remarkable and it may justly be set upon Record as a strange thing that one in the heat of Youth as he was who had always been brought up amid'st the delights and favour of the Court and so by his Age and manner of Education inclined to Pleasures and Ambition that such an one should notwithstanding preferr the troubles of a Wilderness before the Pleasures of a Court exchange all his honours for the present and his hopes for the future for certain reproach and troubles refusing to be called the Son of Pharoah 's Daughter and chusing rather to suffer affliction with the People of God And because it might be wondered at upon what reason and motive he did this the Text gives us an account of it he had respect unto the recompence of reward The words will not need much explication They give us an account what it was that did chiefly encourage Moses to so strange a choice and that was his belief that he should be a gainer by it his expectation of a reward for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he hath respect to the recompence of reward There are but two principal terms in the Text the one denoting the Act and the other the Object 1. The Act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we Translate he had respect to The word signifies properly the fixing of his Eye with intention as men usually do at the mark which they aim at 2. The Object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the recompence of reward The word Reward doth not necessarily imply Merit as is evident from Rom. 4.4 where 't is supposed that it may be of Grace especially when it referrs to the happiness of our future state in Heaven which can never be strictly deserved by any work that we can do But it signifies commonly the bestowing of any good thing before promised whether out of free Grace and Bounty or by way of Hire or Wages The Proposition I shall insist upon from these words is this That it is not only permissively lawful or an indulgence allowed unto the infirmity of weak believers but 't is likewise necessary for the most eminent Saints to strengthen and support themselves in their difficulties by a special and particular regard to the recompence of reward A Point which in many respects will deserve your attention not being so commonly treated of and the generality of Men being very apt to mistake about it and yet a mistake in this may prove of very dangerous consequence especially to one that lies under any fear or dejection of mind by putting him into an incapacity of receiving any comfortable evidence concerning his own sincerity I am not ignorant that this inference may seem unto many a bold Paradox and mistake as being directly against what hath so commonly been asserted and taught by many others And therefore I shall endeavour to be the more wary and considerate in the explication and proof of it For Explication of it 'T is requisite that the chief terms be cleared and distinguished 1. Reward is of two kinds 1. Temporal consisting in a freedom from outward evils and the enjoyment of all those blessings which concern our well being in this Life Or 2. Eternal which includes our deliverance from Hell our enjoyment of God and all those inconceiveable joys which we hope for in the Life to come 2. A Man may propose a thing to himself as his End or aim two manner of ways Subordinately or Principally 1. That is a Subordinate end which we desire not for it self but as a means for the helping of us to something beyond it 2. That is a Principal or ultimate end unto which all our other prosecutions and endeavours are but subservient means Now to apply these distinctions to our present purpose 1. Temporal rewards may be the subordinate end in our Obedience and therefore are they so often proposed to us in Scripture and for this reason Goodness hath the promises of this Life 2. Temporal reward may at first be the chief occasion of mens being converted and following Christ. The first reason which made the Woman of Samaria give ear to him was her hopes to be eased of the trouble of coming so often to draw water at the Well And there is no reason to doubt but that amongst those Multitudes which at first followed our Saviour out of by-ends some out of curiosity to see his Miracles others out of want and hunger to feed upon his Loaves others for
be had to it and the more wise and virtuous any man is the more care will he take to transmit a grateful memory of himself to future times And if he must be spoken of after his departure that he be well spoken of that his name may be as a pretious ointment leaving a perfume behind it that men may rise up at the mention of him and call him blessed 2. 'T is our interest in reference to the avoiding of that mischief which we may otherwise be exposed unto by doing things that will render us despicable I shall mention only two places of Scripture which will afford abundant proof to this purpose One is 1 Sam. 2.17 Where 't is said of the Sons of Eli that they did by their scandalous carriage render themselves vile before all the assembly and caused them to abhor the offerings of the Lord. And 't is worth your special notice that which follows upon this I do not know any more dreadful threats in the whole Bible Chap. 3.11 God tells them that he will execute his vengeance upon them in such a manner as shall strike a dread and horror by the very relation of it and cause both the ears of them that hear it to tingle And again v. 14. I have sworn to the house of Eli that their iniquity shall not be purged with sacrifices nor with offerings for ever i. e. Those very means which were appointed as the remedy and expiation for other mens sins shall be no benefit to them Sacrifices and Offerings were the things about which they had offended by rendering them contemptible causing others to abhor them And therefore no reason for such persons to expect any remedy from them whatsoever their particular repentance might do as to the saving of their souls The offences they had committed were so highly scandalous that God was immutably resolved he had sworn it to execute upon them some signal vengeance in this life that should manifest to the world how much he was concerned for that dishonour which these men had cast upon his Worship Which judgments did afterwards accordingly come to pass in the suddain death of Eli and his two Sons and his Daughter in Law in the rejection of Abiathar from the Priests office and in that Massacre committed by Saul at Nob upon fourscore and five Priests of this family together with their wives and children and servants The other Scripture is that Malach 2. towards the beginning where speaking of such Priests as by their unworthy carriage did render the publick worship contemptible and cause others to stumble at the Law God threatens that he will send a curse upon them and will curse their blessings and spread dung upon their faces and make them contemptible and base before all the people And there is nothing more equal than that those who expose religion to contempt should suffer under it themselves Now to put all this together if we have any ingenuity and desire to do things decent and congruous to our Profession any sense of the duty which we owe to others whom it is our business to persuade or which we owe to our selves in the preservation of that whereby we are to be excited unto virtuous and worthy actions If we have any sense of our own interest in securing to our selves the greatest blessing and avoiding the greatest mischief that this world can afford it will upon all accounts highly concern us that we do not so demean our selves as to deserve to be despised III. I proceed to the third general head proposed namely the means whereby we are to preserve our selves from contempt which are of two kinds Negative and Positive 1. Negative or such things as in order to this we are carefully to avoid All kind of vices whatsoever especially such as have in them a more peculiar deformity and turpitude which are most likely to alienate the minds of others from us I observed before that littleness and impotence is the most proper object of contempt I am small and despised saith David Psal. 119.141 So that all such qualities and actions as will make us appear unto others to be but minute and little things must needs render us despicable Such are Narrowness of mind judging of things and persons by little measures setting up for reputation by zeal in the smallest matters with neglect of the greater Putting the highest value upon those little things of gain and promotion and the favour of men which therefore ought to be esteemed but little because they cannot make us better and we can enjoy them but a little while We must shortly go out of this world when all such things shall be useless to us and therefore ought not to come in competition with those other matters which may conduce to our living with honour and dying with comfort Being subject to immoderate desires fears impatience to be amused and transported with wonder at outward pomp and grandeur All which doth arise from a wrong estimate of things occasioned by our own littleness Magna ista quia parvi sumus credimus These things would not seem great to us if we our selves were not little From whence will follow a servility of spirit a readiness to dissemble flatter revile to bow down to any kind of baseness before such whom we conceive able to assist or to hinder us in our little designs of gain And on the other side demeaning our selves with insolence towards others from whom we can neither hope nor fear any thing in this kind These are blemishes which in all ages the men of our Calling have been accused of And the truth is they are liable to some peculiar temptations in this kind more than others And therefore ought to be more especially careful for the avoiding of them To which I shall only add this one consideration If we of the Clergy would not have others to despise us we must be careful not to despise one another Those in places of dignity and power should not carry it with too great a distance from their brethren The proper notation of the word despise is to look down upon a thing as being much below us And much less should they permit any of their Officers to carry themselves with insolence towards such as are of this sacred Functoin It cannot be but that others will despise us when they see that we despise one another 2. The Positive means to this end are in general all kind of virtue and goodness But there are some things which the Apostle adviseth to as having a more peculiar fitness and tendency to this purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever things are venerable whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue if there be any praise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have these things in account Phil. 4.8 Of these I shall mention only three 1. Wisdom 2. Generosity and largeness of mind 3. Holiness of
by the Antients which in many things is evidently false and therefore to be suspected in others or else to what the industry of these latter times hath discovered men having not been so diligent and exact in their observations as not to be deceived with casual and fortuitous events The frame of this great Universe as it is represented to humane consideration and inquiry Verulam Pref. ad Nov. Organ appearing like a perplexed Labyrinth wherein there is so much ambiguity in the several ways so much fallacy in the similitude of things and signs such obliqueness and intricacy in the course of nature that even sense it self which in such things is our chiefest guide is fain to wander up and down in uncertainties and instead of leading us out do's many times lead us into error And for this reason Philosophy hath been so often questioned and subverted in the very principle of it 3. As for History of Times Persons Actions we have reason enough to suspect that they are generally written according to the Author's interests and prejudices and do seldome contain an impartial and upright representation of truth I do not mention Divinity though here our knowledge be most imperfect nor hath this been wholly free from its changes and fashions according to the course of times Now all this arises from the imperfection of our knowledge in these things because We see but in part darkly That which is wanting in any of them cannot be numbred If any one shall from hence object That according to this it were better for a man to be idle ignorant and cheerful than to macerate himself with much reading If every state of life hath its proper vexation 't is best to chuse that which hath least To this Solomon answers that 't is true every condition is bad enough yet some are better than others For wisdom excelleth folly c. 2. â—4 as much as a light excelleth darkness and though it doth expose us to sorrow yet this very sorrow is better than a careless sensual mirth c. 7.3 For by sadness the heart is made better If it be again objected that 't is not imaginable how the best things in the world should expose us to the worst mischiefs and troubles I answer they are therefore the worst because they spring from the corruption of the best For Corruptio optimi est pessima the more excellent any thing is in it self the worse do's it prove when abused or corrupted I have been too long in the Doctrinal part 't is more than time that I hasten to the Application And here I shall not need to apologize for the suitableness of this discourse both to this Place and Time Knowledge is here our business and profession the great Merchandize that we deal in and this solemnity is our chief Mart wherein 't is exposed to publick view and ought to be after a more especial manner taught and learn'd And therefore it cannot now be improper for us to be put in remembrance of the many troubles and hazzards we are exposed unto in this respect You have heard already how the greatest natural wisdom and knowledge is not only short of but likewise opposite unto that rest and satisfaction of mind which we all pretend to seek after And therefore certainly it must needs follow as a most obvious and natural inference 1. By way of Instruction or Caution that we have no reason to be proud of or to trust in that knowledge which we have already attained or to pursue after more with so much heat and eagerness as to forget those practical duties which are most necessary 2. By way of Exhortation that we have great reason to apply our selves unto those means which may prevent or remove the sorrows and dangers to which these things of themselves will expose us And that 's the substance of what I have to say in the Application I. It may serve for Instruction to acquaint us 1. That we have little reason to be proud of or to trust in that knowledge we have already attained 'T is true it hath naturally a fermenting quality in it being apt to swell and puff up and 't is an hard matter for a man that hath much learning not to have a broad heart as the Hebrew phrase is that is a proud heart as our Translation renders it Prov. 21.4 But yet if it be rightly considered there can be no reason why any man should be proud of that wherein the Devil do's excell him And the truth is knowing persons of all others have most cause to be humbled in the apprehension of their own ignorance and folly of which they must needs be most sensible And as for confidence in these things they will be so far from assisting or relieving us in our greatest exigencies that they will rather add to our trouble and danger 'T is not all the art of Reasoning or Rhetorick in the world that can deceive the Devil or silence a guilty clamorus conscience nay these things do usually help to aggravate such mens conditions by many dreadful apprehensions of that wrath and vengeance to which their sins do expose them The damned souls could not suffer such exquisite torments if in the state of separation they were not raised to a much higher degree of knowledge than here they are capable of And as for that great business of a man's life which doth most of all concern him conversion and regeneration the wisdom of this world is so far from helping us in this that 't is enmity against God No men usually are such fierce and bitter opposers of the power of godliness as those that have learned heads and unsanctified hearts Paul's powerful preaching was never more fruitless than amongst the Athenians whose learning was so far from shewing them the excellency that it made them despise the simplicity of the Gospel Our Saviour never met with more malitious opposition than from the learned Scribes and Pharisees who did not only by open contempt resist his ministry but also by secret practises undermine his person And therefore in all these respects we have little reason either of pride or confidence in that knowledge which any of us have already attained 2. We have as little reason to be so eager in the pursuit after more as to forget or neglect those practical duties which are most necessary 'T is true knowledge is here the business of our particular Callings as Scholars in which 't is our duty to be diligent and our just commendation to be skilful But yet there is somewhat else of greater concernment to us in our general Callings as Christians a demeanour and conversation suitable to this Profession our failing in this will quickly bring a blemish upon the other There have been of late great complaints and too much occasion for them of that contempt and reproach poured out upon men of our Calling which though it may argue much folly and madness in those unreasonable
not be able to act accordingly and to do honest things without some measure of prudence to judge of particular cases 'T is this that must preserve our minds from error our hearts from corruption our lives from sin our persons from shame and danger that must fit us for every condition teaching us how to want and how to abound that must render all our gifts and abilities useful Such persons as are much below others as to Learning Art Wit Diligence Riches Power yet by this virtue of Prudence may prove much more serviceable to God and his Church more useful in their generations than those who do much exceed them in all these other respects From all which it may appear that there is sufficient reason to infer the necessity of this grace of Wisdom There remains only one Enquiry or Objection to be briefly stated and answered and I shall proceed to Application May not this be said to be a gift and a privilege rather than a duty and the want of it a defect or unhappiness rather than a sin Every man is not bound to be eloquent learned beautiful witty strong These are blessings and gifts which depend upon our natural abilities leisure education experience some of which are not in our power and therefore not to be imposed as duties as if there were sin and guilt in being without them and why may not the same be said of Wisdom To this two things may be answered 1. That Christian wisdom for the nature and substance of it is a duty for the degrees a gift Every Christian though of the lowest form is supposed to have the prudence of a Disciple and of submission though not of a Teacher and of conduct He may have a sufficient ability both to understand and to make a right use of those means which are necessary to his chief end namely eternal blessedness And 2. As for moral and civil prudence whereby a man is to conduct himself in the ordinary affairs of life This likewise is as to the substance of it a duty which all men are obliged unto in some measure according as their capacities conditions and opportunities may require though not all alike in the same kinds or the same degree 'T is no culpable defect in a private man that he is without the art of government any more than it is in an Husbandman or Tradesman to be destitute of skill in Military and Naval matters which are things of another kind A private souldier is not obliged to have the prudence of a General nor is it to be expected that every one who can govern a Family should be able to govern a City But when a man is called from a private to a publick station he is then by virtue of this Call under an obligation of labouring after all those endowments and abilities whereby he may fill up and adorn his employment The neglect of such abilities as are suitable to a mans station is not only a defect but a fault I have now done with the Doctrinal part I shall be very brief in the Application wherein I shall touch at three Inferences 1. From the nature of Wisdom as it hath been described it will follow that no wicked man can be truly wise because such men mistake in their chief end preferring earth before heaven transient momentany things before those of everlasting concernment than which there cannot be a more monstrous folly And they mistake likewise in the honesty and fitness of the means by reason of their disability to discern betwixt things that differ and to approve those that are more excellent They may have good wits a quickness and vivacity of fancy and yet be far from being wise 'T is a Proverbial saying that some men have good wits if wise men had them in keeping When these two are separated the former of them doth many times prove a prejudice and an occasion of mischief and 't were better for such persons to wear wooden daggers than those of steel They may have much humane learning But great Clerks are not always wise men Athens and Corinth were for their knowledge called the two eyes of the world as Rome and Carthage were for their military strength the two Arms of it And yet the Apostle styles those of Corinth fools 1 Cor. 1.20 God hath made foolish the wisdom of the wise And elsewhere speaking of the Graecian Philosophers he says whilst they profess'd themselves to be wise they became fools They may have some skill in the Scriptures as the Iewish Doctors had whom yet our Saviour calls fools Yea fools and blind Matth. 23.17 They may have the art of bringing about their secular designs growing great and rich and yet deserve no better a title than that laborious Rich man in the Gospel whom our Saviour calls fool for his pains Luke 12.20 And lastly they may likewise have some measure of moral uprightness keeping themselves unspotted from the pollutions of the world and upon that account may be called Virgins but without true religion and holiness they are but foolish virgins and such as shall miss of their end Matth. 25.1 2. Hence it will follow that grace and holiness is the truest wisdom He that is truly religious whatever other accomplishments he may want he is truly wise Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding Therefore keep his statutes for this is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the Nations Deut. 4.6 A good man is in Scripture phrase styled the man of wisdom Micah 6.9 And conversion a being turned to the wisâ—om of the just Luke 1.17 And on the other side all kind of Sin is in the usual Scripture phrase called by the name of folly Now 't is no small advantage to such as are truly religious that whatever they may be destitute of as to these worldly matters yet they have the principal thing namely wisdom 3. And lastly if wisdom be the principal thing then let it be our principal endeavour to attain it and above all other gettings let us labour to get understanding Nothing can be more reasonable than that our love and zeal toward any thing should be proportioned to the excellency of it In order to which we should carefully apply our selves to all those good means whereby wisdom is to be attained As for that kind of Prudence which is requisite to the management of secular business this depends upon some natural abilities as sagacity of judgment quickness and presence of mind together with the advantage of long experience and therefore is not to be taught and learnt as other Arts and Sciences may We have Schools for Logick Rhetorick Mathematicks Philosophy but none to teach men wisdom and discretion And the reason is because this cannot by reason of the infinite variety of cases be comprehended under any certain rules or if it could yet all the Maximes that can be prescribed of this
Apostolical authority to have stated the difference and to have rebuk'd the offending party but he rather chuseth this more effectual way of entreaty and perhaps they were both in fault I beseech Euodias and I beseech Syntiche that they be of the same mind in the Lord Phil. 4.2 But the great power and efficacy of this will better appear by the several instances and examples to this purpose recorded in Scripture Gen. 32. we have a story of Esau's meeting his brother Iacob Esau was a rough man as well in his inward disposition as his outward behaviour and way of living and 't is probable by his bringing four hundred men with him that he came with a purpose of being revenged and killing his brother Iacob according to his former resolution Gen. 27.41 but those mild and humble expressions of Iacob in styling him Lord and himself a Servant that message he sent by the men who were to convey the droves ver 20. Behold thy servant Iacob is behind us for he said I will appease him with a present and afterwards I will see his face peradventure he will accept of me These speeches did so soften the rugged and inflexible disposition of Esau that instead of taking revenge he offers his brother kindness Iudg. 8.1 when the men of Ephraim did enter into a high contest with Gideon and did chide with him sharply as the Text hath it he did by his mild and gentle answer allay their heat Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer then their anger was abated towards him when he said that v. 3. 1 Sam. 1. Old Eli who was mild more than enough towards his wicked Sons yet very severe in his censuring of Hannah when he tells her she was drunk v. 14. she might have replied that he wronged her and that she was no more drunk than himself but she rather chuses to answer Not so my Lord I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink but have poured out my soul before the Lord count not thy handmaid for a daughter of Belial ver 15 16. Upon this mild answer of hers the old Prophet saw himself mistaken and for his rebuking he now blesses her Go in peace and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition v. 17. What a kind of temper Saul was of how full of passion and fierceness and cruelty doth appear by several instances what an enmity he had against David with what ardor and impatience he did desire his ruin may likewise be evident from his secret underminings and his open pursuit of him and yet this harsh and cruel disposition of his is strangely wrought upon by the mild and humble carriage of David When he had cut off the skirt of his garment 1 Sam. 24. and thereby testified his fidelity to him in that he had refused an opportunity of hurting him when it was in his power styling him My Lord and my Father the Lords Anointed the King of Israel in comparison to whom himself was but as a dead dog or a flea v. 14. 'T is said this did immediately so melt and dissolve that stony heart of Saul that he lift up his voice and wept Animum sanguinis caedis sitientem repente ad lamenta ejulatus compulit saith one of the Fathers Whereas before he thirsted for nothing so much as blood and slaughter now he is so effectually wrought upon by this mildness as to break out into tears of kindness and pity And now he returns him a gentle answer Is it thy voice my son David v. 16. Whom before he prosecuted as his chiefest enemy now he acknowledges for a Son and commits to him as if he were his dearest friend the care of his posterity V. 21. Swear now therefore unto me that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me nor destroy my name out of my Fathers house 1 Sam. 25. There is another pregnant example to this purpose When David was in a great chafe and fury against Nabal and in the heat of his passion had taken an Oath to kill all that belonged to him v. 22. for that churlish and taunting answer returned by his Messengers then doth Abigal by her soft and gentle speeches mollifie and allay this passion she fell at his feet and said Let thy handmaid I pray thee speak in thine audience v. 24. She acknowledges the fault that he had deserved better from Nabal beseeches his pardon and tells him that it will hereafter be no grief or offence of heart unto my Lord that thou hast not shed blood causeless or avenged thy self V. 31. By which she presently reduced him to a coolness and temper made him gentle as a Lamb who was before fierce as a Lyon When our Saviour called the Caananitish Woman Dog We know how her humble and gentle answer prevailed with him for the success of her petition And it may be pertinent to this purpose though it be in a Parable what we read Matth. 18.23 of a certain King who called his Servants to an account and finding that one of them owed him ten thousand Talents commanded him to be sold with his Wife and Children and all that he had who thereupon fell down and worshipped him saying Lord have patience with we and I will pay thee all Ye know the issue of this humble demeanour 't is said His Lord was moved with compassion towards him and forgave him his debt v. 27. Thus much shall serve for Scripture Testimonies and examples to this purpose I proceed to the further confirmation of this truth by two Reasons 1. From the nature of these fierce passions and this obduracy or hardness of temper which are increased by opposition and consequently must be abated by gentleness and yielding The collision of two bodies that are hard will be apt to strike fire betwixt them which cannot be done when one of them is soft Wrath is oftentimes compared to fire now the way to extinguish fire is not by blowing it or adding fewel to it but rather by withdrawing that by which it is supplyed And it was a wise saying of the Son of Sirach Ecclesiasticus 8.3 He that striveth with a man of tongue heaps wood upon his fire and again chap. 28.12 If thou blow the spark it shall burn if thou spit upon it it shall be quenched and both these come out of the mouth i. e. such words may be spoken as may either inflame the anger of others or extinguish it and of what kind these must be may be easily known by what I have been discoursing I appeal to every mans experience did you ever know any man convinced or converted by this wrathful boistrous way doth it not rather alienate mens minds and set them at a further distance true indeed it may be a means to fright some meaner timerous spirits to a seeming feigned compliance to make them disguise their enmity but it will
never work them over to a hearty conviction and make them true friends With what reason can any man expect those counsels should be effectual which are delivered in such a way as to argue a hatred and contempt of the persons whom we would perswade Though a man be supposed to have the truth on his side and should be able to urge very cogent and strong arguments for the proof of it yet if they should be pressed with scorn and harshness and bitterness the reason of them will not so much enforce as the passion of them will weaken and disparage them It will undoubtedly be the most effectual way to put hard arguments into soft words 2. From the nature of Lenity and gentleness whose property it is to insinuate it self into the hardest things 'T is compared to Oyle which will penetrate and supple more than any other liquor He that goes about to convince and perswade another if he doth so manage it that it may appear he intends kindness to the person whom he would prevail upon that he hath a love for him and doth heartily desire his welfare his work is half done That prophecy Psal. 45.4 Ride on prosperously because of the word of truth and meekness doth refer to the Doctrine of the Gospel and the Kingdom of Christ which by the meekness of its professors was first propagated and became triumphant through the Heathen World The true nature of things may be more clearly distinguished when there are no mists or clouds stirred up by the heat of contention Many differences might be half reconciled if they were but mildly debated It was not perhaps without some mystery that Noahs dove brought an Olive branch in her mouth to shew the mutual dependance betwixt these two mildness and peace 'T is the end of anger to bring men to a sense of their fault or be revenged upon them for it now a meek submission is one way of satisfying this end Besides that mild and gentle carriage will discover the weakness and deformity of rage and fierceness and in that respect may be a means to break it in others This expression in the Text concerning the hardest things being broken by the softest may perhaps contain in it an allusion to that ordinary experiment of breaking of Flint upon a Pillow and a Sword upon a Feather-bed when the concussion of a blow is more equally dispersed into all the parts of the body so as to operate upon the weakest It is Hippocrates his counsel that a Physician should alwayes be provided with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lenitives gentle mollifying applications as being of frequent use and great efficacy and they are so no less to the minds and passions of men than to their bodily diseases Before I come to the Application of this Point there are these three Questions to be spoken unto for the clearer stating of it How this Doctrine may consist with 1. Those Imprecations 2. Those severe Increpations 3. The duty of zeal and reproving 1. For the Imprecations and Curses We have frequent example of these in Scripture not only against sin in general as those pronounced in Mount Ebal but likewise against particular persons They are frequent in the Psalms and especially that 109. Psalm and in the New Testament likewise St. Peter to Simon Magus Acts 8.20 Thy Money perish with thee St. Paul to Elymas Acts 13.10 and elsewhere to Alexander the Copper-smith 2 Tim. 4.14 and he wishes they were cut off that trouble the Church Gal. 5.12 Besides the many woes which are denounced by our Saviour himself against the Scribes and Pharisees Now the Question is How these examples may consist with this Doctrine concerning soft words To this several things may be said by way of Answer and Solution which the time will not permit me to insist upon I shall only mention these few 1. Diverse of these Imprecations in Scripture though they are pronounced optatively yet are they to be understood declaratively as being declarations of the true state and condition of such persons They are Verba praedicentium non vota imprecantium as St. Austin speaks The Hebrew Phrase in those places which are rendred as Imprecations being as well capable of the Indicative future as the Imperative Mood and sense 2. Those who used these Imprecations were such as were extraordinary Persons endowed with the Spirit of discerning whereby they were enabled to judge of the incurable state of those with whom they conversed There are some that are cursed Children as the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filii maledictionis execrandi homines and to such curses are reserved as their due portion And therefore no wonder though such as had an extraordinary Spirit of discerning their true state do use imprecations against them which yet can be no warrant for other persons to imitate As none but the Magistrate may use the Sword for revenge because of his publick station and calling whereby he is authorized for it so none but extraordinary Prophetical men should use these maledictions If others shall presume upon it because of their example they will justly fall under the rebuke of our Saviour Luke 9.55 You know not what Spirit ye are of The ordinary rule prescribed for mens practice is that of Matth. 5.44 Rom. 12.14 Bless I say and curse not 3. We are to consider the motive or affection upon which such imprecations as we read of have proceeded which were not carnal or rash anger or desire of revenge in reference to any particular hurt or injury against themselves the usual occasions of them in other men but Spiritual and Divine respecting the interest and cause of God and zeal for his glory In our own cases we are taught to be patient and long suffering praying for our persecutors 4. The wishing of evil directly to any under the notion of evil must needs be malice and can never be lawful Not but that 't is lawful to pray for such things as by way of consequence will necessarily imply a blasting and kind of malediction upon the attempts of others which is no way inconsistent with the true happiness of their persons The wishing of such kind of temporal evils as tend to the preventing of greater evils or else are to be inflicted by way of correction and vindicating of Divine Justice are not opposite to the rules of Charity 'T is lawful for us to wish conditionally some temporal evils upon our selves by way of correction and restraint from sin that God would rather afflict us than suffer sin upon us and consequently we may wish the same to others the love of our selves being the rule and measure of our love to others Of this nature was that petition Psal. 83.16 Fill their faces with shame O Lord that they may seek thy name This is not to pray against them but for them We may likewise pray against the unjust actions and attempts of our enemies Acts 4.29 And