abomination to him and his Soul hates them And so likewise the Circumstances of Religion are less considerable than the substantial Means and Instruments of it And therefore all Rites and Ceremonies are in Religion of less consideration than the Substance of God's Worship and ought always to be subordinate to it In like manner the Moral Duties of Religion comprehended under the two great Commandments of the love of God and our Neighbour because they are of Eternal and indispensable obligation are to be preferr'd to matters of meer positive Institution and where they cannot stand togother that which is positive ought to be set aside and to give way for the present to that which is moral and good in its own Nature and not only because it is Commanded and Enjoyned for in this Case God hath expresly declared that he will have Mercy and not Sacrifice Upon which ground our Saviour declares that the Law of the Sabbath ought to give place to works of Mercy Upon the same account Peace and Charity are to be valued above Matters of Nicety and Scruple of doubtful Dispute and Controversie because the former are unquestionably good the latter doubtfully and uncertainly so All these things ought to be considered and are of great moment to make a Man sincerely and wisely Religious For Men may keep a great stir about some parts of Religion and be very Careful and Diligent Zealous and Earnest about the Means and Instruments of Religion and in the Exercises of Piety and Devotion and yet be destitute of the Power and Life of it and fall short of that inward and real and substantial Righteousness which alone can qualifie us for the Kingdom of God The Fifth and last Direction I would give is this That we have a particular regard to the great Duty of Charity or Alms-giving this being very frequently in Scripture called Righteousness as being an eminent part of Religion and a great Evidence of the truth and sincerty of our Piety And this our Saviour particularly directs to as the way to the Kingdom of God Luke 12. 33. After this general Exhortation to seek the Kingdom of God he instanceth in Charity as the direct way to it give Alms provide for your selves Bags that wax not old a Treasure in the Heavens that faileth not And elsewhere our Saviour speaks of this Grace and Virtue as that which above all others will make way for our admission into Heaven Luke 16. 9. I say unto you make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you or ye may be received into Everlasting Habitations And St. Paul calls it laying in store for our selves a good foundation or as the word may better be rendred in this place a good treasure against the time to come that we may lay hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6. 19. St. James speaks of it as a main and most essential part of Religion and the great Evidence of a true and sincere Piety Jam. 1. 27. Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their affliction Finally our Lord instanceth in this as the very thing which will admit us into or shut us out of Heaven by the performance whereof we shall be Absolved and for the neglect whereof we shall be Condemned in the Judgment of the Great Day Mat. 25. So that this part of Righteousness or Religion ought in a more especial manner to be regarded by us because upon the performance or neglect of this Duty our Eternal Happiness doth so much depend The Fourth and last thing only remains to be spoken to which is to set before you the most proper and powerful Motives and Incouragements to the minding of this great Interest and Concernment But this will be the Subject of another Discourse The Second SERMON ON MATTH VI. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you THESE Words which I began to Discourse upon the last Day are a strict Charge and Command to all Christians to mind the business of Religion in the first place and to take all imaginable Care to secure the Happiness of another Life but seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you In the handling of which Argument First I Explained what is meant by the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Secondly I shew'd what is meant by seeking these and what by seeking them first Thirdly I laid down some Rules for our Direction and Furtherance in this great Business I shall now proceed to represent to you in the Fourth and last place some of the most proper and powerful Arguments and Encouragements to engage us to the minding of this great Inteâ—est and Concernment amongst which I shall in the last place particularly consider the Encouragement here given in the Text seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you 1. My First Argument shall be from the Worth and Excellency of the things we seek the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness which are certainly the greatest and best things we can seek The Kingdom of God is the Eternal Salvation of our Souls Everlasting Life and Happiness in another World which to animate our Endeavours and to tempt our Ambition the more are set forth to us under the notion of a Kingdom And what will not Men do to obtain that what pains will they not take what hazards will they not run what difficulties will they not grapple with and break through if they can to come at a Kingdom which when they have obtained they are exposed to as many and commonly to more Cares and Fears to greater Difficulties and Dangers in the keeping than they were for the getting of it And yet all this Men will do for a corruptible Crown for one of the petty Kingdoms and Principalities of this World which are continually tottering and ready to be overturned by open violence or to be undermined by secret Treachery But the Kingdom which I am speaking of and perswading you and my self to seek after is not like the Kingdoms of Men and of this World it is called the Kingdom of God to signifie to us the Excellency and stability of it as much beyond any of the Kingdoms of this World as the Heavens are high above the Earth and as God is greater than Man a Kingdom which cannot be shaken a Crown which fadeth not away a Scepter which cannot be wrested from us But to quit the Metaphor and speak to the Thing the Kingdom of God imports the Eternal Salvation of our Souls I say of our Souls which both in respect of the Dignity of their Nature and their Immortal duration are infinitely more valuable than any of the perishing things of this World and ought to be much dearer to us Other
no express and direct Article of the Christian Religion yet it is a Fundamental Article of right Reason and common Sense Because the admitting of Transubstantiation does undermine the Foundation of all Certainty whatsoever and does more immediately shake the very Foundation of Christianity it self Yea tho' the Christian Religion were no ways concerned in this Doctrine yet out of reverence to Reason and Truth and a just animosity and indignation at confident nonsense a Man of an honest and generous Mind would as soon be brought to Declare or Swear that twice two do not make four but five as to profess his belief of Transubstantiation And tho' all Truths are not of equal Consequence and Concernment yet all Truth is of God and for that Reason tho' we are not obliged to make an open profession of all Truths at all times yet we are bound not to deny or renounce any Truth nor to make profession of a known Falsehood or Error For it is meerly because of the intrinsical Evil of the thing that it is impossible for God to lie and the Son of God thought it worth his coming into the World and laying down his Life to bear witness to the Truth So he himself tells us Joh. 18. 37. To this End was I born and for this Cause came I into the World that I should bear witness to the Truth Thus I have shewn you in these plain Instances to which most other Cases may be reduced when Men may be said to suffer truly for the Cause of Religion and Truth I shall mention two or three Cases wherein Men may seem to suffer for the Cause of Religion but cannot truly be said to do so First When Men rashly expose themselves to danger and run upon sufferings for the sake of Religion Thus several of the Primitive Christians voluntarily exposed themselves when they were not called in question and in the heat of their Affection and Zeal for God and Religion offered themselves to Martyrdom when none enquired after them This in the gracious interpretation of God who knowing the sincerity of their Zeal was pleased to overlook the indiscreet forwardness and rashness of it might be accepted for a kind of Martyrdom but cannot in Reason be justified so aâ— to be fit to be made a Pattern and to be recommended to our imitation For tho' God may be pleased to excuse the weakness of a well-meaning Zeal yet he can approve nothing but what is Reasonable To suffer chearfully for the Cause of God and his Truth when he calls us to fight this good fight of faith and to resist unto blood and when we are reduced to that strait that we must either die for God and his Truth or deny them to suffer I say in this Case with Courage and Patience is one of the Noblest of all the Christian Virtues But to be perfect Volunteers and to run our selves upon Sufferings when we are not called to them looks rather like the Sacrifice of Fools which tho' God may mercifully excuse and pardon the Evil of the action for the good Meaning of it yet he can never perfectly approve and accept of it But I think there is little need nowa-days to caution men against this rashness it is well if they have the Grace and Resolution to Suffer when it is their Duty and when they are called to it Secondly Nor can Men be truly said to Suffer for the Cause of Religion when they Suffer not for their Faith but their Fancy and for the wilful and affected Error of a mistaken Conscience As when Men suffâ—r for indifferent things which in heat and passion they call Superstition and Idoltary and for their own false Opinions in Religion which they mistake for Fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith In this Case their mistake about these things will not change the Nature of them nor turn their Sufferings into Martyrdom and yet many Men have certainly Suffered for their own mistakes For as Men may be so far deluded as to think they do God good service when they kill his faâ—thful Servants so likewise may they be so far deceived as to Sacrifice their Lives and all that is dear to them to their own culpable Errors and Mistakes But this is Zeal without Knowledgeâ— not the Wisdom which descends from above but that which comes from beneath and is like the fire of Hell which is heat without light Thirdly and Lastly Nor can Men truly be said to Suffer for the Cause of God and Religion when they Suffer for the open Profession and Defence of Truths not necessary For tho' a Man be obliged to make an open Profession of all Fundamental and Necessary Truths yet he is under no such Obligation to make Profession of Truths not necessary at all times and unless he be called to deny them he is not bound either to declare or defend them he may hold his peace at other times and be silent about them especially when the open Profession of them will probably do no good to others and will certainly do hurt to our selves and the zealous endeavour to propagate such Truths will be to the greater prejudice of Charity and the disturbance of the publick peace of the Church It was a good Saying of Erasmus if we understand it as I believe he meant it of Truths not necessary adeo invisâ— sunt mihi discordiâ— ut veritas etiam contentiosa displiceat I am says he so perfect a hater of discord that I am even displeased with truth when it is the occasion of contention As a Man is never to deny Truth so neither is he obliged to make an open Profession of Truths not necessary at all times and if he Suffer upon that account he cannot justifie it to his own Prudence nor have Comfort in such Sufferings because he brings them needlesly upon himself and no Man can have Comfort but in Suffering for doing his Duty And thus I have done with the first thing I proposed to enquire into namely when Men may be truly said to Suffer for the Cause of Religion I proceed now to the Second Enquiry namely how far Men may rely upon the Providence of God to bear them out in such Sufferings To which I Answer That provided we do what becomes us and is our Duty on our part the Providence of God will not be wanting on his part to bear us out in all our Sufferings for his Cause one of these three ways First To secure us from that violent degree of Temptation and Suffering which would be too strong for Humane Strength and Patience Or Secondly In case of such extraordinary Temptation and Trial to give us the extraordinary Supports and Comforts of his Holy Spirit or else Thirdly In case of a Temporary Fall and Miscarriage to raise us up by Repentance and a greater Resolution and Constancy under Sufferings I shall speak severally to these 1. Either the Providence of God will not be wanting to secure us from that
and assisted by an Infallible Spirit and had an immediate Commission from Christ to preach the Doctrine of the Gospel did not require from Men absolute submission to their Doctrines and Dictates without examination of what they delivered whether it were agreeable to that Divine Revelation which was contained in the ancient Scriptures This was St. Paul's constant custom and way of teaching among the Jews who had received the Revelation of the Old Testament he did not dictate to them by vertue of his Infallibility but reasoned with them out of the Scriptures and required their belief no further than what he said should upon examination appear agreeable to the Scriptures So we find Acts 17. 2 3. And Paul as his manner was went in unto them speaking of the Jews and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is the Christ And Chap. 18. 28. he mightily convinced the Jews and that publickly shewing by the Scriptâ—res that Jesus was the Christ And St. Paul was so far from reproving them for examining his Doctrine by the Scriptures that he commended it as an argument of a Noble and Generous mind in the Bereans that they did not give full assent to his Doctrine 'till upon due search and examination they were satisfied that what he had said was agreeable to the Scriptures Chap. 17. 11 12. Where speaking of the Bereans it is said That these were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so therefore many of them believed that is because upon search they found what he delivered to be agreeable to the Scriptures and it was not a slight but diligent and deliberate search they took time to examine things thoroughly for it is said they searched the Scriptures daily And here in the Text St. Paul puts the case that if he or any other of the Apostles concerning whose Divine Commission and Assistance they were so fully satisfied should deliver any thing to them contrary to the Gospel which they had formerly preached they were to reject it with the greatest abhorrence and detestation and this necessarily supposeth a liberty to examine what was delivered even by those whom they believed to be Infallibly assisted and a capacity to discern and judge whether what they said was agreeable to the Gospel at first delivered to them or not And after this shall any Person or Church what Claim soever they may make to Infallibility assume to themselves an Authority to dictate in matters of Faith and that their Dictates ought to be received with an absolute submission and without liberty to examine whether they be agreeable to the Faith once delivered to the Saints and tho' they add new Articles to the Christian Faith and of which there is not the least foot-step or intimation in any of the Ancient Creeds of the Christian Church and do plainly impose upon Christians the Practice and Belief of several things as necessary to Salvation which the Gospel never declared to be so yet no body shall judge of this but every Man ought without more ado to believe blindfold and to resign up his Understanding and Judgment to the directions of this visible Infallible Judge But surely this is not the reasonable Obedience of Faith but the forc'd submission of Slaves to the Tyranny of their Masters Christians are expresly forbid to call any Man Father or Master upon Earth because we have one Father and Master in Heaven Now to make an absolute submission of our Understandings to any upon Earth so as without examination to receive their Dictates in Matters of Faith is surely if any thing can be so to call such a Person Father and Master because a greater submission than this we cannot pay to our Father who is in Heaven even to God himself I come now to the Sixth and last Observation from the Text That whosoever teacheth any thing as of necessity to Salvation to be believed or practised besides what the Gospel of Christ hath made necessary does fall under the Anathema here in the Text because they that do so do according to the mind of St. Paul pervert the Gospel of Christ and Preach another Gospel For the Reason why he chargeth the false Apostles with Preaching another Gospel and those that were seduced by them as being removed from him that called them by the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel is plainly this that they had changed the Terms of the Christian Religion by adding new Articles to it which were not contained in the Gospel that is by making it necessary to believe it to be so because they taught so Now St. Paul expresly declares this to be Preaching another Gospel because they plainly alter'd the Terms of Salvation declared in the Gospel and made that to be necessary to the Salvation of Men which the Gospel had not made so And whatever Person or Church does the same does inâ—ur the same guilt and falls under the Anathema and Censure here in the Text yea tho' he were an Apostle or an Angel And I am sure no Bishop or Church in the World can pretend either to an equal Authority or Infallibility with an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven Let us then hear what St. Paul declares in this Case and consider seriously with what earnestness and vehemency he declares it tho' we says he or an Angel from Heaven preach any â—her Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him bâ— accursed As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed St. Paul you see is very earnest in this matter and very peremptory and therefore I cannot but think this Declaration of his to be more considerable and every way more worthy of our regard and dread than all the Anathema's of the Council of Trent which in direct affront and contempt of this Anathema of St. Paul hath presumed to add so many Articles to the Christian Religion upon the counterfeit warrant of Tradition for which there is no ground or warrant from the Scripture or from any Ancient Creed of the Christian Church And for the truth of this I appeal to the Creed of Pope Pius the IV th compiled out of the Definitions of the Council of Trent by which Council the Pope only is Authorised to Interpret the true sense and meaning of the Canons and Decrees of that Council and consequently his interpretations must be of equal force and authority with that of the Council it self So that whatsoever he hath put into â—is new Creed for an Article of Faith ought to be received with the â—ame pious affection and veneration as if the Creed had been compiled by the Council it self
because the Pope it seems and no body else understands the true meaning of that Council at least is thought fit to declare it And therefore one may justly wonder at the presumption of those who after this Declaration of the Council have taken upon them to Expound the Catholick Faith and to represent that Religion to us as it is defined in that Council because if there be any Controversie about the meaning of its Definitions as there have been a great many even betwixt those who were present at the Council when those Definitions were made none but the Pope himself can certainly tell the meaning of them Now in this Creed of Pope Pius there are added to the Ancient Creed of the Christian Church twelve or thirteen new Articles as concerning Purgatory Transubstantiation the Worship of Images the Invocation of Saints the Communion in one kind and that the Church of Rome is the Mother and Mistress of all Churches and that there is no Salvation to be had out of it and several other Points all which have either no foundation in Scripture or are plainly contrary to it and none of them ever esteemed as Articles of Faith in the Ancient Christian Church for the first five hundred years and yet they are now obtruded upon Christians as of equal necessity to Salvation with the Twelve Articles of the Apostles Creed and this under a pretence of Infallibility which St. Paul tells us would not have justified an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven in making such additions to the Christian Religion and the imposing of any thing as necessary to Salvation which is not so declared by the Gospel of Christ And all that they have to say for this is That We do not pretend to be Infallible but there is a necessity of an Infallible Judge to decide these Controversies and to him they are to be referred Which is just as if in a plain matter of Right a contentious and confiâ—â—nt Man should desire a reference and contrive the matter so as to have it refer'd to himself upon a sleeveless pretence without any proof or evidence that he is the only Person in the World that hath Authority and Infallible Skill to decide all such differences Thus the Church of Rome would deal with us in Things which are as plain as the noon-day as Whether God hath forbidden the Worship of Images in the second Commandment Whether our Saviour did Institute the Sacrament in both kinds Whether the People ought not to read the Scriptures and to have the publick Service of God in a known Tongue These and the like they would have us refer to an Infallible Judge and when we ask who he is they tell us that their Church which hath imposed these things upon Christians and made these additions to the Gospel of Christ is that Infallible Judge But if she were as Infallible as she pretends to be even as an Apostle or an Angel from Heaven St. Paul hath denounced an Anathema against her for preaching another Gospel and making those things necessary to the Salvation of Men which are not contained in the Gospel of Christ The Inference from all this Discourse in short is this That we should contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints and not suffer our selves by the confident pretences of Seducers to be removed from him that hath called us through the grace of Christ unto another Gospel The necessary Doctrines of the Christian Religion and the common Terms of Salvation are so plain that if any Man be ignorant of them it is his own fault and if any go about to impose upon us any thing as of necessity to be believed and practised in order to Salvation which is not declared to be so in the Holy Scriptures which contain the true Doctrine of the Gospel what Authority soever they pretend for it yea tho' they assume to themselves to be Insallible the Apostle hath plainly told us what we are to think of them for he hath put the Case as high as is possible here in the Text when he says Tho' We or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed I will conclude all with that Counsel which the Spirit of God gives to the Churches of Asia Revel 3. 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and Chap. 2. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer be thou faithful unto the Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life A SERMON ON JOHN VII 17. If any Man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self SINCE there are so many different Opinions and Apprehensions in the World about Matters of Religion and every Sect and Party does with so much confidence pretend that they and they only are in the truth The great difficulty and question is by what means Men may be secured from dangerous Errors and Mistakes in Religion For this end some have thought it necessary that there should be an Infallible Church in the Communion whereof every Man may be secured from the dangers of a wrong Belief But if seems God hath not thought this necessary If he had he would have revealed this very thing more plainly than any particular Point of Faith whatsoever He would have told us expresly and in the plainest terms that he had appointed an Infallible Guide and Judge in Matters of Faith and would likewise have told us as plainly who he was and where we mighâ— find him and have recourse to him upon all occasions because the sincerity of our Faith depending upon him we could not be safe from mistake in particular Points without so plain and clear a Revelation of this Infallible Judge that there could be no mistake about him nor could there be an end of any other Controversies in Religion unless this Infallible Judge both that there is one and who he is were out of Controversie But neither of these are so It is not plain from Scripture that there is an Infallible Judge and Guide in Matters of Faith much less is it plain who he is and therefore we may certainly conclude that God hath not thought it necessary that there should be an Infallible Guide and Judge in Matters of Faith because he hath revealed no such thing to us and that Bishop and that Church who only have arrogated Infallibility to themselves have given the greatest evidence in the World to the contrary and have been detected and stand convinc'd of the greatest Errors And it is in vain for any Man or Company of Men to pretend to Infallibility so long as the evidence that they are deceived is much greater and clearer than any proof they can produce for their Infallibility If then God hath not provided an Infallible Guide and Judge in Matters of Faith there is some other way whereby Men may be
very Evil and Unreasonable upon these following Accounts I. Because it takes Men off from Religion and the Care of their Souls II. Because it tempts Men to do many Things which are inconsistent with Religion and directly contrary to it III. Because it is an endless and insatiable Desire IV. Because the Happiness of Humane Life doth not consist in Riches V. Because Riches do very often contribute very much to the Misery and Infelicity of Men. First Covetousness takes Men off from Religion and the Care of their Souls The Covetous Man is wholly intent upon this World and his inordinate Desire after these Things makes him to neglect God and the Eternal Concernments of his Soul He employs all his Time and Care and Thoughts about these Temporal Things and his vehement love and eager pursuit of these Things steals away his Heart from God robs him of his Time and of all Opportunities for his Soul and diverts him from all serious Thoughts of another World and the Life to come And the Reason of this is that which our Saviour gives Mat. 6. 24. No Man can serve two Masters for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other Ye cannot serve God and Mammon No Man can serve two Masters so different as God and the World are because they will give cross Commands and enjoyn contrary Things God he calls upon us to mind the Duties of his Worship and Service to have a serious regard to Religion and a diligent Care of our Souls But the Cares of the World and the Importunity of Business and an eager appetite of being Rich call us off from these Divine and Spiritual Employments or disturb us in them God calls upon us to be Charitable to those that are in want to be willing to distribute and ready to communicate to the Necessities of our Brethren But our Covetousness pulls us back and hales us another way and checks all Merciful and Charitable Inclinations in us God calls us to Self-Denial and Suffering for the Sake of him and his Truth and commands us to preferr the keeping of Faith and a good Conscience to all Worldly Considerations whatsoever But the World Inspires us with other Thoughts and whispers to us to save our selves not to be Righteous over much and rather to trust God with our Souls than Men with our Bodies and Estates If we set our Hearts and Affections strongly upon any thing they will partake of the Object which they are Conversant about for where our Treasure is as our Lord hath told us there will our Hearts be also If a great Estate be our chief End and Design if Riches be our Treasure and our Happiness our Hearts will be found among the Stuff We cannot bestow our Affections freely upon two Objects We cannot intensly love God and the World for no Man can have two Ultimate Ends two Principal Designs Our Riches may increase but if we set our hearts upon them and give them the chief place in our Affections we make them our Lord and Master Whatever we make our Ultimate End we give it a Sovereignty and Empire over us we put our selves under its Dominion and make our selves subject to all its Commands So that if it bid us go we must go come we must come do this we must do it because we are under Authority The World is our Master and we are its Slaves Now he that is under the Rule and Dominion of this Master must withdraw his Obedience from God and in many Cases decline Obedience to his Laws This Worldly Covetous Disposition was that which made those in the Parable to make so many Excuses when they were Invited to the Supper Luke 14. 18. One had bought a Farm and he could not come Another had bought so many Yoke of Oxen and therefore he desired to be excused Riches do so fill the Covetous Man's Heart and the Cares of the World so possess his Mind that he hath no room left in his Soul for any other Guests Intus existens prohibet alienum that which is full already can receive no more The Covetous Man's Heart is taken up with such Things as keep out God and Christ and better Things If any Man love the World and the Things of it to this Degree St. John tells us that the love of the Father is not in him In the Parable of the Sower Mat. 13. 7. Our Saviour represents to us the Cares of the World which choak the word of God by Thorns which sprang up among the Seed and stifled the growth of it The Cares of the World will not suffer the Word of God to take deep root in our hearts and to have any permanent effect upon them And Ezek. 33. 31. God gives this as a Reason why the People of Israel would not hearken to the words of his Prophet because their Hearts were upon the World They come unto thee says God there to the Prophet as the People cometh and they sit before thee as my People and they hear thy words but they will not do them For with their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their Covetousness A Heart that is deeply engaged in the World will stand out against all the Invitations and Promises and Threatnings of God's Word When the Word of God invites such Persons it is like making Love to those who have already fix'd their Hearts and Affections elsewhere the Promises and Threatnings of the Gospel signifie but very little to such Men because their Hearts are set upon Worldly Things and all their Affections are bent that way all their Hopes and Desires are Worldly to be Rich and abound in Wealth and all their Fears are of Poverty and Loss Now such a Man can only be moved with the Promises and Threatnings of Temporal Things for no Promises have any effect upon us but such as are of some Good which we care for and value Nor are any Threatnings apt to move us but such as are of some Evil which we dread and are afraid of And therefore when Eternal Life and the Happiness of another World are offered to a worldly-minded Man he does not desire it he is not at all sensible of the value of itâ— the Man's Heart is full already of other Hopes and Desires and the full Soul loatheth the Hony-Comb Promise to such a Man the Kingdom of Heaven and the Pleasures of God's Presence and the Joys of Eternity this does not signifie to such a Man any Good or Happiness that he is sensible of or knows how to relish And on the other hand threaten him with the loss of God and an Eternal Separation from that Fountain of Happiness and with the unspeakable Anguish and Torments of a long Eternity these Things tho' they be terrible yet they are at a distance and the Covetous Man is enured to Sense and is only to be moved with Things present and
off from all Employment lest you put them in the ready way to be undone have a Care of leaving them no other business but to spend what you have left them if you do so they will in all probability do that work very effectually and make as much haste to be Poor as you did to make them Rich. If Men could but be contented to do that which is best for their Children they might do a great deal better for themselves by disposing what they have to spare in Charity Thirdly Others would fain excuse themselves from this Duty at present by telling what they intend to do when they come to Die that is when they can keep what they have no longer It seems then thou wilt leave it to thy Executor to do good in thy stead This shews thou hast no great heart to the business when thou deferrest it as long as ever thou canst But why wilt thou trust another with the disposal of thy Charity rather than thy self This is hardly to offer either a Reasonable or a Living Sacrifice to God to do good only when we are dead It is well that God hath made all Men Mortal and that it is appointed for all Men once to die otherwise some Men would never do good at all Wherefore setting aside these and all other excuses which will not be admitted nor will any of us have the face to plead them at the Day of Judgment I say setting aside all Excuses whatsoever let us resolve to do good with what we have whilst we can and to that end let us lay aside some Portion of what God has blest us withal for the uses of Piety and Charity and let it bear some decent Proportion to what God hath given us There is never want of proper Objects for our largest Charity and now less than ever Besides those at home which present themselves to us in great numbers every day God hath sent us many from abroad who call loud upon us for our pity and help both as they are reduced to the greatest extremiâ—y and are Sufferers in the best Cause that of our common Religion which ought now to be dearer to us than ever Let us shew Mercy now as we expect Mercy from others in any day of our distress in this World and as ever we hope when ever we come to appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to find Mercy with the Lord in that Day Consider what I have said upon this Argument and let this extraordinary kind of Caution which our Saviour here gives make a deep impression upon your Minds Take heed and beware of Covetousness for a Man's Life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth A SERMON ON MATTH VI. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righâ—â—ousness and all these things shall be added unto you IN the latter part of this Chapter our Saviour doth in a long Discourse caution his Disciples against an Inordinate Care about the Things of this Life which he concludes with a strict Charge to make Religion their first and great Concernment and above all Things to take Care to secure to themselves the happiness of another Life But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness c. In the handling of which words I shall do these Four Things First I shall explain what is here meant by the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Secondly What by seeking of these Thirdly I shall lay down some necessary and plain Directions which if we observe we cannot miscarry in this matter Fourthly I shall set before you some of the most proper and powerful Motives and Encouragements to the minding of this great Interest and Concernment among which I shall particularly consider the Argument or Encouragement here used in the Text and all these things shall be added unto you 1. I shall explain to you what is here meant by the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness First What is meant by the Kingdom of God And there are two Famous acceptations of this Phrase and both of them very frequent in the New Testament Sometimes it is used to signifie the State of the Gospel or the Christian Religion which by the Jews was called the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of the Messias Mark 1. 15. The Kingdom of God is at hand that is the State or Dispensation of the Gospel is now approaching and ready to take place Luke 17. 20. The Pharisees demanding of our Saviour when the Kingdom of God should come that is when the Reign of the Messias should commence he answers them the Kingdom of God cometh not with observation that is not with any Temporal Pomp and Splendor so as to draw the eyes of People after it as the Jews did vainly imagine but the Kingdom of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is among you not within you as our Translation hath improperly rendred it the Kingdom of God he tells them is already come unto you the Messias is among you and ye are not aware of him In the like sense this Phrase is used Mat. 21. 43. the Kingdom of God that is the Gospel shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof And so likewise the Phrase of the Kingdom of Heaven is used Mat. 11. 11. where speaking of John the Baptist our Saviour saith that among them that were born of Women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist that is there was no greater Person than he under the Jewish Dispensation and yet he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven that is under the Dispensation of the Gospel is greater than he Now tho' this sense of the Kingdom of God be not wholly excluded in the Text yet there is another sense of this Phrase very usual likewise in the Scripture and which is more agreeable to the scope of our Saviour's Argument and Discourseâ— and so it signifies that future state of Happiness and Glory which good Men shall be advanced to in another World in opposition to this Life and the Enjoyments of it which our Saviour had before forbidden his Disciples to be so solicitous about Take ye no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewithal shall we be cloathed And then it follows in direct opposition to this inordinate and solicitous Care about Worldly Things but seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness That is be not so solicitous about the Conveniencies and Necessaries of this Life as about the Happiness of the other and the Means to it And this sense of this Phrase of the Kingdom of God is so very frequent in the New Testament that I shall not need to give particular Instances of it Secondly what is meant by Righteousness seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness Righteousness in the strictest and most proper sense of the word signifies the particular Virtue of Justice
upbraid the degenerate state of the Christian World at this day which does so abound in all kind of Wickedness and Impiety so that we may cry out as he did upon reading the Gospel Profectò aut hoc non est Evangelium aut nos non sumus Evangelici Either this is not the Gospel which we read and the Christian Religion which we profess or we are no Christians We are so far from that pitch of goodness and Virtue which the Christian Religion is apt to raise Men to and which the Apostle here calls the Divine Nature that a great part of us are degenerated into Beasts and Devils wallowing in abominable and filthy Lusts indulging our selves in those Devilish Passions of Malice and Hatred of Strife and Discord of Revenge and Cruelty of Sedition and Disturbance of the Publick Peace to that degree as if the Grace of God had never appeared to us to teach us the contrary And therefore it concerns all those who have the face to call themselves Christians to demean themselves at another rate and for the Honour of their Religion and the Salvation of their own Souls to have their Conversation as becometh the Gospel of Christ and by departing from the Vicious practices of this present Evil World to do what in them lies to prevent the Judgments of God which hang over us or if they cannot do that to save themselves from this untoward Generation A SERMON ON 1 PETER IV. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator THIS Epistle was written by St. Peter who was the Apostle of the Circumcision to the dispersed Jews who were newly Converted to Christianity And the Design of it is to Confirm and Establish them in the Profession of it and to instruct them how they ought to demean themselves towards the Heathen or Gentiles among whom they lived and more particularly to arm and prepare them for those Sufferings and Persecutions which he foretels would shortly overtake them for the Profession of Christianity that when they should happen they might not be surprised and startled at them as if some strange and unexpected thing were come upon them at the 12 v. of this Chapter Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery Tryal which is to try you that is do not wonder and be not asâ—onish'd at it as if some strange thing hapned unto you And then he instructs them more particularly how they ought to behave themselves under those Trâ—als and Sufferings when they should happen not only with Patience which men ought to exercise under all kinds of Sufferings upon what Account and Cause soever but with Joy and Cheerfulness considering the Glorious Example and Reward of them v. 13. but rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs Sufferings that when his Glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding Joy And at the 14. ver he tells them that besides the Encouragement of so great an Example and so glorious a Reward they should be supported and assisted in a very extraordinary manner by the Spirit of God resting upon them in a glorious manner as a Testimony of the Divine Power and Presence with them v. 14. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you or as it is in the best Copies for the Spirit of Glory and of Power even the Spirit of God resâ—eth upon you that is the Glorious Power of the Divine Spirit is present with you to comfort and bear up your Spirits under these Sufferings But then he cautions them to take great Care that theiâ— Sufferings be for a good Cause and a good Conscience v. 15. But let none of you suffer as a Mâ—â—therer or as a Thief or as an evil-doer that is as an Offender in any kind against Human Laws made to preserve the Peace and good Order of the World or as a busy-body in other mens matters that is as a pragmatical Person that meddles out of his own Sphere to the Disquiet and Disturbance of Human Society For to suffer upon any of these Accounts would be matter of Shame and Trouble but not of Joy and Comfort But if they suffer'd upon Account of the Profession of Christianity this would be no Cause of Shame and Reproach to them but they ought rather to give God Thanks for calling them to suffer in so good a Cause and upon so glorious an Account V. 16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian if that be his only Crime let him not be ashamed but let him gloriâ—ie Gâ—d on this behalf for the time is come that Judgment must begin at the House of God that is the wise and just Providence of God hath so order'd it at this Time for very good Reasons and Ends that the first Calamities and Sufferings should fall upon Christians the peculiar People and Church of God for their Tryal and a Testimony to the Truth of that Religion which God was now planting in the World And if iâ— first begin at us that is at us Jews who were the ancient People of God and have now embraced and entertained the Revelation of the Gospel what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God that is how much more severely will God deal with the rest of the Jews who have crucified the Son of God and still persist in their Infidelity and Disobedience to the Gospel And if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear that is if good Men be saved with so much Difficulty and must through so many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God what will become of all Ungodly and Impenitent Sinners Where shall they appear How shall they be able to stand in the Judgment of the great Day From the Consideration of all which the Apostle makes this Inference or Conclusion in the last ver of this Chapter Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator Thus you see the Connexion and Dependance of these words upon the Apostle's foregoing Discourse I shall explain the several Expressions in the Text and then handle the main Points contained in them The Expressions to be explained are these What is meant by those that suffer according to the will of God what by committing the keeping of our Souls to God â—s unto a faithful Creator and what by well-doing 1. What is meant by suffering according to the will of God This may be understood of Suffering in a good Cause such as God will approve But this is not so probable because this is mentioned afterwards in the following Expressions of committing the keeping of our Souls to God in well-doing that is in suffering upon a good Account And therefore the plain and
the only sure way to be happy for ever is so to improve the short and uncertain time of this Life that we may approve our selves to God in this World and enjoy him in the next or as St. Paul expresseth it that having our fruit unto Holiness our end may be everlasting Life And this Work consists in these three things First In the Care of our own Salvation Secondly In doing what we can to promote the Salvation of others Thirdly And in order to both these in the careful Improvement and good Husbandry of our time First In the Care of our own Salvation And this consists in two things 1. In the Worship of Almighty God 2. In the careful and conscientious Practice and Obedience of his Holy Laws 1. The Care of our own Salvation consists in the pious and devout Worship of Almighty God that we honour him and pay him that Homage and Respect which is due from Creatures to him that made them and is the great Soveraign and Judge of the World that we have an inward Reverence and Esteem of him and that we express this by all solemn externalacknowledgments of him as by praying to him for the supply of our Wants by praising him for all the Blessings and Benefits which we have received at his Hands and that we set apart constant and solemn times for the Performance of these Duties and that when we are employed in them we be serious and hearty and attentive to what we are about and perform every part of Divine Worship with those Circumstances of Reverence and Respect which may testifie our awful Sense of the Divine Majesty and our inward and profound Veneration of him with whom we have to do And this is that which is directly and properly Religion 2. This Care of our own Salvation does consist likewise in the conscientious and constant Obedience and Practice of all God's Holy Laws in the Conformity of our Lives and Actions to the Laws which he hath given us whether they be natural or written upon our Hearts or made known to us by the Revelation of his Word that we govern our Passions by Reason and moderate our selves in the use of sensual Delights so as not to transgress the Rules of Temperance and Chastity that we demean our selves towards others and converse with them with Justice and Fidelity with Kindness and Charity These are the Sum of the Divine Laws and the Heads of our Duty towards our selves and others all which are more powerfully enforced upon us by the Revelation of the Gospel and the plain Promises and Threatnings of it the Faith of Christ being the most firm and effectual Principle both of Piety towards God and of Universal Obedience to all his particular Commands And this is the great work which God hath sent us to do in the World so the Wise Man sums up our Duty Eccl. 12. 13. Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man The Fear and Reverence of the Divine Majesty is the great Foundation and Principle of Religion but Obedience to God's Laws is the Life and Practice of it God does not expect that we should spend the greatest part of our time in the immediate Acts of Religion and in the solemn Duties of his Worship and Service but only that we should allot a fitting Proportion of our time to these according to the Circumstances of our Condition in this World and the Example of Holy and Good Men that are in the like Circumstances with our selves For such is the Goodness of God that he does not only allow us to provide for the Necessities and Conveniencies of this Life but hath made it our Duty so to do It is one of the Precepts of the Gospel which the Apostle chargeth the Bishops and Teachers of the Gospel to inculcate frequently upon Christians that they which have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works that is to employ themselves in the works of an honest Calling for necessary uses that is for the support of their Families and the relief of those who are in want and necessity And the Apostle lays great weight and stress upon this as a very great Duty Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works These things are good and profitable unto Men that is of general benefit and advantage to Mankind So that no Man's Calling is a hindrance to Religion but a part of it and by performing the Duties of Piety in their proper Seasons and spending the rest of our time in any honest and useful Employment we may make our whole Life a perpetual serving of God we may glorifie God in our eating and drinking and in all other lawful and useful actions of Life in serving the Occasions and Necessities of Life with Sobriety and Temperance and in managing our Worldly Commerce with Justice and Integrity we may serve God and perform considerable Duties of Religion So that provided we do nothing that is sinful and manage the Actions and Concernments of this Life with a due regard and subserviency to the great interests of Eternity we may do the work of God all the while we are providing for our selves and employed in the works of an honest Calling For God who hath designed this Life in order to the other considers the necessities of our present state and allows us to make provision for it There are some Persons indeed whose Birth and Condition sets them above the common Employments of Life and the Works of an ordinary Calling But these also have a work given them to do for God hath sent no Man into the World to no purpose and only to take his pastime therein neque enim ita generati sumus à natura ut ad ludum jocum facti esse videamur sed ad severitatem potius quaedam studia graviora atque majora for â—e are not says Tully de Off. Lib. 1. so framed by Nature as if we were made for sport and jest but for more serious Employments and for greater and weightier business and those who are tied to no particular Calling may allow so much larger portions of their time to Religion and the Service of God and God likewise expects from them that they should be useful to Mankind in some higher and nobler way according to the publickness of their station and influence Such Persons may be serviceable to their Country and the Affairs of Government and in the care of publick Justice and may employ their time in preparing and rendring themselves more fit for this Service They may find a great deal of work to do in the good government of their Families and in the prudent care and management of their Estates and in reconciling differences among their Neighbours and in considering the necessities of the Poor and providing for their supply So