â—…hird is open and bare-faced The Devil in express words tempts him to â—…dolatry with the Promise of all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them which he had drawn a beautiful Landskip of and shew'd him from a high Mountain All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Or as St. Luke relates it All this power will I give thee and the glory of them for it is delivered unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it Which in some sense was true at that time not that the Devil had the Supreme and Absolute disposal of Kingdoms for St. Paul assures us that all the Powers even of the Pagan World were of God and ordained by 13 Rom 1. God But yet he was at that time the God of this World and had a more visible Kingdom than God himself The true Worshippers of God were aâ—… that time chiefly confined to Iudea aâ—… very little spot of Earth but all the Power and Glory of the World was in the hands of Idolaters who Worshipped the Devil and wicked Spirits And the force of the Argument is as if he had said to our Saviour You call your self the Son of God and Worship him but will God do that foâ—… you which I can and will do if you Worship me You your self see that he has no Kingdom but Iudea to bestow on you and that also is at present in the hands of my Worshippers but what is that to all the Kingdom of the World which are at my disposal and which you see your self are mine and under my Government But our â—…aviour without disputing the value of â—…is World or what Power the Devil â—…ad in the disposal of it chides away â—…e Tempter with Indignation Be gone â—…atan For it is written Thou shalt worâ—…ip the Lord thy God and him only shalt â—…ou serve But though Christ refused â—…is proffer his pretended Vicar has â—…ken it and revived the old Pagan â—…olatry for the Kingdoms of the â—…orld and the Glory of them This is the prevailing Temptation 〈◊〉 this day to corrupt Religion the â—…aith and Worship of God for some â—…mporal Advantages too many Men â—…ink That the best Religion which â—…ill best serve a secular Interest â—…nd we have reason to think that â—…o many do this and know â—…hat they do that their furious â—…eal for a false Religion is not all â—…gnorance and Mistake but an undisâ—…mbled Love of this World For can â—…e think that the Devil never temptâ—… any Man but Christ knowingly â—…d willingly to renounce the true Reâ—…gion and the true Worship of God â—…r this World No doubt he does â—…d very often prevails too and these knowing Idolaters who make a downright bargain to Worship the Devil for the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them are those who abuse the Ignorant and Credulous with a false and hypocritical Zeal But let us remember that we musâ—… Worship the Lord our God and him only must we serve Let us remember what our Saviour tells us What shall it proâ—… a man if he gain the whole world aâ—… lose his own soul Or What shall a maâ—… give in exchange for his soul Let us â—…member that the end of Religion 〈◊〉 to please God to Glorify him to 〈◊〉 like him and to enjoy him for everâ—… and this will give us a secure Victoâ—… over the World and the Devil Whiâ—… God of his infinite Mercy grant throug our Lord Iesus Christ To whom with tâ—… Father and the Holy Ghost be Honoâ—… Glory and Power now and for ever Amen SERMON V. â—…each'd before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor at St. Bridget's Church on Tuesday in Easter-Week 1692. IV. LUKE 35. â—…t love ye your enemies and do good and lend hoping for nothing again and your reward shall be great and ye shall be the children of the Highest for he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil OUR Conformity to the Death and Resurrection of our Saviour consists in dying to 〈◊〉 and walking in newness of life â—…ich St. Paul tells us is represented 〈◊〉 the External Ceremony of Bapâ—…m the baptised Person being buried with Christ in Baptism and rising out of his watry grave a new born Creature 6. Rom. 3 4. For in that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God Likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord 9 10. And the principal Exercise of this Divine Life which is our conformity to the Resurrection of Christ is a Divine Conversation If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth 3. Col. 1 2. And to set our affections on things above does not only signify to think sometimes of Heaven and to desire to go to Heaven when we dye which very worldly-minded men may do but to lay up for our selves Treasures in Heaven which are durable and eternal in opposition to those perishing Treasures on Earth which are subject to Thieves to Moths and Rust 6. Matth. 19 20 21. To make to our selves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness that when we fail they may receive us into everlasting habitations 16. Luke 9. Now ye all know what this means viz. To purge our minds from the love of Riches and from all covetous Desires to improve â—…r Estates in Acts of Piety and Chaâ—…ty for the Service of God and to â—…pply the wants of the poor and miâ—…rable to return our Money into the â—…ther World where it will encrease â—…to Eternal Life and Glory for this 〈◊〉 truly to have our Conversation in â—…eaven to live above this World to â—…t loose from all the Enjoyments of it â—…o live to God and another World â—…o improve every thing we enjoy here â—…o secure and advance our future Hapâ—…iness when men are Charitable upon â—…hese Principles and these Designs they â—…ust live a very heavenly Life For where our Treasure is there our hearts will be also This our Ancestors who appointed this Annual Solemnity seem to have been very sensible of That there is no particular Grace or Virtue the exercise of which is a more visible demonstration of a Divine and purified Mind which is risen with Christ and lives to God as Christ doth than the Grace of Charity and therefore that there was no time more proper to exercise Charity and to exhort Christians to Charity and to show Charity in all its Pomp and humble Bravery than the Feast of the Resurrection wherein we commemorate the Love of our Lord in dying for us and his triumph over Death and in full assurance of a blessed Immortality of which the Resurrection of our Saviour was an ocular Demonstration send our Hearts and our Eyes after him to Heaven and contemplate that Glory to which he is advanced
one Place neither to the Temple of Ierusalem nor Samaria but it should be free all the World over to erect Houses of Prayer and Worship where God would be as present with them as in the Temple of Ierusalem for there should be an end now put to that Typical State and Typical Worship which was confined to the Temple and the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth and this Spiritual Worship is confined to no one Place but will find God present all the World over which is so far from abrogating all peculiar Places of Worship such as the Temple at Ierusalem and Samaria were that it makes every Church whatever part of the World it be in in a truer Sense the House of God than ever the Temple at Ierusalem was And there is one thing more of great consequence which we learn from this that we now want no new Appearance of God to consecrate a Place for his Worship as it was in the Days of the Patriarchs nor any new Command to appoint us where to build a House for God as it was under the Law Our Saviour has consecrated every part of the World where Christians live to be such Holy Ground as is fit to receive a Temple and House of God and his Promise to be in the midst of the Assemblies of Christians gives us as great an Assurance of a Divine Presence in such Places as if like the Tabernacle and Temple we saw them again filled with a Cloud and a visible Glory Having thus shewn you that God who fills all Places is yet peculiarly present in some Places and what this peculiar Presence is that God is present as the Object of our Worship to hear our Prayers and to receive our Praises and Thanksgivings our Alms and Oblations let us now consider the Exhortation of my Text which is the natural Improvement of this O worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness 1st And here first I observe that the very External Beauty and Ornament of God's House is one Part of Homage which we owe to him The Riches and visible Glory of Solomon's Temple was one of the Wonders of the World a Divine Art and Nature conspired to build a House as fit as Art and Nature could make it to signifie the incommunicable Majesty and Glory of that God who dwelt there And this Nature taught all Mankind the Magnificence of their Temples did not only shew their Devotion but what their Art and what their Riches were And the Primitive Christians when they enjoyed Peace and Plenty under Christian Emperors were so far from thinking this a Piece of Pagan or Iewish Superstition that their first Care was to erect Beautiful and Stately Churches to rival and out-do all the External Glory of Pagan Temples and it was always accounted a great Instance of the Piety of Princes to encourage and promote such Works But you 'll say what is all this to God Can we think that he who has made the World with such unimitable Art and Beauty can be pleas'd with any House we can build for him whatever Art or Riches we bestow on it But this very Objection answers it self For God has made this Beautiful World for his Temple and has chose the most Glorious Part of it for his Throne which shews that though he be an infinite pure Spirit he does not despise an External Glory for thus he must represent his invisible Greatness and Majesty to his Creatures And therefore when he thinks fit to vouchsafe his Presence with us on Earth we must provide the most honourable Reception for him that we can and when we have done all that Art and Nature can do we have so far express'd our Devotion and Reverence for the Divine Presence This Objection lay against the Temple at Ierusalem as well as against Christian Churches and yet David thought it very undecent and a want of a just Reverence for God that he himself should dwell in a House of Cedar and the Ark of God dwell within Curtains 2 Sam. 7. 2. which should be considered by those Men who think all that is bestowed upon Beautifying and Adorning God's House a vain and superfluous Expence when they think no Cost too great to adorn their own 2dly The House of God too must be used as God's House that is must be separated from common Uses and appropriated to the Worship of God It must not be a Place of Trade and Commerce and ordinary Conversation as we learn from our Saviour's Zeal in driving those who sold Oxen and Sheep and Doves and the Changers of Money out of the Temple which he did at two several times the first immediately upon his entrance on his Ministry Ioh 2. 13 14 15 16. the second immediately before his Crucifixion Matth. 21. 12 13. Some learned Men observe that the Place of this Merchandise in the Temple was the Court of the Gentiles and from hence conclude that our Saviour's Zeal was not confined to the Iewish Temple but concerned all Christian Churches to which the Court of the Gentiles bore a greater Analogy but whatever Force there may be in this I think the Reasons our Saviour gives do much better explain his meaning Make not my Father's House a House of Merchandise John 2. 16. and it is written My House shall be called a House of Prayer but ye have made it a Den of Thieves Matth. 21. 13. Which Reasons have no relation to the typical State of the Iewish Temple but equally concern all Places which are the House of God and the House of Prayer that is where God vouchsafes his peculiar Presence to hear our Prayers And indeed when Christ expressed so much Zeal for the House of God when the typical Glory of the Iewish Temple was at an end having received its Accomplishment in his own Person it is a very good Reason to believe that he intended this as a standing Rule for the Religious Use of all Christian Churches and Oratories I am sure the Reason is universal and unanswerable that the House of God which is a House of Prayer ought not to be prophaned by any common Uses 3dly Let us worship in the Beauty of Holiness that is let us resort to the House of God to the House of Prayer there to offer up our Prayers and Thanksgivings to him For if God have a House where he has promised his peculiar Presence to hear our Prayers that is the proper and peculiar Place of Worship The Scripture makes it a very material Circumstance of Worship to approach God's House to enter into his Courts to come into his Presence to own our selves his Servants and Worshippers and without disparaging private Prayers or Closet and Family Devotions there is no reason to think God will own those for his Worshippers who deny him this publick Homage There is no doubt but God knows our Prayers where-ever we make them for he knows our very Thoughts but to hear Prayers
had setled the Ark at Ierusalem and made that City the place of God's House and of Religious Worship and the Seat of Justice and Judgment There was the House of God verse 9. that is though the Temple was not yet built if this Psalm was composed by David as the Title of it signifies it was yet there was the Tabernacle and the Ark of God which formerly was in Shiloh and afterwards removed from one place to another till David setled it in Ierusalem Thither all the Tribes of Israel were to resort three times a year to worship God before the Ark of the Testimony 4 ver There was the Imperial Seat where David had built his Throne and Palace and where his Posterity were to dwell and govern Israel and therefore it was the Seat of Justice too as that must be where the Kings Throne and the House of God was placed There are set thrones of judgment the thrones of the house of David 5. ver These were the peculiar Privileges of Ierusalem above any other City in Iury. This was the reason of that peculiar affection and passionate concern which David had himself and exhorts all others to express for Ierusalem that he greatly rejoiced to go thither and to continue there I was glad when they said unto me Let us go into the house of the Lord our feet shall stand within thy gates Ó Ierusalem That he exhorts all people to pray for the peace and prosperity of Ierusalem and promises a Blessing to those who love it as it is in my Text Pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that love thee peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces All this was not for the sake of the material Buildings the beauty of the place or the conveniency of its scituation but because it was the Center of Unity Which is builded as a City that is compact together whither the Tribes go up the Tribes of the Lord unto the Testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the name of the Lord 3. 4. ver Which shews in what respect he commends Ierusalem that it is built as a City which is compact together not with regard to the Uniformity and regular Order and Union of its material Buildings but that it was the Center of a Religious Unity and Order in Worship where all the Tribes of Israel met and united in the same Acts of Worship and Praise to God There was the House of God there were the set Thrones of Judgment So that to Love Ierusalem to Pray for the Peace and Prosperity of it is to love the House the Worship the Name of God to love and pray for the Unity Happiness and Prosperity of the Church for the flourishing State of Religion and the peaceful Opportunities of Worshipping God in his Holy Temple together with the equal and impartial Administration of Justice which is so much for the Publick Good to promote the Temporal and Eternal Happiness of Men that our Love to Mankind but especially our Love to the Brethren as well as our Zeal for God's Glory and Worship requires this of us For my Brethren and Companions sake I will now say Peace be within thee Because of the House of the LORD our GOD I will seek thy good v. 8 9. Thus I have given you a very plain and easy Exposition of this whole Psalm and therein have sufficiently Explained my Text. I have but one thing more to add to make way for my intended Discourse and that is to shew you that this Exhortation does directly and not merely by Accommodation and Analogy concern Us as well as it did the Iews For Ierusalem was but a Type of the Christian Church as the carnal Israel or the carnal Seed and Posterity of Abraham were of true and sincere Christians who are the Children of Abraham by Faith in Christ And therefore St. Paul expresly distinguishes between the earthly Ierusalem and the Ierusalem which descends from above 4. Gal. 25 26. For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Ierusalem which now is and is in bondage with her Children but Ierusalem which is above or from above that is the Christian Church is free which is the Mother of us all Which in 12. Heb. 22. he calls Mount Sion the city of the living GOD the heavenly Ierusalem And 3. Rev. 12. it is called The city of GOD the new Ierusalem which cometh down out of heaven from GOD. And 21. Rev. 2. The new Ierusalem coming down out of heaven from GOD prepared as a bride adorned for her husband Which is a Description of the most reformed and purified state of the Christian Church on Earth So that this Exhortation To Pray for the Peace of Ierusalem does most properly belong to Christians because the Christian Church is the true Ierusalem the new the holy Ierusalem descending out of Heaven from GOD v. 10. By this time I suppose you understand the meaning of my Text and how much we are concerned in it and there are two parts observable in the words 1. The Duty to Pray for the Peace of Ierusalem or of the Christian Church Peace be within thy Walls and Prosperity within thy Palaces 2. The Encouragement to this They shall prosper that love thee It is the first of these I shall at present speak to The Duty to Pray for the Peace of Ierusalem wherein I shall consider two things 1. What we must Pray for 2. How necessary Prayer is to obtain these Blessings I. What we must pray for Peace and Prosperity Peace be within thy Walls and Prosperity within thy Palaces Now the Peace of the Church signifies two things 1. The Unity and Agreement of Christians among themselves 2. The Preservation of the Church from external Oppressions and Persecutions 1. The Unity and Agreement of Christians among themselves When they profess the same Faith and join in the same Worship when they love like Brethren and have a tender affection and sympathy for each other as Members of the same Body This all Christians confess to be a great and necessary Duty and pretend to lament the many scandalous Dissentions and Divisions of the Christian Church This I am sure that though Divisions and Dissentions are destructive to all Societies yet there is no Society suffers so much by it as the Christian Church This destroys Love and Charity which is the true Spirit of the Gospel and the Badge and Cognizance of our Profession By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another This turns the Christian Church into a School of wrangling Disputes and makes men more concerned what they believe than how they live this gives great offence to the World representing the Christian Faith as very doubtful and uncertain and Christianity it self as a great Disturber of the Peace of Mankind this overthrows all Government and Discipline in the Church and makes its Censures despised and scorned when the most
Steward there are not many men I should sooner have thought on than Dr. Calamy to have been the Pattern That he did take care to give you Meat in due season I need not tell you because you all know it If Preaching in season and out of season if publick Instructions and private Applications where they were needful or desired be feed the Flock of Christ and to give â—…eat to his Houshold and Family this â—…e did and that very faithfully and â—…isely too In the first place he took care â—…o inform himself and to furnish â—…is own Mind with all useful knowâ—…edge and his constant Preaching though without any vain affectation of Learning which serves onely to amuse not to instruct did sufficiently discover â—…oth his natural and acquired Abilities He had a clear and distinct apprehension of things an easy and manly Rhetorick strong Sense conveyed to the mind in familiar words good Reasons inspired with a decent Passion which did not onely teach but move and transport the Hearers and at the same time gave both light and heat for indeed he was a good man which is necessary to make a good Preacher he had an inward vital sense of Religion and that animated his discourses with the same Divine Passions which he felt in himself He did not entertain his Hearers with School Subtilties or a conjectural Divinity with such thin and airy Speculations as can neither be seen nor felt nor understood but his chief care was to explain the great Articles of Faith and Rules of Life what we must believe and how we must live that we may be eternally happy And he did as a faithful Servant ought to do as he declared a little before his death that he never preached any thing but what he himself firmly believed to be true I need not tell you what a troublesome World we have lived in for some years past such Critical times as would try the Principles and Spirits of men when a prevaling Faction threatned both Church and State and the fears of Popery were thought a sufficient Justification of the most illegal and irreligious methods to keep it out when it was scandalous to speak a word either for the King or the Church when cunning men were silent and those who affected Popularity swam with the Stream then this great and good man durst reprove Schism and Faction durst teach men to conform to the Church and to obey and honour the King durst vindicate the despised Church of England and the hated Doctrine of Passive Obedience though the one was thought to favour Popery and the â—…ther to introduce Slavery but he was â—…bove the powerful Charms of Names â—…nd liked Truth never the worse beâ—…ause it was mis-called His publick â—…ermons preached in those days and â—…rinted by publick Authority are â—…asting Proofs of this and yet he was no â—…apist neither but durst reprove the Errors of Popery when some others who made the greatest noise and outâ—…ry about it grew wise and cautious This was like a truly honest and faithâ—…l Servant to oppose the growing Diâ—…tempers of the Age without any regard either to unjust Censures or apparent Danger And yet he did not needlesly provoke any man he gave no hard words but thought it severe enough to confute mens errors without upbraiding or reproaching their persons His Conversation was courteous and affable to all men soft and easy as his Principles were stubborn he could yeild any thing but the Truth and bear with any thing but the Vices of men He would indeed have been the wonder of his Age had he not lived in such an Age as thanks be to God can shew many such wonders and yet in such an Age as this he made an Illustrious Figure though he had his Equals he had not many Superiors Thus he lived and thus this good man died for thus he was found doing when his Lord came The first symptoms of his Distemper seized him just before his last Sermon at White-hall but gave him so much respite as to take his leave of the World in an excellent Discourse of Immortality which he speaks of with such a sensible gust and relish as if his Soul had been then upon the wing and had some fore-taste of those joys it was just a going to possess And indeed he encountered the apprehensions of Death like one who believed and hoped for Immortality he was neither over-fond of living nor afraid to die He received the Supper of our Lord professed his Communion with the Church of England in which he had lived and in which he now died and having recommended his Soul to God he quietly expected how he would dispose of him But I must not forget to tell you that he died like a true and faithful Pastor with a tender care and affection for his Flock When he imposed this unwelcome Office upon me he told me he â—…d not desire any praises of himself but â—…t I would give some good advice to â—…s people who said he are indeed 〈◊〉 very kind and loving people And â—…is was not the first nor the onely time 〈◊〉 have heard him own not onely your â—…nd reception of him at first but the repeated and renewed expressions of your affection which did signally manifest it self in his late Sickness and now accompanies him to the Grave A Character which to your honour I speak it you have now made good for several successions and which I hope you will never forfeit But what that good counsel is he would have me give you he told me not and therefore I can onely guess at his intentions in this Were he now present to speak to you I believe he could not give you better counsel than he has already done and therefore my advice to you is 1. To remember those Counsels and Exhortations which you have heard from your deceased Pastor Though the Sower be removed yet let that immortal Seed that Word of Life which he has sown live and fructifie in your hearts and bring forth the blessed Fruits of Righteousness He has shewed you the plain way to Heaven have a care you do not forget it have a care you do not wander out of it He has recommended the Communion of the Church of England to you He has taught you to be Loyal to your Prince and to be true to your Religion take care then that neither your Religion destroy your Loyalty nor your Loyalty corrupt your Religion remember that beloved person whose Memory is dear and sacred to you was neither a Rebel Papist nor a Fanatick 2. Since you have lost your Guide a faithful and a prudent Guide and the choice of a Successour is in your selves be very careful as the concernment of your Souls requires you should be of your Choice Consider what an Age we live in which requires an experienced and skilful Pilot to steer a secure and steady course Have a care of dividing into Factions and Parties let not meer private
Courtships of the World cannot defend us from our selves we cannot stop our ears against 〈◊〉 we cannot harden our selves against â—…s Terrors it is a domestick Fury â—…hich when it is provoked and awakenâ—…d will be heard and will make us â—…emble will make us judge and conâ—…emn our selves and begin our own â—…orments in frightful Horrors and Agoâ—…es of Mind 2dly Whereas Reason can fortify the â—…ind against all external Calamities â—…hen our Spirits are wounded that â—…ttle Reason we have left proves our â—…ormentor When we are under the â—…ransports of violent and disorderly â—…assions Reason can't be heard or is â—…ibed by Passion to justify its own Exâ—…esses Wise Counsels are lost on such â—…en as much as a Lecture of Philoâ—…phy would be in the Noise and Diâ—…raction of an Alarm or Battel What a sullen and obstinate thing is â—…rief how does it pore on its own â—…isfortune nourish its Disease and â—…espise all Arts of Diversion that it is â—…ommonly above the cure of any thing â—…ut Time which weakens the Impresâ—…on or tires men with their own Comâ—…laints When our Consciences are wounded with Guilt this arms all the Reason we have against us for Reason in such Cases can never be on our side then Reason discovers our Shame and Danger aggravates our Sins and many times drives such awaken'd Sinners into the very Horrors of Dispair disputes against the possibility of their Pardon and blots their Names out of all the Promises of the Gospel how large and universal soever they be The Guides of Souls who are always consulted upon such Occasions how much soever they are despised at other times could tell a great many sad Stories of thiâ—… kind enow to convince Sinners that even Wit and Reason is a very dangerous Enemy when a guilty Conscience turns the edge of it against our selves 3dly When there is no Ease and Comfort within there is no other Remedy but to seek for Support and Comfort from abroad and there are a great many pretty Diversions in the World to entertain Men who are at leisure to attend them but these are no Entertainments to a wounded Spirit When men are galled by their own Passions by Fear Emulation Jealousy Discontent in the very midst of laughter â—…e heart is sorrowful As great as Haâ—…n was all his Riches and Power â—…ailed him nothing while he saw â—…ordecai the Iew sitting at the King 's â—…ate 5. Esth. 13. The good things of this World are â—…ry considerable when there is an eaâ—… and cheerful mind to enjoy them â—…t they cannot make a man easy and â—…ppy whose Mind is disturbed they â—…ay entertain an easy Mind but canâ—…t quiet the Tumults and Disorders of â—…ssions nor give any Ease to a woundâ—… Spirit Much less can external things apâ—…ase the Horrors of a guilty Consciâ—…ce Away all ye vain Delights will â—…ch a man say what have I to do with â—…easure when Torments everlasting â—…orments must be my Portion Why â—…o you tell me of Riches and Honours â—…hen the great God is my Enemy â—…hen I am despised and abhorred of my â—…aker and am thought worthy of no â—…etter Portion than Eternal Flames 〈◊〉 am not at leisure to attend the Flatâ—…ering Courtships of this World my Thoughts are taken up with a more â—…readful Prospect of things to come O Eternity Eternity the never-dying Worm the never-dying Death 4thly Nor can a wounded Spiâ—… find any Support from the Considerations of Religion unless it find its Câ—… there If the Belief of a Divine Providence and another World can cure oâ—… Love to present things it will give uâ—… quiet and easy Passions too but without this a wounded and distemper'â—… Spirit will reproach God as well aâ—… Men and rage against Heaven it self â—… like that wicked King This evil is 〈◊〉 the Lord why should I wait on the Lâ—… any longer As Solomon observes Tâ—… foolishness of Man perverteth his waâ—… and his heart fretteth against the Lord. If the Fear of God and of thoâ—… Punishments He has threatned agaiâ—… Sin makes us true and sincere Peâ—…tents conquers our vicious Habiâ—… and reforms our Lives this is such 〈◊〉 wounded Spirit as God will bind up again such a broken and contrite heaâ—… as God will not despise but the Thoughâ—… of God and of a future Judgment aâ—… very terrible to Impenitent Sinners It is a dreadful Prospect to look intâ—… the other World and to see those Lakes of Fire and Brimstone prepared for the Devil and his Angels And this 〈◊〉 all that Bad men can see in the next â—…orld Thus we see how supportable all â—…ternal Evils and Calamities are how â—…supportable a wounded Spirit is and â—…e comparing these two Cases will â—…ggest some very useful Thoughts to â—…s As First This is a great Vindicatiâ—… of the Providence of God with â—…spect to those Evils and Calamities â—…at are in the World Sufferings are â—…ery necessary in this corrupt and deâ—…enerate State of Mankind but though â—…od sees it necessary to punish Sinners â—…et he has made abundant Provision to â—…pport us under all external Sufferâ—…gs He inflicts nothing on us but â—…hat the Spirit of a Man can sustain â—…d support it self under but our â—…reatest Sufferings are owing to our â—…elves and no more chargeable on the â—…rovidence of God than our Sins are â—…othing that is external can hurt us â—…hile our minds are sound and healthâ—…l but it is only a disordered or guilty â—…ind which gives a Sting to Afflictiâ—…ns God corrects in measure as we â—…re able to bear but we our selves tye the Knots or add the Scorpions to thâ—… Scourge Secondly This greatly recommendâ—… the Divine Wisdom in that Provisioâ—… God has made for our Support undâ—… Sufferings As â—…t Since the generality oâ—… Mankind were not likely to prove anyâ—… great Philosophers GOD hath bestowed on them such a measure of Naturâ—… Courage as will bear Afflictions betteâ—… than the Reason and Philosophy 〈◊〉 more thinking men and we may generally observe that those who maâ—… the least use of their Reason and haâ—… the least share of External Comforâ—… have the greatest Portion of this â—…taught Courage because they need 〈◊〉 most 2. God has provided the greatâ—… Supports for the best men Thoâ—… who use their Reason and examine thâ—… nature of things will more easily beâ—… Poverty and Disgrace and such otheâ—… Evils than men who judge by Opinion and popular Mistakes Those who live by Reason and govern their sensual Appetites and Inclinations and use the things of this World so as not to be mastered by them retain that Courage and Strength of Mind which is lost by softness and Effeminacy But a truly devout man who beâ—…ieves the Wisdom and Goodness of Providence and the Rewards of the next Life has the greatest Support of all Whereas an impenitent Sinner who wounds his Conscience with Guilt and an Atheist who believes neither a God nor a Providence have nothing but Sottishness and Stupidity to support them and
great loss when the Church is encompassed and assaulted with busie and restless Enemies A Man of an exemplary Life and untainted Virtue who shines like a Light in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation who maintains the declining Honour and Reputation of Religion and true Virtue is a mighty loss in a profligate Age when men are grown such Strangers to the sincere practice of Virtue and Religion that they begin to think there is no such thing But I can go on no farther the very mentioning of these things brings the fresh Idea of our deceased Brother to mind and the afflicting Sense of that great loss which we suffer by his Death It becomes us to Reverence and Adore the Wisdom of the divine Providence even when we cannot understand the Reasons of it We are certain God is never wanting in his Care of his Church and yet had we been made Judges of this Case we should have thought it a very ill time to have spared him He was abundantly furnished with all good Learning both for Use and Ornament he was an accomplished Scholar and a well-studied Divine he knew Books and read them and judged of them He was a Scribe instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven â—…ho like a Housholder could bring forth â—…ut of his treasure things New and â—…ld 13. Matth. 52. He had carefulâ—…y perus'd the ancient Philosophers â—…rators and Poets to discover what Nature taught which gave him a truer Knowledge and greater Value for the Excellency and Perfection of the Gospel-Revelation He had true and clear Notions of Religion and he was Master of them he knew why he believed any thing and was neither prejudiced nor imposed on by popular Opinions he was a hearty and zealous assertor of the Doctrine Worship Government and Discipline of the Church of England he saw nothing material which could be changed for the better which made him jealous of Innovations as not knowing where they would end He was a Friend to all sincere Christians pitied their Mistakes and bore with their Frowardness but did not think that Christian Charity required him to sacrifice Truth or good Order and Government to the pretences of Peace and Unity He was for several Years a very diligent and constant Preacher to a numerous Auditory till his own Diocesan who knew his Worth and the weakness of his Constitution and was desirous to preserve him for the Service of the Church provided this Place where we now are for his Ease and Health and Retirement where he lived many Years a constant Preacher though his Labours were then diviued between his two Cures which did not lessen his Preaching but made the Benefit of it the more diffusive For indeed he was an admirable Preacher not for Noise and Lungs but for well-digested useful pious Discourses delivered with all that becoming Gravity Seriousness and a commanding Elocution as made them sink deep into the Minds of his Hearers and made them hear This I speak with Assurance and Confidence in this place which was so long blessed with his Labours With what fineness of Thought peâ—…spicuity and easiness of Expression instructing and entertaining Images of Things he expounded the Doctrines and inculcated the Laws of our Saviour how plainly he Taught with what Vehemence and Passion he Exhortâ—…d with what tender Sharpness he Reâ—…roved remember how he used both to Please and Instruct to Chide and Shame you without making you angry â—…ow he has warmed and chafed your Minds into the most pious and serious Resolutions and sent you home from this place wiser and better than you came and if you grew cold and suffered your good Resolutions to die again consider I beseech you what Account you have to give As he grew in Years it was necessary by degrees to ease his Labours he could not Preach so often but yet continued to Preach And yet had he not Preached at all or much less than he did he had not ceased to be a very useful Pastor to the Church for he was a Man of great Experience and great Prudence and Foresight fit for Government and Counsel who knew Men and Things was dexterous in his Applications zealous without Passion or Peevishness steady and resolved without violent Oppositions and needless Provocations who served the Church and the Truth with little Noise and without making many Enemies And I am sure at such a time as this there is more need of such Men and a much greater scarcity of them than of good Preachers But he was not only a good Preacher and a prudent Guide but a very good Man he Preached continually by his Life and Example his Conversation was Innocent Entertaining and Useful he was a true sincere Friend very Courteous Affable Civil to all Men but never pretended Friendship where he had none he was ready to do all good Offices was Liberal Generous and Charitable a Man of a true publick Spirit who scorned to serve himself to the Injury of others who hated little Arts and Tricks mean and servile Compliances he was an open and generous Enemy if we may ever call him an Enemy who never wished never intended any hurt to any Man but my meaning is that when any Dispute and Quarrel happened as such things will sometimes happen he was open and undisguised any Man might know what he disliked and had no reason to fear any thing worse from him than what he would â—…ell them In a Word He was a very â—…ood Christian and that made him â—…ood in all Relations and that Crowned all his other Labours he took care â—…s St. Paul did Lest while he preached to â—…thers he himself should become a cast-away And now he is gone to rest and we â—…ust all shortly follow him God grant â—…hat we may all so run our Race and â—…inish our Course that when we depart â—…his Life we may rest in Him as our â—…ope is this our Brother doth and may â—…eceive that Crown of Righteousness which God the Righteous Judge will â—…t that Day bestow on all his faithful Servants and on all those who love his Appearing SERMON VIII â—…each'd at the Temple-Church December 30. 1694. Upon the Sad Occasion of the Death of our Gracious Queen And Published at the Earnest Request of Several Masters of the Bench of Both Societies XXXIX Psalm 9. â—…as dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didst it THIS may be thought a very improper Text for the Feast of our Saviour's Birth when our â—…ouths ought to be filled with the Praiâ—… of God and sing with the whole â—…ire of Angels Glory be to God in the â—…hest on earth peace good will towards â—…n This indeed is that Peace which â—…e World cannot give and which the World cannot take away whateveâ—… the External Appearances of Providence are here we find a safe retreâ—… and a never-failing Spring of Joy Fâ—… he that spared not his own Son but 〈◊〉 livered him up for us all how shall 〈◊〉 not with
Providence but we may make our Complaints to God and be the more importunate in our Prayers for the Preservation of our King The Death of our excellent Queen both calls for and will justify and recommend such humble Importunities and the preservation of our King will in a great measure make up this Loss to us Which God of his infinite Mercy grant through our Lord Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be Honour Glory and Power now and for ever Amen SERMON IX Preach'd before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen at the Parish-Church of St. Bridget on Tuesday in Easter-Week April 6. 1697. 2 Cor. VIII 12. For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not THE Occasion of these Words was this The Christians of Iudaea were at this time in great Want by reason of a general Dearth which was foretold by Agabus at Antioch Acts II. 28. And there stood up one of them named Agabus and signified by the spirit That there should be great dearth throughout all the world which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Upon this Notice the Disciples every man according to his ability determined to send relief unto the Brethren which dwelt in Iudaea This is that Contribution for the Saints which St. Paul directs them about at the Conclusion of his first Epistle to them Ch. 16. and this is what he inculcates on them in this and the following Chapter but with so much Art and Insinuation that though he uses the most powerful Arguments yet he would not seem to persuade nor to think that they needed any Persuasion for it is not Honourable for Christians whose Religion is Charity to need such Persuasions and Importunities They may be directed in their Charity and put in Mind of such particular Charities as are of the greatest Necessity or the most present use or have the most general Influence or do the greatest Reputation and Service to Religion or their Charity may be heightened inflamed and enlarged by the proper Arguments and Motives of Liberality but their Religion teaches them to be Charitable and the Name and Profession of a Christian is a Reproach to them without it And this is all the Apostle aims at even in his soft and tender way of Persuasion not merely to persuade them to contribute to the Necessities of the Saints which he knew they were willing â—…o do but that they should contriâ—…ute liberally with a free and chearful Heart and open Hand which is the â—…um of all his Arguments as I shall â—…hew you in the Conclusion if Time permit But the great Difficulty concerns the proper Measures of a liberal and overflowing Charity Our Saviour has prescribed no set Bounds and Proportions to our Charity and it is thought as possible to be imprudent and excessive as too frugal and sparing We have many other Obligations upon us besides CHARITY to provide for our own comfortable Subsistence to take Care of our Wives and Children and to discharge all other Duties and Offices according to our Station and Character in the World All which ought to set Bounds to our Charity But what these Bounds are is thought the great Question which is not easily answered This is true nor can any certain Measures be prescribed nor does the Apostle pretend to it But though there is a great Latitude in true Christian Charity which does not consist in a Point but admits of different degrees and Proportions yet the Apostle in my Text directs us to such a Principle as is much better and safer than any stated Rules because it will be sure never to sink below the just Proportions of Charity and will render all we do be it more or less very acceptable to God For if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not In which Words I shall observe Three Things which are expressed or necessarily implied in them First That a great readiness and Forwardness of Mind to do Good is the true Spirit of Charity which gives Value and Acceptation to all we do Secondly That this readiness of Mind to do Good to Relieve the Necessities of those who want will observe the just Proportions of Giving will give according to what a man hath as is necessarily implied in the Words for if a willing Mind be accepted according to what a man hath it is because it gives according to what a man hath Thirdly That where there is this Willing Mind with a fitting Proportion according to our Abilities whether it be more or less which we give it is equally acceptable to God Such a Man is accepted according to what â—…e hath not according to what he hath â—…ot I shall speak as briefly as I can to each of these that I may not be prevented in such an Application as is proper to this Solemnity First That a great Readiness and Forwardness of Mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to do Good to relieve the Necessities of those in Want is the true Spirit of Charity and gives Value and Acceptation to all we do Such a Willingness of Mind when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Principle and first Mover in all our Charitable Actions is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very acceptable to God This I think I may take for granted for what is the Grace and Vertue of Charity but a Charitable Inclination Disposition Temper Habit of Mind And what is this but a Readiness and Forwardness to do Good Our Inclinations and Passions are the Principles of Action and therefore have a natural Tendency towards their proper Acts and Objects and will act when they have the Power and Opportunity of Action Charity is Love the Love of Pity and Compassion to the Miseries and Sufferings and Wants of our Brethren and Love in all other Instances is a very restless active Principle and so will our Love to the Poor and Miserable be if it be Inclination and Habit. There is no man but will pretend to be very ready and willing to do Good though he never does any For to have no Inclination to do Good is so Infamous that those who do no good are ashamed to own it but to do no good is a plain Evidence against them when nothing can hinder them from doing Good but the want of Will and Inclination to do it when God has furnished them with the means of doing Good and there are thousands of Objects to exercise their Charity and to move their Pity if they had any The Will is accepted for the Deed both by God and Men when it is not in our Power to do that Good which we sincerely desire to do and which we would certainly do were it in our Power but it is to mock both God and Men to pretend a Willingness when â—…t is
Brutes who love Money only to look on or to count their Bags and Securities without suffering themselves or any body else to use it they are not fit to be named For I can hardly reckon them among reasonable Creatures But men's Care of themselves and of their Wives and Children not to descend at present to other Relations which may come within the compass of Charity though of a nearer and more sacred Obligation is thought a very Prudent and Reasonable Consideration in this Case and indeed is so for there is a great deal of Truth and Reason in that common Saying rightly understood That Charity begins at Home The great Controversy then is between our Love to our Selves our Wives and Children and Charity to the Poor Now there is no Dispute but the First must have the Preference but yet Charity to the Poor must have its Place also And then the only Question is In what Proportion this must be And that is a very hard Question if you put it in Arithmetick for I can name no Proportion nor has our Saviour thought fit to name any But as I observed to you before True Charity will assign a just Proportion to it self For a true Charitable Mind will spare what it reasonably can and never below the Proportion of Charity and will spare more or less according to the Degrees of its Charity I must be forced to represent this in short to you that I may not be tedious That Love we have for our selves and for our Natural Dependents will generally secure us against exceeding the Proportions of Charity that there is seldom any Danger on that side On the other hand if we have a true Charitable Mind and a sincere Compassion for the Sufferings of others we shall certainly do what we our selves considering our Circumstances and what all Charitable men who know our Circumstances will call Charity But then the more Intense and Fervent our Charity is this will still increase the Proportion and sometimes to such Heights as can hardly escape the â—…ensure of Affectation and Folly And â—…ere it not for the Interposition of the â—…ivine Providence might sometimes â—…rove very fatal to themselves and their â—…amilies As to give you the Account â—…f this in short There are Two things â—…bsolutely necessary to dispose men to â—…ive Liberally A just Sense of the Miseries of others and a true Judgment of our own Abilities As for the First A Charitable Mind is very easy to receive the Impressions of Charity and the more charitably it is disposed still the more easy Every pitiable Object moves and affects such men and they are no more able to resist the Silent Oratory of meager Looks naked Backs and hungry Bellies were they not sometimes harden'd by Cheats and Vagabonds than to deny themselves what is Necessary to Life Much less can they deny any known and unquestioned Charity for since Charitable they are and Acts of Charity they will do they are very glad to know how to dispose of their Charity to do that Good which they intend by it A soft and tender Mind which feels the Sufferings of others and suffers with them is the true Temper and Spirit of Charity and Nature prompts us to ease those Sufferings which we feel This makes us so ready to supply our own Wants because we have a quick and smart Sense of them and the Christian Sympathy and fellow-feeling of Charity will proportionably incline us to relieve our Suffering Brethren when we feel in our selves what it is they suffer An inward Principle is more powerful than all external Arguments and Sense and Feeling is this Principle and Charity is this Sense Thus as for Proportions a Charitable Mind sets no other Bounds to its Charity but only Ability that the only Question is Whether we can spare any thing from our selves and Families and what we can spare Now when Charity is the judge of this it is always a favourable Judge on the side of the Poor and Miserable and always the more favourable Judge the greater the Charity is It will teach us to think That we want less and consequently can spare more when we consider how much others want At least it will teach us to abate of what we do not want of all Idle and Superfluous Expences of all needless Pomp and Ceremony which is more than our Station and Character requires and it is incredible to think what an inexhausted Fund this would be for Charity Did we truly estimate our own Wants rectify our Expences and set just Bounds to our Desires many of us would soon find that we have a great deal to spare And nothing will so effectually do this as Charity and therefore Charity is the best Rule and Measure to it self So that there is no great occasion to dispute Proportions let us learn to be Charitable and Charity will teach us what to give Every man can tell when another is Charitable and a Charitable man can tell when he himself is so and as our Charity increases so we shall abound in the Fruits of Charity for the more we love the more liberally we shall give This is not to leave what we will give to Charitable Uses to our own free Choice as a Trial of our Ingenuity as some represent it For had this been the Case there should have been some Proportion fixt less than which we should not give though we might give as much more as we pleased for otherwise nothing is matter of strict Duty but all is left to Ingenuity which is so far from being true that there is not a more necessary Duty in all Religion than Charity and even the greatest Degrees and Heights of Charity are all Duty For we are commanded to be Charitable and to aim at the highest Degrees of Charity and the Proportion of giving is referred to the Principle and included in the Degrees of Charity such a Proportion as such a Degree of Charity will give is as much a strict Duty as such a Degree of Charity is The very nature of Charity proves that thus it is and that it can't be otherwise For meerly to give or not to give to give more or less is no certain proof of a charitable or uncharitable Man how liberally soever we give we are not charitable unless we give from a Principle of Charity and our Charity be as great as our Gift So that had God prescribed how much every Man must give to the Poor they might have observed this proportion of Giving without any Charity and then such Gifts as these had been no acts of Charity when the Gift and the Charity was parted But a Charitable Man will give and will give in proportion to the degrees of his Charity and therefore Charity and the encrease of Charity is the only proper object of Command for he will give liberally who loves much and the proportion of giving is commanded in the degrees of Charity which alone can prescribe and
will observe a just proportion Let no Man then enquire how much he must give the proper enquiry is how much he must love Let no man satisfy himself with some small trifling Presents which bear no proportion to what he has upon pretence that God has prescribed no proportion of giving but let him ask himself Whether in his own Conscience what he gives bears any proportion to that love and charity to the poor and miserable which God requires and let him remember that though God has not fixt the proportions of giving he requires great degrees of Charity and though Men may give liberally without Charity yet not to give in some due proportion is a certain sign of want of Charity when there wants no ability to give Give me leave to observe by the way that what I have now said of Charity is true of all other Christian Graces and Virtues that it is the principle which both must and will give laws and measures to the external acts of such Graces and Virtues As to instance at present only in the Acts of Religious Worship the measures and proportions of which are as much disputed and no more determined and limited by the Laws of our Saviour than those of Charity We are commanded to fast and pray and to communicate at the Lord's Table and to read and meditate on the Holy Scriptures and such other acts of Religion but we are not told how often we must fast and pray and receive the Lord's Supper nor how much time we must spend in our publick or private Devotions for though all the publick Exercises of Religion must be regulated by the publick Authority of the Church which as to time and place and other external circumstances is the safest rule yet our private Devotions are free and both publick and private Devotions have a great latitude and thus as it is in the case of Charity some men think they can never spend time enough in the publick and private â—…xercises of Religion and others â—…hink a very little will serve the turn â—…nd any trifling pretence is sufficient to â—…xcuse them from their Closets or the Church and especially from the Lord's Table And the resolution of this is the same â—…s in the case of Charity We are commanded to be devout Worshippers of God and the true spirit of Devotion â—…aturally prescribes the external meaâ—…ures and proportions Devout minds who have a true sense of God and of their constant dependance on him That they owe all temporal and spiritual Blessings to him and daily need the pardon of their Sins the ptotection of his Providence and the supplies of his Grace will never fail to worship God whom they inwardly reverence and adore and as our devout sense of God encreases in strength and vigour the external expressions of devotion will be more frequent more lively and affecting for nature will exert it self and will exert it self in proportion to its strength and vigour But to return 3. The third thing I proposed I must at present wave that where there is a willing mind with a fit proportion according to our abilities which as you have heard there will be where there is a truly willing and charitable mind whether it be more or less that we give it is equally acceptable to God Such a man is accepted according to what he hath not according to what he hath not and indeed there is no great occasion to insist on it for it is self-evident that God will not exact that from us which we have not Only we must observe that this does not excuse any man from Charity though he have nothing to give he must have a willing charitable mind to make him accepted nor does it excuse those from Charity who have but little to give for they must give according to what they have nor does it excuse those who have nothing to give from other acts of Charity which require the giving nothing and a great many such acts of real charity there are which poor people may do for each other though they have not a penny in their purse But it is time now to turn my Discourse to the proper business of this great Solemnity Publick Charities are always reckoned amongst the greatest Ornaments of any Country and make up the most lovely and charming part of their Characters Stately and magnificent Buildings shew great Art and great Riches and a gallant and noble Genius but great Charities have something divine and strike the Mind with a Religious Veneration There may be much more magnificent Shows than this Day 's Procession but none which affect wise and good Men with a sincerer Pleasure To follow a great number of Orphans in the mean but decent Dress of Charity singing the Praises of God and praying for their Benefactors is beyond all the Roman Triumphs however adorned with a pompous Equipage and great numbers of Royal Slaves These present us with nothing but the miserable Spectacles of Spoil and Rapine the uncertain Changes and Viâ—…issitudes of Fortune the lamentable Fate of conquered Princes and People and the Pride and Insolence of Conquerors but here are the Triumphs of a generous Goodness and divine Charity Triumphs without Blood and Spoil without Slaves and Captives unless redeem'd Slaves rescued from the Jaws of Poverty and all the Injuries and Miseries of a ruined Fortune That to me this great City and this honourable Train never looks greater than in this humble Pomp. A Pomp not for Vanity and Ostentation but to endear and recommend Charity by shewing the visible and blessed Fruits of it and to the same End I must give you an account of the present State of these publick Charities The Report was here Read THAT these are all great Charities I need not tell you indeed all so great that it is hard to know to which to give the Preference and what occasion all these Charities have of fresh liberal and constant Supplies the Report acquaints you But I cannot pass over one thing I observe in this Report and which I fear many necessitous People feel that there have been no Orphans taken into Christ's Hospital this Year nor as I remember for two Years last past I do not mention this by way of Reflection as any fault in the administration and government but to put you in mind how much that excellent Foundation needs your Supply and though I do not love to compare Charities they being all of great use and necessity in their kind yet I think this Foundation has something to plead for it self beyond any other A helpless Age destitute of Friends â—…nd all means of Support will plead â—…or it self without saying any thing â—…t is a pitiable Sight to see poor â—…nnocent Children turned helpless inâ—…o the wide World to starve or beg or steal or to suffer all imaginable Difficulties and Necessities at home without Education without Government or Discipline without being used â—…o labour or taught any honest
coâ—… cerns the Christian Church we maâ—… learn from the Epistles to the Sevâ—… Churches of Asia what it is provokâ—… our Lord either severely to punish us to remove the Gospel from us Tâ—… Church of Ephesus though she had aâ—… quitted her self well in many thing yet had left her first Love had abated very much of her Zeal and Fervour for the Name and Religion of Christ. The Church of Pergamâ—…s is threatned for suffering those among her who taught Idolatrous Worship and fleshly Lusts And the Church of Thyatira likewise for suffering the Woman Iezaâ—…el to commit Fornicatâ—…on and to eat things sacrificed to Idols The Church of Sardis made a glorious and pompous Profession of Religion but without the true Life and Spirit of it â—…e had a name to live but was dead And the Church of Laodicea grew very cold and indifferent even in the Profession of Religion as well as in the Practice of it she was neither hot nor cold 〈◊〉 lukewarm All these our Saviour summons to Repentance and threatens to punish or destroy them if they did not Chap. 2 and 3. of the Revelations The Application of all this to our selves is so obvious that I need not multiply Words about it We are that very Nation wherein all these Evils meet it is hard to name any Vice which is not openly committed amongst us without Fear or Shame Nay things are come to that pass that to be a modest Sinner to boggle at any Wickedness oâ—… to blush at it is as great a Reproach as to be Virtuous And though somâ—… Men are ashamed to own themselveâ—… Atheists yet to believe in Christ and to own any Reveal'd Religion or tâ—… talk seriously of Providence of God governing the World and punishinâ—… Cities and Nations for their Wickeâ—… ness is thought a Jest and I wiâ—… it were a Jest only among vile anâ—… mean People of no Fortune or Education whereas we often see that theâ—… Condition makes them modest and uâ—… taught Nature teaches them better tâ—… they are corrupted by the Examples 〈◊〉 Men of Wit and Figure in the Worlâ—… And as for those who pretend to Relâ—… gion it is a very melancholy Prospecâ—… to observe how little of the true Liâ—… and Spirit of Christianity there is 〈◊〉 mong them There is indeed Noiâ—… and Zeal and Faction enough amonâ—… some People and that makes others 〈◊〉 cold and indifferent The Tempers of thâ—… Church of Sardis and Laodicea thâ—… one that had a Name to live but waâ—… dead the other that was lukewarmâ—… make much the greatest Parties amonâ—… us and the very best Men I fear are too much inclined to the State of Ephesus which had left her first Love those great Passions and Ardours of Devotion which ought to inspire the Minds of Christians Let us then hear the Rod and tremble See how God dealt with the Iewish Church for these Sins see what our Lord hath done to the Churches of Asia and though we cannot say what God will do to us because we know not what wonderful Designs are in the Womb of Providence yet we know what we do and how God hath dealt with those who have done as we do which is too just reason to fear that he will deal so by us too unless we repent and reform which they did not For 2dly When the Judgments of God are upon us the Reformation must be universal too It concerns every Man to reform himself for a Nation can never be reformed but by the Reformation of particular Men who make up the Nation and therefore when we are summon'd to Repentance as the Judgments of God summon us all every Man must examine himself what he has to repent of and reform himself But yet there is great difference between a National and Personal Repentance and Reformation and they serve very different Ends. A Nation may be said to be reformed and God may in great Mercy remove his Judgments though what is never to be expected every particular Man do not repent and reform himself But then such a National Reformation requires the Execution of publick Justice against publick Wickedness to make Sin publickly infamous and to teach the greatest and most powerfuâ—… Sinners Modesty To banish if noâ—… Sinners yet Sin out of our Courts and out of our Streets and to make it once more seek for Night and Darkness foâ—… a Covering that Virtue may no longer blush in Company or need Apologies Nor Vice dare to brave it at Noon-day There has indeed of late been some Care taken by publick Laws and Royal Proclamations to punish the Prophanation of God's Name by accursed Oaths but yet in most Cases Men may be as vile as they please and as publickly so as they please and little or no notice taken of them nay they may talk and write what they please against God and Religion ridicule the History of Moses and the Gospel of our Saviour and the Mysteries of the Christian Faith and gain Credit and Reputation by it I hope there are not many Christian Nations in the World which in so publick a manner permit these things We have talk'd of Liberty of Conscience and Reformation to good purpose if the only Effect of it be a Liberty of ridiculing the Christian Faith which might make one suspect that all the Zeal some Men have express'd against Popery was at the bottom of it a Zeal for Atheism and Irreligion which the Discipline of Popery as bad a Religion as it is would not endure it is indeed well fitted to make Atheists and Infidels but will make Men have a care how they profess it And it is to be feared that this Scepticism and Infidelity and Contempt of Religion will prove a Back-door to let in Popery again upon us But to leave these Thoughts with those whose proper Care and Business it is whether a Nation will be reformed or not it concerns every particular Man to hear the Rod The Judgments of God warn us of his Anger and Displeasure against Sin that we may fly from the Wrath to come and we do not hear the Voice of the Rod nor improve Judgments to their true end if we do not so repent and reform as to save our Souls and this to be sure must be a Personal and an Universal Reformation And yet even with respect to present Judgments a Personal Repentance and Reformation is of great use for when the Judgment is Publick and National God many times makes a remarkable distinction between Persons Say ye to the Righteous it shall be well with them for they shall reap the fruit of their Doings Wo unto the Wicked it shall be ill with him for the Reward of his Hands shall be given to him Which is spoke with respect to Publick Judgments Isa. 3. 10 11. Which is a sufficient Encouragement for particular Men to repent and reform their Lives whatever others do But it is time to apply what I have now discoursed to the
but to perswade and direct you to turn the Delights and Charms of Musick into the Raptures of Devotion which would the most effectually silence all the Enemies of Church-Musick and Cathedral-Worship while as a divine Poet of our own Sings This would visibly turn Delight into a Sacrifice Now since Musick what ever it be and how well soever performed is of no use or value in Religion but as it serves the true ends of Devotion we must enquire What that Harmony and Melody is which is so acceptable to God How fit External and Sensible Melody is to promote this and how it may and ought to be improved to that purpose 1. As for the first I need not tell any Man who understands the Nature of Christian Worship that it is only they Melody of the Heart as St. Paul speakes that pleaseth God All true Christian Worship whatever the externals of it are is the Worship of the Mind and Spirit This alone is that Worship which it becomes a reasonable Creature to pay to his Maker his Sovereign Lord and Saviour as the Blessed Virgin sang My Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour For it is the Mind only that can praise God though the tongue must sing his Praises The best composed Hymns the most Musical Instruments the most Charming Voices are but lifeless Mechanical Sounds till they are Animated and Inspired by the Devotion of the Heart and God takes no more pleasure in the best Voices than in bodily strength or beauty Now the Melody of the Heart is the Consent and Harmony of all the Powers and Passions of our Souls in the Praises of God When Love and Joy and Admiration and the profoundest Reverence bear their several Parts and offer up our whole Souls as a Living Vocal Hymn of Praise Then we sing aloud in our Hearts to God when we feel the greatest Transports and Extasies of these Divine Passions which swallow us up in God and unite us to the Heavenly Quire Then we sing with true Melody in our Hearts to God when these Divine Passions which are Essential to Praise and Thanksgiving charm all our earthly Passions into a Calm quiet all their Storms and Tumults leave no jarring Discords no Discontents no Sollicitous Cares no Jealousies no Envyings to discompose the Harmony of our Souls which must be all Peace all Love all Joy to sing with a true Divine Melody the Praises of God This and nothing else is the true Praise of God when our minds are filled with such bright Ideas of his Glory and Perfections with such a lively Sense of his Majesty Wisdom Goodness Power discover'd in his great and wonderful Works of Creation Providence and the Redemption of the World by our Lord Jesus Christ as transport us with Love Admiration and Joy A Heart thus full of God will break forth into Songs of Praise When the Fire is kindled within as the Psalmist observes from his own Experience we shall then speak with our Tongues Here our Praises ought to begin to be sure here they must always end in the Heat and fervour of our Affections and an inward feeling of the Divine Praises if we would have them an acceptable Worship of God As far as the Harmony of Voices or Musical Instruments serve this End they are excellent Helps to Devotion but it is only their Subserviency to the Devotion of the Mind which gives them any Value or allows them any Place in Religious Worship 2dly Let us then consider of what Use Musick is to excite and quicken our Affections and to give a new Life and Spirit to Devotion Man is not all Soul and Spirit but a compound Creature consisting of Soul and Body and while our Souls are vitally united to Bodies they receive most of their Passions from them at least feel the most strong and vigorous Motions from those Impressions which our Senses make and Sight it self does not more variously affect our Minds than Hearing does Words and Sounds have very powerful Charms and give as quick a Turn to our Thoughts and Passions as Sight it self and not only Words but even a diversity of Sounds are fitted by Nature to express and to excite very different Passions Love Joy Admiration Desire Fear Sorrow Indignation Revenge give some distinguishing Notes and Accents to the very Voice which no Art but Nature teaches and which betrays the Passion without speaking a Word And such different Notes will also as forcibly imprint such Passions on our Minds as they naturally represent and that many times whether we will or no which is a great Secret in Nature and shews an unaccountable Sympathy between Sounds and Passions which are by turns the Natural effects and causes of each other and there needs no other proof what the natural power of Musick must be to raise and to calm our Passions and the Experience of all Mankind tells us that thus it is when the Composer knows how to fit Notes to Passions which the Knowledge of Humane Nature not the meer proportion of Sounds must teach him Without this a fine piece of Musick is like a company of fine Words put together without any great Sense or Meaning they make a fine Sound and that is all Now if there be a Natural Sympathy and mutual Causality between Sounds and Passions there is no doubt but true Devotional Musick will Excite or Heighten our Devotional Passions as we daily see and complain that wanton and amorous Airs are apt to kindle wanton Fires for Nature will act like it self whether you apply it to good or to bad purposes If there be no force in Musick to give a good or bad tincture to the Mind why do any Men complain of wanton Songs They may then blame the Poet but neither the Composer nor Singer for the Musick it seems does no hurt if there be Why do they condemn Church-Musick which will have as good an Influence upon a devout Mind as the other has a bad One Why then should any Man think Musick improper for the worship of God It is a Natural Power though improved by Art as most other natural Powers are and all Natural Powers are made for the Worship and Service of God as far as they are capable of serving him which Musick is in a very high Degree if it have such a Natural Power over our Passions as to Increase and Actuate though it can't create Devotion Both Poetry and Musick were originally used to celebrate the Praises of God lost their Glory when they descended to meaner Subjects but were prophaned by a prostitution to men's Lusts and Vices The first account we have of singing is the Song of Moses Exod. 15. when God had made the Children of Israel to pass through the Red-Sea on dry ground and had drowned the Aegyptians and we can't have a more ancient Account than this which is the most ancient History in the World And throughout the Old Testament both
aside the afflicted State of the Christian Church the Profess'd Enemies of Cathedral-Worship allow us as Great and Early Authorities as we desire St. Basil St. Ambrose and St. Chrysostom always will be Venerable Names The Church was restored to Peace but in the Fourth Century and then this Worship revived and that by the Authority and Example of as Great and Good Men as any the Church had That Erasmus himself and many Reformers were great Enemies to this way of Worship as it was then practised in the Church of Rome is no great Wonder when their Hymns as well as their Prayers being performed in an unknown Tongue all their Singing was meer Noise which could contribute nothing to Devotion But this is no greater Argument against our English Hymns and Anthems than against our English Prayers If they meant any thing more we must demand their Reasons For as for Authority our own Reformers and Reformation have anâ—… that deservedly a much greater Authority in the World But I must hasten to a Conclusion Which brings me to the Third Thing I proposed How Musick may and ought to be improved to the Purposes of Devotion And here I must beg leave to speak something briefly to Three Sorts of Men Composers Singers and Hearers which will serve for the Application of the Whole First As for Composers Those who set our Hymns and Anthems to Musical Notes I do not pretend to Skill in Musick much less to be able to Teach such great Masters as this Age hath bred but I hope in some Measure I do and may be allowed to Understand and Teach Devotion which is all I intend in this for that which according to all the Rules of Art must be allowed for excellent Musick may not always be proper for Devotion It is a great Mistake in Composing Hymns and Anthems to consider only what Notes are Musical and will Delight and Entertain the Hearers The true Rule is What Notes are most proper to Excite or Quicken such Passions of Devotion as the Words of the Hymn or Anthem Express This indeed can't be done without Skill in Musick but true Devotion is the best Director of that Skill for a Devout Mind will judge of the Devotion as a Skilful Ear does of the Musick of Sounds That the most certain way for the greatest Masters to Compose such Hymns and Anthems as are fit for the Worship of God and may best serve the Devotions of Christians is to work their own Minds first into all those Heights and Flames of Devotion which they are to Express in Sounds which they will find a double Advantage in it will make them Good Christians and Admirable Composers of Church-Musick A Devout Ear without any great Skill in Musick soon finds the want of this A Grave Serious Mind which is the true Temper of Devotion is disturbed by Light and Airy Compositions which disperse the Thoughts and give a Gay and Frisking Motion to the Spirits and call the Mind off from the Praises of God to attend meerly to the agreeable Variety of Sounds which is all that can be expected from such Sounds as have nothing of Devotion in them Which is so much the worse still when as is now grown very common in such Compositions they are elogged with Needless and Endless Repetitions A Repetition serves only to give an Emphasis and it requires a great Judgment to place it Right and is very absurd when it is placed Wrong but we often see that there is too little Regard had to this The Skill of Altering Notes is the whole Design which when there is not very great occasion for it is like School-Boys Varying Phrases or like Ringing the Changes which how entertaining soever it be when we have nothing to do but to attend to Sounds is yet very Nauseous and Offensive to Devout Minds in Religious Worship I thank God the Ordinary Service of our Church is very Grave and Solemn and well fitted to Devotion And as for more Modern Compositions the Governours of Churches ought to take care to receive nothing into the Worship of God but what is fitted to serve Devotion and this would effectually answer the greatest Objections against Church-Musick Secondly As for those who are Employed in Singing the Church-Service and Anthems to assist the Devotions of the Congregation it certainly becomes them to behave themselves very Devoutly in it Musical Instruments which have no Life and Sense may Minister to our Devotions though they are capable of none themselves but it gives great Offence and Scandal to see those who are daily employed in Singing Praises to God to shew no Signs of Devotion in themselves much more by an Irreverent Behaviour to betray great Symptoms of want of Devotion I thank God we have no great reason to make this Complaint in this Church and I hope shall every day have less but this is a good occasion to mind all such Persons how Devout they ought to be if Musick be a Help to Devotion who have this Advantage from Art and Nature first to Excite their own Devotions and then to Assist the Devotions of others which last must be a very tasteless uneasie Employment if they have no Devotion of their own And a great Reproach also to their Art when they themselves are Witnesses how little Devotion it Teaches But there is one thing which I believe is not so well considered which yet is just Matter of Scandal for those who Sing Divine Hymns and Anthems at Church and whose Prosession it is to do so to Sing Wanton and Amorous Lewd Atheistical Songs out of it Men who have enter'd themselves into the Service of the Church have Consecrated their Voices to God not so as never to Sing any thing else but Hymns and Anthems but yet so as never to Sing any thing to the Reproach of God Religion or Vertue This unbecomes any Man who calls himself a Christian much more those whose peculiar Employment it is to Sing the Praises of God Thirdly As for Hearers they ought also to consider That their Business at Church is not meerly to be Entertained with Musick but to Exercise their Devotions which is the true End of Church-Musick to Praise God with the more servent Passions It is a Contempt of Religion and of the House of God to come only to please our Ears to hear Better Voices and more Curious Compositions and more Artful Singing than we can meet with in other Places This I have reason to fear is the Case of very many who resort hither who especially on the Lord's-Day Crowd into the Church to hear the Anthem and when that is over to the great Disturbance of the Worship of God and the Scandal of all good Christians Crowd as fast out again Though there is this good in it that they make Room for Devouter People who immediately fill up their Places to attend the Instructions of God's Word But I hope this will not be charged upon the Service
their Vices and bad Names to Vertue This is so common and so well known that I need not insist on it An easie obliging friendly Conversation is very charming when it is governed by strict Vertue these Men let the Vertue alone and justifie their Vices as only the Effects and Instances of good Humour and Sociableness and of a complying Temper to make their Company easie and their Conversation pleasant and entertaining and this they think a good Apology for all their Lewdness Debaucheries and Profaneness which may make them agreeable Company for one another but very unfit for the Conversation not only of good Men but of prudent and cautious Sinners but that is all one they will have this good Humour and that is a good Name which will suit any Vice which pleases themselves and their Company Thus to be diligent in our Business prudent and frugal in our Expences to mortifie our sensual Appetites and deny the Cravings of Lust and use our Bodies hardly are very commendable things when they are opposed to Idleness and Luxury and have regard to the Care of our Families and to make us capable of all Acts of Charity and to subdue the Flesh to the Spirit and to make us more devout Worshippers of God And therefore a meer Earth-worm who does all this for no other end but to get or to save his Money tho' he starve himself and his Family and the Poor by it and makes himself a vile Slave all his Days calls this fordid Covetousness by these good Names of Diligence Prudence Frugality Temperance Mortification when in Truth it is nothing but a love of Money above his Ease and Pleasure and adoring it as his God Thus on the other hand Superstition and Hypocrisie are very ill Names and these at all Adventures they bestow upon Piety and Vertue to excuse their own Neglect and Contempt of both as if no Man could be sincere because there are some Hypocrites or as if there were no such thing as Religion because some Men would appear to be religious who are not though it is a better Argument for Religion that even bad Men desire to be thought religious Thus an affected Singularity is very offensive and nauseous to all wise Men and this is their Name for a sullen inflexible Vertue which will not do a bad thing to please its Company nor admit bad Men into the Privacies and Familiarities of Conversation as if there were no Medium between affecting Singularity and being wicked for Company This is the Art of changing Names call any Vertue or Vice by its own Name such as Piety Justice Charity Temperance Chastity or Profaneness Injustice Drunkenness Adultery and they have nothing to say against the one nor for the other for these are Names of Honour and Esteem or of Infamy and Reproach all the World over But if they can find any thing in Vice which bears the least resemblance to what some Vertues oblige us to they presently give the Names of those Vertues to their Vices and if a vertuous Man may do any thing for wise and good Reasons which has any Likeness or Analogy to what bad Men do for very bad Reasons they give the Names of those Vices to Vertue which is in a strict and proper Sense to call Evil Good and Good Evil And this there are too many guilty of who are not profess'd Atheists or Infidels who think it some Excuse for their Vices if they can find any thing good to say of them and an Apology for their Lukewarmness and Indifferency in Religion if they can charge some zealous Professors with Pharisaism and Hypocrisy but by whomsoever and for what reason soever this be done the Woe belongs to all those who call evil good and good evil 2dly What is meant by putting darkness for light and light for darkness Darkness and Light very often in Scripture signifie Vice and Vertue Sin is the work of Darkness to walk in the Light is to live holily as St. Iohn tells us 1 Iohn 1. ver 6 7. if we say we have fellowship with him God and walk in darkness live in any Sin we lie and do not the truth but if we walk in the light as he is in the light if we are holy as God is holy then have we Fellowship one with another and thus it is the same with calling Evil Good and Good Evil. But then Darkness signifies also Ignorance and Error false and corrupt Notions of God and Religion and Light a clear and certain Knowledge especially in matters of Religion what concerns the Will of God and the way to Heaven as our Saviour tells us light is come into the world but men love darkness rather than light John 3. 19. And thus we must understand it here Those Men who call Evil Good and Good Evil who reject the moral differences of Good and Evil and confound the Names of Vertue and Vice pervert all the Principles of Knowledge and Rules of judging between Good and Evil they put darkness for light call all the arbitrary and ridiculous Principles of Atheism and Infidelity Light and esteem them as the most true and certain Knowledge though indeed they teach us nothing but reduce us to the most perfect state of Ignorance by unteaching all that Mankind knew before for if there be no God and no difference between Good and Evil there is an End of all Knowledge which is the Light of the Mind for the next step is to put light for darkness to reject all the Natural and all the Supernatural Means of Knowledge the Natural Notions of our Minds the Natural Light of Reason and the Supernatural Light of Revelation as meer Ignorance and Imposture the Cheats of Education or of a timorous Fancy or the Cunning of Statesmen or the Inventions of Priests Such Men you know there are in the World and this Woe belongs to them 3dly To put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter is a corruption not meerly of our Judgment but of our Natural Sensation of our Natural Taste and Relish of Things Bitter signifies whatever is naturally uneasy grievous offensive as bitter things are to the Palate that which causes Trouble Anguish Remorse as all wicked Actions naturally do now such thingâ—… as are grievous and afflicting to all the rest of Mankind who have any natural Sense left these Men call sweet account their Pleasure and Happiness But then what is naturally sweet hath a Natural Easiness Pleasure Satisfaction as all good and vertuous Actions have this they call bitter these are the grievances of their Life an intollerable Yoke which they cannot and will not bear This is the most degenerate State of Human Nature which hath lost all Relish of Vertue and all Sense of Shame and Fear and Remorse when they do Evil their Minds are perfectly dead and stupid without any Rational or Spiritual Sensations they have nothing but their bodily Senses left and by these alone they judge of Sweet and