Ex Libris C. K. OGDEN THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES LECTURES ON THE C AT E C H I S M OF THE Church of England: WITH A DISCOURSE O N CONFIRMATION. By THOMAS .SECKER, LL. D. Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. The SEVENTH EDITION. Publifhed from the Original Manufcripts By Be i ley Porte us, D.D. and George Stinton, D.D. His Grace's Chaplains. ~* " ' «^— !■■.. ■ .ill — . ■ ■ i ■- ■ i ■ - ■ — VOL. I. LONDON: Printed for J.Rivington and Sons, St. Paul's Churchyard; and B. White and Son, at Horace's Head, Fleet-itrect. M,DCC,XC. LLEk %\m 5. 1 CONTENTS O F T H E FIRST VOLUME. LECTURE I. TNTRODUCTION. Page i. LECTURE II. Privileges of Bap t if n. P. 19- LECTURE III. Renunciation in Baptifm. P-33* LECTURE IV. Obligation to believe and to do. P. 49. LECTURE V. Grounds and Rule of Faith. P. 61. LECTURE VI. Creed. Article I. I believe in God the Father, &c. P. 7Q. LECTURE VII. Creed. Article II. And in Jefus Chrijl his only Son our Lor dm P. 95. a 2 LECTURE J tf • 3 .f" ."■ . -~v »-^ CONTENTS. LECTURE VIII. Creed. Article III. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghofl, born of the Virgin Mary. P. 109. LECTURE IX. Creed. Article IV. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified^ dead and buried ; he defcended into Hell. P. 125, LECTURE X. Creed. Article V. The third Day he arofe again from the dead. P. 145. LECTURE XI. Creed. Article VI. He afcended into Heaven, and fitteth on the right Hand of God the Father Almighty. P. 161. LECTURE XII. Creed. Article VII. From thence he fall come to judge the quick and the dead. P. 179. LECTURE XIII. Creed. Article VIII. 1 believe in the Holy Ghofl. P. 195. CONTENTS. LECTURE XIV. Creed. Article IX. The Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints. P. 213. LECTURE XV. Creed. Article X. The Forgivenefs of Sins. P. 229. LECTURE XVI. Creed. Articles XI, XII. Part I. The Refurreclion of the Body, and the Life ever/a/ling. P. 247. LECTURE XVII. Creed. A rticles XI, XII. Part II. The RefurrcSlicn of the Body, and the x Life everlafling. P. 26 5. LECTURE XVIII. The fir ft Commandment, P. 2S5. LECTURE XIX. Tioe fecond Commandment \ P. 303. LECTURE XX. The third Commandment, P. 321. LECTURE XXI. The fourth Commandment. P. 337. CONTENT S O F T H E SECOND VOLUME. LECTURE XXII. HT'IIE fifth Commandment, Part I. Page 3; LECTURE XXIII. The fifth Commandment. Part II. P. 21. LECTURE XXIV. Thefxth Commandment. P. 39. LECTURE XXV. Thefeventh Commandment. P. $$• LECTURE XXVI. The eighth Commandment. P. J$* LECTURE XXVII. The ninth Commandment. P. 95, LECTURE XXVIII. The tenth Commandment. P. 113. CONTENTS, LECTURE XXIX. Of Man's Inability, God's Grace x and Prayer to Him for it. P. I3*« LECTURE XXX. The Lord's Prayer. Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy Name. P. 149. LECTURE XXXI. Thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done. P. 165. LECTURE XXXII. Give us this Day our daily Bread : and forgive us our Trefpajfes, as we forgive them that trefpafs againjlus. P. ljj. LECTURE XXXIII. And lead us not into Temptation ; but deliver us from Evil :for thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, for ever and ever. Amen. P. 193. LECTURE XXXIV. The "Nature and Number of the Sacraments. P. 207. LECTURE XXXV. Of B apt if m. P. 221. CONTENTS. L E CTURE XXXVI. Of the Lord's Supper, Part I. P. 239. LECTURE XXXVII. Of the Lord's Supper. Part II. P. 255. LECTURE XXXVIII. Of the Lord's Supper. Part III. P. 267. LECTURE XXXIX. The Conclufon. P. 279. A Sermon on Confirmation. P. 299. LECTURE LECTURE I. INTRODUCTION* IN all Matters of importance, every one that wants Information, mould firft feek for it, then attend to it : and the more our Happinefs depends upon judging and acting right in any Cafe, the more Care and Pains we mould take to qualify our- felves for both. Now the Happinefs of all Perfons depends beyond Comparifon chiefly on being truly religious. For true Religion confifts in three Things ; reafon- able Government of ourfelves, good Beha- viour towards our Fellow-creatures, and Dutifulnefs to our Maker : the Practice of which will give us, for the mod Part, Health of Body and Eafe of Mind, a com- fortable Provision of Necefl'aries, and Peace with all around usj but however, will al- Vol. I. A ways 1 LECTURE I. ways fecure to us, what is infinitely more va- luable (till, the Favour and Bleffing of God : who, on thefe Terms, will both watch over us continually with a fatherly Kindnefs in this Life, and beflow on us eternal Felicity in the next. Since, therefore, whoever is religious muft be happy, the great Concern of every one of us is to know and obferve the Doc- trines and Rules which Religion delivers. Now we all come into the World igno- rant of thefe; and our Faculties are fo weak at firft, and gain flrength fo flowly ; and the Attention of our earlier Years to ferious Things is fo fmall ; that even were our Duty to comprehend no more than our own Reafon could teach us, few, if any, would learn it fufficiently without Affiftance ; and none fo foon as they would need it. They would come out into a World full of Dangers, every Way unprepared for avoid- ing them ; would go wrong in the very Be- ginning of Life, perhaps fatally : at lead would hurt, if they did not ruin themfelves ; and make their Return into the right Path certainly difficult, and probably late. But LECTURE I. 3 But we mud confider yet further, that Reafon, were it improved to the utmoft, cannot difcover to us all that we are to believe and do : but a large and moft im- portant Part of it is to be learnt from the Revelation made to us in God's holy Word. And this, though perfectly well fuited to the purpofes for which it was defigned, yet being originally delivered at very diftant Times, to very different Sorts of Perfons, on very different Occafions : and the feveral Articles of Faith and Precepts of Conduct, which it prefcribes, not being collected and laid down methodically in any one Part of it, but difperfed with irregular Beauty though the Whole, as the Riches of Na- ture are through the Creation ; the Informa- tions of the more knowing mufl be in many Refpects needful, to prepare the more ig- norant for receiving the Benefits, of which they are capable from reading the fcripture. And particularly, giving them before-hand a Summary and orderly View of the princi- pal Points comprehended in it, will qualify them better than any other Thing to A 2 difcern LECTURE I. difcern its true Meaning, fo far as his requi- fite, in each Part, Therefore, both in what Reafon of itfelf dictates, and what God hath added to it, Inftrudtion is necefTary, efpecially for Begin- ners. And indeed, as they are never left to find out by their own Abilities any other Sort of ufeful Knowledge, but always help- ed, if poflible; it would be very (Irange, if, in the moil important Kind, the fame Care at lead: were not taken. But befides enlightening the Ignorance of Perfons, Inftruclion doth equal, if not great- er, Service, by preventing or oppoiing their Prejudices and Partialities. From out ten- dered Age we have our wrong Inclinations, and are very prone to form wrong Notions in Support of them j both which we are extremely backward to acknowledge, and very apt to model our Religion in fuch Manner as to leave Room for our Faults. Now right Explanations clearly delivered, and right Admonitions preffed home, in early Days, may preferve Perfons from thus deceiving themfelves, and guard them againft future, a* well as prefent Dangers. Nay, LECTURE I. 5 Nay, though flighted, and feemingly for- gotten for a Time, they may ftill keep ie- cretly fuch a Hold upon the Mind as will fooner or later bring thole back, who wouM elfe never have feen, or never have owned, that they had loft their Way. But a ftill further Advantage of Inftrudtion is, that bringing frequently before Perfons Eyes thofe Truths on which otherwife they would feldom reflect, though ever £3 much convinced of them, it keeps the Thoughts of their Duty continually at Hand, to refill the Temptations with which they are at- tacked. Thus their Lives and their Minds are infenfibly formed to be fuch as they ought ; and being thus trained up in the Way wherein they Jhoid d go, there is great Hope, that they will not afterwards depart from it \ Nor doth Reafon only, but Experience too, (hew the Need of timely Inftitut'ion in Piety and Virtue. For is it not-'viflble, that principally for Want of it, Multitudes of unhappy Creatures, in all Ranks of Life, fet out from the fir ft in Sin, and follow it on as fecurely, as if it were the only Way ' Prov. xxii. 6. A 3 tl 6 LEQTUREL they had to take ; do unfpeakable Mifchief in the World, and utterly undo themfelves, Body and Soul : whilft others, of no better natural Difpofitions, but only better taught, are harmlefs and ufeful, efteemed and ho- noured, go through Life with Comfort, and meet Death with joyful Hope ? There are doubtlefs, in fuch Numbers, Exceptions on both Sides ; but this is undeniably the ordinary, the probable, the always to be expected Courfe of Things. Therefore fe- rioufly confider, will you defpife religious Knowledge, and be like the former refera- ble Wretches? or will you embrace it, and be happy with the latter, here and to Eter- nity ? But it is not fufficient that you be will- ing to receive Inftru&ion, unlefs they alfo, to whom that Care belongs, are willing to give it. Now the Care of giving it belongs to different Perfons in different Cafes. In the Cafe of Children, it ufually belongs in a peculiar Degree to their Parents ; who, having been the Means of bringing them into the World, are mod ftrongly bound to endeavour that their Being may prove a Be- nefit, LECTURE I. 7 ncfit, not a Caufe of Lamentation to them ; and having been endued by Heaven with ten- der Affections towards them, will be doubly Sinners againft them, if they are guilty of that word of Cruelty, not teaching them their Duty : without which alfo, and it de- ferves a very ierious Confideration, they can no more hope for Comfort in them here, than for Acceptance with God hereafter. And therefore, both the Old Teftament directed the Jews, to teach their Children diligently the Words wbivh God had commanded than ; and the New enjoins Chriftians to bring up theirs in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord Q . Sometimes indeed Want of Leifure, fome- times of Knowledge and Ability, obliges Parents to commit Part, it may be a con- fiderable one, of the Inftru&ion of their Children to other Perfons. But far from being ever difcharged of the whole Burthen, they mull always remember, that unlefs they affift and enforce what others endea- vour, it will feldom produce any valuable Effecl ; and much lefs, if fome of the Things which their Children hear them fay, and k Deut. vi. 6, 7, c Ephef. vi. 4. A 4 fee 8 LECTURE I. fee them do almoft every Day, are dire&ly contrary to thofe, which they pretend they would have them believe and learn. The perfons on whom ufually this Care is devolved by parents, are Matters and Mif- trefl'es of Schools, and afterwards Tutors in Colleges, who ought never to omit furnifhing Children, amongtt other Knowledge, plen- tifully with that which is the moil necettary of all; but conftantly to employ the Influ- ence which they have on their Minds, and the Knowledge which they acquire of their Tempers, in exciting them to Good, and preferving them from Evil, as much as they can : and Parents ought fiift abfolutely to require this of them, and then examine dili- gently from Time to Time whether it be done. But efpecially Matters and Miftrefles of Charity-fchGols, which are founded pur- pcf-iy to give the Children of the Poor an early and deep Tincture of Religion and Virtue, mould look upon it as by far their principal Bufmefs to teach them, not merely outward Obfervances and Forms of good Words, but fuch an inward Senfe and Love of their Duty tj Gcd and Man. as may fee u re LECTURE I. 9 fecure tru'm, if poffible, from that lament- able Depravity, into whiJi the lower Part of th«j World is falling; and which it is highly the Intereft of their Superiors, ir t *,cy w uld but underftand their Intereft to reflrain and correct. As the Care of Children belongs to their Parents and Terchers ; fo doth that of Ser- vants to the Heads of the Families, in which they live. And therefore it is mentioned in Scripture by God himfelf as a difiinguifhing Part of the Character of a good Man, that he will command his Houfiold to keep the Way of the Lord y to do Juftlce and Judgment d . For indeed it is a ftrong and a requisite Proof of Reverence to our Maker, as well as of Kindnefs to them, and Concern for our own Intereft, to direct them in the Way of their Duty, or procure them the Direction of good Books and good Advice -, to exhort them to the more private Exercifes of Reli- gion; to contrive Leifure for them to attend the appointed folemn ones, which is plainly one Part of gl r oi?ig them, as the Apoftle re- quires, what is ) ujl and equal* - 3 and to fee that d Gen. xviii. 19. e Col. iv. 1. the io LECTURE I. the Leifure, allowed them for that Purpofc, be honeftly To employed, and not abufed. For, after all, the mod valuable Inftruclion for Servants, for Children, for all Perfons, is the public one of the Church, which our Saviour himfelf hath promifed to blefs with his Prefence f . And therefore it is a Rule of inexprcffible Moment : Gather the People together ; Men, Women, and Cbihireti, and thy Stranger that is within thy Gates : that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God-, and obferve to do all the Words of his Law : and that their Children, which have not known any Thing, may hear, and learn io fear the "Lord your God, as long as ye live z . Whoever elfe may fail of doing their Duty, we the Minifters of Chrift mull: not fail to be infant in Seafon, and cut of Seafon h ; to feed the Young with the Jincere Milk of the Word\ and preach the Gofpel to the Poor k . It is the peculiar Glory of Chriftianity, to have extended religious Instruction, of which but few partook at all before, and fcarce any f Matth.xviii. 20. 8 Deut. xxxi. 12, 13. h 2 Tim. iv. 2. ' 1 Pet. ii. 2. k Matth. xi. 5, in LECTURE I. ii in Purity, through all Ranks and Ages of Men and even Women. The firft Converts to it were immediately formed into regular Societies and ArTemblies j not only for the joint Worfhip of God, but the further edi- fying of the Body of Chrift ] : in which good Work, fome of courfe were ftated Teachers, or, to ufe the Apoflle's own Expreffion, Catechizers in the Wordy others, taught or catechized" 1 . For catechizing fignifies in Scripture, at large, intruding Perfons tit any Matter, but efpecially in Religion. And thus it is ufed, Acts xviii. 25. where you read, This Man was hiftruBed in the Way of the Lord; and Lake i. 4. where again you read, That thou may eft know the Certainty of thofe Things, wherein thou haft been inftr lift- ed. The original Word, in both Places, is catechized. But as the different Advances of Perfons in Knowledge made different Sorts of Inflec- tions requisite; fo in the primitive Church, different Sorts of Teachers were appointed to difpenfe it. And they who taught fo much only of the Chriftian Dodrine, as might 1 Eph. iv. iz. m Gal. vi. 6. y qualify i2 LECTURE I. qualify the Hearers for Chriflian Commu- nion, had the Name of Catechifts appropri- ated to them : whofe Teaching being ufuall y, as was moll: convenient, in a great Meafure by WayofQueftionand Anfwer; the Name of Catechifm hath now been long. confined to fuch Inftruction, as is given in that Form. But the Method of employing a particular Set of Men in that Work only, is in moft Places laid afide. And I hope you will not be Lofers, if they, who are appointed to the higher Ministries of the Church, attend to this alfo. Under the Darknefs of Popery al moft all religious Inftruc~tioh was neglected. Very few, to ufe the Words of one of our Homi- lies, even of the moft fimple people, were taught the Lord's Prayer , the Articles of the Faith , or the ten Commandments, other wife than in Latin, which they underflood not*, fo that one of the fir ft neceffary Steps taken towards the Reformation, in this Country, was a general Injunction, that Parents and Maf- ters fhould firft learn them in their own Tongue, then acquaint their Children and E Homily ag^infc Rebellion, Part 6. Servants LECTURE I. 13 Servants' with them : which three main Branches of Chriftian Duty, comprehending the Sum of what we are to believe, to do, and to petition for, were foon after formed, with proper Explanations of each, into aCa- techifm. To this was added, in Procefs of Time, a brief Account of the two Sacra- ments; all together making up that very- good, though flill improveable, Form of found Words p , which we now ufe. And that it may be ufed effectually, the Laws of the Land, both ecclefiaftical and civil, require not only Minifters to inftruct their Parifhioners in it, but Parents, and Matters and Miftrefies ; of Families, to fend their Children and Servants to be inftructed; meaning evidently, unlefs they made fome other more convenient Provifion to anfwer the fame End. For promoting religious Knowledge and Practice is not only the ex- prefs Defign of all Church Government, but a Matter (would God it were well confider- ed) of great Importance to the State alfo : fince neither private Life can be happy, nor " See Wake's Dedication of his Commentary on the Church Catcchifm. p 2 Tim. i, 13. the 14 LECTURE I. the public Welfare fecure for any long Time, without that Belief of the doctrines and Ob- fervance of the Duties of Chriftianity, for which catechizing the young and ignorant lays the firmed: Foundation. It mutt be owned, the Catechifm of our Church is, as it ought to be, fo clear in the main, as to need but little explaining, all Things confidered. But then it is alfo, as it ought to be, fo fhort as to leave much Room for letting forth the Particulars comprehend- ed under its general Heads: for confirming both thefe by Reafon and Scripture; and for imprinting the whole on the Conferences and AftecYions of the Learners. This therefore I {hall endeavour to do, in the Sequel of thefe Difcourfes, as clearly and familiarly as I am able. In the Nature of the Thing, nothing new or curious ought to have any Place in i uch an Expofition, as indeed fuch Matters ought to have little Place in any public Teaching of Gcd's Word : but lead: of all, where only the plain fundamental Truths of our common Faith are to be taught, confirmed, and re- commended in a plain Way. And yet, as thefe L E C T U R E I. 1 1 thefe Truths are of all others the mod necef- fary; the plaintft Things, that can be fiid about them, may deferve the Attention of all Sorts of Perfons ; efpecially as it is but too poflible, that fome of all Sorts may never have been taught fufliciently even the fir ft Princi- ples of Religion, and that many may by no Means have fufliciently retained, and confi- dered fince, what they, learnt in their early Years 5 but preferving fcarce more in their Minds than the bare Words, if fo much, may be little the better, if at all, for the Leffons of their Childhood. To which it might be added, that p\ &ry one hath need, in a greater Degree or a lels, if not to be informed, yet to be reminded and excited. Let me fcgg therefore, that all who have Caufe to hope they may receive Benefit, would attend when they are able : and that all who have Children or Servants would bring or fend them. This is not a Day of Bufinefs. It ought not to be a Day of idle Amufcments. It is appointed for the public Worihip pf God, and learning of his Will. This is one of the Hours of his Worfhip : it is that Part- of the Day in which you are moll 16 LECTURE I. mofl: of you more at Liberty, than you are in any other. And what will you fay for yourfelves hereafter, if when you have the mofl: intire Leifure. vou chufe rather to do any thing or nothing, than to ferve your Maker, and improve in the Knowledge of your Duty? Never was there more Danger of being infected with Evil of every Sort from Converfation in the World. Surely then you mould endeavour to fortify yourfelves, and thofe who belong to you* with proper Anti- dotes againfi: it. And where will you find better, than in the Houfe of God? But par- ticularly I both charge and beg you, Children, to mark diligently what I fhall fay to you : for all that you learn by Rote will be of no Ufe, unlefs you learn alfo to underftand it. The Expofnion, which you are taught along with your Catechifm, will help your Under- standing very much, if you mind it as you ought : and what you will hear from me may be a yet further Help. For if there mould be fome Things in it above your Capacities, yet 1 fhall endeavour to the bed: of my Power, that mofl: Things may be eafy and plain to you. And, I entreat you, take Care that they be LECTURE I. 17 be not loft upon you. You are Toon going out into the World, where you will hear and fee Abundance of what is evil. For Chrift's Sake lay in as much Good, in the mean while, as you can, to guard you againft it. But indeed it behoves us all, of whatever Age or Station we be, to remember, that the Belief and Pradice of true Religion are what we are every one equally concerned in. For without them, the greateft Perfon upon Earth will, in a very few Years, be com- pletely miferable : and with them, the meaneft will be eternally happy. O hear ye this, all ye People ; ponder it, all ye that dwell in the World ; high and low, rich and poor, one with another \ Apply your Hearts to Infiruclion, and your Ears to the Words of Knowledge r . For whojojindeth W'ifdomfnd- eth Life; and Jha/l obtain Favour of the Lord. But he that finneth againft, her, wrongeth his own Soul : all they, that hate her, love Death*. 1 Pf. xlix.i, 2 r Prov. xxiii. 12. * Prov. xviii.35, 36. V01. 1. B LECTURE LECTURE II. Privileges of Baptifm. THE Catechifm of our Church begins, with a prudent Condefcenfion and Fa- miliarity, by afking the introductory Quefti- ons, What in your Name, and, who gave yru this Same : which lead very naturally the Perfon catechized to the Mention of his Baptifm, at which Time it was given him. Not that giving a Name is any neceflary Part of Baptifm ; but might have been done either before or afterwards, though it hath always been done then, as indeed it was likely that the firft public Opportunity would be taken for that Purpofe. But befides, it was no un- common Thing in ancient Times, thatwhen a Perfon entered into the Service of a new Matter, he had a new Name beftowed on him. Whence perhaps the Jews might de- B 2 rive 20 LECTURE II. rive the Practice of naming the Child, when it was circumcifedj it being then devoted to the Service of God. The firft Chriftians, in Imitation of them, would of courfe do the fame Thing, for the fame Reafon, when it was baptized : and no Wonder, that wc continue the Practice. For it might be a very ufeful one, if Perfons would but remember, what it tends to remind them of, that they were de- dicated to Chrift, when their Chriftian Name was given them ; and would make ufe of that Circumftance frequently to recollect thofe Promifes, which were then folemnly made for them j and w hich they have fince confirmed, or are tc confirm and make perfonally for themf Ives. Without performing thefe, we are Chriftians, not in Deed, but in Name only : and (hall greatly dishonour that Name, while we bear it and boaft of it. Our baptifmal Name is given us, not by our Parents, as we read in Scripture the Name of Jewii'h Children was, but by our Godfathers and Godmothers. And this Cuftom alfo may have a double Advantage. It may admonifh them, that having conferred the Title of Chriftians upon us, they are bound LECTURE II. 21 bound to endeavour, that we in y f -?have worthily ofit. And it may bddaoaUh ua 7 that our Name having been giving us by Perfons, who were our Suretits, we are Douud to make good their Engagement. But the Office and Ufe of Godfathers will be confidered under one of the following QuefHons. The Subject to be confidered at prefent, though not fully, is Baptifm. For this being our rirft Entrance into the Chrif- tian Church, by which we become intitled to certain Privileges, and obliged to certain Duties j religious Inftrudtion begins very properly by teaching young Perfons, what both of them are. And in order to recom- mend the Duties to us, the Privileges are mentioned firft. Not but that God hath an abfolute Right to our Obfervance of his Laws, without in- forming us beforehand, what Benefit we (hall reap from it. Surely it would be enough to know, that he is Lord and King of the whole Earth ; and that all his Dealings with the Works of his Hands are juft and reafonable. Our Bufinefs is to obey, and truft Him with the Conlequences. But in great Mercy, to B 3 encourage 22 LECTURE II. encourage and attract his poor Creatures, he hath been pleaftd to enter into a Covenant, a gracious Agreement with Man : fubjecYmg himfelf, as it were, tobeftow cert 'in Blcffings on us, provided we perform certain Condi- tions. But though, in this Covenant, the Pro- mifes, made on his Part, flow from hi own free Goodnefs -, yet the Terms, required on ours, are Matter of neceC-;/ Ob] igation: and what was altogether voluntary in him, firmly binds us. \ Now the Privileges, thus conditionally fe- cured to us in Baptifm. we fi/id in our Cate- chifm very fitly reduced to thefe three Heads: that the Pcrfon who receives it, is therein made a Member of Chrijl, a Child of God, and an It Joe? it or of the Kingdom of Heaven. i, The firft, and Foundation of the others, is, that he is made a member of Chrijl. This Figure of Speech all of you may not imme- diately underftand: but when it is under- itood, you will perceive in it great Strength and Beauty. It prefuppofes, what we mud be fenfible of, more or lefs, that we are every • See WaterlantTi Review of theDoftrine of the Eucharift, C. xi. P. 425. one LECTURE II. 23 one originally prone to Sin, and actually Sinners j liable thence to Punifhment ; and without Hope of preferving ourfelves, by our own ftrength, either from Guilt or from Miiery. It further implies, what the Scrip- ture clearly teaches, that Jefus Chrift hath delivered us from both, in fuch Manner as mall hereafter be explained to you, on the mod equitable Terms of our becoming his, by accepting him from the Hand of God for our Saviour, our Teacher, and our Lord. This Union to him, in order to receive thefe Benefits from him, our Catechifm, in Conformity with the Language of holy Writ, compares with that of the Members of the Body to the Head. And how proper the Comparifon is, will eafily appear, by carrying it through the feveral Particulars, in which the Similitude holds. As, in every living Creature, Perception and motion proceed from the Head ; fo, to every Chriftian, Knowledge of C d's Will, and Power to obey it, flow rrom Chrift. As the Head governs and directs each Limb, fo Chrift is the Sovereign and Law- giver of each believer. As being B 4 joined 24 LECTURE II. joined to the Head makes the whole Body one animalFrame; (o being joined toChrift makes the whole Number of Chriftians onefpiritual Society. As Communication with the Head preferves our natural Life: fo Communion with Chrift fupports our religious Life. He therefore is to the Church what the Head is to the Body : and each Perfon who belongs to the Church, is a Member of that Body, or, in the Language of the Catechifm, a Member of Chrifi. For he, as St. Paul exprefles it, is the Head : from which all the Body, having Nourijhment minifred, and knit together by Joints and Bands, increafeth with the Increafe cfGod\ And this Manner of fpeaking is frequently repeated in Scripture, as it well delerves ; being not only, as you have feen, admirably fitted to reprefent the happy Relations, in which we ftand to our Redeemer, but alfo to remind us of the Duties, which are derived from them ; of the Honour and Obedience due to him, who is Head over all Things to his Body, the Church -, of our continual Dependance on him, fincc he is b Col. ii. 19. c JEphcf. i. 22, 23. £ our LECTURE II. 25 our Life d ; and of the Tendemefs and Kind- nefs, which we owe to our Fellow-Cbrif* tians, and they to us, being all r.vlted, through him, fo i. timately to each other. For finee, as the Apoftle argues, by one Spirit it ■' ore all baptized into one "Body : as in fche nal 1 tl Body, the Eye cannot fay unto the Hand, I have no Need of thee y nor any one Member to the reft, I have no Need of you j hut even the more feeble and lefs ho- nourable Members are necejfary* : (o in the fpiritual Body, they, who in any Reipecl may feem to excel others, ought by no Means to defpife them : fince every good Chriftian is, in his proper Degree and Place, both a valuable and an ufeful Member of Chrifl. And again : As in the natural Body, there is a connection and fympathy of the feveral Parts 5 by which the good Scateoi one preferves the others in Health and Eafe, or its bad State gives them Pain and Difor- der j fo mould there be in the fpiritual Bo- dy, and there is in all true Members of it, a mutual Caution not to do Harm to each other, and a mutual defire of each others «• Col. iii.4. e 1 Cor. xii. 13, *i, 22, 23. Benefit 26 LECTURE II. Benefit. If one Member fuffer, all the other Members fhould by a companionate Temper fuffer with %t\ and if one Member be honoured all the reft mould fincerely rejoice with it ( . Think then, do you feel in your Hearts this good Difpofition, as a Mark of being Mem- bers of Chrift ? If not ftudy to form your- felves to it without Delay. 2. The fecond Privilege of Baptifm is, that by it, we are made the Children of God, in a Senfe and Manner, in which by Na- ture we are not fo. Our bleffed Saviour indeed is called in Scripture the only begotten Son of God. Nor can the hightft of Creatures claim God for his Father by the fame Right, that he doth. But in a lower Senfe, God is the Father of Angels and Men ; whom he hath created in their feveral Degrees of Likenefs to his own Image. Adam, our firft parent, was the Son of God by a ftrong Refemblance to his heavenly Father in original Uprightnefs. But as this Similitude was greatly obfeured both in him and in his Defcendants by the Fall, though preferved by the Covenant of the promifed Seed from being utterly effaced ; f i Cor. xii. 26. fo LECTURE II. 27 fo in Time it was almoft entirely loft amongft Men, by the prevalence of Sin : and they became in general Enemies of God s , and Children of the Devil*". But our gracious Maker, pitying us not- withftanding, and treating us like Children, even when thus degenerated, hath merciful- ly appointed a Method for adopting us into his Family gain, after we have caft our- fclves out of it; and for reftoring and raif- ing us gradually to the fame and greater Likenefs to him and Favour with him, than even our firft Parents ever enjoyed. Now this ineftimable Blefiing was procured for Man- kind through the Means of Jefus Chriftj and we become intitled to it by taking him for ourHead,andbecoming his Members, in fuch Manner, as you have heard briefly explained. For to as many as receive him, to them gives he Power to beeome the Sons of God, even to them that believe in his Name 1 . Being there- fore thus united to him, who is in the high- eft Senfe the Son of God; and claiming not in our own Name, but under him ; we are admitted again into fuch a Degree of * ilom. v. 10. Col, i. 21. h 1 John iii. 10. ' John i. 12. Sonfhip 28 LECTURE II. Sonlhip as we are capable of; and made the Children of God, by Faith in Jefus Chrifi k . Indeed not only Chriftians, but the Jews, are called in Scripture the Children of God 1 ; and fuch they really were ; being firft, as Chriftians were afterwards, the Children of his Covenant™. But ftill, as theirs was a State of lefs Knowledge, more burthenfome Pre- cepts, and finder Government -, the Apoftle fpeaks to them, compared with us, only as Servants in his Family. Now I fay, that the Heir, as long as he is a Child, differeth no- thing from a Servant, though he be Lord of all. Even fo we, fpeaking of the Jewiih Nation, when we were Children, unqualified for any great Degrees of Liberty, were in Bon- dage under the Elements of the World. But when the Fulnefs of Time was come, God fcnt forth his Son to redeem them, that were under the Law, Wherefore we are no more Ser- vants but Sons \ Behold then, as St. John exprefles it, what Manner of Love the Fa- ther hath bejlowed upon us, that we fiould be called, in this diftinguifhed Senfe, the Sons k Gal. ii: 26. » Dent. xsv. *• ro AcUiii. 25. ■ Gil. iv. 1. j, *. 7. of LECTURE II. 29 of God : efpecially confidering the Confe- quence drawn by St. Paul, If Children, then Heirs \ Heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Chri/i*: which is the 3. Third and laft Privilege of Baptifm, and completes the Value of it, that by en- tering into the Chriftian Covenant we are made Inheritors of the King do m cf Heaven ; that is, intitled to perfect and endlefs Hap- pinefs in Body and Soul. Had we conti- nued in the primitive Uprightness of our firft Parents, and never finned at all, we could have had no Claim, but from God's free Promife, to any Thing more, than that our Being mould not be worfe to us than not Being. But as we are originally depraved, and have actually finned, far from having any Claim to Happintfs, we are liable to juft Punifhment for ever. And leaft of all could we have any Claim to fuch Happinefs, as eternal Life and Glory. B..t blefftd be the God and Father of our Lord J Jus Chriji ; who of his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again into a lively Hope, to an Inheritance * 1 John iii. 1, ' p Rom. viii 17. incorrupt. . 3 o LECTURE IT. incorruptible and undt fled, and that fadeth not away, referved in Heaven for us *. Thefethen are the Privilege? of the Chrif- tian Covenant. As for thofe, who have no Knowledge of that Covenant j the Apoftle hath told us indeed, that as many as have Jinned without Law, Jhall per ijh without Law* : but he hath told us alfo, that when the Gentiles, which have not the Law, do by Nature of "Things contained in the Law, they are a Law unto themfelves % . And whether none of them fliall attain to any Decree of a better Life, is no concern to ours ; who may well be contented with the AfTurance, that our own Lot will be a happy one be- yond all Comparifon, if we pleafe. He, who hath fhewn the Abundance of his Love to us, will undoubtedly (hew, not only his Justice, but his Mercy, to all the Works of bis Hands, as far, and in fuch Manner, as is fit. There is indeed none other Name under Heaven, given among Men, whereby we mufl be faved, but that of 'J ejus Chrift 1 . But whether they, who have not had in this i i Pet. i. 3, 4. ' Rom. ii. 12. • Ibid. viii. 14. 1 Afte iv. 10, r2. Life LECTURE II. 31 Life the Means of calling upon it, mall re- ceive any Benefit from him ; or if any, what and how ; as neither Scripture had told us, nor Reafon can tell us, it is prefumptuous to determine, and ufelefs to inquire. The Points, to which we muft attend, are thofe, which relate to ourfelves: that we give due Thanks to the Father , who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance ef the Saints in Light"; and be duly careful to walk worthy of God, who hath called us to his Kingdom and Glory™. For we have a Right to the Privileges of the Covenant, only on the Supposition and Prefumption of our performing the Obligations of it. Children indeed of Believers, who are taken out of the World before they become ca- pable of Faith and Obedience, we doubt not, are happy. For the general Declara- tions of holy Writ plainly comprehend their Cafe: and our Saviour hath particularly declared, that offuch is the Kingdom of God*. But all, who live to maturer Years; as, on the one Hand, they may intitle themfelves, » Col. i. 12. w 1 ThefT. ii. 12. * Mark x. 14. Luke xviii. 16. through 32 LECTURE II. through God's bountiful promifc, though not their own Merit, to higher Degrees of future Felicity, in Proportion as their Service hath been confiderable 5 fo on the other, they are intitled to no Degree at all, any longer than they pracliie that holinefs, in which they have engaged to live, and without which no Man pall fee the Lord?, We mall be acknowledged as Children, only whilft we obey our heavenly Father : and the Baptifm, which faveth us, is not the outward putting away of the Filth of the Flejh, but the inward Anfwer of a good Confcience towards God 2 . Which therefore that we may all of us be able always to make, may he of his infinite Mercy grant through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen. y Heb. xii. 14. % 1 Pet. iii. 21. LECTURE LECTURE III. Renunciation in Baptifm. AFTER the Privileges, to which Baptifm gives us a Claim, our Ca- techifm proceeds to fet forth the Duties, to which it binds us: thofe Things, which our Godfathers and Godmothers promifed and vowed in our Names. For without the Per- formance of thefe Conditions, neither hath God engaged, nor is it confident with the Holinefs of his Nature and the Honour of his Government, to beftow fuch Benefits upon us : nor indeed (hail we be capable of receiving them. For a virtuous and religi- ous Temper and Behaviour here, is abib- lutely requifite, not only to intitle, but to qualify and prepare us for a virtuous and re- ligious Bleffednefs hereafter, fuch as that of Heaven is. Vol. L C Now 34 LECTURE III. Now thefe Conditions, or Ob igations on our Part, are three : that we renounce what God forbids -, that we believe what he teaches, and do what he commands ; or, in other Words, Repentance, Faith and Obe- dience. Thefe Things are plainly necefTary; and they are plainly all that is necefTary: for as, through the Grace of God, we have them in our Power ; fo we have nothing mere. And therefore they have been con- flantly, and without any material Variation, exprelTed in Baptifm from the earlieft Ages of the Church to the prefent. The fir ft Thing, and the only one which can be explained at this Time, is, that we renounce what God forbids, every Sin of every Kind. And this is put firft, becaufe it opens the Way for the other two. When once we come to have a due Senfe that we are Sinners, as all Men are, and perceive the Bafenefs, the Guilt, the Mifchief of Sin, we mall fly from it, with fincere Pe- nitence, to the Remedy of Faith which God hath appointed. And when we in earned refolve to forfake whatever is wrong, we (hall gladly embrace all fuch Truths as will LECTURE III. 35 will direct us right, and do what they re- quire. But whilft we retain a Love to any Wickednefs j it will make us, with refpect to the Doctrines of Religion, back- ward to receive them % or unwilling to think of them, or defirous to interpret them unfairly: and with refpect to the Du- ties of Religion, it will make our Conduct unequal and inconfiflentj perplexing us whh filly Attempts to reconcile Vice and Virtue, and to atone perhaps by Zeal in little Duties for Indulgence of great Faults j till at lad we (hall either fall into an open Courfe of Tranfgreflion, or, which is equally fatal, contrive to make ourfelves eafy in a fecret one. The only effectual Method therefore is to form a general Refolution at once, though we mall execute it but imperfectly and by Degrees, of following in every Thing the Scripture Rule, Ccafe to do evil, learn to do well b . Now the Evil, from which we are re- quired to ceafe, is alfo ranged in our Cate- * Hence our Saviour, fpeaking of John Baptiji, telL the Jews, Ye — repented not, — that ye might believe him. Matth. xxi. 32. b Ifa. i. 16, 17. C 2 chifrtl 36 LECTURE III. chifm under three Heads. For whatever we do ami's proceeds either from the fe- cret Suggeftions of an invifible Enemy, from the Temptations thrown in our Way by the vifible Objects around us, or from the bad Difpofitions of our own Nature: that is, from the Devil, the World, or the Flefh. And though every one of thefe, in their Turns, may incline us to every Kind of Sin ; and it is not always either eafy or material to know, from which the Inclination proceeded originally : yet fome Sins may more ufually flow from one Source, and fome from another ; and it will give us a more comprehensive, and, fo far at leaft, a more ufeful View of them, if we confider th?m each diftin&ly. I. Firft then, we renounce in Baptifm the Devil and all his Works. This, in the pr'mitive Ages, was the only Renunciation made ; the Works of the Devil being un- derwood to fignify, as they do in Scripture, every Sort of Wickednefs5 which being often iuggefted by him, always acceptable to him, and an Imitation of him, was juftly con- fidered as fo much Service done him, and 3 Obedience LECTURE III. 37 Obedience paid him. Bat the Method now taken, of renouncing the Devil, the World, and the Fltfh feparately, is more convenient as it gives us a more particular isocount of our feverai Enemies. hat we are taught concerning the De- vil, and Demons or wick-d Spirits, in the Word of God, is, that a Number of An- gels, having finned a^ainft their Maker, (from what Motives, or in what Inftances, we are not, as we need not be, clearly told, bat) (o as to be utterly unfit for Pardon, were cad: out from Heaven, and are kept under fucla Confinement as God fees proper, till the day comes when the final Sen- tence, which they have deferved, mail be executed upon them: But that, in th? mean Time, being full of all Evil, and void of all Hope, they malicioufly endeavour to make thofe, whom they can, wicked and miferable, like themfelves. And being all united under one Head, : nd actuated by one and the fame Spirit of Ill-will againft us, we are concerned to look upon them as one Enemy; and therefore the Catechifro fpeaksof them as fuch„ C 3 WHat 38 LECTURE III. What Means they ufe to tempt us, wc are not diitindlly informed : and it is great Folly, either, on the one Hand, to doubt of the Reality of the Fact, becaufe we know not the Manner : or, on the other, to en- tertain groundlefs Imaginations, or believe idle Stories -, and afcribe more to evil Spi- rits, than we have any fufficient Caufe. For there is no Religion in favouring fuch Fan- cies, or giving Credit to fuch Tales ; and there hath frequently arifen a great deal of hurtful Superftition from them. This we are fure of j and it is enough, that neither Satan nor all his Angels have Power, either to force any one of us into Sin, or to hinder us from repenting, or, without God's efpe- cial Leave, to do any one of us the lead Hurt in any other Way. And we have no Caufe to think, that Leave to do Hurt is ever granted them, but on fuch extraordinary Occasions as are mentioned in Scripture. They are indeed often permited to intice us to fin, as we too often intice one ano- ther. But thefe Inticements of evil Spirits may be withftood by us juft as effectually, and nearly by juft the fame Methods, as thofe LECTURE III. 39 thofe of evil Men. Rrfi.t the Devil, and be ivill fee from sou: draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to \ou c . Unqueftionably our Danger is the greater, as we have not only Flefli and Blood, our own bad Inclina- tions, and the Allurements of other bad Per- fons to encounter, but the Efforts of an invi- iible Enemy likewife. And therefore it was great Mercy in God, to grant us the Know- ledge of this interefting, and otherwife undifcoverable, Circumftance of our Condi- tion, that we may increafe our Watchfulnefs in Proportion. And if we do, greater is he that is in us, than he that is in the World d : and he will not fuffer us to be tempted above that we are able to bear e . But though the Devil hath no Power of his own over us, we may give him as much as we will , and become Slaves and Vaflals to him as long as we pleafe. In this Senfe his Empire is very large: and on account of it the Scripture calls him the Prince of the Power of. Darknefs f , and even the God of this World*. For he was, and is Hill, c Jam. iv. 7, 8. d i John iv. 4. • i Cor. jc. i j. r Ephef. ii, 2, Col. i. J z,. g z Cor. iv. 4. C 4 in 4 o LECTURE III. in great Propriety of Speech, the God of many Heathen Nations ; who, inftead of the righ- teous and good Maker of Heaven and Earth, worfhip Deities of fuch vile and mifchievous Characters as we juflly afcribe to the evil one. And even where Faith in the true Deity is profeffed : yet pretended Arts of Magic, Witchcraft, Conjuring, Fortune- telling, and fuch like wicked Follies, approach more or lefs to the fame Crime. For if any of the Wretches, guilty of thefe Things, either have, or imagine they have, any Communication with the Devil; they plainly rebel againft God, and endeavour at leaft to confederate with his Enemy. Or if they only pretend a Communication with him; as indeed ufually, if not always, it is mere Pretence; yet this is very inconfiftent with renouncing him. And even when they do not fo much as pretend it, and would make us believe, that they have fuch extraordinary Skill and Power derived from more innocent Sources ; though they profefs no Refpect to his Perfon, they imitate him in one of his W^rft Qualities, as he is the Father of Lies. And the Lies of this Kind are very perni- cious LECTURE III. 41 clous ones. They corrupt the Notions of Religion; give Perfons unworthy Opinions of God; and lead them to imagine, that other Beings, as the Stars, or even mere Names, as Chance and Fate, mare with him in the Government of the World. But in- deed Lies of all Sorts are peculiarly the Works of him who was a Liar, as well as a Mur- derer from the Beginning*. And other Sins mentioned in Scripture, as more efpecially diabolical, are, Pride, Envy, Malice, falfe Accufations. Whofoever therefore allows himfeh in any of thefe Things, is of bis Father the Devi I > and the hufis of his Father he doth'\ But whoever is by Baptifm delivered from the Power of Darknefsy and tranflated into the Kingdom of God's dear Son k , renounces {hem, all. Afk yourfelves then: Do you renounce them all in Fact? For mere Words are nothing. Do you carefully avoid them, and labour to preferve yourfelves free from them; or do you live in anv of them, and love them ? That is, are you Children of God, or of Satan: and whofe are you willing to remain ? > John viii. 44, » Ibid. k Col. i.13. Make 42 LECTURE III. Make us thine, good Lord, and keep us fo for ever ! 2. We renounce, in Baptifm, all the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World, Th* World, which God created, was good : and fo far as it continues good, we renounce it not. Therefore the innocent Gratifications, which he hath provided for us in it, we ought not to condemn, but to partake of thern with Moderation and Thankfulnefs : the i ifTerence of Ranks and Stations, v/hich is requifite for the due Order of Society, we ought to maintain with prudent Humility: and every one fhould take his proper Part, as Providence directs him, in the various Em- ployments which furnim to us the NecefTaries or Conveniences of Life. Labouring to pro- cure fuch a Competency for ourfelves and ours, as will fupport us comfortably in our prefent Condition, is what we are bound to. And if, by lawful Methods and reafonable Care, we can rife higher, we may allowably do it, and juftly coniider it as the promifed BlerTing of God upon our Induftry. In thefe refp^cls then we do not renounce the World: for in thefe it is not wicked. And we Should not LECTURE III. 43 not affect to detach ourfelves too much from the State of Things, in which Heaven hath placed us: but, ordinarily fpeaking, take cur Share, (whatever it happens to be), and that contentedly, of fuch Employments as con- tribute to the common Good. If we do meet with difficult Trials in our Way ; as they are of God's chuling for us, we are not to By from them improperly, but truft in him for Ability to go through them well. And they, who refolve to retire out cf the Reach cf all fuch Temptations, feldom fail to run into more dangerous ones of their own creating. We ought not therefore to fhun what our Maker hath appointed us to engage in j but then we ought to engage in it only in fuch Manner as he hath appointed j and to recol- lect continually, that we are cj God, and the •whole World lieth in JVickedncfs •. Not only the Heathen World had its idolatrous Pomps, or public Spectacles, and its immoral Vani- ties, which were peculiarly meant in this Renunciation at firft : but that, which calls itfelf Chriftian, is full of Tilings, from 1 1 John v. 19. which 44 LECTURE III. which a true Chriftian muft abftain. All Methods of being powerful or popular, in- confident with our Integrity ; all Arts of being agreeable at the Expence or Hazard of our Innocence j all Ways of encroaching on the Properties of others, and all immoderate Defires of adding to our own ; all Diverfions, Entertainments and Acquaintances, that have a Tendency to hurt our Morals or our Piety : making common Practice the Rule of our Conduct, without confidciing whether it be right or wrong ; filling our Time in fuch Manner, either wuhBufinefs or Amufements, (be they ever fo innocent in themfelves) as not to leave Room for the main Bufinefs of Life, the Improvement of our Hearts in Virtue, the ferious Exercife of Religion, and a principal Attention to the great Concerns of Eternity : thefe are the Things, in which confifts that Friendjhipivith the World, which is Enmity with God m -> and if any Man love it thus, the Love of the Father is not in him*. Which then do you renounce, and which do you chufe? The World, or the Maker of it ? Surely you will adopt the Pialmift's Words: *» James iv. 4, D j John ii. 15. / cried LECTURE III. 45 1 cried unto thee, O Lord, and/aid, Thou art my Hope and my Portion, in the Land of the living °. 3. We renounce at our Baptifm, all the Jinful Lujls of the F/e/h: that is, every un- reafonable and forbidden Gratification of any Appetite or Averfion that belongs to the human Frame. Whatever Inclination is truly primitive in our Nature may be innocently gratified, provided it be in a lawful Manner, and a due Subordination to the higher Prin- ciples within us: but when thefe Bounds are tranfgrefied, there begins Sin. All fuch In- dulgence therefore in Eating or Drinking, as obfcures the Reafon of Perfons, inflames their Paliions, hurts their Health, impairs their Fortunes, or wades their Time ; all Sloth, Indolence, and luxurious Delicacy j all Wantonnef>, Impurity, and Indecency, with whatever tempis to it 5 thefe are re- nounced under this Head : and not thefe only ; but every other Sin, that hath its firfl Rife within our Hearts. For in the Language of Religion, as the Spirit fignifies the inward Principle of all Good, (o doth PfaU cxlii. 6. the 4 6 LECTURE lit. the Fle/b that of all Evil. Therefore Vanity and Self-conceit, immoderate Anger, ill Temper and Hard-heartednefs, repining at the Good of others, or even at our own Difadvantages; in (hort, whatever Difpofition of our Souls is dishonourable to God, pre- judicial to our Neighbour, or unreafonable in itfelf, falls under the fame Denomination with the aforementioned Vices. For the Works of the Flefh, faith the Apoflle, are manifejl: Adult cry y Fornication, Uncleannefsi Hatred, Variance, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Envyings, and fuch like : of the which I tell you before, as I alfo told you in Time pafl, that they •who do fuch Things, jha 11 not inherit the King- dom of God ? . Let us therefore fear, left a Promife being left us of entering into his Reft, any of you fhould ccme Jhort of it \ And let us diligently and frequently examine our Hearts, whether we ufe every proper Method to cleanfe ourf elves from all Filthi?iefs of Flefh and Spirit, perfecting Holinefs in the Fear of God\ But before I conclude, I mud defire you to obferve, concerning each of the Things, p Gal. v. 19— 21. iHeb. iv. 1. r z Cor. vii. 1. which LECTURE III. 47 which we renounce in Bjptifm, that we do not undertake what is beyond our Power j that the Temptations of the Devil {hall never befet and molefl us; that the vain Shew of the World (hall never appear inviting to us $ that our own corrupt Nature fhall never prompt or incline us to Evil: but we under- take, what, through the Grace of God , though not without it, is in our Power ; that we will not, either defignedly or cfreleisly, givethefe our fpiritual Enemies needlefs Advantages againftus; and that, with whatever Advantage they may at any Time attack up, we will never yield to them, but always refill them with our utmoft Prudence and Strength. This is the Renunciation here meant: and the Office of Baptifm exprelleth it more fully; where we engage^ to renounce the Devil, the World and the FleJ/j, that we will not follow nor be Jed by them. Now God grant us all, faithfully to make this Engagemcntgood, that afterwebavt done bis Will, we may receive his Protnife * ! • Heb. x. 36. LECTURE LECTURE IV. Obligation to believe and to do, &c. OU R Catechifm, in the Anfwer to its third Queflion, teaches, that three Things are promlfed in our Name when we are baptized : that we (hall renounce what God forbids, believe what he makes known, and do what he commands. The firfl: of thefe hath been explained to you. The fecond and third mall be explained, God willing, here- after. But before the Catechifm proceeds to them, it puts a fourth Queftion, and a very natural one, confidering that Children do not, as they cannot, promife thefe Things for themfelves, but their Godfathers and God- mothers in their Names. It afks them there- fore, whether they think they are bound to be* licve and to do, as they are promlfed for them. And to this the Perfon inltrucled anfvvcrs, Vol. I. D Tes 5 o LECTURE IV. Tes verily : the Fitnefs of which Anfwer will appear by enquiring, i . In what Senfe, and for what Reafon, they promifld thefe Things in oar Names. 2. On what Account are we bound to make their Promifes good. i. In what Senfe, and for what Reafon, they promifed thefe Things in our Names. A little Attention will fhew you this Matter clearly. The Perfons, who began the Profeffion of Chriftianity in the World, muft have been fuch, as were of Age to make it their own free Choice. And when they entered into the Covenant of Baptifm, they undoubtedly both had the Privileges of it declared to them, and engaged to perform the Obligations of it, in fome Manner, equivalent to that, which we now ufe. When thefe were admitted by Baptifm into the Chriftian Church, their Children had a Right to be fo , as will be proved in the Sequel of thefe Lectures : at prefent let it be fuppofed. But if Baptifm had been adminiftered to Children, without any Thing faid to exprefs its Meaning, it would have had too much the Appearance of an LECTURE IV. 51 ah infignifkant Ceremony, or a fuperftitious Charm. And if only the Privileges, to which it intitled, had been rehearfed; they might feem annexed to it abfolutcly, with- out any Conditions to be obferved on the Children's Part. It was therefore needful to exprefs the Conditions alfo. Now it would naturally appear the ftrongeft and livelieft Way of exprefling them, to re- prefent the Infant, as promifmg by others then, what he was to promife by and for himfelf, as foon 2s he could. So the Form, ufed already for Perfons grown up, was ap- plied, with a few Charges to Children alfo.' And though, by fuch Application, fome Words and Phrafes mutt appear a little flxange, if they were ftriclly interpreted: yet the Intention of them was and is underftood to be a very proper one ; declaring in the fulleft Manner what the Child is to do here- after, by a Figure and Reprefentation made of it at prefent. But then, as Baptifm isadminiftered only on the Prefumption, that this Reprefentation. is to become in due Time a Realitv : fo the Perfons, who thus promife in the Child's D 2 Name, 52 LECTURE IV. Name, are and always have been looked, on as promifing, by the fame Words, in their own Name, not indeed abfolutely, that the Child mall fulfil their Engagements, which nobody c^n promife : but that, fo far as Need requires, they will endeavour that he mall : on which it may be reafonably fup- pofed, that he will. Anciently the Parents were the Perfons, who, at Baptifm, both reprefented their Children and promifed for their Inftruclion and Admonition. But it was coniidered afterwards, that they were obliged to it without promifing it: and therefore other Perfons were procured to undertake it alfo : not to excufe the Parents from that Care, from which nothing can excufe them ; but only, in a Cafe of fuch Confequence to provide an additional Se- curity for it. If then the Parents give due Inftruction, and the Child follows it, the Godfathers have nothing to do, but to be heartily glad. But if on either Side there be a Failure, it is then their Part and Duty to interpofe as far as they have Ability and Opportunity with any Profpect of Succefs, Nor is this to be done only till young Perfons take LECTURE IV. 53 take their baptifmal Vow upon themfelves at Confirmation, but ever after. For to that End, even they, who are baptized in their riper Years, mall: have Godfathers and God mothers prefent: to reprefent them, or to promife for mem, neither be:n^ wanted $ but to lemind them, if there be Occifion ivhat a fou'M/i Profejjion they have mads before ihefe their chofen Witnejfes*. This liien is *ne Nature, and thefe are the Reaions ot that Promife* which the Sureties of Children baptized make in their Name : which Promife therefore may without Q^ef- tion be fa rely and ulually made, provided it be afterwards religiouflv kept. But they, who probably will be wanted to perform their Pro- mife, and yet will neglect it, (hould not be in- vited to enter into it: and if they are, mould refufe. Let every one concerned think feri- oufly, whether he hath obferved thefe Rules, or not: for evidently it is a ferious Matter, how little foever it be commonly confidered as fuch. 2, The fecond Qiieftion is, On what Ac- count we are bound by what was promifed at * Office of Baptifm. D 3 our 54 LECTURE IV. our Baptifm, fince we neither confented to that Engagement, nor knew of it. Now certainly we are not bound to do whatever any other Perfon fhall take upon him to promife in our Name. But if the Thing promifed be Part of an Agreement advan- tageous to us, we are plainly bound in Point of Intereft ; and indeed of Confcience too : for we ought to confult our own Happinefs. Even by the Laws of Men, Perfons, unable to exprefs their Confent are yet prefumed to confent to what is for their own Good 1 *: and Obligations are underftood to lie upon them from fuch prefumed Confent ever after j efpecially if there be a Representative acting for them, who is empowered fo to do c . And Parents are empowered by Nature to acl: for their Children ; and by Scripture to do it in this very Cafe ; and therefore may employ others to do it under them. But further (till: theThings,promifedin Baptifm, would have been abfolutely incumbent on * The firft Foundation of Obligations quafi ex contraBu is, that ^uifque prafumitur in id, quod Utilitatem affert. See Eden, El. Jur. Civ. 1. 3. tit. 28. p. 206. • Of Stipulations in another's Name, See Inft. 3. 20. 20. US, LECTURE IV. ss us, whether they had been promifed or nut. For it is incumbent on all Perfons to believe and do what God commands. Only the Tie is made ftronger by the Care then taken, that we fhail be taught our Duty. And when we have acknowledged ourfelves to have learnt it, and have folemnly engaged ourfelves to perform it, as we do when we are confirmed, then the Obligation is com- plete. But perhaps it will be aiked, How mail all Perfons, efpecially the poor and un- learned, know, that what they are taught to believe is really true ; and what they are taught to do, really their Duty. I anfvver : The greateu: Part of it, when once it is duly propofed to them, they may perceive to be fo, by the Light of their own Reafon and Confcience : as I doubt not to (hew you. Such Points indeed as depend not on Reafon, but on the Revelation made in Scripture, cannot all of them be proved in fo fhort a Way, nor perhaps to an equal Degree of Plainnefs : but to a fufficient Degree they may ; as I hope to fhew you alfo. And in fuch Matters, they, who have but fmall D 4 Abilities 56 LECTURE IV. Abilities or Opportunities for Knowledge, rauft, v/here they cannot do better for themfelvcs, rely on thofe who have more: not blindly and abfolutely, but fo far as is prudent and fit : juft as, in common Bufinefs, and the very weightiest of our worldly Concerns, we all truft, on many Occafions, to one another's Judgment and Integrity : nor could the Affairs of human Life go on, if we did not. And though in this Method of proceeding, fome will have far lefs Light than others -, yet all will have enough to direct their Steps : and they who have the lead:, are as much obliged to follow that carefully, as if they had the mod j and will be as furely led by it to a happy End. Hearken therefore to Instruc- tion diligently, and confider of it ferioufly and judge of it uprightly : and fear not at all after this, but that when you are afked whether you think yourfehcs bound to be- lieve and to do 'what was -promifed in your Name, you will be well able, and on good Grounds, to anfwer in the firft Place. l"e: verify. But LECTURE IV. 57 But your Anfwer muft not flop here. When you are thus perfuadcd, your next Concern is, immediately to act according to that Perfiafion. Now as this dep.nds on two Things; our own Refolution, and Af- fiftance from above : fo both are exprefil.l in the following Words of the AnAver, and by God's Help, fo I will. Further : Becaufe our own Refolution is btit fupported by our Senfe of the Advantage of keeping it; therefore the Perfon inftrufted goes on, in the fame Anfwer, to acknowledge, that the State, in which he is placed by Baptiim, is a St ate of Salvation : and becaufe Ahlirance from above is beft obtained by Thankfulnefs for God's iMercy hitherto, and Prayer for it here- after, he concludes, by thankhvi our heavenly Father, for calling him to this State; and Prayer for his Grace, that he may continue in the fame to his Life's End Now the Neceftity and Nature of God's Grace, and of Prayer and other Means to obtain it, will be explained in their proper Places. The two Points therefore, of which it remains to fpeak at prefent, are, the Need of good Refolutions, and of Thankfulnefs for that 58 LECTURE IV. that happy State, in which Baptifm hath placed us. In every Thing that we attempt, much depends on a deliberate and fixed Purpoie of Mind. But particularly in Religion, when once we are thoroughly convinced, that whatever it requires muft be done ; and have determined accordingly, that, though we know there will be Labour and Diffi- culty in going on, and many Solicitations and Enticements to leave off, yet we will fet about the Work, and perfevere in it 5 Obstacles and Difcouragements, that till then appeared very threatening, will, a great Part of them, vaniili into nothing; and thofe, which remain, will ferve only to ex- ercife our Courage, and make our Triumph glorious j provided we keep our Refolution alive and in Vigour, by frequently repeat- ing it in a proper Manner : that is, in a ftrong Senfe of God's Prefence, and an humble Dependence on his Blefling. For if we truft in ourfelves, we (hall fail. And if we pretend to truft in God, without exerting ourfelves, we fhall fail equally. In either Cafe, the good Impreflions made on LECTURE IV. 59 on our Minds will be continually growing fainter of courfe : and Multitudes of Things will confpire to wear them quite out. Pleafures will (often us into DifTolutenefs ; or Amufement?, into Neglect of very ferious Attention. Love of Riches or Power or Applaufe will engage us in wrong Methods of attaining them : or the Cares cf Life will banifh the Duties of it from our Thoughts. Vehement Paffions will overfet our Virtue: or insinuating Temptations un- dermine it as effectually. Some of thefe Things muft happen, unlcfs we preferve a fteady and watchful, a modeft and religious Refolution againft them, ever frem on our Minds. And nothing will contribute more to our doing this, than reflecting often, with due Thankfulnefs, that the State, to which God hath called us, is a State of Salvation : a State of Deliverance from the prefent Slavery of Sin, and the future Punifhment of it; a State of the trueft Happinefs, that this Life can afford, introducing us to perfect and everlafting Happinefs in the next. Such \s the Condition, in which, through the Mercy 6o LECTURE IV. Mercy of God, we Chriftians are placed ; and in which, by a Chriftian Behaviour, we may fccure ourfeives ; and not only preferve, but continually enlarge, our Share of it* ElefTings. But if we now neglect to do for ourfeives what we ought; all, that hath been done for us by others, will be of no Avail. Neither our Baptifm, nor our Inftruclion ; nor our Learning ever fo exactly, or Undtrflanding ever fo diftinctly, or remembering ever fo particularly, what we were inilruded in, can poffibiy have any Effect, but to increale our Condemnation, unlefs we faithfully continue in the Practice of every Part of it to cur Life's End. This therefore let us all determine to make our confiant and mod earneft Care, with humble Gratitude to God, our heavenly Father, for his undeferved Mercy to us; and with fure Confidence, that if we be not wanting in ourfeives, he that hath begun a good Work in us, will perforin it, until the ~£)ayofJcfu$'Chri/l d . A Phil. i. 6. LECTURE LECTURE V. Grounds and Rule of Faith. HAVING already explained to you the feveral Things, which Chriftians by the Covenant of their Baptifm renounce -, I come now to fpeak of what we are to believe: after which will follow properly what we are to do. For all reafonable Practice mult be built on forne Belief, or Perfuafion, which is the Ground of it : virtuous Practice, on a Perfuafion, that what we do is fit and right: religious Practice, on a Perfuafion, that it is the Will of God. Now God hath been pleafed to make his Will known by two Ways: partly by the mere inward Light of our own Underitandings; partly by the outward Means of additional Declarations from himfelf. The former of thefe we call natural Religion ; the latter, revealed Religion, 4 The 62 LECTURE V. The nitural Reafon of our own Minds, if we would ierioufly attend to it, and faithfully affift each other in uling it, is capable of dis- covering, as mall be proved to you, not only the Being and Attributes, and Authority of God ; but, in general, what Sort of Behaviour he mud expect from fuch Creatures, placed in fuch a World, as we are, in order to avoid his Dilpleafure, and procure fome Degree of his Favour. And as we cannot doubt of what our own clear Apprehenfion, and the common Senfe of Mankind, plainly tell us: here is one Foundation of religious Belief and Practice, evident to all Men. And if our Belief and Practice be not fuitableto it> our Confciences, whenever we confult them, nay often whether we confult them or not, will condemn us, to our Faces, of Sin j and proclaim to us be- forehand the Juftice of that future Condem- nation, which God will pais upon it. Every one of you, that hear me, have at Times felt this i make, every one of you, a proper Ufe of it. If then the Light of Nature were our only Guide, it would teach us more than, I fear, many of us obferve. But happy are we, LECTURE V. 63 we, that this is not our only Guilt. For it would leave us uninformed in many Parti- culars of unfpeakable Moment, even were our Faculties unimpaired, and employed to the beft Advantage. But alas, the very firfl of Mankind fell into Sin, and derived a corrupt- ed Nature down to their Posterity : who yet further inflamed theirown PafHons andAppe- tites, perverted their own Judgments, turned afide their Attention from the Truth -, and the Light that was in them became, in a ^reat Meafure, Darknefs a , even in refpect of what thy were to do. But what they were to hope and fear after doing wickedly, this was a Matter of fargreater Obfcurity ftill. And had we, here prefent, been left to ourfelves, in all Likelihood we had been, at this Hour, (like Multitudes of other poor Wretches in every Part of the World that are unenlightened by Chriftianity,) worshipping Stocks and Stones : or however, we mould certainly, in other Re- fpecls, have been walking in the Vanity of our Mindly having theUnderfandi?ig darkened, alie- nated from the Life of God h ; Strangers from the Covenant of Promife, having 710 Hope, and without God in the World\ * Matth. vi. 23. * Eph. iv. 17, 1 S. « E P h. ii. 12. Bur 64 LECTURE V. But he was gracioufly pleafed not to leave f Men Men to themfelv* -but tofurnifh them \ needful Knowledge. What human Abi- lities, when at the beft, might have difcovered, they would in nit Likelihood have difcovered^ (if at all) fo flowly, that we have great Caufe to believe, the Religion of our firft Parents was derived from his immediate inftruftion. But certainly after their Tranfgreffion, he made an immediate Revelation to them; and thenceforward vouchfafed fromTime toTime various Manifestations, to fuch as would re- ceive them, of his Truths, his Commands,, and his Purpofes : not only republishing the original Doctrines of Reafon, but adding new Articles of Belief, new Promifes, and new Precepts, as the changing Circum fiances of Things required ; till at length, by his Son, our Saviour Jefus Chrifr* he confirmed all his pell Notifications, and took away ali Neceffity ( future ones ; acquainting us fully, in the or-blefled Gofpel, wiih all that we mall •eed to know, or be bound to do, til! Heaven and Earth pafs d . Thus then, befides thofe Things in Reli- gion, which our own Reafon can difcern, we d Matth. v. 18. receive LECTURE V. 65 receive others on the Teftimony of their be- ing revealed by God: as unqueftionably we ought. For if he, who cannot err, and can- not lie. communicates any Information to us • though it require us to believe, what we had before not the leaft Apprehenfion of, or mould elfe have imagined to be exceedingly firange and unlikely; though it require us to do, what otherwife- we mould neither have thought of doing, nor have chofen to do ; yet furely his Teftimony and Command may well be fufficient Reaf :n for both. We admit every Day, upon the Teftimony one of another, Things utterly unknown to us, and in themfelves extremely improbable : and we aft upon fuch Teftimony in Matters, on which our Fortunes, our Healths, our Lives, depend : as indeed without doing fo, the Affaiis of the World could not be carried on. Now if we receive the Witnefi of Men, the Witnefs of God is greater*. And fjnee we are able to convey the Knowledge of our Thoughts and our Wiils to each other, no Queftion but God is able to convey his to his Creatures. • 1 John v. 9. Vol. I. £ Bur, 66 LECTURE V. But, allowing that he can, it may be afked, How do we prove, that he hath conveyed it to Men in the Jewifh and Chriftian Re- velations ? I anfwcr, we believe the Jewifh Revelation, for this plain Reafon, arnongil others, becaufe the Chriftian confirms it : and we believe the Chriftian, chiefly upon the full Proof, which Chrift and his Apoftles have given of it. They who faw him, with their own Eyes, perform Things which Man could not do ; and heard him, with their own Ears, foretell Things, which Man could not foreknow, and yet experienced them to come to pafs : as for Inftance, his healing great Numbers of fick Perfons with a Word, and raifing himfelf from the Dead : they muft be fure, that fome Power attended him more than human. And iince his Doctrines all promoted the fpiritual Worihip and Honour of the one true God, and Virtue and Hap- pinefs among Men : they muft be fure alfo, that tins Power was not that of an evil opirit, but of a good one : and confequently that he came from God, and taught his Will. If then it be true, that he did, in their Prefence, not only deliver fuch Doc- trine, LECTURE V. 67 trine, but foretell and perform fuch Things; then their Faith was reafonable, and ours is fo too. Now they do in the ftrongeft Manner affirm this: as you may read through- out the Gofpelsand Ads: and why are they not to be credited ? They could not every one of them be miftaken in it all; and think they faw and heard, Day after Day, and Year after Year, Things which they did not, any more than we can be miftaken in every Thing hat we fee and hear continually. Be- fides, they affirm, that they were enabled to do the fame Wonders thcmfelves, and ena- bled others to do them. All this could not be Miftake too. And as they could not be deceived in thefe Points, fo neither could they intend to deceive Mankind. There is all the Ap- pearance in the World of their being fair and honed Perfons, that would not deceive for-Intcrcft. But befides, what they affirmed was abfolutely againft their Iniereft. It ex- pofed them, as they could not but imagine it would, to Reproach, Imprifonment, Stripes, Death itfdf. Yet all thefe Things they un- derwent patiently, one after another, through E 2 a Courfe 68 LECTURE V. a Courfe of many Years, for the Sake of what they taught; none of them all con- ferring, or being convicted of any Falfhood: which yet they muft have been, had they been guilty of any : for the Things, which they affirmed, were many, indeed moft of them, done publicly : and all the Power, and all the Learning of the World were em- ployed againft them, from the firft, to detect them, if poflible. Yet no body pretends, or ever did pretend, that they were detected. Befides, if any fuchDifcovery had been made, their whole Scheme mud have been ruined immediately: whereas infread of that, they fpread their Religion (though it was contrary to the eftablifhed Superftitions, the deep- rooted Prejudices, and favourite Vices, of all Mankind) through the whole Earth, within a few Years, by mere Force of Mira- cles and Arguments, and Innocence, againft all Opposition. Thefe Things furely are Proofs fufficient of our Saviour's coming from God, without faying any Thing of the Prophecies of the Old Teftament, fo many of which were fo clearly fulfilled in him. But LECTURE V. 69 But then, as all the Facts hitherto menti- oned are ancient ones ; it may be afked far- ther, How can we now be fure of the Truth of what is faid to have been done fo many Ages ago? I anfwer, by all the fame Means, which can allure us of any other ancient Fact. And there are Multitudes of much ancienter, which no body hath the leaffc Doubt of; and it would be reckoned Mad- nefs, if they had. The Miracles of Chrift and his Apoftles are recorded in the New Teftament : a Book very fully proved, and indeed acknowledged, to be, the greateft Part of it, written by the Apoftles them- felves; and the reft, in their Days, by their Direction : and no one material Fact of it is, or ever was, fo far as we can learn, oppofed by any contrary Evidence whatfoever. Then, that vail: Numbers of Perfons were converted to this Religion, as they declared, by feeing thefe Miracles, and vaft Numbers more, by the x^.ccounts which they received of them; and perfevered in their Faith, againft all worldly Difcouragements, till at length it became the prevailing one; appears partly from the New Teitament alfo, partly from E 3 other 70 LECTURE V. other Books of acknowledged Authority, written in that Age and the following ones, by Heathens and Jews, as well as Chrifti- ans ; and indeed is in the main univerfally owned and notorious. But fuppoiing the Facts, on which our Religion is built, to be truly related, yet it may be afked further, How (hall we be fure, that its Doctrines were fo too, in which it is much eaiier to miftake ? I an- fwer again : The Do&rines of the Old Te (lament are attefted and confirmed by the New. And for thofe of the New Tef- tament j we have our Saviour's own Dif- courfes, recorded by two of his Apoftles, Matthew and John, who heard him con- flantly, and by two other Perfons, Mark and Luke, who at lead: received them from his coniiant Hearers. We have alfo the Difcourfes of his €rft Bifcipies after his Re- funeclion, recorded in the Acts : we have befides, many Letters written by them, the Epiftles, fent on feveral Occafions, for the Inftruclion of feveral new planted Churches. Now all thefe agree in the fame Doctrine. But further, which adds ineftimable Value 6 to LECTURE V. 71 to what they have faid and written, our Lord himfclf promifed them, that the Spirit of God mould teach [k m all Things, and bring all 'Things to their Remembrance, what- ever he b.'d faid unto them f \ fcuhl come and i. ide with them for ever, and guide them into all Truth 1 , And accordingly this Spirit did come, ard manifeft his continual Prefence with them by his miraculous Gifts. We have therefore the fuller!: Evidence, that both what they have delivered, as from our Saviour, and what they have faid in their own Names, is a true Reprefentation of his Religion. But another Queftion is, fuppofing the Scripture a true Revelation, fo far as it goes; how mall we know, if it be a full and complete one too, in all things necef- fary? Ianfwer: Since cur Saviour hid the Spirit without Meafure, and the Writers of Scripture had as large a Meafure of it, as their Commiflion to inftruct the World required, it is impoffible that in fo many Difcourfes concerning the Terms of Salva- tion as the New Teftament contains, they f John xiv. 26. s John xiv. 16. xvi. 13. E 4 mould 72 LECTURE V. mould all have omitted any one Thing necefiary to the great End, which they had in View. And what was not necefiary when the Scripture was completed, cannot have become fo fince. For the Faith was once for all delivered in it to the Saints h : and other Foundation can no Man lay\ than what was laid then. The facred Penmen them- felves could teach no other Gofptl than Chrift appointed them : and he hath ap- pointed no one fince to make Additions to it. In the Books of Scripture then the Doc- trines of our Religion are truly and fully conveyed to us : and we cannot be fure of any other Conveyance. It is a Confirmation of our Faith indeed, that the earliefl Chrif- tian Writers, after thofe of Scripture, in all material Points agree with it. But if they did not, no Writers can have equal Autho- rity with infpired ones. And no unwritten Tradition can long be of any Authority at all. For Things, delivered by Word of Mouth, always vary, more or lefs, in going through but a few Hands. And the World * Jude 3. ' 1 Cor. iii. 11. hath LECTURE V. 73 bath experienced, that Articles of Belief, for Want of having Recourfe to the writ- ten Rule of them, have greatly changed in many Churches of Chriftians: but in few or none more, than that of Rome, which abfurdly pretends to be unchangeable and infallible. It is in the Scripture alone then, that we, who live in thefe latter Ages, can be lure of finding the Christian Faith pre- ferved, complete and undefiled: and there we may be fure of it. For as to any Pretence or Fear of thefe Books being corrupted and altered, either by Defign cr Mirtake : had the Old Tene- ment been depraved in any Thing efTential, our Saviour and his Apoftles would have jriven us Notice of it. And for the New, the feveral Parts of it were fo immediately fpread through the World, and fo conftantly read, in public and in private, by all Chriitian? j and io perpetually quoted in all their Dif- courfes, and all the Ditputes of one Sect with another, that they could not pofTibly be changed by any of them, in any Thing con- fiderable. For the reft would immediately have difcovered it, and charged them with it, which 74 LECTURE V. which mufl: put an End to the Danger. And indeed it is an agreed Point, amongit ail who understand thefe Matters, that no- thing of this Kind either hath happened or can happen, fo as to affect any one Article of Faith. But perhaps it will be alledged, that the Bible was written originally in Languages, which have long been out of common Ufe, and with which but a fmall Part of Chriitians now are acquainted: and how mall the reft be fure, that we have them rightly tranilated into our own? The plain Anfwer is, that all Tranflations, made by all Parties, agree in mod Places, and tho.fe of the mod Import- ance: and wher they difagree, moderate Consideration and Inquiry will enable any Perfons, who live in a Country of Know- ledge and Freedom, which, God be thanked, is our Cafe, to judge on fome good Grounds, as far as they need judge, which is right, and which is wrong -, which is clear, and wheih is doubtful. Nor doth any Sect of Chriitians pretend to accufe our com- mon Translation of concealing any ne- ceflary L E C T U R E V. 75 ceffary Truth or averting any definitive Error. But fuppoling all this, yet it may be urged, that many Parts of Scripture in our Tranflation, and in the original too, are dark and obicure: and how can it then be the Guide and Rule of our Faith ? I anfvver: Thefe are few in Proportion to fuch as are clear : and were they more, the Spirit of God, we may be fure, would make all ne- cefTiry Points, in one Part or another, fufficiently clear. Thefe therefore the moil ignorant may learn from Scripture -, at lead by the Help of fuch Explanations, as they are willing to afk and truft. in all other Cafes, and much admirable Inftruclion befides : w T hich if they do but refpe£t and obferve as they ought; they may be content to leave for the Ufe of others, what a little Mo- defty will (hew them is above their own Reach. But that every Perfon may be enabled the better to diflinguifh between the neceffary Doctrines and the reft : thofe, w r hich either Chrift or his Apoftles exprefsly taught to be of the former Sort, or the Nature of the Thing 76 LECTURE V. Thing plainly mews to be fuch, have from the earlieft Times been collected together : and the Profemon of them hath been parti- cularly required of all Perfons baptized. Thefe Collections or Summaries are in Scripture called The Form of found WordsK The Words of Faith l , The Principles of the DoStrine of Cbrifi m : but in the prefent Language of Chriftians, The Creed, that is the Belief. The ancient Church had many fuch Creeds : fome longer, fome (horter ; different in Exprefiion, but agreeing in Method and Senfe : of which that called the Apoftles Creed was one. And it deferves that Name, not fo much from any Certainty that the Apoftles drew it up, as becaufe it contains the Apoftolical Do&rines; and was ufed by a Church, which, before it corrupted itfelf, was juftiy confidered as one of the chief Apoftolical Foundations, I mean the Roman. But neither this, nor any other Creed, hath Authority of its own, equal to Scrip- true j but derives its principal Authority k * Tim. i. 13. » 1 Tim. iv.6. * Heb. vi. 1. from LECTURE V. yy from being founded on Scripture. Nor is it in the Power of any Man, or Number of Men, cither to lsiTen or increafe the funda- mental Articles of the Chriflian Faith : which yet the Church of Rome, not content with this its primitive Creed, hath pro- fanely attempted : adding twelve Articles more, founded on its own, that is, on no Authority, to the ancient twelve, which ftand on the Authority of God's Word. But our Church hath wifely refufed to go a Step beyond the original Form ; fince all neceflary Truths are briefly comprehended in it, as will appear when the feveral Parts of it come to be expounded, which it is the Duty of every one of us firmly to believe, and openly to profefs. For with the Heart Man believeth unto Right eoufnefs, and with the Month Confejjion is made unto Salva- tion a . Rom. x. jo. LECTURE LECTURE VI. CREED. Article I. / believe in God> the Fat her y 8c c. THE Foundation of all Religion is Faith in God : the Perfuafion, that there doth, ever did, and ever will exift, one Being of unbounded Power and Knowledge, perfect Juflice, Truth and Goodnefs, the Creator and Preferver, the Sovereign Lord and Ruler of all Things. With this Article therefore our Creed begins. And as all the reft are built upon it, (o the Truth and Certainty of it is plain to every Man, when duly propofed to his Ccnfideration, how un- likely foever fome Men would have been to difcovcr it of themfelves. We know, beyond PorTibility of Doubt, that we now are ; and yet the oldeft of us, but a few Years ago, was not. How then came So LECTURE VI. came we to be ? Whence had we our Begin- ning? From our Parents, perhaps we may think. But did our Parents know, or do we know in the leaft, how to form fuch a Mind as that of Man, with all its Faculties ; or fuch a Body as that of Man, with all its Parts and Members j or even the very frnaJlefr. of them ? No more, than a Tree knows how to make the Seed that grows into a like Tree : no more, than any common Inftrument knows how to do the Work, which his done by its Means. Our Parents were only Instruments in the Hands of fome higher Power : and to fpeak properly, That it is which made us, and not we ourf elves a , or one another. And the fame is the Cafe of every Animal and every. Plant upon the Face of the Earth. But could our Parents be the Caufe of our Being j yet (till the firft human Pair muft have had fome different Caufe of theirs. Will it then be faid, that there was no firft ? But we cannot conceive this to be poflible. And it certainly is not true. For we have undoubted Accounts, in ancient Hiftories, a Pfal. c. 2. of LECTURE VI. 8 1 of the Time when Men were but few in the World, and inhabited but a fmall Part of it, and therefore were near their Beginning: Accounts of the Times, when almoft all Arts and Sciences were invented; which Man- kind would not have been long in Being, much lefs from Eternity, without finding out. And upon the whole, there is ftrong Evidence, that the prefent Frame of Things is not more than about fix thoufand Years old: and that none of us, here prefent, is 150 Generations diftant from our firft Parent. If it be faid, that univerfal Deluges may perhaps have deuroyed almoft all the Race of Men, and io made that feem a new Be- ginning, which was not : we anfwer, that one fuch Deluge we own; but that no fuch can poffibly happen according to the common Courfe of Nature, as learned Perfons have abundantly fhewn. And confequently this proves a higher Power, inftead of deftroying the Proof of it. But without having Recourfe to Hiftorv, it is evident from the very Form and Ap- pearance of this Earth, that it cannot have Vol. I. F been 82 LECTURE VI. been from Eternity. If it had, to mention nothing elfe, the Hills mud all have been warned down by Showers, innumerable Ages ago, to a Level with the Plains 1 *. And in- deed they, who have thought of thefe Mat- ters, well know and confefs, that the prefent Conftitution of the Heavens and Earth both muft have had a Beginning, and muft of itfelf come to an End. To fay therefore, that Things are by Nature what they are, is to fay a plain Falfehood, if we mean, that they are fo by any Neceflity in their own Natures. For then they muft always have been fuch as we fee them; and not theleaft Part of any Thing could poflibly have been at all different from what it is: which is the wildeft Imagination in the World. The only Nature therefore, which we and the whole Univerfe have, was freely given us by a fuperior Being. And the Regularity, in which Things go on, is b This Argument is produced from Theophraflus, in Philo -irtpi «p8apcr»«s xocr/x», p. 5 io ; and two Anfwers to it attempt- ed, p. 513 : that Mountains may lofe Parts, and gain them again, as Trees do their Leaves ; or are fupported by the internal Fire, which threw them up. The firft is an abfurd Affertion : the latter a groundlefs and falfe one. 8 no LECTURE VI. 82 no more a Proof, that they were of them- felvcs from everlaffcing, or fhall continue as they are to everlafting, than the regular Motion of a Clock is a Proof, that no Artift made it, or keeps it in Order, or mall take it to Pieces. On the contrary, the more complete this Regularity is, and the longer it lafts, the more fully it fhews the Power of its Author; and not only that, but his Underftanding and Wifdom alfo. Indeed what hath no Underftanding, hath, in Strictnefs of Speech, no Power; cannot ac~t, but only be acted upon: as all mere Matter is; which never moves, but as it is moved. But were this doubtful: look around you, and fee what Marks of Underftanding and Wifdom appear. Turn your Eyes upon yourfcl ves : How 'fearfully and wonderfully are we made c ! Of what an incredible Number and Variety of Parts, (a vaftly greater than perhaps any of us fufpedt,) are our Bo- dies compofed ! How were thefe formed and put together at firft ? What hath ciufed, and what hath limited their Growth fince ? How hath proper and fuitable Nouriihment c Pfal. cxxxix. 14. F 2 been 84 LECTURE VI. been diftributed to them all? How hath tire perpetual Motion of our Blood, and of our Breath, fleeping and waking, both of them fo necelfary to Life, been carried on? How is it, that we move every Joint belonging to us, inftantly* and with fuch Exaclnefs, without knowing even which Way we go about it? Our Speech, our Hearing, our Sight, every one of our Senfes, what amazing Contrivance is there in them; and the more amazing, the more (Iriclly we examine them I In the Works of Men, it is often mere Ig- norance, that occafions our Admiration : but in thefe, the minuter our Infpeclion and the deeper our Search is, the greater Abundance we always find of accurate Adjuftments and unimaginable Precautions. But then, befides ourfelves, the Earth is replenifhed with numberlefs other Animals. Thcfe of which we commonly take Notice, are an extremely fmall Part of the whole. Different Countries produce very different Sorts. How many, dill more different, the great Waters conceal from us, we cannot even guefs. Multitudes remain, fo little as almoft to efcape our Sight, with the beft Af- fiftance LECTURE VI. 85 finance that we are able to give it; and probably Multitudes more, which efcape it intirely. But all that we can obferve, we find, down to the very leaft, contrived with the fame inconceivable Art, ftrangely diver- sified, yet uniform at the fame Time, and perfectly fitted by moft furprifing Inftinclj for their feveral Ways of Living, fo entirely different each from the other. What Wifdom and Power muft it be then, which hath peopled the World in this Manner, and made fuch Provifion for the Support of all its Inhabitants : chiefly by the Means of innumerable Kinds of Herbs and Vegetables, juft as wonderful in their Make, as the Animals themfelves: that hath intermixed the dry Land fo fitly with Springs and Rivers and Lakes and the Ocean, to fupply every Thing with neceffary Moifture, and make the Communication of the moft diftant Parts eafy : that hath furrounded the Earth with Air for us to breathe in, to convey our Voices to each other, and to fupport Clouds for Rain: that hath caufed this Air to be moved by Winds, which preferve it healthful : and bring thofe who go down to F 3 the 86 LECTURE VI. the Sea in Ships, unto the Haven where they would be*: that hath placed the Sun at fo exact a Diftance from us, that we are neither burnt up by Heat nor frozen by Cold ; and hath kept Bodies of fuch incredible Bulk, as the heavenly ones, rolling on, for thou- fands of Years together, with fo orderly and exact a Motion, that the Returns of Day and Night, and of the various annual Sea- fons, are precifely foreknown $ and perfectly fuitable for Labour and Reft, and bringing the Fruits of the Earth to Maturity : where- as were almoft any one of thefe Things confiderably altered, we muft all of Neceflity perifh. But then, how fmall a Part of the Univerfe our Habitation may be; and how many, perhaps greater, Wonders the reft may con- tain -, we cannot fo much as conjecture. The Millions of Miles, that are between us, and the neareft of the celeftial Globes, would be aftonifhing if mentioned to you. Yet their Diftance is as nothing, if compared with the furtheft, which we fee : and very poffibly the furtheft, which we fee, may be d Pfal.cvii. 23, 30. as LECTURE VI. % 7 ^s nothing to many others : every one of which, wc have no Reafon to doubt, is as full of Regularity and Beauty and Ufe, as our own Abode. And from what Origin can the whole of this proceed, but that which the Pfalmift rapturoufly exprefTes : O Lord, bow manifold are thy Works ! in Wifdom haft thou made them all c . To fpeak of Chance, as the Caufe of them, is abfurd beyond meafure. Chance is merely a Word, to exprefs our own Ignorance : it ^nothing, and can do nothing. Suppofe one of us were afked, how this Building, in which we are afTembled, or the fmalleft Part of the Drefs which we wear, came to be what it is ; and mould anfwer that no Perfon made it, but it jumped together and held together by Chance; would not this be grofs Folly ? And how mockingly foolim. mud it be then, to give the fame Account of the Exiftence of a whole World, fo admirably contrived, adjufted and conducted throughout ! As evidently therefore as any common Piece of Work proves a Workman to have compofed it, fo evidently, and very ■ Pfal. civ. 24. F 4 much 83 LECTURE VI. much more, the immenfe Fabric of the Uni- verfe proves a Being of unfpeakable Power and Skill to be the Creator of it. And accordingly, the Belief of a wife and mighty Author of all hath been received in every Age and Nation : which clearly (hews it to be founded in Truth, and written in the Hearts of Men. They corrupted it gradually indeed : firft by unworthy Repre- fentations of the true God, then by adding the Worfhip of falfe Gods, which at length excluded him. But undeniably the primitive Notion was that of an invifibje Mind, the Maker and Ruler of this vifible Frame: which being plainly under one uniform Direction, mews itfelf to have one only fovereign Director and Governor. This Doctrine God himfelf mud haye taught our firft Parents in the Beginning : He hath confir .^ i it fince by Miracles from Time to Time : an perpetuated tiie Evidence of it in his holy Word. That he is not perceived by any of our SenfeSj is no Objection at all againft his Being. For our Minds alfo are imperceptible by Senfe. But as they, notwithstanding, {hew LECTURE VI. 89 fhew their Exiftence by moving and dif- pofing of our Bodies according to their Pleafure ; fo doth God (hew his, by moving and difpofing of all Things as he wills. And the fame Argument proves his Prefence with all Things. For wherever he ads, there he certainly is: and therefore he is every where. Our Prefence is limited, and extends a very little Way: but what is there to limit him ? Our Being is derived from his Command ; and therefore depends on it fliil : but he is underived ; and therefore independent abfolutely. Our Powers are only that he hath thought fit to give us : but his Power is infinite: for every Thing depending on him, nothing can refill: him. Our Knowledge is every Way imperfect : but he who made all Things, and is prefent with all Things, mud: in the complete!!: Manner know all Things, even the molt hidden Thoughts of the Heart. We are often unjuft and wicked: but God cannot be otherwife than juft and holy. For the only Reafons of our failing to do right are, that we either perceive not what is fo, or elfe are tempted to act contrary to our Per- ceptions: 90 LECTURE VI. ceptions: but God is fubjed to no Miftake, or Weaknefs of any Kind. And, which is the happieft Attribute of all for his Creation, he muft be likewife good. For Goodnefs is plainly a right Thing ; and therefore he muft fee it to be fo : it is plainly a Perfection j and therefore the perfected Being muft pofTefs it in the higheft Degree. We mould be always good ourfelves, if nothing mifled us : and him nothing can miflead. But the moft valuable Proof is, that we experience his Goodnefs : for we live in a World full of it. All that we enjoy, and every Capacity of Enjoyment that we have, proceeds from him. Moft of what we fuffer proceeds from our own Faults and Follies. And fo much of it as comes wholly from his Providence, is defigned for our prefent Improvement and future Reward ; unlefs by obftinate Mifbe- haviour we become unfit for Reward : and then we have only ourfelves to blame. For as God is knowing and wife; he cannot but obferve the Difference between good Perfons and bad : as he is juft and holy, he cannot take Pleafure in thofe, who are otherwife : 2nd as he is the Governor of the World ; he LECTURE VI. 91 he cannot fail to (hew his Difpleafure in that effectual Manner, which the Ends of Govern- ment require. And they certainly do re- quire the bad to be punifhed, as well as the good to be made happy. Such then is the Nature of God : to whom in the Creed the Name of Father is given, as he is both the Father of the Creation by forming it, and alio the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and through him our gracious and reconciled Father, as mall hereafter be explained. The next Word, Almighty, de- notes not barely his irrefiftible Power, but principally that rightful and abfolute Autho- rity, with which his Kingdom ruleth over all 1 . And the laft Words of the Defcription, Maker of Heaven and Earth, are added; partly to exprefs the Ground of that Autho- rity, his being the Creator, and therefore the Proprietor, of the World: and partly in Oppofition to the Errors of the Heathen, who worshipped many Beings in the Heavens and the Earth, as Gods ; which, in thefe Terms of our Creed, are by evident Confe- rence declared to be no Gods, becaufe f Pfal. ciii. 19. they gi LECTURE VI. they are the Work of his Hands, of whom ttnd through 'whom and to inborn are all Hking^. The Duties owing to this our awful Sovereign, will be fpecified in expounding the ten Commandments, particularly the firft. At prefent therefore I {hall only beg you to remember the Apoftle's Exhortation : Hake Heed, Brethren, left there be in any of you an evil Heart of Unbelief, in departing from the living God v . Nothing, but an evil Heart, can make Unbelief defirable, or even fupportable. For to every good Heart it mutt be the greatefl: Joy to know that the World is governed by infinite Wifdom, Juftice and Goodnefs -, and the greateft Af- fliction, to have any Doubt of it. If there- fore you find the Thought of luch a Governor unwelcome ; if you could inwardly wifh there were none ; be affured, your Heart is not right 1 . And though you could, with fuch a Difpofition, bring yourfelf, almoft or completely, to imagine there is none: what poflible Security can fhutting your Eyes give you againft Danger ; or what Excufe * Rom. xi. 36. k Heb- iii. 12. * Afls viii. 21. can LECTURE VI. 93 can wilfully denying God make fordifobey- ing him. But then obferve further, that fuppofing you do not difbelieve a God at c 1 ', yet if you never think of him, this is not, to any good Purpoie, believing in him at all : and if you think of him but feldom, it is believing in him but little. He, on whom we depend continually, to whom we owe Duty conti- nually, in whofe Prefence we continually are, ouszht never to b^ far from our Thoughts: but we fhould fet him before our Eyes fo conftantly, as to live in his Fear always. Doing this needs not keep us from common Bufinefs : it needs not keep us from innocent Pleafures. But it mould influence us all effectually, (and happy are we, if it doth) to conduct ourfelves in every Thing, as Perfons who act under the Infpection of a wife and juft Superior: whom we may indeed forget, if we will ; but (hall be remembered by him : from whom we may depart, but cannot efcape. In our Choice it is, whether we will be the better or the worfe for him. But one we muft : and that beyond 94 LECTURE VI. beyond Expreffion. For God will bring every Work into judgment, with every fecret Thing ; whether it be good, or whether it be evil k . k Kvl. xii. 14, LECTURE LECTURE VIL CREED. Article IT. And in J ejus Chrijl his o?ily Son our Lord. TO believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, is the univerfal Creed of Nature and Reafon. But divine Revelation adds further Profeffions to it; of which the firft is, that of Faith in our ever blefTed Redeemer : whofe Direc- tion was, Te believe in God: believe alfo in me*. Therefore, that we may believe in him as we ought, he is defcribed, in the Creed, by his Name and Offices, his Relation to God and to us. i. His Name, Jefus : by which indeed many of the Jews were called : but it was given him in Obedience to an Appointment from Heaven, made with a peculiar Regard a John xiv. i. to 9 6 LECTURE VIL to its proper Meaning. For it fignifies, a Saviour : which is a Title conferred, in a lower Senfe, on feveral Pcrforis in Scripture, who delivered others from considerable Dan- gers or Evils, or obtained for them confide- rable Benefits and Advantages. Thus the Judges of the Ifraelites, that freed them from the Oppreffion of their Enemies, are faid to be Saviours, whom God raifed up to them. And Jofitta, who brought them out of the Wildernefs into the Land of Canaan, fubdued it, and put them in Poffeffion of it, not only was in thefe Refpe6ts a Saviour to them ; but from a Forefight that he would, was called ib, as his proper Name. For Jofljua and Jefus are, in the Original, the fame Word j only pronounced a little dif- ferently. And hence Jojirua is conftantly called Jefus in the Greek Language, and even in our Tranflation of the New Tefta- ment, the two only Times that he is men- tioned there . But if he deferved to be named a Saviour, how much more did that Perfon, who hath taught and enabled us to b Judges Hi. 9, 15. Nehem. ix. 27. c Acts vii. 45. Heb. iv. 8. overcome LECTURE VTT. 97 overcome our fpiritual, which are infinitely our word, Enemies: who hath obtained for us, on moft equitable Terms, Deliverance from the Puniihment due to our Guilt; who hath dejiroyed, on our behalf, Death, and him that had the P Giver cj Death*; and will beftow on us eternal Salvation, in the Kingdom of Heaven? with perfect J u ft ice therefore, was the Order given to his Virgin Mother, Thou fait call his Name, Jefus : for hejhallfave his Peop.'e from their Sins e : only let us remember, that none will be laved from them hereafter, that continue to live in them here. For is the holy Jefus the Minifer of Sin? God forbid". 2. His Offices arc exprefTed by the Word, Chrifl. This, and the Hebrew Word Mefjiab, to which it anfwers, in their literal Meaning fignify, Anointed. Oil was anciently in very high Efteem among the Eaftern Nations on various Account?. And, as they were went to exprefs almofi: every :er cf Impor- tance by Actions, as we I /brdsj one Way of letting any Thing apart, and appropria- ted ii. 14. e Matth. 1. 21. ^Gal. ii. 17. Vol. I. G ting 98 LECTURE VII. ting it to an honourable Ufe, was by anoint- ing it with Oil. Therefore we find Jotham, in his Parable, makes the Olive Tree fpeak of its Fatfiefs, as that wherewith they honour God andMan s . Accordingly the Tabernacle, and Temple, and their Furniture, were confecrated by anointing them. And almoft every Sacrifice had Oil, mixed with Flour, added to it, when it was offered up. Nor was it ufed only to fuch Things, but fuch Perfons, as were diftinguifhed in Honour above others: To Kings; who are thenco frequently filled in Scripture, the Lord's Anointed* To Priefts ; concerning whom God commands, in the Cafe of Aaron and his Sons, Thou Jloalt anoint them, that they may minijler to me in the Priejl's OJfice h : And laflly to Prophets ; as where Elijah is directed to anoint EUJJ:a Prophet in bis* room*. And when once, by Cuflom, anointing came to fignify railing any one to a Station of Dignity, the fame Word was ufed, even on Occafions where no Oil was actually 3 Judges ix. 9. h Exod. xl. 15. i 1 Kings xix. 16. em- LECTURE VII. 99 employed k . Thus when Elijah was bid to anoint Hazael to be King over Syria, and Eliflia for Prophet in his own room; we find not, that he ever did it literally l . Again, when God is introduced, as faying of the Jewifli Patriarchs, before Mofes, T'ouch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no Harm" 1 : we have no Ground to think, that they were ever intitled to this Name by any folemn outward Unction performed upon them: but only by the diftinguifhed Favour and Regard f Heaven. And in this Senfe it was, that God anointed our Saviour with the Oil of Gladnefs, above his Fellows": that is, exalted him to a Rank of Dignity and Honour beyond all Creatures. For in his Perfon were united thofe three Offices, in the higheft Degree, to which, you have feen, Perfons were anciently fet apart by anointing. He is the greateft Prophet, that ever was : having given to Mankind the fulled: Know- k The Jews fay that nrPUJtt UnSIion, fignifies Principality and Greatnefs; n^Hil mri'D may. Reland. Ant. Hebr.' Par. 2. c. 3. § 6. and lee this further proved, ib. c. 9. § 6. 1 See 1 Kings xix. 15, 16. Com p. v. 19. and 2 Kings viii. 13. B Pfal. CV. 15. r TlaLxlv. 7. G 2 ledge ioo LECTURE VII. ledge of God's Will, and confirmed his Doclriue by the mod illuitrious Miracles and Predictions. Hence Ifaiah, fpeaking in his Name, long before his Appearance, gave that Defcription of him, which he fo juftly in the Synagogue applied to himfelf: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, he hath anointed me to preach the Go/pel to the Poor*. And St. Peter, after his Refurreclion, fays, that Gcd anointed Jefus cf Nazareth with the Holy Ghoft and with Power, What thefe Words mean, the next explain: who went about doing good, and healing all that were opprefjed cf the Levi I-, for God was with him^i and the whole means juit the fame Thing, with what he elfewhere fays, that he was a Man approved of God by Miracles and Wonders and Signs r . In the next Place, he is a Prieft of an Order, (triclly fpeaking, confined to his own Perfon, and of which no other ever was or can be -, though in feme refpe&s the Prieft* hood of Melchizedek peculiarly refembled ° Chaldi doth not underltend the anointing here to be with material Oil. p Ifa. Ixi. i. Luke iv. I S. * Afts x. r A&s ii. 22. and LECTURE VII. ici and prefigured it. He offered up himfelF for the Sins of Mankind, as (hall hereafter be explained to you. With this Sacrifice he appeared before Gcd, not in the holy Places made with Hands, which are the Figures of the true, but in Heaven itfilf*\ made Re- conciliation for us with him, derives to us continually Blefiings from him; and thus remains for ever an High Priefl over the Hoife of Cod 1 : compared with whom, the Jewifh Priefthood, and the Sacrifice?, which they were daily making, were but as empty Shadows to the real Subftaiice. But laflly, he is in the highefl Senfe a King j King and Lord of all. Hence, in the fecond Plalm, he is called the Lor as Anointed, whom he hath Jet to be King on his holy Hill of Sion '. Hence in Jfaiah it is prophefied, that he mouldyF/ upon the. Throne oj David, (that is, reign over the People of God) to order and cjlabhjh it for ever™, And hence his Title in Daniel is, Meffiah the Prince*, or the anointed Prince : the Son of Man, to whom Dominion jhouid be given, and s Heb. ix. 24. f Heb. x. 21. u FU. ii. 2, 6. Ifa. ix. 7. x Dan. ix. 25. G 3 a Kingdom -, 102 LECTURE VII. a Kingdom; that all People, Nations and Languages, JJjould ferve him y . The Com- pletion of thefe Prophecies we find in the New Teftament: where, as he profefTes himfelf a King, but not of a Kingdom of this World z ; fo we f;nd him, after the fuffering of Death, crowned with Glory and Honour 7 " , infinitely fuperior to the higheft, of mortal Potentates: all Power being given unto him in Heaven and in Earth h ; and a Name above every Name, that is named in this World and that to come r : for which Reafon he is in the Revelation filled, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords A . This kingly Power he exercifes, partly by giving Laws, which every one is bound to obey, and no one may alter, dimi- nish, or add to them : partly by protecting his Church againft all its Enemies, vifible and invifible, fo that neither mall at any time totally prevail againft it; partly by conducting every Member of it, who is dutiful to him, in the Way of Peace and Happinefs, through the Grace of his Spirit, y Dan. vii. 13, 14. z John xviii. 33, 36. a Heb, 51. 9. b Matth. xxviii. 18. c Phil. ii. 9. Eph. i. 21. d Rev. xix. 16. and LECTURE VII. 103 and the Miniftry of his Ordinances: and finally he will, in the mod confpicuous Manner, difplay his regal Power, by ever- lastingly rewarding his faithful Subjects; and punifhing all, who have rejected his Authority, rebelled againft it, or difobeyed it. Thefe then are the Offices, to which God hath anointed, that is, raifed and exalted him: and in refpect of which he is called the Chrift. Let us all be careful to receive him fuitably to them : and fo hearken to him as our Prophet; that we may partake of his Atonement, as our Prieft; and live under his Protection, as our King, for ever and ever. 3. The next Thing, mentioned in the Creed, concerning our Saviour, is the Re- lation, which he bears to God, as the only Son of the Father Almighty. Indeed the Scripture fpeaks of God, as the Father of all Men; and of all that are good, as his Sons. Good Chriftians are (o in a higher Senfe, than other good Men. Angels are the Sons of God, in a Degree ftill fuperior to them. But yet, all other Sonfhips are fo G 4 inconceivably ic 4 LECTURE VII. inconceivably inferior to that of Chrift, that they are in Comparifon as nothing; and he deferves notvvith (landing to be culled, as he is feverai times called in Scripture, the only begotten Son of God £ ; which greatePc of Titles appears to be his due, on fevcral Ac- counts. Firlr, becaufe, being born of a Virgin, he had no earthly Father ; but was begotten of Gcd by his Holy Spirit- This Reafbn the Angel gives, in St. Luke. 'The Holy Ghcji flail come upon thee, and the Power of the Highefl fhall overjbadow thee : therefore that holy Thing, which Jhall be bom of thee, fall be called the Son of God f . Secondly, as by Virtue of the abovemen- tioned Offices, to which he was anointed, he received higher Marks of divine Favour, and higher Degrees of divine Likenefs, than any other Perfon ever did. For, as himfelf argues with the jews, if, on account oi mere earthly Power and Dignity, Men were called Gods, and Children of the IvL/l High ?; much more might he, whom the Father L ' Johni. 14, iS. iii. 16, 18. ijohniv. 9. f Lukei. 35. Spfal. lxxxii, 6. fanflified, LECTURE VII. 105 funttified, andjent into the World, in fo vaftly iuperior a Character, be (tiled, by way of Eminence, the Son ofGod u . And thus is he accordingly (tiled, en this Account: [will be his Father, and he JJjall be my Son ' : alfo I will make him my Jirjl bom, higher than the Kings of the Earth \ Thirdly, he is the Son of God, as being by the Power cf God the Jirjl begotten of the dcad\ refiored to Life to die no more. For thus St. Paul exprefTes it: God hath raifed up Jef/s again, as it is alfo written, Thou art my Son : this Day have I begotten m . Fourthly, he is to, as being Heir of all Things ", and by this Inheritance having ob- tained a more excellent Name, than Men or Angels : they being as Servants in the Houfe of God, he as a Son v . But the moft important and eminent Senie, in which Chrift is the Son of God, remains yet to be mentioned : as, in reflect cf his-divinc Nature, he derived his Being h John x. 34, &c. 1 2 Sam. vii. 14. 1 Chron. xvii. 13. Heb. i. 5, ;: Pfal. lxxxix. 27. ' Rev. i. 5-. m Adls xiii. 33. n Heb. i. 2. v Ibid. a.. p Heb. iii. 5. 6. from 106 LECTURE VII. from the Father, by an eternal Generation ; not as Creatures do, who are made out of nothing, and were made by him ; but in a Manner peculiar to himfelf, and inconceiv- able to us : by which all the Fulnefs of the Godhead dwells in him 1 ; and he and the Fa- ther are, in the itriclert Union, one r . For God was his Father, with whom he had Glory before the World was* : and he in the Begin- ning was with God, and was God 1 ; God over all, blejjed for e r cer y \ Of this myfteuous Doctrine, I mall fpeak fomewhat further, under the Article of the Holy Ghoft : and therefore mall only fay at prefent, that being exprefcly revealed, it ought to be implicitly believed -, without attempting in vain to be wife above what is written ; to know more, than God hath enabled us. And now, 4thly, From all thefe Things arifes, what the Creed mentions in the la(l Place, his Relation to us ; our Lord, For being the only Son of God, he is Heir and Lord of all in his Father's Houfe. Having triumphed 1 Col. ii. 9. * John x. 30. s John xvii. 5. f John i. 1. ■ Rom. ix. 5. over LECTURE VII. 107 over the Power of Darknefs, which he! 1 Mankind in Bondage, we are his by Right of Con que ft : and though other Lords have bad Dominion over us, we are now to make Mention of his Name oulf, as inch : having pnrch::fed us to himfelf for a peculiar People* with his own Blood, we are not our own; for we are bought with a Price? : and he died for all, that they, which live, Jhould not henceforth live unto them/elves, but unto him, which died for them, and rofe again *. For to this End Chrifl both died, and rofe, and revived, that he might be Lord both oj the dead and living a : that he might be fuch, not in Name only, but in Deed and Reality alfo. For not every one, that faith unto him, Lord, Lord, fall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven : but he, that doth the Will of his Father, which is in Hcave?i h . To all others his Words will be at the great Day, what they were whilft on Earth : Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the Things which 1 fay c f Obedience, conftant, univerial Obedience, is the only Manner of acknowledging him, that will w Ifa. xxvi. 13. x "fit. ii. 14. 1 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. z 2 Cor. v. 15. a Rom. xiv. o\ b Matth. vii. 21. c Lukevi. 46. 1 finally io8 LECTURE VIL finally prove acceptable to him : and in that Manner we have folemnly promifed that we will acknowledge him, and ferve him, all our Days. Thus then let us. ever honour him ; thus let us afcribe to him, who is our Prophet, our Pried, and our King, our Saviour, our Lord, and our God, Glory and Dominion, for ever and ever. Amen\ 4 i Pet. iv. 1 1. v. ii. Rev. i. 6. LECTURE LECTURE VIII. CREED. Article III. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghoft) born of the Virgin Mary. AFTER fetting forth, in general, the Name and Offices of our bleffed Re- deemer, his Relation to the Father and to us j our Creed goes on to recount the feveral Particulars of what he did and fuffered, what he continues to do frill, and will do finally, for our Salvation. The firft of thefe is, that the Word was made Fk/h* : that the eternal Son of God wonderfully joining to himfelf a Body and Soul like ours, united the human Nature with the divine into one Perfon : thus be- a John i. 14. coming no LECTURE VIII. coming liable to the fame Neceffities and Wants, Infirmities and Pains ; and endued with the fame innocent Paffions, Appetites and Affections, that we are : on which Ac- count we read in the Gofpels of his feeling Hunger, and Pity, and Grief, and Anger, nay, and increafing, as in Stature, fo in Wif- dom alfo b : not furely in refpec~t of that Na- ture, which in the Beginning was with God, and was God c > but of the other, by which he was the Man Chrift Jefus d . Further than thefe Facts, we are not diftin&ly acquainted with the Extent and Properties of this un- paralleled Union. And it is no Wonder, that we are not. For even that of our own Souls with our own Bodies hath many Things in it, utterly beyond our Compre- henfion. We muft therefore, in all Reafon, without infifting to know, how thefe Things can be*-, confine ourfelves to learn from Scripture, what they are. And it hath plainly taught us, that our bleffed Lord was conceived by the Holy Ghofi, and born of the Virgin Mary. b Luke ii. 52. c John i. x. d 1 Tim. ii. 5. e John iii. 9. Concerning LECTURE VIII. 1 1 1 Concerning the Holy Ghoft, there will be a proper Place to fpeak more at large, in that Article of the Creed, which directly relates to him. At prefent we are only to confider his Influence in the Conception of our Saviour: which Conception was not in the ordinary Courfe of Things ; but God himfelf, being already his Father with re- ipect to that divine Nature, which he had from the Beginning, became again fo, in a new Senfe, with refpecl to his human Nature too, by the incomprehensible Opera- tion of his Spirit. For the Birth of Jefus Chrift, to ufe the Words of Scripture, was on this wife. When as his Mother Mary was efponfed to Jofeph j before they came together , fie was found with Child of the Holy Ghoft* i in purfuance of what the Angel had told her, Thou fait conceive and bring forth a Sony and Jhalt call his Name Jefus, Then [aid Mary unto the Angel ; How JJjall this be feeing I know not a Man ? And the Angel anfwered and faid unto her : The Holy Ghoft Jl:all come upon thee, and the Power of the Higheft flail ovcrfladow thee : there- f Matth. i. iS. fore ii2 LECTURE VIH. fore alfo that holy Thing, which fall be bom of thee, Jhall be called the Son cf GodK And thus, in the Fulnefs of Time, was accompli (lied, what had been intimated as early as the Fall of Man, by that remarkable Expreffion, that the Seed of the Woman /Jjoidd bridfe the Serpent's Head b ; and what had been exprefsly fpoken out by the Prophet Ifaiah, 700 Years before our Saviour's In- carnation, Behold a Virgin jhall be with Child, and bring forth a Son, and they Jhall call his Name Emmanuel: which, being interpreted, is, God with us\ When the Scripture fays, that fuch a Perfon or Thing (hall be called by fuch a Name; it frequently means no more, than that they {hall have a Right to be fo called ; that what that Name fignifies, {hall be verified in them, (hall be true in Relation to them. There are many Inftances of this in the Old Teftament. And there- fore, as our Saviour's coming in the Flefh was the mod effectual and illuftrious Mani- festation of God's Prefence with Men, and e Luke i. 31, 34, 35. h Gen. iii. 15. * Ifa. vii. 14. Matth.i. 23. Favour LECTURE VIII. 113 Favour towards them, that could be; though perhaps in common Speech he was feldom, if ever, called, yet in the Language of Pro- phecy he was very juftly called, Emmanuel, or, God is with us. For in his Perfon God was really amongft Men, in fuch a Manner, and to fuch Purpofes or" Grace and Salvation, as he had never been before. And therefore this Name agrees perfectly in Senfe, though it differs in Sound, from his common Name, jfefus, i. e. Saviour. After faying, that he was born of a Virgin, the Creed adds, that it was of the Virgin Mary : not that we are to feek for any pe- culiar Myftcry in her being called Mary -, as fome in the Church of Rome have imagined, and accordingly formed ground- lefs and ridiculous Derivations of the Word. But indeed the Name was a very common one among the Jews; by which feveral Women, mentioned in the New Teflament, and feveral in other Hiftories, went: and no Intimation is given in Scripture of its having any efpecial Propriety, or Meaning, in Relation to her. But the Reafon of in- ferring it into the Creed molt probably was, Vol. I. H becaufe ii 4 LECTURE VIII. becaufe it is fet down in Scripture, and that by naming the particular Peffbn, of whom our Saviour fpiung, he might appear to be of that Family, from which it was foretold he fhould arife, being born of this Virgin of the Hou/e of David^. Still we are very far from thinking lowly of one, whom firft an Angel from Heaven, then Elizabeth filled with the Holy Ghofi, declared to be blejjed among Women l : and who, with the greatefr. Reafon, faid of her- felf, He, that is mighty, hath magnified me, and holy is his Name™. For greatly without Doubt me was magnified , a high Honour /he received, in becoming, as Elizabeth ftiles her, the Mother of our Lord n . But this, however finguiar, was not the moft valuable Diitinclion of the holy Virgin. In Scrip- ture, no Advantage of any other Kind is ever put on a Level with that of a pious Heart, and a virtuous Life. On the contrary, when on hearing one of our Saviour's Difcourfes, a certain Woman of the Company, in a Tran- fport of Admiration and Affection, had cried fe Luke i. 27. l Luke i. 28, 41, 42^ m Luke i. 49. r< Lukei. 43. out, LECTURE VIII. 1 1 5 out, Blejfed is the Womb that bare thee, and the Paps which thou haft fucked : his Anfwer was ; Tea, rather bltjled are they, that hear the Word of God, and keep it . Now of this trueft BlefTednefs the Virgin Mary en- joyed a moft eminent Share : appearing, in all that is faid of her, to have been pious and devout, reafonable and confiderate, humble and modeft, mild and gracious, in the utmoft Degree. But though, on account of thefe Excel- lencies, as well as her peculiar Relation to him, {lie was the Object, both cf her Son's dutiful Subjection in his younger Years ; and of his tender Care, even when he hung upon the Crofs : yet we find no Footfteps of any fuch Regard paid her, either by him or his Difciples, as can give the leaft Pretence for afcribing to her thofe Prerogatives and Powers, which the Church of Rome doth. Our Saviour, in more Places than one of the Gofpels, treats her in fo cold, and.feemingly negligent a Manner, that one cannot weil avoid thinking he did it on Purpofe, to dif- courage that monftrous Notion, of her Right, Luke xi. 27, 2S. PI 2 as n6 LECTURE VIII. as a Mother, to command him, who was her Lord, as well as ours. In the other Parts cf the New Ttfiament, excepting thofe, which I have already quoted, or to which I have referred, there is only an in- cidental Mention made of her occafionally ; as there is of many other Perfons : and not the mofl: difiant Intimation of any fpecial Honour fhewn, or directed to be mewn. her. Yet doth the Romim Church appoint Offices of Devotion to her, bearing her Namej addrcfs her as Qjieen of Heaven, for fo they exprefly call her: petition her, almcfc in the fame Breath with God and our Saviour, that fhe would beftow on them Pardon and Grace here, and everlafting Life hereafter: Things infinitely beyond the Power of any Creature whatever. Nay, fome of them profeffedly bind themfelves to pray much oftener to her, than they do to their Maker and Redeemer : and appear ac- cordingly to place much more Confidence in her. And all this, not only without the leaft Proof, that fhe hath any Authority in human Affairs, or even any Knowledge of them ; but in open Defiance of the Scripture, which LECTURE VIII. 117 which directs our Prayers to God alone j and particularly of that Paflage in St. Paul, where the voluntary Humility of worfiipping even Angels, though they are known to be minifiring Spirits, is forbidden, as what may beguile us of our Reward: and the Perfons, who pracYile it, condemned, as not holding the Head, which is Chri(l p . But to return to our Subject. The fore- going Doctrine, of God manifeft in the Ffcjh, is undoubtedly one very wonderful Part of that, which the Apoflle calls the Myjlery of Godlinefs*. And yet there is nothing in it, either impofhble, or indeed more difficult to the Almighty, than in thofe Productions of his, which we commonly call the Courfe of Nature; and wonder at them lefs, for no other Reafon, but becaufe we fee them con- ftantly ; the Manner of both being equally inconceivable. And as the miraculous Conception, and Birth of Chrifr, was eafy to infinite Power: ib was it undoubtedly proper and fir, lince it was chofen by infinite Wildom. Indeed f Col. ii. IS, 19. Heb. i. 14. 1 1 Tim. iii. t6. H 3 fome u8 LECTURE VIII. fome Footfleps of that Wifdom even we may be able to trace in this wonderful Diipenfation. It appears mod becoming the Dignity cf fo extraordinary a Perfon, not to enter into the World in the ordinary Manner. As the Jirjl Adam, pofTefled of original Uprightnefs, was formed imme- diately by the Hand of God j it was fuitable, that the fecond Adam, who came to reflore that Uprightnefs, mould not be inferior, but indeed fuperior, in that Refpecl. Ac- cordingly we read, that the firfi Man was of the earthy earthy : the fecond, the Lord from Heaven 7 . It feems requifite alfo, that he, who was defigned both for a fpotlefs Ex- ample to us, and a fpotlefs Sacrifice to God, mould be perfectly free from every Degree of that Impurity, and inward Irregularity, which the tainted Nature of a fallen earthly Father may, for ought we know, according to the eftablifhed Laws of this World, com- municate : whereas being produced in the Manner that he was may have qualified him perfectly for becoming, both a Lamb without Blemifh% and a high Priefi, in every Refpecl r i Cor. xv. 45, 47. * Exod. xii. 5. and LECTURE VIII. 119 and Degree, holy and undeflcd, and feparate from Shiners 1 . But whether thefe or others, concealed from us for wife though perhaps unfearch- ahle Ends, were the Reafons why his Incar- nation was in this Manner ; yet, for his be- ing incarnate, there, re leveral weighty Rea- fons very evident 5 and poiiibly many moie, intirely unieen by us. By becoming Man, he was capable of be- coming the molt complete and enga»ino Pat- tern of Virtue of Man. The Example of the invifible God might feem too high, and too remote from our View. The Examples of Men were all, in one Refpect or another, faulty, and likely to miflead us. But our blefTed Saviour, by joining in his own Per- fjn Perfection with Humanity, gives us the mod; encouraging Invitation to endeavour at doing fo too, according to our Power. He was in all Points tempted like as we are, yet without Sin u j to leave us an 'Example, that we migh t follow his Steps v . E in in particular, by this Means he hath fet us the brighteft 1 Heb. vii. 26. "Heb. to. 15. Y 1 Pet, ii. PI 4 Example 120 LECTURE VIII. Example of that excellent Virtue, Humility, that ever was, or could be j to this Intent, that the fame Mind might be in us, 'which was in him : who being in the Form of God took upon him the Form of a Servant, and was made in the Likenefs of Men w . Of mutual Love alfo he hath fet before us the mod amiable Pattern, by this amazing Proof of his Love to Man- kind. He, who was rich in all the Glories of God, become poor for our Sakes ; that we, through his Poverty, might become rich x in heavenly Bleffings. He, who was exempt- ed from all Suffering, fuffered every Thing terrible in Life and Death for our Good. Surely thefe are powerful Motives both to give up, and do, and undergo, whatever we are called to, for our Brethren ; and to love one another, as he hath loved us 7, His Re- fignation likewife, his Meeknefs, his Zeal, his Prudence, every one of his Virtues, (and his whole Character was compofed of Vir- tues,) are molt ufeful LefTons, derived from his appearing in our Nature, that in a very w Phil.-ii. 5,6. 7. x 2 Cor. viii. 9. 7 John xv. i2. peculiar LECTURE VIII. 121 peculiar Manner command our Attention, and acquire our Imitation. But further ftill ; by becoming Man he had the Means of mod familiarly and bene- ficially inftructing Men, in every Point of Faith and Practice. The Word was made Flejh) and dweit anion* us, full of Grace and 'Truth, and of bis Fulnefs have we ail received z . This Condei'cenfion enabled him to accom- modate his Manner of teaching to the Capa- cities and Difpofitions of his Difciples, to remove their Prejudices, infinuate Truth into iheir Minds gradually; and thus gently training them up to the Kingdom of Heaven, Jay fuch deep Foundations of his Church, as fhaJl never be moved. By taking upon him our Nature, he was likewife capable of being a Sacrifice for our Sins ; a Doctrine, which in its proper Place fliall be explained to you : Therefore, fince we are Partakers of .FleJJj and Blood, he alfo himfelf took Part of the fame, that, through Death, he might defray him, that had the Power of Death, that is, the Devii \ z John. i. 14, 16. a Heb. ii. 14. And 122 LECTURE VIII. And there was another Benefit, confequent to his fuffeiing in our Nature, viz. his riling again in it j and thus giving us the fullcil: Certainty to our own Refurreclion of eternal Life. Even while he fits at the right Hand of the Father, interceding for his Church, and ruling over it, his being Man both makes him a proper Perfon to reprefent Men, and offer up their Devotions ; and affords us the moft fenfible AfTurance of his knowing the Wants, and being touched with the Necefli- ties, of the Nature in which he {hares. Wherefore in all Things it behoved him, fays the Apoflie, to be made like unto his Brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high Priejl in Things pertaining unto God, For, in that fa himfelf hath fuffered, being tempted, be is able to fuccour them that are tempted*. Seeing then that we have not a high Priefl, that cannot be touched with the Feeling of 9ur Infirmities : but one, who was in all Points tempted, like as we are : we may come boldly to the Throne of Grace in Confidence of 'obtaining Mercy ^ and finding Grace to help, in Time of b Heb. ii. i~. j 8. Need. LECTURE VIII. 123 Need c . And fince, laftly, we have a Judge appointed u>, who hath experienced where- of we are Made; we may be in the utmofl Degree certain, that his Judgment will be according; to Equity: that, on the one hand, all due Allowances will be made to us; and, on the other, no undue ones mud be ex- pected by us, in that Day, when God will judge the World in Righteoufnjs by that Man^ whom he hath ordained 6 - ; and to whom he hath given Authority to execute "Judgment \ becauje he is the Son of Man \ « Hcb. iv. 14, 15, 16. d Ads xvii. 31. * John v. 27. LECTURE LE C TUR E IX. CREED. Article IV. Suffered under Pontius Pi/ate, was crucified^ dead and buried ; he defc ended into H.elL IMmediately after the Mention of our Saviour's Birth, the Creed goes on to the Mention of his Sufferings: for indeed his whole State on Earth was a fuffering State. By condefcending to be made in the Likenefs of Men a , he expofed himfelf to all the Neceffities, Infirmities, and Pains, to which Men are naturally fubjecl:. Befides this, he underwent the many Inconveniences of a low and unfettled Condition. And, which was yet much heavier, though his whole Life was fpent in doing Good b , yet was it « Phil. ii. 7. k Atfs x. 31. fpent 126 LECTURE IX. fpent alio in bearing Troubles and Uneafi- neifes from all around him. The Prejudices and Mifapprehenfions of his Kindred and Difciples were no fmall Trial. But the Perverfenefs and Malice of his Enemies was a great one beyond Ex- ample. They were no lefs Perfons than the Rulers and Guides of the Jewifh People, with their blind Followers : whom the Pu- rity. and Humility of his Doctrine, and the very needful Severity of his Reproofs for their Pride, Superstition, and Wickednefs, had rendered implacable again ft him. Eve- ry Condefceniion to win them gained only Contempt from them: every Endeavour to convince and reform them did but exafperate them: they mifreprefented and derided, they reviled and threatened, they afTaulted and per- fected him: till at Length, the Hour being come, which he knew was the proper one to yield himfelf up to them ; they bribed one of his Difciples to betray him into their Hands; terrified the reft into forfaking him; and, after a moft unjuft Condemnation, followed by a Variety of defpiteful Ufage amongft themfelves, to obtain the Execution of their Sentence LECTURE IX. 127 Sentence they accufed him to the Roman Power j firfr. as a Blafphemer againft their Law ; and, failing in this, then as a Rebel againft the Emperor, Tiberius Cccfar, the mod: fufpicious of Men: by which lall Sug- geftion they forced the Governor, though de- claring himfelf to be fatibfied of his Inno- cence yet to comply with them for his own Safety. After this he was abufed and fcourg- ed by the Soldiers, crowned in cruel Mocke- ry with Thorn?, and loaded, probably till he funk under it, with the Crofs, on which he was to fufTer. This Inftrument of Death confifted, as its Name denotes, of two large Pieces of Wood, crofling each other. On one, the Arms of the condemned Perfon were ftretched out, and his Hands nailed; on the other, his Feet, joined together, were fattened in the fame Manner : and thus he was to hang niked, expofed to Pleat :ind Cold, till Pain and Faintnefs ended his Life. The Jews, while they executed their own Laws, never crucified any, till they were firft put to Death fome other Way; after which, their Bodies were fometimes hanged on a Tree till the 6 Evening. i 2 8 LECTURE IX. Evening. But it feems, that only the word of Mak-faclors were thus treated j who are therefore filled in the Law of Mofes accurfed c . The Romans indeed, and other Nations, cru- cified Men alive : but ufually none befides their Slaves; a Sort of Perfons, moft of them, far lower than the loweft of Servants amongfl us. This then was what the Son of God un- derwent, when, having taken upon him the Form of a Servant, be became obedient unto Death , even the Death of the Crofs d . Now the Torment of hanging thus by Nails, that pierced through Parts of fo acute a Feeling as the Hands and Feet, could not but be ex- quifite ; tfpecially as it was almoft always of lpng Duration. And therefore this Punifh- merit was accounted, in every Refpecl, the feverefr. of any. Our Saviour indeed continu- ed under it only about three Hours: a much fmaller Time, tho' a dreadful one, than was ufual. And there are plain Reafons for his expiring fo foon. He had fuffered, the whole Night before, and all that Day, a Courfe of barbarous Treatment, fufficient to wear down • Deut. zxi. 23. d Phi!, ii. 7, 8. the LECTURE IX. 129 the Strength of a much rougher and robufter Make, than probably his was. Before this, he had felt Agonies within, grievous enough to make him Jweat, as it were^ great Drops of Blood*. Partly the near View of what he was juft going, mod undefervedly, to fuffer mip-ht thus affect a Mind, which having lb very much Tendernefs and Senfibility in the Cafe of others, could not be without foms proportionable Degree of it in his own.- And further, the Thought, how fadly, from the Time of their Creation to that Day, Men had contradicted the End for which they were created; how large a Part of the World would (till reject the Salvation which he came to offer, and how few receive it effec- tually ; what Guilt even good Perfons often contract, and how tremendous will be the final Doom of bad ones; thefe Reflections, which naturally would all prefent themfelves to him in the (trongeft Light on this great Occafion, couLd not but caufe vehement Emotions in his Breaft, zealous as he was for the Glory of God and the eternal Happi- nefs of Men. But chiefly beyond Compari- e Luke xxii. 44. Vol. I. I fon, 13& LECTURE IX. fori, the awful Senfe, that he was to bear all thefe innumerable Sins of Mankind in his own Body on the Tree f , being made a Curje from us 3 tore deem us from the Curfeofthe Law s 9 . might well produce Feelings inexpreffible and inconceivable, which, operating much more powerful than mere bodily Tortures, and making his Soul exceeding forrowfui, even unto Death h , might fo exhauft his Strength by- heightening his Sufferings, as to fhorten them very confiderably. And accordingly we read, that when he had hung on the Croisfrom ther fixth Hour to the ninth, he cried with a loud Voice, in the Words of the twenty-feccnd Pfalm, where David fpeaks, as a Type and Reprefentative both of his Sufferings and his following Glory, My God, my God, why haft thou forfaken me ! not in the lean: intending, as David before him did not, tofignify a Dif- truft of his Love, in whom at the fame Time he claimed an Intereft, as his God; but only to exprefs, that thofe Comforts of the di- vine Prefence, which he ufed to feel, were now, for myfterious Reafons, with-heidfrom him in that concluding Hour of Temptation,. f i Pet. ii. 24. £ Gal. iii. 13. * Mattb, xxvi. 38. 5 which LECTURE IX. i*i j which himfelf fo emphatically called the Tower of Darknef '. Then adding Words of the firmed Trull, Father, into thy Hands I commend my Spirit ', he bowed his Head, and gave up the Gboji k . Thus did God fulfil what he before had flawed by the Mouth of all his Prophets, that Chrijl JhouldfufferK It was intimated in the firnV Prediction, made upon the Fall ; name- ly, that the Seed of -the Woman mould be brnifed m . It was prefigured, both in the Sacrifices of the Old Teftament, and feveral remarkable Portions of its Hiftory. He is mentioned by David, as having bis Hands and Feet pierced n : He is largely defcribed by Ifaiahy as a Man of Sorrows, and acquaint- ed with Grief-, wounded and bruifed for our Iniquities, and brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter : He is exprefsly ftiled by Daniel, Mefiah the Prince, that fhould be cut off ? . Thefe Prophecies, the Creed informs us, were fulfilled under Pontius Pilate : for fo was the then Governor of Judea under the 1 Luke xxii. 53. i-uke xxiii.46. J ihfi xjx, 3 1 Aasiii. 18. " ra Gen. in. 15. n Pf*l. xxii. 1 • If. liii. 3, 7, 7. p Dan. ix. 25, z6. I Z RO'V. i 3 2 LECTURE IX. Roman Emperor called. And he is named, becaufe the moil ufual Way of fignifying at what Time any Thing was done, anciently was by mentioning the Perfon, under whofe Government it was done: there not being any other Method of reckoning univerfally received, as that of counting by the Year of our Lord is now among Chriftians. And it- was very ufeful to preferve the Memory of the Date: partly, that in After- ages Inqui- ry might be better made into the Hiftories and Records of that Age, concerning thefe extraordinary Events, faid to have then hap- pened ; and chiefly, that the Meffiah might appear to have come and died at that exact Fulnefs of Time % when it was foretold he fhould. One Mark of it was, that the Sceptre was then to be departed from Judah » : which evidently was departed, when it was reduced to be a Roman Province. Another was, that the fecond Temple was to be yet ftanding; for the Glory of it was to be greater than the Glory of the former % : and this could be true only by the fulfilling of another Prophecy, The /i Soul fhould not be left in Hell; which imports, that once he was there. And hence, after fome Time it was inferted into our Creed, which in the Beginning had it not. However^ being taught in Scripture, the Truth of this Doc- * Matth. xxvii. 57—60. Mark xv. 43—46. Luke xxiii. ,. — (jj. y Matth. xxvii. 62 — 66. z Matth. xx. 19, John iii. 14. xii. 32, 33. a If. liii. 9. b Afts ii. 24—32. trine LECTURE IX. 135 trine is indubitable : the only Q^ieflion is about the Meaning of it. The firft Thought of moft, or all Perfons, to be fure, will be, that the Word He//, in this Article, fignifies what it doth in com- mon Speech, the Place where Devils and wicked Men are punifhed. And it hath been imagined, that Chrift went to triumph over the Devil there; and fome add, to refcue Part of the Souls which he held under Confinement , by preaching, as the Scrip- ture faith he did, to the Spirits that were in Prifcn d . But the Place of Torment is never determinately expreiTed in Scripture by the Word Hadesy which both the Scripture and the Creed ufe in this Article, but by very different ones; though unhappily our Trans- lation hath ufed the fame Englifh Word for both, inftead of calling the former, what it ftriclly fignifies, the invifible State or Re- gion. Befides, we do not read of our Sa- viour's triumphing over the Devil any where, but en the Crojr. And the Spirits in Prifon> c Origert againft Celfus, I. 2. § 42. faith, that Chriit con- verted Souls to himfelf there, ros pKAs^eictS) « «r tap* iii. 19. e Col. ii. 14, 15. 1 4 to * 1 Pet, 156 LECTURE IX. to whom St. Peter faith Chrift by his Spirit preached, he faith alfo were thofe, which were dijobedient, when the Long-fujfering of God waited in the Days of Noah 1 . And therefore ChrifVs preaching to than by his Spirit probably means, his ej g by his Spirit, which Jlrove with z *Mzm for a I ime, that Patriarch to be a Preacher of Bighteouf- nefs among them, as the fame St Peter, in his other Epiftle, calls him h . But not hearkening to him then, rhey are now in Prifon, referved for the Sentence of the laft Day. This Opinion therefore hath no fuffi- cient Foundation. Nor would it be found, on further Trial, agreeable either to Reafon or Scripture. Others have thought the Word, tranflated Hell, to fignify in this Article, as it feems to do in fome PaiTages of the Old Teframent, and as the Englifh Word anciently did, merely a Place under Ground, by which they underftand, the Grave. And they plead for it, that the firft Creeds, which mentioned our Saviour's defcending into Hell, ufed no other Words to exprefs his f i Pet. iii. 20. sGen. vi. 3. h 2 Pet. ii. 5. 6 being LECTURE IX. i 37 being buried, and therefore defigned to ex- prefs it by tbefe. But allowing that, flill our Creed, expreffmg the Defcent into Hell after the Burial, mud mean a different Thing by it. And indeed the mod: common Meaning, not only among Heathens, but Jews and the firft Chriftians, of the Word Hades, here tranflated Hell, was in general, that invifible World, one Part or another of which, the Souls of the Deceafed, whether good or bad, inhabit. And this, how ftrange foever it may feem to the unlearned, yet is by others acknowledged \ Probably therefore all that was intended to be taught by the Expreffion, now before us, is, that when our Saviour died, as his Body was laid in the Grave, fo his Spirit went where other feparate Spirits are. And we fhould remember, in repeating tbefe Words of the Creed, that this is the whole of what we are bound to profefs by them. But in what Part of Space, or of what Nature, that Receptacle is, in which the Souls of Men, continue from their Death till they rife again, we fcarce know at all: 1 See Fearfon on this Article, p. 239, 240. excepting i 3 S LECTURE IX. excepting that we are fure it is divided int® two extremely different Regions, the Dwel- ling of the Righteous, called in St. Lake, Abrahams Bofom, where Lazarus was; and that of the Wicked, where the rich Man was j between which there is a great Gulpb fistfd*. And we have no Proof, that our Saviour went on any Account into the latter: but fince he told the penitent Thief, that be Jhould be that Day with him in Paradife 1 -, we are certain he was in the former; where tbey> which die in the Lord, rejl from their Labour s> and are bleffed m ; waiting for a (till more perfect Happinefs at the Refurreclion of the iaft Day. How the Soul of our Saviour was em- ployed in this Abode, or for what Reafons he continued there during this Time, further than that he might be like unto his Brethren in allThings*, we are not told, and need notguefs. But probably this Article was made Fart of k Luke xvi. 22, 23, 26. ' Luke xxiii. 43. Non ex his verbis in caslo exiftimandus eit efle paradiius. Neque cnim ipfo die in ca:lo futurus erat homo Chriitus Jefus : fed in inferno fecundum animam, in fepuichro autem fecundum carnem. Aug. Ep. 57. ad Dardanum. Pearfon, p. 237. m Rev. xiv. 1 3. ■ Heb. ii. 17. the LECTURE IX. 139 the Creed, in order to afTert and prove, that he had really a human Soul, which was really feparated from his Body. And its Re- fidence, during the Separation, in the fame State and Place, where other Spirits of jujl Men made perfect ° are, iurely made a vaft Addition to their Felicity. For Abraham? who rejoiced to fee his Day p at a Di ft a nee, muft he inexpreffibly more rejoiced to fee him prefent there. All the good Perfons, whofe going thither preceded the Death of our Lord, muft certainly partake in the Joy. And all who came, or (hall come, after muft feel much greater Confolation for being in a Place, where their Redeemer had been feen by fuch Numbers of his Saints 3 and to which, in fome peculiar Senfe, his Pre- fence is yet continued : for we learn from St. Pciul % that the immediate Confequcnce of a pious Man's Departure hence is being with Chrift \ But were the Reafons of his defending into Hades, or of the lnfertion of it into our Belief, ever fo obfeure ; it may fuffice us, Heb. xii. 23. p John viii. 56. 1 Phil, >• 23. See Peters on Job, §. 1 1. p. 399, that 140 LECTURE IX. that the Reafonsofhis Sufferings and Death are very plain., as well as very important. With thefe therefore I fhall conclude this Le&ure. i. The firft is, that he mi*ht be an Ex- ample to his Followers. For fo he became the nobleft and moft engaging Pattern ima- ginable of that great and hard Duty, pa- tient Submiffion to the Will of God : fince being of a Rank infinitely fuperior to the Afflictions of this World, and having done nothing to deferve the leaft of them, he moil: willingly chofe, and cheerfully bore, the moft grievous that were poffible. Well then may we, Mortals and Sinners, take whatever befalls us, in Life or in Death, meekly and contentedly; becaufe Chrijl alfo fufferedfor us, leaving us an Example, that we fbould follow his Steps : who did no Sin, neither was Guile found in his Mouth, who yet when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he fuffered, he threatened not ; but com- mitted himf elf to him, that judgeth right eoifly x . The Example alfo of Kindnefs and Love to Men he fhewed yet more fully by his Cruci- r i Pet. ii. 23. ' fixion, LECTURE IX. 141 fixion, than by bis Incarnation: forefeeing, as he plainly did, all the Pains and Torments he fhould undergo, in executing his great Defign of reforming and faving Mankind; yet deterred by nothing from undertaking it and perfevering in it. If therefore he fo loved us, we ought alfo, as St. John argues, to love one another 5 : and becaufe he laid down his Life for us, we ought, if a proper Occafion require it, even to lay down our hives for the Brethren l . 2. A fecond Reafon of his dying was, that he might thus confirm the Truth of his Doctrine: to which it muft: needs add a very powerful Confirmation, that, though the Jews expected a warlike and victorious Meffiah, and therefore his taking upon himfeif a meek and fufFering Character mufl grievoufly prejudice them againfl him ; yet he declared from the very firft, what you read in St. John, that as Mofes lifted up the Serpent in the Wildernefs fo fhould the Son of Man be lifted up u ; fignifying, as the fame Evarigelift cHewhere aflures us, what Death • 1 John iv. 11, l 1 John iii. 16. u Joha iii. 14. he 142 LECTURE IX. be fbould die™. And he all along perfifted in this Declaration ; rejected every Opportunity of worldly Power; fearlefsly taught the moll provoking Truths, and voluntarily met what he foretold he mould fuffer. Stronger Evi- dences of Sincerity, than thefe, a Man cannot give : and therefore St. John thus reckons up the Teftimonies to Chrift's Million ; There are three ; that bear Witnefs in Earth ; the Spirit, the Water ', and the Blood 7 *. And St. Paul obferves, that before Pontius Pilate he witneffed a good Confejjion y 5 on Ac- count of which he is called in the Book of Revelation, the faithful Witnefs, or Martvr z . 3. The third, and principal Reafon of our Saviour's Death was, to put aivay Sin by the Sacrifice cfhimfelf\ that being jujlified by his Blood, we may be faved from Wrath and re- conciled to God h . But as I cannot now enlarge on this Doctrine fuitably to its Importance ; and the Article of the Forgive- nefs of Sins will be a proper Place to treat of it; I mail only add at prefent, that God hath w John xii. 32, 33. xviii. 32.. x ' John v. 8. y 1 Tim. vi. 13. z Rev. i. 5. a Heb. ix. 26. b Rom. v. 9. 10. made LECTURE IX. 143 made him to be Sin for us, who knew 710 Sin, that we might be made the Right ecu/ nefs of God in him c . For if one died for all, then were all dead: and he died for all that they which live, fould not henceforth live unto themfehes, but unto him, which died for them, and rofe again d . This we fhould do with great Dutifulnefs; for we are not our own 9 we are bought with a Trice e : and with great Thankfulnefs; for he hath delivered us from the Bondage of Corruption into the glorious. Liberty of the Children of God*. Unto him therefore, that loved us, and wafoed us from our Sins in his own Blood, and hath made us Kings and Briefs unto God and his Father, unto him be Glory and Dominion, for ever and ever. Amen E . s 2Cor. v. 21. d Ibid. 14, r 5. e i Cor, vi. 19, 20. ■ Rom. viii. 21.. sRev.i.5,6. LECTURE LECTURE X. CREED. Article V. The third Day he rofe again from the dead. E AVING carried on the Hiftory of . our Saviour to the lowed Act of his Humiliation, our Creed fets forth, in the next Place, how God was pleafed to exalt him for undergoing it. And the firft Part of this brighter View of Thing?, was his Refurreclion: that is, the restoring of his Body to a Condition of performing the feveral Functions of Life, as before -, and the Reunion of his Soul to it. In dif- courfing of which, I fhall fpeak, Firft, concerning the Reality of his riling again : Secondly, the Circumftances; Thirdly, the Ufes of it. Vox,. I. K I. The i 4 6 LECTURE X. I. The Reality j which depends on two Things: that he was really dead, and that he was really alive afterwards. As for the former: the whole of the Hillory fhews it fully, nor did any of his Oppofers ever call it in Queftion. His Crucifixion was public, at Noon- day, be- fore a great Multitude. The Jews who procured it, the Romans who executed it, would both take Care, that it was done effectually. And the piercing of his Side with a Spear, which, by the Blood and Water that followed, plainly appeared to reach his Heart, as it muft have produced fome Signs of Life, had there been any re- maining j muft alfo have deftroyed, in a few Moments, all that could remain. Then, after this, we find him treated as dead, both by Friends and Enemies ; Pilate, after a particular Inquiry into that very- Matter, granting his Body to be buried; one of his Difciples embalming him with Spices, another laying him in his own Sepulchre; the Jews making no Objection ; but fully fatisfied of his Death, and only careful to guard LECTURE X. 147 guard againft any Pretence of a Refurrec- tion. But that, notwithstanding, he was after- wards really alive again, which is the other Point, we have Multiplicity of Evidence of the ftrongeft Kinds. The Sepulchre was newly hewn out of a Rock, (hut up with a very large Stone rolled to the Mouth of it, and guarded Night and Day by a Band of Soldiers 3 who were to watch till the Time was over, within which he had faid he fhould rife. Yet, on that very Day, the Sepulchre was found open, and the Body was gone. Now by what Means could this come to pafs ? To his Difciples it could be of no poffible Ufe, to carry on a Deceit, by getting his Corpfe into their PofTeffion. For if they had fucceeded fo ill with their Matter at their Head, what could they expect by carrying on the fame Scheme after they had loft him, but to come to the fame End ? And what in all Reafon had they to do, but get quietly out of the Way, at lean: till the Matter was a little forgotten ? Indeed we find in Fact, that far from being enterprifing they were fo disheartened, even when he K 2 was 148 LECTURE X. was fifft feized, that they all forfook him : and there was little Likelihood, that they mould have more Courage to attempt any Thing, juft after he was executed. Or if they had, what Manner of Chance was there, that when a Band of iixty Men, ufed to military Difcipline, were fet to watch the Grave, they mould either find them all afleep at once, though it was Death to be fo, and not wake one of them; or be able to convey the Body away from them, though they were awake ? Evidently they muft have failed, and probably have been feized in the Attempt* Or could they have carried their Point; yet, by the Refiftance made to them, it muft have appeared, how unfairly they had carried it: and all Hope of getting a Refurreclion believed muft have been utterly at an End. Since then the Body was not found, and could not, by any human Means, or indeed for any rational Purpofe, have been carried awav; it muft have been raifed bv the Power of God, as the Gofpels relate it was. But to give a full and fenfible Demonftra- tion of it, he Jhewed himfclf alive to his Dif- ciples, LECTURE X. i 49 ciples, after his Paffion, by many infallible Proofs, being feen of them forty Days a . Now in this they could no more be miftaken, than you can in feeing and hearing me, and knowing me to be alive at this Time. As they had almoft dcfpaired of his rifing again, they were but too backward to believe it : and indeed they would believe it on no other Teftimony, than that of their own Eyes and Ears ; and "Thomas even not without touching him, and putting his Hands on the Marks of his Wounds : which the reft, as well as he, when they were terrified, and fuppofed they had feen a Spirit, and not their Lord, were invited to do. Behold my Hands and my Feet, that it is I myfelf: handle me and fee ; for a Spirit hath not Flejlj and Bones, as ye fee me have u . They could not, after fuch Trials, be de- ceived in fo plain a Matter. And if it be imagined, that they might intend to deceive others , confider: They began their Tefti- mony to his Refurrection, at the very Time, and in the very Place, where they affirmed this Fact to have happened : Their Adver- * Afts i. 3. b Luke xxiv. 37, 39. K 3 faries 150 LECTURE X. farieshad all the Power of the Place in their Hands -, and all the Advantages, that Men could wim, for detecting the Fraud, if it was one; and ihey were in the ftrongeft Manner interefted and concerned to m ike Uie of them. Is it pomble now, that Men fo timorous, as the Difciples plainly were juffc before, mould immediately after, venture, without Need, to bring the juft Refentment of both Magiftrates and People upon them- selves, by afTerting fo ftrange an Event, if it was not true ? Yet they did afTert it : and far from being difproved in it, thoufands at once, notwithstanding the mod powerful worldly Motives, and the deepeft-rooted Prejudices, to the contrary, were convinced by them. And thus they went on, through many Years, to the End of their Days, all of them Suffering patiently and joyfully, for the Sake of this Teflimony, every Thing that could be terrible in Life, and at length Death itfelf : nor is it pretended, that any one of them either retracted at any Time what he had faid, or behaved in any Refpecl fo as to weaken the Credit of it. On the contrary, they were uncommonly pious and virtuous. LECTURE X. 151 virtuous, as well as bold and unwearied : and, to complete the Strength of their Evi- dence, they not only taught, illiterate as they were, a Doctrine more wo/thy of God, than the wifelt of Men had known before, profefiing to have received it from their Matter's Mouth ; but they confirmed the whole by vaft Numbers of Miracles, which he enabled them, and thev enabled their Followers, to perform both during that Age and the next. This is briefly the Proof of our Saviour's Refurrection. And if this be fuffkient Proof; then it is no Objection, that more than fuf- ficient was not given : for Inftance, that he did not appear to the Rulers and whole People. They had no Way deferved it. He was no Way bound to it. Nor doth God, in any Cafe, give Men, ju(t fuch Evidence, as they pleafe ; but fuch as he knows to be enough for honeft Minds : and if others will not believe without more, they muft take the Confequences. Chrift appeared to the twelve Apoftles often: to 500 Perfons at once befides. If this Number be thought too fmall, when was ever the tenth Part of K 4 it ic2 LECTURE X. it required in any other Matter ? And if Chrift was to appear to all the Jews 3 why not to all the Gentiles ? Why not to all us at this Day ? We have no Proof, that any one, who deiired it, was refufed feeing him. PonTbly many, certainly St Paul, were con- verted by feeing him. Some perhaps nothing would have convinced : others would not have owned their ConvifHon. This would have made ftrange Confufion. And had the whole Nation been convinced, their Notions cf the Meffiah's temporal Kingdom would probably have thrown them at the fame Time into a Rebellion againft the Romans; or however, the Sufpicions of the Romans would have driven them into one : and then the Gofpel would have been thought a mere political Artifice, toferve a favourite Purpofe. Nay, had they continued quiet, and the Romans let them alone; even then we mould have left that Evidence for the Truth of our Religion, which arifes from the Perfections, undergone by the firft Teachers of it : from the very advantageous Circumftanees, that the jews our Adverfaries have been the Keepers of thole Prophecies, which prove Chrift to be LECTURE X. 153 be ccme: and alfo from their wonderful Difperfion and Prefervation : befides the Proof which will arife, in God's good Time, from their Converfion to Chriftia- nity. II. Thus much for the Reality of Chrift's Refurreclion. The Circumftances of it, which was the fecond Head propofed, it is bell that you mould read in the New Testa- ment, where they are told at large. And if the Accounts, which the feveral Evangelifts give, fhould feem not eafy to be reconciled in fome Particulars : you will recollect, that nothing is more common in all Hiftorians, than for one to omit what another relates ; to tell but Part of what another tells more fully ; to join clofe together iu Writing, what happened at fome Diftance of Time in Fad ; and to neglect a trifling Exa&nefs in Points, that are not material. And the Spirit of God, which directed the Gofpel Hiftorians, might with great Wifdom permit them to do thus : it being a ftrong Proof to every confiderate Mind, that they did not contrive together what Story they mould tell ^ but that each related, fairly and artlefsly, what 154 LECTURE X. what he faw and heard at the Time, and recollected afterwards, concerning this great Fact : of which the more abfolutely cer- tain they were in general, the lefs they would think of being accurate in every little Part j and of drawing up a me- thodical, and minute, and fcrupulou/ly Uriel: Narration of the whole that had palled. But there is one Circumilance, which requires to be confidered more diilinclly ; that of the Time. The almoft conltant Ex- predion of Scripture concerning this is the fame with that of the Creed, that he rofe again the third Day : reckoning the Day of his Death for the fir ft ; the Day, which he continued dead, for the fecond j The Day of his Refurrection for the third. And this is the common Way of computing every where. Thus the Jews computed the eighth Day, on which their Children were to be circum- cifed. Thus alfo the Phyficians call that a Tertian, or third Day Ague, in which there is but one Day wholly free from it. And thus Men reckon in all Cafes. Sometimes the ExprelTion in Scripture is, that he fiould rife LECTURE X. 155 rife after three Days : meaning, not after the third Day was ended, but after it was begun. Juft as when Rehoboa?n had faid unto the People, Come again unto me after three Days, it follows, So all the People came to Rehoboam on the third Day, as the King bade, faying, Come again to me en the third Day c . And in one finale Place of the New Teftament it is faid, the Son of Man fiould be in the Heart of the Earth three Days and three Nights*. But this without Doubt was in- tended to be underftood conformably to the J reft: as it well may. For a Day and Night in the Jewifh Language is no more, than what we commonly call a Day in ours. Hence we find in the Book of Eflher, that when (lie had appointed the Jews to fa ft; for her good Succefs, neither eating nor drinking three Days, Night nor Day ; that is, to fan; three Days and three Nights : and, after that, flie would go in to the King to petition for them ; the very next Words, notwith- standing, are, that on the third Day Jhe put on her royal Apparel, and went into the c 2 Chron. x. 5, 12. See Whitby on Mark vii. 31. d Matth- xii, 40, King's 156 LECTURE X. King's Prefence c . Again, when we read, that Elijah went 40 Days and 40 Nights to Horeb the Mount of God, 1 Kings xix. 8. we have no Caufe to think the Meaning is, that he travelled incefTantly Night and Day ; for fo his Journey mud have been much fooner ended : but that he employed in it fuch a Part of every Day, during all that Time, as he was conveniently able. This Way of fpeaking may feem (Irange to us ; but the jews underiland it fo well, that not a Man of them, excepting a very weak one of late Date f , hath ever pretended to raife an Objection from this PafTage, though very flight Pretences will ferve their Turn «. Thus then our Saviour, dying on Friday, and riling on Sunday, was dead three Days, and yet rofe the third : which was a fufncient Space of Time to prove him really dead ; but not fufficient, either for him to iee Corruption, or for his Enemies to leave oft watching his Grave, or for his • Efth. iv. 16. v. 1. See Whitby on Matth. xii. 40. f Niz7,:xhon vet. in Wagenfeil, p. 236. who objects, that at molt it could be but three Days and two Nights. - Concerning this whole Matter, iee Reland, Ant. 4. i, z\. Difciples LECTURE X. j 57 Difciples to defpair abfolutely and totally: and therefore no fitter Time could have been fixed. III. The third Point to be confidered is ; The Ufes of the Refurrection of Chrift : which are great and many. In general, it appears plainly from hence, that he really came from Gcd; and that thereforewhateverhehath commanded mull: be done; and whatever he hath affirmed, promifed, or threatened, will be found true. For there can pofTibly be no ftronger Proof of his divine Million, than, when he had been openly put to Death as a Deceiver, for God to reverfe the Sentence in fo extraor- dinary a Manner, as reftoring him to Life again. This was the great Evidence, to which he had before his Death appealed. No one either diJ, or could, object againf! it, as not being a decifive one. And there- iore on its coming to pafs, as he h?.d foretold it would, he is juftly laid by the Apoftie to be declartd the So?i of God with Power, by the Refurreftion from the Dead\ But there k Rom. i. 4. arc 158 LECTURE X. are two Things proved by it more parti- cularly. 1. That his Sufferings are accepted by our heavenly Father, as a full Atonement for the Sins of Men. For fince God hath loofed the Bands of the Grave, with which he was holden on our Account ; it is mani- feft, that he hath completed the Satisfa&icn owing frornjis ; that he hath through Death dejlroyed him that had the Tower of Death, that is, the Devil-, and delivered thofe, who through Fear of it, were all their Life-time fubjeel to Bondage K If then we do, by Faith and Repentance, qualify ourfelves to receive the Pardon, that he is authorized to give -, we may boldly fay, with the Apoftle, Who Jhall lay any Thing to the Charge of God's EkB f It is God that jujlifieth : who is he that condemneth ? It is Chrijl that died-, yea ra- ther that is rifen again, who is even at the right Hand of God, who maketh Inter cefjion for us\ 2. From our Saviour's Refurre&ion appears the Certainty of our own. The Promife, * Hcb.ii. 14, 15. k Rom. viii. 35, 34. which LECTURE X. 159 which he made, was, that every one who believed on him jhoidd have cverlafing Life, and he would raife him up at the lajl Day l : and to (hew the Truth of it, he raifed up himfelf from the Death, which he had fuffcred for the Sins of Men. This is a Proof, clear and frrong beyond all Exception or Cavil. Siace Chrift is rifen, our Refur- reclion is poiTible : and fince Chrift hath promifed, it is certain. If then we believe that Jefus died, mid rofe again, we muffc believe too, as St. Paul juftly argues, that them alfo, which Jkep in Jefus, will God bring with him. For the Lord himfelf '/hall defcend from Heaven with a Shout, with the Voice of the Archangel, and with the Trump of God-, and the dead in Chrif f/jall rifefirji -, and they, which are alive and remain, fJoall be caught up together with them in the Clouds, and fo fall we be ever with the Lord m . Bleffed therefore be the God and Father of our Lord J fas Chrif, who, according to his abundant Mercy, hath begotten us again to a lively Hope, by the Re- fur reel ion of Jefus Chrif from the dead ; to an Inheritance incorruptible and undcfiled; that 1 John vi. 40, m 1 ThclT, iv. 14, 16, 17. jadeth 160 LECTURE X. fadcth not away, referved in Heaven for us *. And may the God of Peace, that brought again from the dead that great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the Blood of the ever lofting Covenant make us per feci in every good Work, to do his Will-, working in us that which is well pleafing in his Sight, ihrough jfe/us Chrift: to whom be Glory, for ever and ever. Amen*. ■ i Pet. i. 3, 4. ° Heb. xiii. 20, 21. LECTURE LECTURE XL CREED. Article VI. He afcended i?ito Heaven 9 a?id Jitteth on the Right Hand of God the Father Almighty. THE firft Care of our blefTed Lord, in Confequence of his Refurrection, was to fatisfy his Difciples fully of the Truth of it: the next, to fit them for inftru&ing Mankind in his Religion, of which it was one principal Doctrine and Evidence. He therefore fiewed himfelf alive to them, after his Paflion, by many infallible Proofs ; being feen of them forty Days -, and f peaking of the Things pertaining to the Kingdom of God \ This being done, as he had now gone through the whole of his Work on Earth; a Afts I 3. Vol. I. L it 162 LECTURE XL it was proper, that he fhould return to that happy Place, from whence his Companion to a loft World had brought him down : according to the Words of his own Prayer; Father, the Hour is come; I have glorified thee on Earth : I havefnified the Work, which thou gaveft me to do. And now, O Father ; glorify thou me with the Glory, which I had with thee, before the World was h : There did not remain any further Reafon for his ap- pearing perfonally amongft Men 3 till he fhould come again, to judge the quick and the dead. Many Ages were to pafs before that great and terrible Day of the Lcrd c . It was fit therefore, that, as St. Peter fpeaks, the Heaven mould receive him, until the Times of the Refiitution of all Things^. And, though the Redemption of Mankind was completed by him, fo far as, in this lower World, it could be; yet there was left an important Part of it, to be accomplifhed above. The Jewlm Difpenfation, as the Epiftle to the Hebrews more efpecially in- forms us, was a Shadow of good Things * John xvii. 4,5, c Joel ii. 31. d A&siii. 21. to LECTURE XI. 163 to come'. As therefore, under this, the great Sacrifice of Atonement was yearly (lain without the Sanctuary firftj and then the high Pried: entered alone, with the Blood of it, into the mod holy Place^ there to offer it before the Lord, and atone for the Sins of the People : fo, in the Gofpel Age, was our bleffed Saviour, firft, as the Lamb of fjod\ to be facrificed for our Sins on Earth; and then, as the high Prieft of our Profeffion z . to enter, with his own Blood, into Heaven j the true holy Place, of which the other was a Figure 5 there to appear with it, in the Prefence of God for us 1 ': and thus, having offered one Sacrifice for Sins, he was for ever to Jit down on the right Hand of GodK When the Time therefore was come, for this Purpofe of divine Wifdom to take Effeclj having gradually prepared the Minds of his Apoftles to bear his Departure, he, in the laft Place, with his ufual Tendernefs, gave them all a folernn Bleffing: the Words of which indeed are not delivered down fo •Heb.x. 1. f Johni. 29. e Heb. iii. 1. * Heb.ix. 12, 24. 'Heb.x. 12. L 2 us; 1 64 LECTURE XI. us: but probably they might not be unlike, and certainly they could not well be more affectionate, than thofe, which we find he ufed for their Confolation, even before his Sufferings, on a more diftant Profpect of his being taken from them. Let not your Heart be troubled: believe i?i God-, believe alfo in me. I go to prepare a Place for yow, and 1 will come again, and receive you unto myfelf; that 'where I am, there ye may be alfo. Whatfoever yefvall ajk in my Name, that will I do. And I will pray the Father, and he fall give you another Comforter: that he may abide with you for ever \ Peace Heave with you : my Peace I give unto you: not as the World giveth, give I unto you. Let not your Heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid k . It is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you : But if I depart, I will fend him unto you, and your Heart fall rejoice, and your Joy no Man iaketh from you. Thefe Ihings I have fpoken unto you, that in me ye might have Peace. In the World ye fl:all have tribulation: k John xiv. i, 2, 3, 13, 16, 27. but LECTURE XI. 165 but be of good Cheer ; I have overcome the IVorld '. Undoubtedly with fuch like Words of Grace and Affection, which every good Chriftian may and ought to coniider as fpuken to himfelf, did our Lord, before his Depar- ture, comfort his Difciples under the imme- diate View of that intereftins; Event. And it came to pafs, the Evangelifb informs us, that as he was yet blefjing them, while they beheld, he was taken up : and a Cicud received him out of their Sight m . It is hardly pofiible to conceive fironger or more various Emotions of Mind, than thofe, with which the Bread: of every one of his Followers muft be filled, on this Gc- eafion : of Surprife and Aftonifhment at what they had feenj of Gratitude and Tendernefs, in Return for what they had hi ard ; of Grief and Fear concerning their now folitary Con- dition -, yet mixed, at the f.me Time, with Submilfion and Hope, and faithful Trull: in their dear Lord. But, as he himfelf had fold them, If they loved him, they would rejoice, 1 John xvi. 7, 22, 33. m Luke xxiv. 5 1 • Adlsi. 9. L 3 beca i 166 LECTURE XI. becaufe he went unto the Father*-, fo in Fa&, amid ft all the Paffions working within them, this prevailed above the reft; and triumphant Gladnefs of Heart was the FeeU ing, that took PofTemon, and dwelt with them. 'They worJJjipped him, and returned to Jerufalem with great Joy : and were con* tinually in the Temple, praifing and blejjing God . Let us then rejoice alfo in this glorious Exaltation of Chrift our Head. Let us confider the Opportunity it gives us, of exercifing that Faith in him, which the Apoftle juftly calls the Evidence of Things not feen* -, and of obtaining a Reward, fuitable to the greater Virtue and Piety that we (hew, in conducting aright our Under- standings, our Hearts and our Lives, under a lower, and yet fufficient, Degree of Evi- dence for our holy Religion. Becaufe thou haft feen me, faith he himfelf to St. Thomas, thou has believed : blefjid are they, that have not feen, and yet have believed^. This Blef- fednefs therefore, by his Afcenfion, he hath n John xiv. 28. ° Luke xxiv. 52. * Heb. xi. 1. * John xx, 29. left LECTURE XI. 167 left to his whole Church the Means of acquiring: that the Trial of your Faith, as St. Peter expreffes it, may be found unto Praije and Honour and Glory, at the appearing of Jefus Chrijl : ivhom not having feen, ye love; and in 'whom, though 7?czv ye fee him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with Joy unfpeakable and full of Glory, receiving the End of your Faith, the Salvation of your Souls r . Let us confider too, that if his Abfence tries our Faith, the Manner of his going away powerfully confirms it. For the Apoftles were Eye- witneffes of his afcending into the Clouds : and what ftronger Proof need we, of his coming from God, than his being thus taken up to him again ; according to his own repeated Predictions: befides the remarkable, though obfcurer, Intimations of the fame Thing in the Old Tefta- ment? Nor let it feem (Irange, that the Scrip- ture (hould fpeak of one eipecial Place, as the peculiar and appropriated Refidence of God. We acknowledge, chat he is, a:id 1 1 Pet. i. 7, S.9. L 4 cannot 168 LECTURE XL cannot but be, every where. Heaven and Earth are full of the Majefty of his Glory s ; yea, the Heave?! and Heaven of Heavens, cannot contain him c . Whether Ji hall I go from thy Spirit : ? or whether Jloall I flee from thy Prefence ? If I afcend up into Heaven, thou art there: If 1 go down to Hell, thou art there al/b. If I take the Wings of the Morn- ing, and remain in the uttermoft Parts of the Sea; even there flail thy Hand lead me, and thy right Hand Jhall hold me u . Yet, not- withstanding this, the Scripture conftantly mentions him, as having condefcended to eftablifh his Throne in one particular Place; and exhibit himfelf there, in the Symbol of Light inaccefllble: where therefore his holy Angels attend upon him and fee his Face; from whence he ilfues forth his Commands, as Princes do theirs from the royal Palace; and is reprefentcd, as viewing and obferving the Actions of his Creatures; and pouring down Bkflings or Vengeance, as their Be- haviour requires. 'The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's Seat is in Heaven: his 9 Te Deum. * i Kings viii. 27. u Pfal- cxxxfcc 7 — 10. Eyes LECTURE XI. 169 Eyes behold* his Eyelids try, the Children of jtfen w . Here it is, that tboufand thoufands minifter unto him ; and ten thou/and Times ten thou] and jland before him*, celebrating his Praifes, and rejoicing in the Light of his Countenance. For in his Prefence is the Fulnefs of Joy, and at his right Hand there are P leaf ures for ever more J . Into this bleiled Place then did our Saviour afcend: and there, as the Creed, in Confor- mity with Scripture, teaches, y^tf down at the right Hand of the Father. Not that God, who is an infinite Spirit, and by the Word of his Power doth whatever he pleafes, both in Heaven and Earth ; either hath, or needs, bodily Members, for Inftruments of Perception or Action, like our imperfect Nature. But thele Things are figuratively afcribed to him, in Condefceniion to human Capacities. And the Meaning of fuch Figures is eafily undcrftood. Ke is the King of the whole World. Now into a King's immediate Prefence not all Perfons are ufually admitted. And of thofe, who are, not all poiTefs the fame Rank and Degree ▼ Pfal.xi.4. x Dan. vii. 10. * Pfal.xvi. 12. 4. of lyo LECTURE XI. of Nearnefs to him : but every one fuch as he pleafes to appoint. Now the higheft Mark of Dignity, which the Eaftern Mo- ri archs conferred on the Perfon, whom they efteemed and favoured mod:, was placing him, on Occafions of Solemnity, at their right Hand ; the fecond in Honour was next to the Royal Perfon, on the other Side; and the reft of the Court fucceeded in the fame Order. Thus, when the Mother of King Solomon came to petition for Ado?iijab 9 the Scripture informs us, be fat down on the < Tb?'0ne y and caufed a Seat to be fet for her, find fie fat on bis right Hand 7 -. And when the Sons of Zebedee had, by Miftake, ima- gined the Kingdom of our Saviour to be like one of this World, their Petition was, that they might Jit, one on his right Hand, the other on his left, in his Kingdom*, Sometimes the Pofture of (landing is mentioned : as Pfal. xlv. 9. on thy right Hand did Jland the Queen in GoldofOphir. And, when the Court of Keaven, attending on their Sovereign, is defcribed ; Ifazv, faith the Prophet, the Lord fitting on his Throne-, and all the Hofl of 3 1 Kings ii. 19. a Matth. xx. 21. Heaven LECTURE XL i ?l Heave?? [landing by him, on his right Hand and on his left h . When therefore our blefTed Lord is reprefented by St. Stephen to ftand, or in the ex. Pfalm, and frequently in the New Teftament, to (it at the rieht Hand of God : we are to conceive by it, not that he is confined to this or that Pofture or Place; but that he is raifed, in refpeel of his human Nature, to a Rank and Station above all Creatu r es; pofTefTed of the fulleftHappinefs, the higheft Honour, and the molt iovereign Authority : that Authority, in which Daniel foretells his being inverted : I Jaw, and behold, cne s like the Son of Man, came with the Clouds of Heaven j and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him j and there was given him Dominion and Giory and a Kingdom, that all People, Nations, and Languages fiould ferve him : his Dominion is an everlafling Dominion, which Jhall not pafs away ; and his Kingdom, that which /hall net be dejlrcyed c . The fulfilling of which Pro- phecy is thus recorded by the Apoftle. God raifed him from the dead, and jet him at his own right Hand in the heavenly Places, far b i Kings xxii. 19. c Dan. vii. 13, 14. above i 7 2 LECTURE XI. above all Principality and Power ', and Might and Dominion, and every Name that is named, not only in this World, but alfo in that which is to come d ', that at the Name ofjefus every Knee fiould bow, of Things in Heaven, and Things in Earth, and Things under the Earth e : And he muji reign, till he hath put all Enemies under his Feet f . Sitting at God's right Hand implies this Preeminence \ for to which of the Angels faid God at any Time, Sit on my right Hand, until I make thine Enemies thyFootflool*? Indeed all Power, both in Heaven and Earth, was given to h our Saviour before his Afcenfion : but not, till afterwards, was his Title to it publicly recognized, and PorTef- lion of it folemnly taken by him : which, in other Words, is fitting down at the right Hand of God. But let us confider, not only the Nature of our Saviour's Exaltation -, but, what principally concerns us, the Benefits of it to Mankind, which are three: his fending the Holy Spirit to abide for ever with his d Eph. i. 20, 21. e Phil. ii. 10. f i Cor. xv. 25. s Heb. i. 13. b Matth. xxviii. 18. Church : LECTURE XI. 173 Church : his interceding for it with the Father : his powerful Protection of it againft its Enemies. 1. His fending the Holy Spirit. This was referved, with great Wifdom, till after his Afcenlion ; both becaufe it was then moft needed, to comfort his Difciples under the Lofs of his perfonal Prefence j and alfo, becaufe it afforded a new Evidence of his divine Power, that, far from being in a worfe Condition by his Departure, they were endued with higher Degrees of mira- culous Gifts, than ever they had been before. St. John therefore, upon our Saviour's pro- mising the Spirit to them who mould be- lieve on him, obferves, that the Spirit was not yet given , becaufe Jefus was not yet glorified' 1 . And St. Peter, on the Day when it was beftowed, faith, ^Therefore, being by the right Hand of God exalted, and having re- ceived of the Father the Prcmife of the Holy Gho/l, he hath Jl:ed forth this, which ye now fee and hear k . The miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghoft indeed, being no longer ne- ceffary, ceafed many Ages ago : but his ' John vii. 39, k Afti ii, 33. fanttifying i 7 4 LECTURE XL fanclifying Graces, a much more important Blefling, which we mail always need, con- tinue (till ; and conftitute his prefent Share in the Work of our Redemption : agreeably to the Aflurance, which our blefTed Lord gave, or' another Comforter to abide with us^ and dwell in us for ever l . 2. His Interceffion with the Father. For his Oblation of himfelf being accepted, as the Foundation cf a new Covenant of Mercy and Favour ; we have now an Advocate in Heaven, fure to prevail : an high Priefl, that can be touched with the Feeling of our Infir- mities , having been tempted in ail Points as wc are^y ever appearing for us in the Prefence of God j and eilicaciouily pleading the Par- don, which he hath purchafed, for all who repent of and forfake their Sins. Who then is he that condemneth ? It is Chrift that died i yea rather \ that is rifen again; who is even at the right Hand of God i who alfo maketh Interceffion for us \ 3. His Protection of his Church againft all its Enemies, fpiritual and temporal. 1 John xiv. 16, 17. "Heb. iv. 15. » Rom.viii. 34. Ths LECTURE XI. 175 The Attempts of the former he defeats by the abovementioned Methods, thelnGuences of his Spirit to preferve us from Sin, and the Efficacy of his IntercefTion to procure us Pardon on mod equitable Terms, when- ever we fall into it. As for the latter : upon the firft Oppofers of his Church, the Jewiih and Roman Persecutors, his vin- dictive Power hath been molt remarkably exercifed : and the fucceeding Adveriaries of Religion, in every Age, have ferved, and fhall ferve, only for a Trial of the Faith and Patience of the Saints : generally, without prevailing to their Harm even here ; and always being fubfervient to their Happinefs hereafter: till at Length the appointed Time fhall come, when the Kingdoms of this World J): all become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Chrijl 9 : and having reigned on this Earth, till its Period arrives, he fhall refign up to God his Kingdom of Grace, its End being accomplimed j and reign over his Saints, in that of Glory, for ever and ever : fully performing that invaluable Promite, To him that overco?ntth will I grant to ft with vie • Rev. x'.ii. 10, p Rev. jci. 15. 7 ; ~ i;6 LECTURE XL in my throne : even as I alfo overcame* and am fat down with my Father in his Throne q . Thefe Things being fo, Inftead of amufing ourfelves with the fpeculative Confideration of his Afcenfion, and the Reafons of it ; we fhould learn from his Departure to pre- pare for his Return. To this was the Attention of thofe, who faw it, directed by the Angels. Ye Men of G alike, whyjland ye gazing up into Heaven f This fame Jefus, which is taken up from you, fhall fo come, in like Manner as ye have feen him go into Heaven r . The prefent Article of our Creed is, that he fitteth at the right Hand of God. The next is, that from thence he fi all come to judge the quick and the dead. And what fhould this very clofe Connexion teach us* but that we all be careful to behave in fuch Manner, that we may be ready to meet our Lord' at his coming, and enter with hini into his Joy 1 ? He hath defcended upon Earth to procure us a Right to future Happinefs ; and inftruct us, how to obtain it : he is i Rev. iii. 21. r Acts i. in 8 1 ThefT. iv. 17. ' Matth. xxv. 21; how LECTURE XI. 177 now afcended up into Heaven, to prepare a Place for us u : there feated in Glory, he invites us to him. What then remains, but that we fix our Hearts where our Treafure is *■ j and fit our Affections on tbofe Taiftgj that are above, where Chrijl fittcth at the right Hand of God* ? But in vain do we rejoice in a glorified Saviour, unlefs we become his Friends, by doing what he commands us y ; in vain do we lift up our Eyes and our Wimes to his happy Abode; unlefs, by refembling him now in Purity and Holinefs, we qualify ourfelves to partake hereafter the Refem-, blance of his Glory. Who fall afc end into the Hill of the Lord? or who fall f and in his holy Place ? Even he that teadeth an un- corrupt Life, and doth the Thing which is right, and fpeaketh the Truth from his Heart. He that hath ufed no Deceit in his Tongue ', nor done Evil to his Neighbour, and hath not fandered his Neighbour. He that fetteth not by himjef: but is lowly in his own Eyes. In whofe Eyes a vile Pcrfon is contemned : but he honoufeth them, that fear the Lord. He u John xiv. 2. w Matth. vi. 21. x Col. iii. 1. y John xv. 14. Vol. I. M that i 7 8 LECTURE XL that hath clean Hands and a pure Heart, and hath not lift up his Soul unto Vanity. He jkall receive the Blejing from the Lord, and Right coufnefs from the God of his Salva- tion z . *Ffal. xv. and xxiv. LECTURE LECTURE XIL CREED. Article VII. From thence he Jliall come to judge the quick a?id the dead, TH I S is the great and awful Doctrine, which makes all the preceding ones fo important to us : that God hath appointed a Day, in the which he will judge the World in Right eoufnefs by that Man, whom he hath ordained* : a Truth, the Belief of which it infinitely concerns every one of us to fettle well in our Souls and be duly afTccled by it. The Reafon of our Minds, and even the Feelings of our Hearts, give us very ftrong Grounds to be perfuaded of a future j li Jg- ment, had we no further Evidence. We are all of us, by Nature, capable of perceiving, a A£b xvii. 31. M 2 what 180 LECTURE XII. what is juft and right for us to do, and what isotherwife: we are all capable of acling according to this Perception : we all fee, it is fit we fhould j and fit we fhould fuffer for it, if we do not. When we behave accord- ing to our Duty, there fprings up a delight- ful Peace and Security within our Breads : when we knowingly tranfgrefs it, we not only difapprove and accufe ourfelves, whe- ther we will or not, but experience a fore- boding Expectation of juft Recompence. For Wickednefs, condemned by her own Wit fiefs > is *very timorous : and, being pre/fed with Con- Jcie?ice } always forecajleth grievous Things b . Nor do thefe Horrors relate only, or chiefly to what we have deferved to fuffer in this World : but when our Share in it draws to an End, and Death approaches, then our Fears grow ftronger than ever, concerning fomewhat, which is yet to come -, And thus are all Men a Law unto themjehes > and f/jew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts , their Confcien.ce aifo hearing Witnefs*. b Wifd, xvii. ii. $&&<&• v. iHfoa^ii an «s-/,«. Plat, de Rep, 1. i. a Rom. ij. 15. That LECTURE XII. 181 That fome Perfons are able to overwhelm thefe Apprehenficns under Bufincfs and Purfuits, to drown them in Debauchery and Intemperance, to divert them by Pleafurcs and Amufements, to fet up little Cavils again fl them, and even affect to ridicule them ; is no Objection in the lead to their being juft, and well grounded. The Feeling is plainly natural : every one of thefe Me- thods to get rid of it, is plainly a Force upon Nature, Often it returns with double Ter- ror, for having been unjuftly driven away : andfeldom, or never, can the molt thought- lefs, or mod hardened Perfon, lofe entirely thofe Fears, which are feated in the very Bottom of our Souls -, and which if we could lofe, we mould only be the more furely miferable : for (till the Foundation of them would remain unmaken. Still it would be true, that there is a God, who made us, and is at all Times in- timately prefent with us : who therefore with unipeakably more Eafe perceives all that paffes in our very Hearts, than we do one another's outward Actions : who being perfect in Knowledge, diftinguilhes, in every Cafe, M 3 what 182 LECTURE Xlf. what is good from what is evil ; and being perfect in Holinefs, approves the one, and abhors the other. Even we are thus affected in fome Degree : and his infinite Purity mud therefore be infinitely more fo. Now what he hates, he can punifh as he pleafes; and reward what he loves : for all Power is in his Hands ; all Nature depends on the Word of his Mouth; and he is the fame Yejlerday, 'To-day ', and for ever*. Think then : will the righteous and holy King of the whole Earth, when he hath planted his Laws in our Hearts, when he hath made us for the very Purpofe of obeying them, when he hath filled us with fo deep a Senfe of what will follow, if we di (obey them ; fuffer us, after this, to defpife and dishonour him, to injure his Creatures, abufe ourfelves, and difappoint the great Defign of forming us; and yet take no Notice ? Doth he govern the World, to the very lead: Parts of it, with fo muchWifdom and Care, in every other Re- fpect; and will he be fo unwife and negligent, as tooverlook the one Thing, that deferveshis Attention above all ; and make noDiftinction e Heb. xiii. 8, between LECTURE XII. i8 3 between him that ferveth God> and him that fervetb him not { ? It cannot be: and the Confcience of every one of you, at this Moment, tells you it cannot. Jf then iuch a Distinction will be made, when and where will it be made ? Here, in this World, it plainly is not done, to a De- gree, that the almighty Governor of it can pofiibly think fufficient. Perpetually we fee jujl Men, to whom it happeneth according to the Work of the wicked : and wicked Men, to whom it happeneth according to the Work of the righteous*. Amidft all this Diforder, there are indeed evident Marks of a Provi- dence : but of a Providence, that gives only Specimens and Earners of its Juftice at pre- fent; referving the full Vindication and Dif- play of itfelf for that future State, in which our Souls, being naturally immortal, are evidently deftined to exift; and where all Men fhall receive according to their Works. This is the great End, that God had in his View, when he created us : and it is the principal Point, that we mould have in our own View, through the whole of our Lives. f Mai. iii. 18. t Eccl. viii. 14. M 4 Mors -i84 L E C T U R'E XII. More or lefs all Mankind, even in their darken: Ignorance, have always had ibme Pesfuafion of a future Recompence: which, however mixed with Errors, yet being thus univerfal and laib'ng, mud have been grounded in Nature and Truth. And the wifer and better any Perfons were, amongft -the Heathens, the ftrcnger and more ra- tional Belief they had of this Doctrine : which yet was not owing merely to their Willies, and their Hopes : for the worft of Sinners, that were the fartheft from de~ firing a juft Reward hereafter, feared it, whether they would or not. Thus we find it recorded of a very wicked Heathen, that when Paul re a/one d of Righteoufnefs and temperance, and Judgment to come, Felix trembled h . But ftill, while the Evidence of this great Article confided wholy in mere human Reafonings, about a Matter, that was out of Sight : bad Perfons, though they could not help at fome Times believing enough to fright them; yet made a mift at others to disbelieve enough, to make them tolerably h A<5is xxiv. 25, eafy LECTURE XII. r$s eafy in doing wrong : and good P^rfons, though they might have Hope fufficient to influence them in common Cafes j yet often had not fufficient to fupport them under harder Duties, and heavier Afflictions, than ordinary. Even the obfeurer Confirmations of this Doctrine in the Old Teftament therefore were a great Benefit to thofe, who partook of them : and as they had no Right to any fuch Afiurances of it ; they had no Caufe to complain, that they were not clearer. But we have infinite Caufe to be thankful, who are favoured in the Gofpel with the fullefl and ftrongefl Atteftation to this mod interefUng of all our Concerns. Chriftians, unlefs they renounce their Chrif- tianity, cannot difbelieve a future Judg- ment. The only Difficulty is, to be influ- enced by our Belief, as we ought. And in that alfo the Scripture hath given us the beft Help, which is polllble to be given ; by its affecting Accounts of the feveral Particulars, that relate to this awful Tranf- aclion : the Perfons on whom, the Perfon by whom, the Time when, the Things for which, and the Manner in which, the 7 final i56 LECTURE XII. final Sentence of Happinefs or Mifery is to be pronounced. Thefe Points therefore I /hall now endeavour to place before you diftinctly. And, i. The Perfons, on whom, are, the quick, that is the living, and the dead. All that have died before, in every Age of the World, mall be reftored to Life: and all that remain alive, fhall be joined with them to receive their Doom ; nor fhall any Exception be made. For we are ex- prefsly afiured, that the dead, fmalt a?id great, Jhall fiand before God' 1 . The very higheft therefore fhall not efcape by their Power, the richeft by their Wealth, the wifeft by their Abilities or Artfulnefsj nor, on the other Hand, ihali the meanefl: Wretch be looked on, as too inconfiderable for God's Notice; or the n>oft ignorant be exempted from anfwering for the Care, which he hath taken, to get the Know- ledge, that he might, and to ufe the Knowledge, that he had, of his Duty. Whatever our Station be, we are bound alike to behave in it, as well as we can : 1 Rev. xx. 12, and LECTURE XII. 187 and how far we have done fo, and how far we have failed of it, is the one Inquiry, that our Judge will make. Other Diftinc'tions, how considerable ibever they appear in our Lyes, to him are as nothing. All Creatures are equally beneath his infinite Majefty; but none are either beneath or above his Inflection now, or his Sentence hereafter. Here then we are put, every one of us, on a fair Trial, without any Difadvantage or Inequality whatever. Both the mod: honourable, and the moft contemptible Perfon?, as to worldly Circumftances, may be either the happieft or the moft. miferable in the next Life, juft as they mail chufe. Let thofe of high Degree therefore be humble, thofe of low be content, and all be watchful over themfelves. 2. The Perfon, by whom the Sentence (hall be pafferi, is Jefus Chrift. For the Father himfelf judgcth no Man: hut hath committed all judgment to the Son, and given kirn Authority to execute it, becaufe he is the Son of Man^ : becaufe he is the Perfon, defcribed by that Name in the Prophet JDaniel, before whom the Judgment ivas to k John v, zz, 27. be i8S LECTURE XII. be Jit, and the Bocks opened 1 : who alio is na lefs peculiarly qualified, than expref&ly ap- pointed for it 3 lincc in him divine Perfec- tion is joined with Experience of human Infirmity. So that being judged by one, who was in all "Points tempted like as we are, yet without Sin m ; we may be fure, that every due Allowance will be made to our natural Weaknefs, and no undue one to our wilful Wickednefs. Unlefs therefore we repent and amend, he, that came the firft Time to fave us, will come the fecond to condemn us; and the meek and merciful Jefus appear cloathed with fuch Terror, that we mall fay to the Mountains and the Rocks, Fail on us, and hide us jrom the Face cf him that fitteth on the Throne, and from the Wrath of the Lamb : for the great Day cf his Wrath is come, and who fiall be able to md n ? 3. The Time when thefe things mail be, himfelf informs us, it is not for us to know -, being known to the Father alone, and put in his own Power . But frill, what } Dan.vii. 10. 13. r - Heb. iv. 15. n Rev. vi. $6, if. ° Aftsi. 7. there LECTURE XII. 189 there is need we mould be told concerning it, the Scripture hath revealed ; that it (hall come unexpectedly, and that it (hall come foon. The gei Judgment may come, wi;n we lead think of i But however diftant it may poltibly he in itfelf, yet to every one of us it is undoubtedly in Effect very near, and even at the Door. For it is apt: unto Men once to die, and after this the Judgment?. A few Tears, it may be a few Days, Will bring us to our End here: and in whatever State Death finds us, in the fame will the laft Judgment find us, alfo. For there is no Device, nor IVifdom in the Grave* : but where the Tree falleth there it Jkall be r . Take Heed therefore to yourf elves, left your Hearts be overcharged, either with the Pleasures and Amufements, or the Cares and Labours of this I^fe; and fo that Day come upon you unawares: for as a Snare Jhall it come on all (hem, that dwell on the whole Earth*. The evil . r v V that fall fay in his Heart, my Lord , h his coming j and fall begin to p Hcb. ix. 27. 1 Eccl. ix. 10. r Eccl. ■ . * Luke x.xi 3.1, 55. ferva igo LECTURE XII. Jervanfs, and to eat and drink with the drunken : the Lord of that Servant fiall come in a Day, that he looketh not for him ; and in an Hour, that he is not aware of; there JJoall be weeping and gnafhing of 'Teeth*. Watch ye therefore, and be ready : blejfed is that Servant, whom his Lord, when he comet h, fi all find Jo doing u . 4. The Things, for which we fhall be judged, are, all cur voluntary Deeds, Words, and Thoughts. For we mujl appear before the J ' udgment-feat of Chrif, that every one may receive the Things done in his Body™* Now what we fay, and what we think defignedly, is as truly Part of our Doings, as what we act. Our Difcourfe may be of as much Service or Harm to others ; and even our inward Imaginations may as much prove us to be good or bad in ourfelves, and con- tribute to make us yet better or worfe. Often indeed we cannot help wicked Fancies coming into our Minds ; and that alone will never be imputed to us as a Sin. But we can help inviting, indulging, and de- 1 Matt. xxiv. 48—5 1 . u Ibid. 42, 44, 46. * 2 Cor, v. 10. lighting LECTURE XII. 191 lighting in them: and if we do not, it is juft, that we mould account for our Fault. And on the other Hand, it is fit and reafon- able, that every good Perfbn fliould be re- warded, not only for the religious and worthy Actions that he hath performed; but for every good Word, that hath proceeded from his good Heart ; for his pious and virtuous Purpofes and Affections. For God fees the one, juft as clearly, as the other : there is no Creature, that is not manijej} in his Sight , but all Things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him , with whom we have to do*. And certainly what he fees, and fees to be proper for his Notice, he will not fail to take fuitable Notice of it. The Scripture there- fore afiures us, with the utmoft Reafon, not only, that by our Words we JJjall be juf- tifiedy and by our Words condemned-, giving Account for the very idlejl and ilighteft of them, either with Grief or Joy, according as its Tendency was right or wrongs : but alio, that God fidll judge the Secrets of Men by Jejus Chrijl z : that there is nothing cover- Hcb. iv. 1 j. y Matt, xii * Rem, ii. 1 ed t i 9 2- LECTURE XII. ed, that fiall not be revealed; and hid, thai fall not be known a . For God fall bring every Work into "Judgment, with every fecret Thing; whether it be good, or whether it be evil h . Therefore, with refpedfc to other Perfons, let us be charitable and judge nothing need- lefsly before the Time; until the Lord come, who will bring to Light the hidden Things of Darknefs, and make manifjl the Counfch of all Hearts' 1 . And, with refpecl to ourfeives, let us be eafv under human Cenfures, if we have given no Occalion for them ; for in that Cafe, it is aftnallThifig to be judged of Mans judg- nient* : But let us carefully prepare for the divine Sentence, by perfecting Holinefs in the Fear of God* ; and after all our Care, let us be thoroughly humble : for though we know nothing by our fives, yet we are not hereby jufii- fied, if it be through Partiality or Forgetful- nefsas poffibly it may 5 but he that judgeth us, is the Lord f . 5. As to the Manner of the Judgment, it will be with the greatefl Solemnity and Aw- a Matt. x. z6i b Eccl. xii. 14. c 1 Cor. iv\ 5. * Ibid. 3. • 2 Cor. vii. i. f 1 Cor. iv. 4. fulnefs, LECTURE XIL 193 fulnefs, and with the greateft JuAice and Equity. The Lord h'mij elf fall defend from Heaven*, with his mighty Angels, in fuming Fire h : and the Trumpet fall found 1 ) and all that are in the Graves fall hear his Voice, and come forth k . Them fhall he ft upon the Throne of his Glory \ and the Books f:all be opened, and they Ji hall be judged out of thofe Things, which are written in the Books, ac- cording to their IVorks m . As many as have finned without a revealed Law, fall perifj without a revealed Law : and as many as have finned in the Law whether Jewifh or Chris- tian, fimll be judged by the Law \ Unto whomfoever much is given, of him fall much be required : and to whom much is committed, of him will the more be afked°. He that hath [owed fparingly, fall reap alfo fparingly : tind he which hath f owed bountifully, fall reap alfo bountifully*. Whatjoever a Man hath fowed, that fall he alfo reap \ What Manner of Perfons ought we to be t 1 Theff. iv. t6i h 2 Theff. i. 7, 8. ' 1 Cor. xv. 52. k John v. 28, 29. ' Matth. xxv. 3 1. m Rev. x.y. 12. n Rom. ii. iz. u Luke xii. 48. p 2 Cor. ix. 6. 1 Gal. vi. 7. Vol. I. N then 194 LECTURE XII. then in att holy Converfation and Godlinefs « looking for and haflening unto the coming of the Day of God; wherein the Heavens, being on Fire, Jloall be dijjblved, and the Elements fjall melt with fervent Heat ? Neverthelefs we, according to his Promife, look for new Heavens and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth Right eoufnefs. Wherefore, beloved, feeing that ye look for fucb Things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in Peace, without Spot, and blamelefs : grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour fefus Chrijl : to him be Glory, both now and for ever. Amen r . 7 2 Peter iii, ir— ia, iS> LECTURE LECTURE XIIL CREED. Article VIII. I believe in the Holy Ghojl. TH E former Articles having exprefled the Belief of Chriftians concerning the two firft Perfons of the facred Trinity, the Father and the Son j our Creed proceeds in this to the third Object of our baptifmal Faith, the Holy Ghoft. And to explain it properly, there will be Need to fpeak, firit, of his Nature : fecondly, of his peculiar Of- fice in the Work of our Redemption : thirdly, of the Duties owing to him : fourthly, of the Sins, which we are liable to commit againft him. I. Of the Nature of the Holy Ghoft, or Spirit. For Ghoft, in the ancient Ufe of our Language, denoted the fame Thing, N 2 which 196 LECTURE XIII. which Spirit doth now : a Subftance different from Body or Matter. Indeed we ftill ufe it, in expreffing the Departure of the Spirit from the Body, which we call giving up the Ghofl ; and in fpeaking of fuppofed Appari- tions of the Spirits of Perfons after their De- ceafe. Hence alfo the catechifm mentions ghq/ily Dangers ; and' the Communion Ser- vice, ghojlly Counfeh : meaning fuch Dangers, and fuch Counfels, as relate to our fpiritual Part. In like Manner, the Holy Ghoft is the Holy Spirit; concerning whofe Nature, we can know, as I told you before concerning that of the Son, only what refults from the Difcoveries made to us in Scripture. And thefe, though they enlighten us but in Part, are both credible and fufficient. For it is no Objection againil: believing what God hath revealed in Relation to any Subject, that many Queftions may be aiked about what he hath not revealed, to which we can give no Anfwer. And he will never expect us, in this or any Matter, to apprehend more, than he hath afforded us the Means of ap- prehending. LECTURE XIII. 197 prehending. Now the chief Things, re- vealed in the prefent Cafe, are the following; The Holy Ghoft is not merely an Attribute or Power of the Father, but hath a real Sub- frftence, diftinc~t both from the Father and the Son. For the New Teftament exprefsly and repeatedly ufes the Word, he, concerning him" : which is never ufed in that Manner of a mere Attribute or Power. It afcribes to him Will and Understanding 15 : it fpeaks of him as being fent by the Father, coming and acting on various Occafions, relative both to the Son and to others ; nay, as mewing kirn [elf in a bodily Spape, like a Dove Q . Further : The Holy Ghoft is, truly and flriclly fpeaking, God. For the Language of Scripture concerning him is fuch, as can- not belong to any created Being. He is there called, the eternal Spirit d , the Lord*', faid to quicken, or give Life* ; to be every where prefent with all good Chriftians s ; to fearch all Things, yea, the deep Things of God, even as the Things of a Man are known^ by his own Spirit, whfch is in him*. Chrift, being con- a John xlv. 26. xv. 26. xvi. 13. b Rom. viii. 27. Hcb. ii. 4. Comp. i Cor. xii. u. c Luke iii. 22. d Hcb. ix. 14. e 2 Cor. iii. 17. r 1 Pet. iii. 18. £ j^>hn xrv. 1C, 17. h 1 Cor. ii. 10, 1 1. N 3 ceived 198 LECTURE XIII, ceived by him, became the Son of God'\ Christians, by his dwelling in them, become the 'Temples of the Holy Ghofi k , or, as another Place expreiTes it, the Temples ef GodK Ananias, by lying to him, lied not unto Men % but unto God m . He is faid to diftribute fpi- ritual and miraculous Gifts, divining to every Man fever ally, as he will*. And as the D if- ciples minijiered to the Lord and fa fed ^ the Holy Ghoji /aid, Separate me Barnabas and Saul jor the Work, wbereunto I have called them . He is reprefented by oar Saviour, as able fully to fupply the Want of his perfonal Prefence with the Apoftles p . And laftly he is joined with the Father and the Son, on equal Terms, both in the Form of Baptifm, where his Name and theirs are ufed alike q $ and in the folemn Form of Rleffing; where the Fellow/hip of the Holy Ghoft is placed on a Level with the Love of God, and the Grace of our Lord Jfus Chrif \ Thefe, and many other Scripture Expref- fions, are furely fuch, as cannot be ufed of any Creature : but prove the Spirit, as others, 1 Luke i. 3J„ k i Cor. vi. 19. J 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. *> Ads v. 3, 4. n 1 Cor. xii. 11. "A&sxiii. 2. f John xvi. 7. 1 Matth. xxviii, 19. r 2 Cor. xiii. 14. already LECTURE XIII. i 99 already mentioned to you, prove the Son, to partake of the fame Authority and Perfecti- ons, and therefore the fame Nature, with the Father. Yet we know, that though in holy Writ Men and Angels are, fometimes oa account of their extenlive Power, fometimes as Reprefentativcs of the Deity, called God?, yet in literal Propriety of Speech there is but one God, and not either three fupreme Beings, or a fuperior and an inferior Object of Adoration. Hear, O Ifrael, the Lord our God is one Lord*. Is there a God bejides me? yea, there is no God: I know not any 1 . Before me was no God formed : neither fall there be after me u . I am the Lord> and my Glory ivill I not give to another w . Thou fkalt worfip the Lord thy God, and him only fait thou Jerve x . Since then there is not a Plurality of Gods ; and yet the Son and the Spirit are each of them God, no lefs than the Father : it plainly follows, that they are, in a Manner by us inconceivable, fo united to him, that thefe three are oner ; but (fill, in a Manner equally inconceivable, fo diftinguifhed from him, that no one of them is the other. * Deut. vi. 4. * Ifa. xliv. 8. u Ifa. xliii. 10. w Ifa. xlii. S. x Matth. iv. 10. h John v. 7. N 4 Now 200 LECTURE XIII; Now certainly, in general, it is no Con- tradiction, that Things mould be in one Refpect the fame, and in another different. , But the particular and explicit Notion of this Union and this Diftin&ion the Word of God hath not given us. Whether we are capable of apprehending it, we know not : and therefore it is no Wonder in the leaft, that we are incapable of forming one to our- felves. For indeed we are incapable of forming clear Notions concerning thoufands of other Things, which are unfpeakably lefs beyond our Reach. All that we can do therefore is, to ufe thofe Expreflions in Rela- tion to it, which either Scripture furnifhes, or Experience hath found ufeful to guard againft. falfe Apprehenfions : for with very imperfect ones we muft be content. Thus in fpeaking of the Difference of the Son and Spirit from the Father and from each other, we fay, with our Bible, that the Son is be^ gotten, and the Spirit proceeds, without pre^ tending to know any further, what thefe two Words mean, than that each denotes fome- thing different from the other; and both fomething different from Creation out of Nothing. LECTURE XIII. 201 Nothing. And this Diftinclion giving Occa- iion to Scripture to fpeak of them in fome- what the fame Manner, as of different Per- fons amongft Men : we call them the three Perfuns of the Trinity: not at all intending by it to fay, that the Word, Pir/071, fuits them in every Refpect that it fuits us : but only to acknowledge, that as we find them thus fpoken of, we doubt not but there is fome iumcient Ground for it. And as we find further, that in Point of Rank, the Perfon of the Father is represented as fupreme, the Son as fubordinatc to him, the Holy Spirit to both; and in Point of Relation to us, Crea- tion is afcribed peculiarly to the firft, Re- demption to the fecond, Sanctification to the third ; and yet, in fome Senfe, each of thefe Things to each : we imitate the Whole of this likewife. Still we are very fenfible at the fame Time, that many more Doubts and Difficulties may be railed, almoft about every Part of the Doctrine, than God, in his un- fearchable Wifdom, hath given us Light enough to folve. But we apprehend it is our Duty, to believe with Humility and Sim- plicity what the Scripture hath taught us; 5 and 202 LECTURE XIIL and to be contentedly ignorant of what it doth not teach us ; without indulging Spe- culations and Conjectures, which will only perplex the Subject more, inftead of clearing it. And furely it is our Duty alfo, to in- terpret with Candour, and ufe with prudent Moderation whatever well-meant Phraies the Church of Chrift, efpecially in its earlier Days hath applied to this Subject ; to think, on Matters, which are both fo myfterious in their Nature, and fo hard to be expreffed, with great Charity of other perfons : and for ourfelves, to keep clofe with great Care to fo much as is plain and practical. In order to this, I now proceed to lay before you, II. The peculiar Office of the Spirit in the Work of our Redemption : on Ac- count of which he is called, in our Catechifm, Gcd the Holy Gho/i, who fanc~lifieth us, and all the eleft People of Gcd. For probably he is called the Holy Spirit fo frequently in Scrip- ture, and the Spirit of Holinefs once % not merely as being perfectly holy in himfelf, which the Father and the Son are alfo, but 1 Rom. i. 4. as LECTURE XIII. 203 &s being the Caufe of Holinefs in Believers ; who are elected by God, to eternal Life, on foreseeing that their Faith will produce Obedience. To be holy is to be pure from Defile- ment; but particularly, in this Cafe, from the Defilement of Iniquity : and being fancti- fied is being made holy : to which blefTed Charge in linful Man, the Spirit of God, we are taught, contributes many Ways. In Baptifm we are born a gain of Water and of the Spirit a -, reftored by him to the State of God's Children, and endued with the Prin- ciples of a new, that is the Chriflian, Life. As we grow up, it is through him, that our IJnderfbndings are enlightened by the Know- ledge of God's Will. Redirected the ancient Prophets in what they preached and wrote. For holy Men of old Time f pake, as they were moved by the Holy Ghcjl b : which more efpe- cially tefified beforehand the Sufferings of Chrijl, and the Glories that Jlmdd follow % Then afterwards, when our Saviour became Man, the Holy Ghoft was upon him, and accompanied him through the Whole of his ? John Hi. 3, 5. l zPet. i. 21. c 1 Pet. i. n. Mi nift ration : 204 LECTURE XIII. Miniftration d : and after his Afceniion was communicated more fully than before to his Apoftles j to teach them all Things needful, and bring to their Remembrance whatever he had J aid to them' : fo that in all iheir Dif- courfes for the Inftru&ion of Mankind, it was not fo much they who /poke as the Spirit of the Father, that [poke in them 1 . Nor can we doubt, but he afforded them equal AfTiftance at lead in what they wrote for the life of all future Ages. The fame Spirit was alfo their Comforter under every Suffer- ing : and laftly bore Witnefs to the Truth of their Doctrine and our Faith, by a Multi- tude of Signs and Wonders and fupernatural Gifts £ : by which Means, and the Miniftry of their SuccefTors, whom likewife the Holy Ghcjl made Over Jeers over Chrijl's Fiock x \ the Light of his Gofpel hath filled the Woild, and now mines upon us. Nor is it outwardly alone, that he reveals and confirms to us divine Truths j but as the bleffed Jtfus promifcd, that he Jlmdd d Mitth.iii. 16. Luke iii. 22. iv. 1. Acb i. 2. x. 58. e John xiv. 26. f Match, x. 20. s Heb. ii. 4. * Afts xx. 28. dwell LECTURE XIII. 2c 5 dwell in his Difciples, and abide with them jor ever 1 ; Co, by his inward Operations, the Credibility of which I (hall, God willing, prove to you in its proper Place, he opens our Hearth to receive the Word of God, influences our Affccl.ions to delight in it, and excites our Wills to acl conformably to it: for which Reafons good Perfons are faid to be led by the Spirit 1 ; and all Chriftian Graces to be the Fruits of the Spirit m . With the Wicked he ftrives n , till they obrtinately harden themfelves, and then forfakes them. But thofe, who yield to his Motions, he renews °, and fir en gt hens with Might in the inner Man p ; helps their Infirmities^ and both directs and animates their Prayers, thus making, as it were, Inter cefiion* within them. By this one Spirit, being in all Chriftians, they are united into one Body 1 , and made to love each other. By the Holy Ghoft alfo, tbi Love of God is JJjed abroad in our Hearts \ teaching us to look upon him, not as an auftere Matter, but a kind Parent; or, in 1 John xiv.i6. k Atfsx\i. 14. J Row. viii, 14. n Gal. v. 23. "Gen.vi. 3. ° Tit. iii.5. P Eph. iii. 16. i Rom. viii. 26,27. r Eph. iv. 4. » Rom. v. 5. the 206 LECTURE XIH. the Language of St. Paul, to cry, Abhd'i Father r . And thus the Spirit beareth Witnefi with our Spirit, joins with our Conferences to complete the Evidence, that we are the Sons of God n : from whence arifes that Joy in the Holy Ghoji™, which different Perfons have in very different Degrees : and there- fore no one fhould defpond, becaufe he feels but little, or at Times perhaps nothing, of it, provided he truly honours and ferves God. But to fome Perfons, on fome Occafions, the heavenly Comforter vouchfafes, both ftrong Affurances of their good State; (hereby know we, that God abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us x ;) andfuch lively Confolations from it, as amount to a Pledge and Foretafte of Happinefs to come. Accordingly they are faid to be Jealed with the Holy Spirit of Promife, which is the Earnejl of their Inherit tance J . But to prevent wicked Perfons of enthu- fiaftic Tempers from miflaking, as they often have done, their own groundlefs Con- »■ ; Rom. viii. 15, Gal. iv. 6. * Rom viii. 16, Rom.xiv. 17. * 1 John iii. 24. xEph.i. 13,14. fidence LECTURE XIII. 207 fidence for the inward Teftimony of the divine Spirit, they fliould be carefully re- minded, that by cur Fruits we are known 1 , and mud know ourielves 3 ; that the Fruit of the Spirit is in all Rightcoufnejs and Truth 1 *, and only good Men are full of the Holy Gho/i c . For into a malicious Soul he will not enter '3 ?ior dwell in the Body that is fubjeel unto Sin. The Holy Spirit of Difcipline will fee Deceit; and remove from Thoughts that are without Un- derfanding-, and will not abide, when Un- rigbteoufnefs cometh in d . III. The next Thing propofed was to fpeak of the Duties owing to the Holy Ghoft : which, befides the general one of honouring him fuitably to his Nature, as God, are in particular, to be baptized in his Name ; as I have already mentioned; to pray for his Graces ; for God giveth Grace unto the humble e , and will give his Holy Spirit to them that ajkhi?n i ; to be heartily thankful for all his good Motions, and confeientioufly to obey them in every Inftance. By this lad: I 1 Matth. vii. 16. a 1 John ii. 3. b Eph. v. 9. e Aft; xi. 24. d V/ild. i. 4, 5. e Jumes iv. 6. * Luke xi. 1 j, 8 do 2o8 LECTURE XIII. do not mean, that we mould believe every Spirit 1 -, follow every ftrong Imagination of our own, or Pretence of Light from above in others : but adhere fteadily to that Rule of Life, which the Holy Ghoft hath directed the Writers of Scripture to teach us, and inwardly prompts and difpofes us to obferve. For other Infpiration, than this, being now become unneceflary ; we have no Reafon to expect, but much Reafon to diflruft it. But efpecially, if we be urged, under Colour of fuch Authority, to break any one ftanding Precept of the Gofpel, or add to, or take away from, any fmgle Article of our Creed ; though an Angel from Heaven h were to require it, we are not to yield j but keep clofe to the Faith and holy Commandment, which were once delivered to the Saints 1 , and mall never be altered. Thefe then are our Duties to the ever- blefTed Spirit. There are likewife mentioned in Scripture, IV. Sins againft him. And one of thefe, not all, as melancholy Perfons are apt to » i John iv. i. k Gal. i. 8. * 2Pet.11. zi. Jude, verfe 3. imagine LECTURE XIII. 209 imagine, but one alone, is faid by our Saviour to be unpardonable : which is Blaf- phemy againjl the Holy Gboft w * Now that means only, fpeaking reproachful Words, deliberately and malicioufly, againft the Mi- racles done by the Power of the Holy Ghoft, or the fupernatural Gifts proceeding from him. And the only Perfons, to whom Chrift declared, that this mould not be forgiven, were thofe, who had the Teftimony of their own Senfes for the Reality of thefe Miracles and Gifts; and notwithstanding the fulled Evidence of their coming from the Spirit of God, obftinately perfifted in reviling them, and even afcribed them to the Devil. Now there is a plain Reafon, why this Sin, under thefe C.TCumftances, mud be unpardonable. The Perfons, guilty of it, had flood out againft all the Means, which Heaven had provided for the Conviclion and Converfion of Mankind : none more powerful remained to bring them to Repentance; and, as they could not be forgiven without repenting, there was plainly no Way left for their Re- covery. k Matth. xii. 31. Mark iii. 23, 29. Lute .xii, 10. Vol. I. O But 2 ro LECTURE XIII. But then it is equally plain, that Perfons, who never were Witneffes to any fuch mira- culous Powers ; but live, as we do, many Ages after they are ceafed j cannot, in this Refpect, fin to the fame Degree of Guilt, fince it is not againft the fame Degree of Evidence : and that as they, who w r ere guilty of it originally, were Unbelievers in Chrifr, fo indeed no Believer in him, continuing fuch, can pomblydefign, whilft his Thoughts and Words are in his own Command, to fpeak Evil of the Holy Ghoft or his mighty Works. Nor therefore can he come under the Condemnation of thofe, whom the Epiftle to the Hebrews defcribes, as 'wilfully doing Defpite to the Spirit of Grace; and of whom it pronounces, that there remains for them no more Sacrifice for Sin, but a j earful Expecta- tion of Judgment 1 . Believers may indeed rafhly and thoughtlefsly ufe profane Words concerning the Holy Ghoft : but thefe, though undoubtedly great Offences, and too Jikely to make Way for greater ftill, are very far from the unpardonable Sin. And as for what fome good Perfons are often ter- J Heb. x. 26 — 29. rifeJ LECTURE XIII. 2ri rified about, the wicked Imaginations that come into their Minds, and Expfeffions that come out of their Mouths, at Times, almoft whether they will or not ; in Proportion as they are involuntary, they are not criminal in them, be they in their own Nature ever fo bad. When therefore poor lcrupulous Souls affright thcmfelves about fuch Thinrs, as thefej or when they who have not finned at all againft the Spirit, otherwife than as every ill Achon is a Sin againft him j or have t;nned in a quite different Manner from the Jews in the Gofpel, and heartily repented of their Sin; when they apprehend, that notwith- fhnding this they cannot be pardoned; they intirely miftake their own Cat.' : either through Ignorance, or falfe Opinions miukd into them; or exceflive Tendernefs of Mind; or indeed more commonly by Reafon of ibme bodily Diforder, though perhaps unperceived by themfelves, which depreffes their Spirits, and clouds their Undemanding?, and re- quires the Help of Medicine, Another Sin againft the Holy Ghoft, men- tioned in Scripture, is lying to him™ : which m Adb v. 3. O 2 means 212 LECTURE XIII. means there, aflerting Falmoods, being con- fcious that they were fuch, toPerfons infpired by him with the Knowledge of Mens Hearts, as did Ananias and Sapphira. But the Of- fences, which we are in Danger of commit- ting again ft him, are rejifting* and quenching his good Motions and Influences, and grieving him* by corrupt Communication % evil Thoughts or unholy A&ions. Thefe Things therefore let us diligently avoid ; or, if we have fallen into them, fincetely repent of them : the oppofite Duties let us confeientioufly praclife, and ftedfaflly perfevere in them : for fo mail we commend our ~j r ehes to God, and to the Spirit of his Grace -, who is able to build us up, and give us an Inheritance amongjl them who are fanc~lijied* ; to which he of his Mercy bring us all, for the Sake of our Redeemer Jefus Chrift. Amen. n Adls vii. 51. * 1 Theff. v. 19. p Eph.iw a9 , 30. * Afts xx. 32. LECTURE LECTURE XIV. CREED. Article IX. The Holy Catholic Churchy the Communion of Saints. THE mod ancient Creeds cf all went no further than a Declaration of Faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghod, in whofe Name we are baptized. For in this Profeffion all thofe other Points of Doc- trine were understood to be implied, which it was very foon after found mod convenient to exprefs by additional Articles. And the firft or thefe, is that now to be explained : wherein we declare our Belief in the Holy Catholic Church, and the Communion of Saints. The Scripture Word, translated Church, originally fignifies any regular and orderly Ailembly of Perfons, called to meet on any O 3 Occafion. 2i 4 LECTURE XIV. Occafion. But in the Bible it fignifies, almoft always, a religious Affembly. And when ufed in its largeft Senfe there, it comprehends the whole Number of good Perfons, in every Age : all thofe, who from the Beginning of the World, under whatever Difpenfation of true Religion, have believed in God, and ferved him, according to the Degree of their Light 5 and mail in the End of it be gathered together, and rewarded by him, according to the Degree of their Improve- ment. This is the general Ajfemklg and Church of the fir jl -born t "which are written in Heaven, as the Epiftle to the Hebrews calls it*. And fince the Salvation of all thefe is owing to Jefus Chrift; the only Name, by which Men can be faved b , they are all, in that Refpedt, Members of the Church of Chrift, how obfeure and im- perfect foever their Knowledge of a Savi-. our may have been. But the Word is ufu- ally taken in a narrower Senfe. And thus it is fometimes applied to the Jewim Na- tion : which in the Old Teflament is call- ed by a Phrafe of jufl the fame Meaning, a Heb. xii. 23. * Ads iv. 12. the LECTURE XIV. 215 the Congregation of the Lord% and by St. Stephen, the Church, which was in the Wil- demefs d . But the Church, more efpecially meant here in the Creed, is the Christian : which, ihongh in fome Refpe&s the fame with the Jewifh, in others differed from it; which therefore our Saviour, in the Gof- pel, fpeaks of himfclf, as about to build* ; and accordingly, immediately after his Af- cenfion, in the Acts of the Apoftles, we find it built: that is, we find an AfTembly of Believers in Chrift, met together at Jerufa- lem, under their proper Teachers and Go- vernors, to worfhip God, and edify one another, in the Manner, which he appointed. This was the original Chriftian Church ; fmall indeed at 6rft: but the Lord, we read, added to the Church daily fiich as JlJouId be Javed* \ till, the Gofpel ipreading every Way, the Number of Chriftians, which in the Beginning required no more than one Congregation, was of Neceffity divided into feveral. And henceforward we find many Churches fpoken of, at fome Times: yet all thefe many fpoken of as one, at others. c Numb. xvi. 3, &c. 6 Afts vii. 3S. « Matth. xvi. 18. 1 Afts ii. 47. O 4 For 2 i6 LECTURE XIV. For fince they all proceeded from the fame Source ; are all, as the Apollle argues, one Body ; and are directed by one Spirit j even as they are called in one Hope of their Calling-, 2s they have one Lord, one Faith, one Bap- tifm, one God and Father of all* : fo are they, in great Propriety of Speech, though many, yet one in Cbrift h . His Church therefore is the whole Number of thofe, who believe on him. How much foever they may differ in fome Opinions or Practices, yet they are one in all Things effential. ' How wide fo- ever they may be difperfed throughout the World, they fhall at laft be gathered together unto him \ We can judge only according to Appearances : and therefore to us all thofe mud be Members of ChrifVs Church, who make a vifible Profeflion of being Chriftir ans. But God fees every fecret Thought : and in his Eye, they alone belong truly to his Church, who truly ferve him in the hidden Man of the Heart** : that inward Sin- cerity, which to human Eyes is invifible. And this invifible true Church of Chrifl * Eph. iv. 4, 5. h Rom. xii. 5. * 2 Theff. ii. 1, k 1 Peter iii. 4. here, LECTURE XIV. 217 here in Earth is militant ; carrying en a continual War, againft the outward Temp- tations of the World and the Devil, and the inward Struggles of every wrong Inclina- tion j till having faithfully fought the good Fight-, and really, though not perfectly, gotten the ViBory in this Life j it fhall, in the next, become triumphant, and receive the Crown of Right eoufnefs 1 . Such then being the Church of Chrift in its different States j let us proceed to con- fider the two Qualities, afcribed to it in the Creed : that it is Holy\ and that it is Ca- tholic. To be holy, is to be feparate from all De- filement and Impurity, particularly of the moral Kind. Thus God is perfectly holy : Angels and good Men are fo in their diffe- rent Degrees. And becaufe nothing unclean or impure, in any Senfe, ought to enter into the Service of God, therefore whatever is fet apart from common Ufe, and dedicat- ed to his Worfhip, is called holy alfo. Hence the Places, Times, and Things, that are fo employed, have that Name given them. 1 2 Tim. iv. 7. Rev. xv. z. And 2 i8 LECTURE XIV. And the Perfons, who attend on his Mini- ftry, are ftiled holy on Account of their outward Relation to him, whether they are really and inwardly fuch as they ought, or rot. Now in outward ProfeiTion, the whole vifible Church of Chrift is holy : feoarated and dufcinguifhed from the reft of the World, by acknowledging his holy Laws, and ufing the Means of Holinefs, which he hath appointed. But in the in- ward Senfe, and the only one which will avail hereafter, they alone are indeed Mem- bers of his holy Church, who, by the Help of thefe Means, do really improve them- felves in Piety and Virtue, becoming holy in all Manner of Converfation, as he which hath called them, is holy m : and fuch as are truly fo here, (hall be made completely fo here- after. For Chriji loved the Church, and gave hi mf elf for it, that he might Janftify and cleanfe it with the wafhing of water ; and prefent it to him/elf a glorious Church, not having Spot or Wrinkle ; but that it fljould be holy, and without Blemijh*. Afk your Hearts then ; Are you giving your bed Dili- * i Peter i. 15. » Ephif. v. 25, 26, 27. gence LECTURE XIV. 2 ig gence to cleanfe y our f elves from ail Filthinef of FleJJj and Spirit ; perfecting Holinejs in the Fear of God °? For without it no Man fall fee the Ford 9 . The Word Catholic, applied to the Church in our Creed, is no where ufed in Scrip- ture i but frequently in the early ChrifKan Writers : and it means univerfal, extending to all Mankind. The Jewifh Church was not universal, but particular : for it confid- ed only of one Nation ; and their Law permitted Sacrifices only in one Temple ; nor could feveral other Precepts of it be obferved in Countries at any confiderable Dillance from thence : but the Chriftian confifts of every Kindred, Tongue, and Peo- ple q equally ; and offers unto the Name of God in every Place, from the rifng of the Sun unto the going down of the fame, Incenfe and a pure Offering r . The Catholic Church then is the univerfal Church, fpread through the World : and the Catholic Faith is the univerfal Faith ; that Form of DocJrine, which the Apoitles delivered* to the whele ° 2 Cor. vii. i. p Heb. xii. 14. 1 Rev. v. 9. ' Mai. i. 11. • Rom. vi. 17. Churchy 220 LECTURE XIV. Church, and it received. What this Faith was, we may learn from their Writings, contained in the New Teftament : and at fo great a diftance of Time, we can learn it with Certainty no where elfe. Every Church or Society of Chriftians, that pre- ferves this Catholic or univerfal Faith, ac- companied with true Charity, is a Part of the Catholic or univerfal Church : and be- caufe the Parts are of the fame Nature with the whole, it hath been ufual to call every Church fingly, which is fo qualified, a Ca^ thoiic Church. And in this Senfe, Churches, that differ widely in feveral Notions and Cufioms, may, notwithstanding, each of them, be truly Catholic Churches. But the Church of Rome, which is one of the mod corrupted Parts of the Catholic Church, both in Faith and Love, hath prefumed to call itfelf the whole Catholic Church, the univerfal Church ; which it no more is, than one difeafed Limb, though perhaps the larger for being difeafed, is the whole Body of a Man. And by attempting to exclude us, they take the direct Way to exclude them- felves, unlefs God impute their uncharitable Way LECTURE XIV. 221 Way of thinking and acling, as we hope he will, to excufable Ignorance and Miflake. The Church of England pretends not in- deed abfurdly, to be the whole Catholic Church; but is undoubtedly a found and excellent Member of it. So that we have much better Ground to call ourfelves Catho- lics, than they; were fuch Names worth difputing about, which they are not: only one would not flatter and harden them, by giving them a Title, which they both claim unjultly, and turn into an Argument againft us. In this holy Catholic Church our Creed profefles Belief. But the Meaning is not, that we engage to believe all Things, with- out Exception, of which the Majority of the Church, at any Time, (hall be perfuaded: and much lefs what the Rulers of it, or, it may be, a fmall Part of them, who may pleafe to call themfelves the Church, fhall at any Time require : for then we mud: be- lieve many plain Falfhoods, Uncertainties without Number, and contrary Doclriner, as contrary Parties prevail. Our Church doth indeed believe whatever the fir ft and beft 222 LECTURE XIV. befl Ages of Chriftianity thought nectiTary: whatever all the other Churches of the pre- fent Age agree in. But this is more, than we declare in the Creed. For there, as be- lieving in God, means only believing that there is a God - 3 and believing in the Refur- reclion, means only believing that there fhall be a Refurredtion : fo believing in the holy Catholic Church, means only believ- ing that by our Saviour's Appointment there was founded, and through his Mercy (hall ever continue, a Society of Perfons, of what Nation or Nations is indifferent, who have Faith in his Name and obey his Laws: not indeed without being deformed and disfigur- ed, by Mixtures both of Sin and Error; but ftill, without being deflroyed by either. For as he hath promifed, that the Gates of Hell or of the invifible World, that is, Perfec- tion and Death, fiall not prevail agalnjl his Churcb\ fo neither fhall any other Power. Nothing mall abolifh it: though feveral Things may obfeure and corrupt it. That Sin doth, we fee : why then may not Error too? It is certainly not a wo'rfe Thing : nor 1 Matth. xvi. 18, is LECTURE XIV. 223 is our Saviour's Promife a greater Security againft the one, than the other. He requires us indeed to hear the Church. But in what Cafe? If thy Brother trefpafs againft thee, admonifh him privately. This relates then, not to difputed fpeculative Opinions, but to known practical Tranfgreffions again ft cur Neighbour. If he negkdl private Admoni- tion, tell it linto the Church. Not furely the whole Catholic Church, all over the World: that is impoftlble: but the particular Church to which you both belong. Now all Sides allow, that every particular Church is falli- ble j and therefore to be heard no farther, than it appears to be in the Right. It fol- lows next: And if he neglect to hear the Church ; if he will not reform his injurious Behaviour on a public Warning, let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man, and a Public an u : treat him no longer with the Tendercefs and Regard, that is due to a < ood Chriftian; but confidcr him in the fame Light with an Infidel Sinner, till he makes Reparation. This Rule therefore by no Means proves the Infallibility, even of the univerfal Church, * Matth.xviii. 15, 16. 17. 5 and 224 LECTURE XIV. and much lefs of the RomiJJj, which is far from "univerfal; but relates to a Matter intirely different. And it ftill remains true, that profeffing to believe in the Holy Catho- lic Church, is only acknowledging, that Chrift hath formed the whole Number of his Fol- lowers, under him their Head, into one regular and facred Body or Society, to lad for ever : the Unity and Holinefs of which is to be carefully preferved by what the latter Part of this Article fpecifks. The Communion of Saints, The Word, Saints, is of the fame Meaning with the Word holy: and therefore comprehends all Chriftians, in the Manner which I have juft explained. Having Communion, is being in- titled to partake of Benefits and KindnefTes, and bound to make fuitable Returns for them. And thus Chriftians, or Saints, have Communion or Fellowfiip with the Father, from whom comet h down every good and p erf eel Gift : with his Son Jefus Chrift x , through whom Forgivenefs and Mercy is conveyed to us: with the Holy Ghoft, whofe fanclifying Graces are conferred on fuch as duly qualify x i John i. 3. Jam. i. 17. their LECTURE XIV. 225 their Hearts for the Reception of them. And for thefe Bleflings we owe all Thank- fulnefs, and all Duty, in Thought, Word, and Died. Chriftians have alio Commu- nion with the holy Angels; as thefe are mi- nijtering Spirits fent jorth to minijlcr for the?n t who Jh a II be Heirs cf Salvation 1 , And un- doubtedly we ought to think of what they do for us, with an inward Senfe of Gratitude and Love. But as we are unacquainted with Particulars, we can make no particular Ac- knowledgments : nor ought we to make any general ones, by outward Exprefhons of Re- ipccl : fince wor/hipping God alone is com- manded z , and wor flipping Angels condemn- ed 3 , in Scripture. With Refpecl to thofe of our own Nature we are bound fo far to hold Communion, even with the worft of Unbelievers, as not only to do them every Kind of Juftice, but fincerely to wi/h, and, if Occafion offer, heartily endeavour their Good, both in Body and Soul. But to all, who ha r cc obtained the like precious Faith with curfehes b , we bear a r Heb. i. 14. a Matth. iv. 10. a Col.ii. 18. b 2 Pet. i. i. Vol. I. P dill 226 LECTURE XIV. flill nearer Relation; as being, in a peculiar Senfe, Children of the fame Father, Difciples of the fame Maftcr, animated by the fame Spirit, Members of the fame Body. And thefe Things oblige us to the utmoft Care of preferving, by prudent Order and mutual Forbearance, as much Unity in the Church, as poffibly we can. Such indeed, as obfti- nately deny the fundamental Doctrines, or tranfgrefs the fundamental Precepts of Chrif- tianity, ought to be rejected from Chriftian Communion. But to renounce communi- cating with any others, who are willing to admit us to it on lawful Term?,, is the Way to cut offourfelves, not them, from the Body of ChriM: : who yet, we doubt not, will allow thofe on both Sides to belong; to his Church, who, through pardonable Paffions or Mil- takes will not allow one another to do fo. And as we mould maintain Communion v/hh all proper Perfons, we mould thew our Difpofition to it in all proper Ways: attend on the public Inftruclion, join in the public Wormip, Sacraments and Discipline, which our Lord hath appointed, and keep the Whole of them pure from all forbidden, S <* LECTURE XIV. 227 or fufpicious Alterations or Mixtures: avoid, with great Care, both giving and taking needlefs Offence, in Refptdt to thefe or any Matters; and by all fit Means, edify one another in Love c : obeying thole, who are fet over us; condefcending to thofe who are beneath us; efteeming and honouring the wife and virtuous; teaching and admoniih- ing the ignorant and faulty; bearing with the weak, relieving the poor, and comforting the affiled. Nor have we Communion only with the Saints on Earth, but are of one City, and one Family, with fuch as are already got fafe to Heaven. Doubtlefs they exercife that Communion towards us, by loving and pray- ing for their Brethren, whom they have left behind them. And we are to exercife it to- wards them, not by addreffing Petitions to them which we are neither authorifed to offer, nor have any Ground to think they can hear; but by rejoicing in their Happi- nefs, thanking God for the Grace which he hath beftowed on them, and the Examples which they have left us: holding their Me- c Rom. xiv\ 19. Eph. iv. 16. P 2 mories 223 LECTURE XIV. mories in Honour, imitating their Virtues, and befeeching the Difpofer of all Things, that having followed them in Holinefs here we may meet them in Happinefs hereafter; and become, in the fulled Senfe, Fellow-ci- tizens with the Saints, and of the Houfehold of God d : havings with all thofe that are departed in the true Faith of his holy Name, our perfetf Confummation and Blifs, both in Body and Soul, in his eternal and everlafing Glory through ye/us Chrift our Lord, Amen*. 4 Eph. ii. ig. e Burial Office. LECTURE LECTURE XV. CREED. Article X. The For give nefs of Sins. WE are now come to that Article of the Creed, for which all the pre- ceding ones have been preparing the Way : a Doctrine of the greateffc Comfort to be- lieve, and the utmoft Danger to mifappre- hend. I mall therefore endeavour clearly to explain, I. The Nature of Sin, its different Kinds, and its Guilt. II. The Nature and Conditions of the Forgivenefs promifed to it. I. The Nature of Sin. Both Men and all other Beings, endued with futficient Jleafon, muft perceive a Difference between P 3 dif- 230 LECTURE XV. different Inclinations and Actions, of their own and others: in Confequence of which, they muft approve fome, as right and good; and difcspprove others, as wrong and evil ; Now this Diftinclion, which we are capable of feeing, God mufl fee as much more clearly, as his Understanding is more perfect than ou;s. Therefore he mufl entirely love what is good, and utterly hate what is evil and his Will mufl be, that all his rational; Creatures fhould praclife the former, and avoid the latter. This he makes known to be his Will in fome Degree, to all Men, however ignorant, by natural Confcience; and hath more fully made known to us, by the Revelation of his holy Word : wherein alfo, befides thofe Things, which we of ourfelves might have known to be fit, he hath fignified his Pleafure, that we fhould obferve forne further Rules, which he knew to be ufeful and requifite, though we fhould otherwife not h^ve difcerned it. Now the Will and Pleafure of a Perfon having Autho- rity, as God hath abfolute Authority, is when fufficiently notified, a Law. Thofe Laws of his, which human Reafon was able to LECTURE XV. 231 to teach us, are called natural or moral Lawt.: thofe, which he hath added to them, are called pofitive ones. Obedience to both Sorts is our Duty j Tranfgrefiion of either is Sin: whether it be by neglecting what the Lawcornuunds, which is a bin of Omiffion; or doing what it forbids, which is a Sin of Commiffion. Further: as God hath a Right to give us Laws, he mud: have a Right to punim us, if we break them. And we all of us feel inwardly, that Sin deferves this Punifhment: which Feeling is what we call a Senfe of Guilt. Some Sins have more Guilt, that is, deferve greater Punishment, than others: becaufe they are either worfe in their own Nature j oraccompaniedwith Circumfhnces, that aggravate, inftead of alleviating them. Thus if bad Actions, known to be fuch, are done with previous Deliberation and Contrivance, which are called wilful or prefumptuous Sins ; they are very highly criminal. But if we do amifs in fome fmaller Matter, through Inconlideratcnefs or other Weaknefs of Mind, or elfe through a fudden unforefeen Attack of Temptation; which P 4 are 232 LECTURE XV. areufuallycalledSinsof Infirmity or Surprife: thefe though real, are yet lefs Offences. And if, lartly, we ad: wrong through in- vincible Ignorance, that is, have no Means of knowing better; then the Action is not, fir icily (peaking, a Fault in us, though it be in itfelf. But if we might, with a reafonable Attention, have known our Duty, and did not attend; we are juftly blameable, even for a carekfs Ignorance, and full as much for a defigned one, as if we had known ever fo well. Another Difference in the Kinds of Sins in this: that though they be only in fmaller Inftances ; yet if Perfons take fo little Pains to guard againft them, that they live in a conftant or frequent Practice of them, which are called habitual Sins; the Guilt of thefe may be full as heavy as that of greater Tranfgreflions, provided they be lefs com- mon. But if they be great and habitually indulged alfo ; that makes the worft of Cafes. Committing Sin can never be a flight Matter. For it is acting as our own Hearts tell us we ought not. It is likewife, for the mod LECTURE XV. 233 mod Part, injuring, one Way or another, our Fellow-creatures : and it is always be- having undutifully and ungratefully to our Creator, who hath fovereign Power over us, and mews continual Goodnefs to us. We may be fure therefore, that the Punimment. due to the lealt Sin, is fuch as will give us Caufe to wiili from the Bottom of our Souls, that we had never done it. More enormous ones are of worfe defert, according to their Degree. And iince Recompences proportion- able to them are not, with any Conftancy, diftributed in this World; as certainly as God is ju(t, they will in the nextj unlefs we obtain Forgivenefs in the mean Time. And all will be made miferable, as long as they are wicked. This is the Main of what human Abilities unafiiuxd feem capable of difcovering to us concerning Sin and its Confequences; ex- cepting it be, that as we have a natural Approbation of what is good, fo we have, along with it, a natural Pronenefs to what is evil: an Inconfiftence, for which J^eafon finds it hard, if poffible, to account. But 234 LECTURE XV. But here mod flafonably Revelation comes in ; and teaches, not indeed all that we might wifh, but all that we need to know of this whole Matter: that our firft Parents were created upright; but loon tranfgrefied a plain and eafy Command of God, intended for a Trial of their Obedience: by which they perverted and tainted their Minds; forfeited the Immortality, which God had deilgned them ; brought Difeafes and Death on their Bodies; and derived to us the fame corrupt Nature and mortal Condition, to which they had reduced themfelves. An imperfect. Illus- tration of this lamentable Change, and I give it for no other, we may have from our daily Experience, that wretched Poverty, fatal Dillempers, and even vicious Inclinations, often defcend from Parents to their Children. Now the finful Difpofitions, which our Origin from our primitive Parents hath produced in us, are called original Sin. And this Tranfgreffion of theirs may, very con^ MentJy with divine Juftice, occafion, as the Scripture fhews it hath, our being condemn- ed, as well as they, to temporal Sufferings and Deatho For even innocent Creatures have LECTURE XV. a 3 ^ have no Right to be exempt from tbem : and to fallen Creatures they are peculiarly inftrudive and medicinal. The fame Tranf- grefficn may alio, with equal Juftice, occafiori our being expofed to a more difficult Trial of our Obedience, than we mould die have undergone; indeed then we mould he ble, by the Strength which remains in us, to fupport. And thus, were we left to our- felves, we mud in Confequence of the Fall of our firft Progenitors, become finally miferable. But God is ready to give us more Strength, if we will afk it: and he may undoubtedly fubjedt us to any Difficulties that he pleales, provided he beftows on us, whether naturally or fupernaturally, the Power of going through them in the Manner, that he expe&s from us : which he cer- tainly doth beftow on all Men. And if they ufe it, they will be accepted by him in a proper Degree : what that is, we are no Judges. But when, inflead of refitting our bad Inclinations, as through the Grace of God we may, we voluntarily follow and indulge them ; then we fall into actual Sin - 3 and are in 236 LECTURE XV. in Strictnefs c f Speech guilty, and deferving of Punifhment. And this Punifhment the Scripture frequently expreffes by the Name of Death. For Death being the moft ter- rible to human Nature, of all the Punifh- ments, that Man inflicts ; it is ufed to ii^nify the moft terrible, that God inflicts ; even thofe, which extend beyond Death, and are therefore called the fecond Death*. Ac- cordingly our Saviour directs his Followers: Be not afraid of them that kill the Body -, and after that have no more, that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye fi all fear. Tear him which ', after he hath killed, hath Bower to cafl into Hell : yea, I fay unto you fear him b . The Nature and Duration of the future Sufferings, refe.rved for Sinners, are moft awfuily defcribed in the Word of God; the Declarations of which concerning them I mall foon have Occafion to lay before you. Eut in the mean while we all know ihem to be fuch, as may abundantly fuffice jo engage us in a moft ferious Inquiry, how 1 Rev. xx. 14. xxi. 8. b Luke xii. 4, 5. LECTURE XV. 237 we fhall obtain, what was propofed to be ex- plained. II. The Forgivenefs of Sins. Now thus much our own Reafon evidently teaches 3 that when we have done amifs, we are to undo it, as far as we can. We are to dif- approve it, and be fbrry for it, as we have great Caufe ; to beg Pardon of God, for having offended him; to make the bed Amends we are able to our Fellow-creatures, if we have injured them: to be very humble in our Hearts, and very watchful in our future Conduct. Thefe Things, through God's Help, we can do: and thefe are all, that Nature directs us to do. Undoubtedly he will never accept lefs : but the Queftion is, whether he will fo far accept this, as to be reconciled to us upon it. Since Wicked- nefs deferves Puniinment, it may be juftly punifhed. Being forry for it, is not being innocent of it. And the moft careful Obe- dience afterwards no more makes a Cumpen- fation for what went before, than avoiding to run into a new Debt pays off the old one : befides that we never obey fo well, as not to add continually fome Degree of frefh Miibe- haviour. 238 LECTURE XV. haviour. God indeed is merciful; but he is equally righteous and holy, and abhorrent of Sin. And what can the mere Light of our own Understandings difcover to us, with any AfTurance, from thefe Attributes joined ? We fee, that in this World the mod merciful Rulers, if they are ju ft and wife alfo, which God is, often punifh even thofe Offenders^ who repent the moll: heartily. The Honour and good Order of their Government requires it. And why may not he have Reafons of the fame, or even of a different Nature, for doing the fame Thing? Still the Cafe of Penitents mud be more favourable, than that of others. And there is Ground for all fuch to hope, that fuch Pity, as can, will be (hewn them in fome Manner, though they cannot be fare how, or to what EffecT:. And God hath been pleafed to confirm this Hope, from Time to Time, by various Revelations, gradually un- folding his gracious Defigns : till by the coming of our bleffed Lord, the whole Pur- pofe of his Gocdnefs was opened; as far as it is proper, that Mortals fhould be acquainted with it. From LECTURE XV. 239 From thefe Revelations, contained in the Bible, we learn, that Repentance alone, even the completed:, would not be fufficient to reinftate us fully in God's Favour; much lefs the poor Endeavours towards it, which we of ourfclves are capable of ufing: but that our Pardon and Salvation depend on the companionate Intercefiion of a Mediator ap- pointed by our heavenly Father : that a Perfon, who fhould deliver Mankind from the bitter Fruits of their Tranfgreffions, had in general been promifed, and the Promife been believed, from the earlieft Ages; and more particular Notices of him gradually imparted to the fucceflive Generations of the chofen People that at Length in the Seafon, which infinite Wifdom faw to be fitteft, he appeared on Earth, in the Character of the only begotten Son of God : taught his Followers the Precept?, and Lt them the Example, ofperfecl; Piety a:>d Virtue; and after bearing cheerfully, for this Purpofc, all the Inconveniences of mortal Life, fubmitted to fuffer a cruel Death from wicked Men, provoked by the Perfections, which they ought to have adored: that this voluntary Sacrifice £ 4 o LECTURE XV; Sacrifice of himfelf, the Almighty was pleafed to accept from him, whole divine Nature, united to the human, gave it unfpeakable Value, as a Reafon for entering into a Cove- nant of Mercy with all thofe, who mould be influenced, by Faith in his Doctrine?, to obey his Laws : that ft ill neither our Obe- dience, nor our Faith itfelf, is at all merito- rious, or in any Degree the Caufe of our Acceptance; for they are both cf them God's Gift; and they are both, through our Fault, very imperfect: but that yet thankful Belief in Chrift, asour Saviour from the Power and the Punishment of Sin, working by Love c to our Maker, our Redeemer, our Sanclifier, our Fellow-creatures, is appointed the Con- dition of our obtaining, and the Inftrument cf our receiving, Pardon. The Reafons of this Appointment we fee, as through a Glofs darkly*', yet enough of them to convince us of its being the V/ijdom of God, though in a My fiery c . With Refpecl to ourfelves, it hath the mod: powerful Ten- dency to infpire us with Humility, Gratitude c . Gal. v, 6. d i Cor. xiii. 12. • 1 Cor. ii. 7. and LECTURE XV. 241 find Diligence. With Refpect to the bleflcd Jejus, it was a fit Reward for what he had done and fuffcrcd, to take thofe into Favour again, for whom he had interefted himf.-lf with fuch inexpreflible Goodnefs. And with Refpe, with an honeft Care, free from Sn: and God engages, on his, to confider us, (not becaufe of our Care, though on Condition of it, but for the fake of Chrift,) as free from Guilt; notwithstanding iuch Infirm. ties and Failings as may overtake well-meaning Perfons. He will not look on thefe as Breaches of his Covenant, but readily pafs them over : provided we make a general Confeffion of them in our daily Prayers, and drive againft them with a reafonable Diligence. For fuch Things we cannot expect to avoid entirely : but greater Offences we may. And therefore, if we fall into any habitual Wicked ne is, or any fingle Act of grofs and deliberate Sin ; we Q^ 2 forfeit 244 LECTURE XV. forfeit the Happinefs, to which our Baptifm intitles us: and if we continue impenitent, the more privileges we have enjoyed, the more feverely we (hall be punimed. For to whom- soever much is give?: , of himfliall much be re- quired^. But if God allows us Time ; and we make Ufe of it, not only to be forry for having lived ill, for this alone is not Gofpel Peni- tence ;. but to be forry from a Principle of Confcience ; and to (hew of what Sort our Sorrow is, by living well afterwards, in all thofe Refpecls,in which we have been faulty, we become entitled again to the divine Favour. For though the Scripture declares it impoffible to renew forne Sinners to Repen- tance 1 : yet if this be taken flridly, it can mean only Blafphemers againji the Holy Gbo/i*. Befides, impoffible, in all Languages, often lignifies no more than extremely difficult : and with God all Things are pojjible \ Ex- perience proves, that great Numbers are renewed to Repentance : and that they fh all not be forgiven, when they repent, is no h Luke xii. 48. j Heb. vi. 4, 6. k Matth. xii. 31. 1 Mattb. xix. 26. where LECTURE XV. 245 where faid. It is true, there remains no more Sacrifice j or Sin m , no other method of Salva- tion, than that, to which they have loft their Claim. But Hill, it they humbly adply for a frefh Intercft in it; fince the Apoftle directs all Chriili.ms to reftorefucb to their Commu- nion, as Brethren, in the Spirit of Meeknef n - 3 there can be no Doubr, but God will receive them, as a Father, with Pity and Mercy. Indeed the Words of St. John alone would be fufricient to b.mim all Defpondency from the Brcaft of every Chriftian Penitent. My little Children, tbefe Things I write unto you, that ye fin not. But if any Man fin, we have an Advocate with the Father, fejus Cbrift, the righteous ; and he is the Propitiation for our Sins °. Yuu fee then the ineftimable Goodnefs of God, in providing Means by which we not only (hall be pardoned, but have the Comfort of knowing beforehand, that we {hall. But then you fee alfo the only Terms, on which we are to exped it. And thefe are, not that we live on in a Circle of finning and repent- ing ; not that we abftain from fome Sins, »Heb. x. 26. '-Gal. vi. i. • i John ii. 1,2. 0^3 and 246 LECTURE XV. and indulge others : but that we fo repent of all our Sins, as not wilfully to fin again. And till we are arrived at this, we rauft never think ourfelves in a fafe Condition. For, as on the one Hand, if the wicked Man turn from his Wickedncfs, he fall live ' p ; fo on the other if the righteous Man turn from his Righ- teoufnefs he fall die q . Blefed are they, whofe ^Tranfgrefjion is j or given, and whofe Sin is co- vered. Blejfed are they, to whom the Lord im- piteth not Iniquity, and in whofe Spirit there is no Guile r . p Ezek. xviii. 21, 27. 1 1bid. 24. r Pfal. xxxii. 1, 2. LECTURE LECTURE XVI. CREED. Articles XI, XII. Parti. The Re- fur re 51 ion of the Body, and the Life ever lofting. THE Refurreclion of the Body and Life tverlaiVmg being the Confequences of the preceding Article, the Forgivenefs of Sins, our Belief of that comfortable Truth leads us naturally to believe thefe alfo. And as they complete the whole of what we are concerned to know j fo here the Profeffion of our Faith happily concludes, having brought us to the End of our Faith, the Sal- vation of our Sou/s\ But, though this Part of our Creed ex- pretfes only two Things j yet it implies two a I Peter i. 9. Q, 4 more: 2 4 5 LECTURE XVI. more : and fo comprehends the four follow- ing Particulars : I. That the Souls of all Men continue after Death. II. That their Bodies (hall at the laft Day be raifed up, and reunited to them. III. That both Souls and Bodies of ecod Perfons mall enjoy ever lading Happinefs. IV. That thofe of the wicked mail un- dergo everlafting Punilhment. I. That the Souls of all Men continue after Death. We are every one of us capable of perceiving and thinking, judging and re- folving, loving and hating, hoping and fearing, rejoicing and grieving. That Part of us, which doth thefe Things, we call the Mind or Soul. Now plainly this is not the Body. Neither our Limbs, nor our Trunk, nor even our Head, is what un- derflands, and reafons, and wills, and likes or diflik.es : but fomething that hath its Abode within the Head b , and is unfeen. A little Confideration will make any of you fenfible of this. Then further : our Bodies b In quo igitur loco eft (mens)? Credo equidem in ca- pite : & cur credam, adferre pofium. Cic. Tuic. Difp. 1. i. c. 29. increafe, LECTURE XVI. 249 iocreafe, from an unconceivable Smallnels, to a very large Bulk, and wafte away again ; and are changing, each Part of them, more or lefs, every Day. Our Souls, we know, continue all the while the fame. Our Limbs may be cut off one after another, and perim : yet the Soul not be impaired by it in the lead. All Feeling and Motion may be loft almoft throughout the Body, as in the Cafe of an univerfal Pally : yet the Soul have loft Nothing. And though fome Difeafes do indeed diiorder the Mind: there is no Appearance, that any have a Tendency to dcftroy it. On the contrary, the greatefl Diforders of the Underftanding are often accompanied with firm Health and Strength of Body : and the mod fatal Ditlempers of the Body are attended, to the very Moment ofDeith. with all poffible Vigour and Live- linefs of Undei (landing. Since therefore thefe two are plainly different Things ; though we knew no further, there would be no Reafon to conclude, that one of them dies, becaufe the other doth. But fince we do know further, that it can fur- vive Co many Changes of the other ; this alone <* f 50 LECTURE XVI. alone affords a fair Probability, that it may furvive the great Change of Death. Indeed whatever is once in Being, we are to fup- pofe continues in Being, till the contrary ap- pears. Now the Body, we perceive, be- comes at Death infenfible, and corrupts. But to imagine the fame Thing of the Soul, in which we perceive no Change at that Time, would be aim eft as oroundlefs, as if having frequently heard the Mufic of an Organ, but never ieen the Perfon that played on it, we fhould fuppofe him dead, on finding the Inftrument incapable of play- ing any more. For the Body is an Instru- ment adapted to the Soul. The latter is our proper Self: the former is but fome- thing joined to us for a Time. And though, during that Time, the Connection is very clofe 3 yet nothing hinders, but we may be as well after the Separation of our Soul from our prefent Body, as we were before, if not better. Then confider further : When the Body dies, only the prefent Compofition and Frame of it is diffolved, and falls in Pieces : not the leaft fingle Particle, of all that make LECTURE XVI. 251 tfiajw it up, returns to Nothing ; or can do, unleis God, who gave it Being, thinks fit to take that Being away. Now we have no Reafon to imagine the Soul made up of Pairs, though the Body is. On the contrary, {o far as the acuteft Reafoners are able to judge, what perceives and wills mufl be one uncompounded Subitance. And not being compounded, it cannot be diflblved, and and therefore probably cannot die*. God indeed may put an End to it, 'when, he pleafes. But fince he hath made it of a Nature to laft for ever, we cannot well conceive, that he will deftroy it after fo fhort a Space, as that of this Life : efpeci- ally coufukring, that he hath planted in our Breads an earneft Defire of Immorta- lity, and a Horror at the Thought of ceaf- ing to be. It is true, we dread alfo the Death of our Bodies, and yet we own they mutt. die : but then we believe, that they were not at nrft intended to die : and that they (hall live again wonderfully improved. God hath in no Cafe given us natural Difpofitions and Hopes, which he purpofed at the fame Time to difappoint : much lefs, when they are fuch, c See Cic. Tufc. Difjp. I. 29. that 552 LECTURE XVI. that the wifeft and beft Men feel the mod of them, and are made ftill wifer and better by them. Befides, there are plainly in our Souls Capacities for vaftly higher Improvements, both in Knowledge and Goodnefs, than any one arrives at in this Life. The beft inclin- ed, and molt, induftrious, undeniably have not near Time enough to become what they could be. And is it likely, that Beings qualified for doing fo much mould have fo little Opportunity for it ; and fink into No- thing, without ever attaining their proper Maturity and Perfection ? But further : not to urge, that Happinel's here is very un- equally divided between Perfons equally in- titled to it ; which yet is hard to reconcile with God's impartial Bounty : it hath been already obferved, in fpeaking of the Judg- ment to come, that though, in general, the Courfe of I hings in this World doth bear witnefs to God's Love of Virtue, and Ha- tred of Sin j yet, in Multitudes of particular Cafes, Nothing of this kind appears. Not only good Perfons often undergo, in com- mon with others, the largeft Shares of Evil in LECTURE XVI. 253 in Life -, and bad Perfons enjoy, in com- mon with others, the higheft Degrees of JProfperity in it : but the former are fre- quently Sufferers, and fome times even to Death, for the very Sake of their Duty ; and the latter gain ever Sort of worldly Advantages by the very Means of their Wickednefs. Yet evidently there is a Dif- ference between right behaviour and wrong : and God muft fee this Difference : and his Will mufl be, that Mankind mould obferve it : and accordingly we feel ourfelves in- wardly bound fo to do. Now is it pof- fible, that a Being of perfect Jufiice and Holinefs, of infinite Wifdom and Power, mould have ordered Things fo, that obey- ing him and our own Confciences mould ever make us milerable, and difobeying them prove beneficial to us, on the Whole ? We cannot iurely imagine, that he will permit any one fuch Cafe to happen. And therefore lince in this World fuch Cafes do happen ; this World is not our final State : but another will come after it, in which everyone mail be recompenfed ac- cording to his Works. Without this Be- lief, 254 LECTURE XVI. lief, Religion and Virtue would often want fufficient Motives : with it they never can : and therefore this Belief is true. Strongly as thefe Arguments prove the Doctrine of a Life after Death -, yet it re- ceives a confiderable Addition of Strength from the univerfai Agreement of all Man- kind in it, with but few Exceptions, from the very Beginning. Of the earliefl: Ages indeed we have only fhort Accounts : yet enough to judge, what their Notions of this Point were. What could they be indeed, when they knew, that Abel, with whom God declared himfelf pleafed, was murdered by his Brother for that very Reafon ? Sure- ly his Brother's Hatred did not do him more Harm, than God's Love of him did him Good. That would be thinking lowly in- deed of the Almighty. And therefore, fince plainly he had not the Benefit of his Piety here, there mult be another Place, in which he received it. Again, when Enoch walked with God, and was not, for God took him': could this peculiar Favour be only depriving him, before his natural Time, of the En- A Gen. v. 24. joyments LECTURE XVI. 25$ joyments of the prcfent State ? mud it not be admitting him to thofe of a future one ? When God called himfelf. in a diftinguifh- ed Senfe, the God of Abraham and the Pa- th trchs, what had they enjoyed in this Life, aniwerable to fo extraordinary a Man- ner of {peaking? Many in all Likelihood both equalled ar.d exceeded them in worldly Satisfactions : But therefore* as the Epiftle to the Hebrews teaches, God was not afiam- ed to be called their God y becaufe he had pre- pared for them a heavenly City. When Ja- cob confefjed himfelf a Pilgrim and Stranger on Earth, he plainly declared, as the fame Epiftle obferves, that he defired a better Country" for his Home. Again, when, mourning for the fuppofed Death of his Son Jofep/j, he faith, he will go down to him: we tranflate the next Word wrongly, into the Grave*, as it he meant to have his Body laid by him : that could not be j for he thought him devoured by wild Beafts : it means, into the invifible State, the State of departed Souls. And in this Senfe it is laid of feveral of the Patriarchs, that • Heb. xi. 13 — -• f Gen xxxvii. 35. they 256 LECTURE XVI. they were gathered unto their People g y and of all thai Ge?ieration which lived with JoJJjua, that they were gathered unto thtir Fathers h . In the time of Mofes we find, that even the Heathens had a ftrong Notion of another Life. For they had built a fuperftitious Practice upon it, of feeking to the dead', and enquiring of them concerning Things to come. A foolifh and wicked Cuftom in- deed : but however, it (hews the Belief was deeply rooted in them. And though fu- ture Recompences were not, directly and ex- prefsly, either promifed to good Perfons, or threatened to bad, in the Law of Mofes: yet that might be, not becaufe they were un- known, but becaufe God thought them fuf- ficiently known j and for Reafons of un- fearchable Wifdom, did not think proper, that Mofes mould make any confiderable Ad- dition to that Knowledge : of which there was the lefs Occasion, as temporal Rewards and Punifhments were more equally admi- nistered by Providence amongft the Jews, than any other people. Befides, a Life to 3 Gen. xxv. 8. xxxv. 29. xlix. 29. h Judg. ii. 10. J Deut. xviii. 9—12. come LECTURE XVI. 257 come is not mentioned in the Laws of our own Nation neither: though we know, they were made by fuch, as profeffed firmly to believe it. And the Reafon is, partly that national Laws are more immediately defigned to procure Men Peace and Profperity on Earth, than Happinefs in Heaven: and partly alfo, that they propofe fuch Encou- ragements, as they are able to beftow; and fuch Penalties, as they are able to inflict; which are thofe of this World only. Mofes indeed went beyond the Sanctions, which are in Man's Power : and allured the Jews of God's Bleffings on their Obedience, and Curfes on their Difobedience. But as, in fo doing, he fpoke, not fo much to fingle Perfons confidered fingly, as to the whole People in a Body ; thefe BlefYings and Curfes could be only, what they were, thole of the prefent Life: becaufe the Divifion of Man- kind into Nations will fubfift no longer ; and therefore national Good or Evil can be en- joyed or fuffcred only here. But (till, fince it is evident, through the Whole of his Law, that the Jews had the moft ferious Belief of a jufl: Providence ; and alfo, from the above- Vol. I. R mentioned 2-jS LECTURE XVI. mentioned Proofs, that they believed a fu- ture State; furely they muft believe in gene- ral, that this Providence would be fo exerted in that State, as to reward the eood, and punifh the wicked. More and ftronger Evi- dences of this will be given under the fecond Particular, the RefurreStion of the Body. At prefent I fhall go on to obferve fur- ther, that not only the Jews, but all the Nations of the World, whether learned or unlearned, whether known in former Times or difcovered of later Times, appear to have been perfuaded, that the Souls of Men con- tinue after Death. Now this io univerfal Agreement muit furely have arifen from an inward Principle of Nature, dictating to all Perfons that they are defigned for a future Exiftence j and that as they are plainly Crea- tures accountable for their Actions, yet often do not account here, they muft expect to do it hereafter. Or mould the Notion be fup- pofed to have its Origin from Tradition; that Tradition muft have been derived from what God himfelf had taught the firft of Men : elfe it had never reached to all Men: and it muft have found fome powerful Con- firmation in the Minds and Hearts of Men : elfe LECTURE XVI. 259 clfe in fo great a Length of Time, amidft fo many Changes of human Circumftances, it muft have been univerfally worn out and for- gotten. Indeed, before our Saviour's Days, Length of Time, and Folly, and Wickednefs, had every where obfcured and darkened this great Truth, by fabulous Additions and abfurd Alterations : which hindered the good Influence of it on fome Perfons, and dif- credited the Belief of it with others. And had there been none of thefe Obflacles thrown in their Way j though Reafon and Conlcience teach the Doctrine of a future State ; yet by the Generality of Men, Rea- fon is little exercifed, and Conlcience little confulted, in Relation to unwelcome Truths. And though the Old Teftament gave fome further Intimations of it 5 yet thefe were neither very clear and explicit, nor known by the greateft Part of the World. No Wonder then if their Conclufions, concern- ing a Matter fo intirely out of Sight, were often doubtful, and often falfe : and thus they were milled in a Subject of the greatefl Importance to them of all others. It is R 2 therefor* 260 LECTURE XVI. therefore one ineftimable Benefit of the Chriftian Revelation, that our blefled Lord hath throughly removed the preceding Un- certainties and Errors j and brought Life a?id Immortality to perfect Light through the Gof- pei v : not only confirming by divine Autho- rity whatever had been rationally taught be- fore ; but adding, by the fame Authority, feveral intereiting Particulars, which human Faculties could not difcover : and which partly have been mentioned to you, in dif- couriing on the general Judgment; and partly will be, in what I (hall further fay under the Heads now propofed. All that remains to be faid under the firft is, that neither the full Reward of good Perfons deceafed is as yet beftowed on them, nor the full Punifhment of the wicked as yet inflicted ; thefe Things being to follow the general Refurrection : but that ftill, fince cur Saviour defcribes the Soul of La- zarus, as carried by Angels into Abraham's Bofom, and there comforted^ ; fince he pro- moted the penitent Thief, that he mould be that Day with him in Paradife™; and St. k 2 Tim. i. 10. ' Luke xvi. zz, 25. m Luk-^xxiii. 43. Paul LECTURE XVI. 2 6r Paul fpeaks of being prefent ivitb Cbrijl, as the immediate Confequence of Death, and far better n than this Life : therefore the State of thole, who die in the Lord, is now a State, not of Infenfibility, but Hippinefs : wherein they are hie/fed, in rejling from their La- bours*; and doubtlefs rejoice, with Joy unfpeak- able and full of Glory >, in the ProfpecT: of that completer Felicity, which the righteous Judge of all will hereafter give them. For as to the Pretence of a Purgatory, where the greateft Part of good Perfons are to furTer grievous temporal Punifhments, after Death, for their Sins, though the eternal Punimment is remitted : it hath no Ground in the leaft. Our Saviour's faying, that the Blafpbemy again ft the Holy Ghoji fiail not be forgiven in this World or that 'which is to come% is merely faying, it mail not be for- given at all, but punifhed both here and here- after. The Prif i, out of which, he faith, the Perfon, who agrees not with his Bro- ther, Jhall not come, till be 'hath paid the lajl Farthing' ; is either a literal Prifon of this n 2Cor. v. 8. Phil. i. 23. ° Rev. xiv. 13. PiPet.i.8. 1 Match, xii. 31, 32. r Math. v. 26. R 3 World, 262 LECTURE XVL World, or the Prifon of Hell in the next, put of which the contentious end uncharit- able mall never come, for they can never pay the laft Farthing. 'The Spirits in Prifon, to whom St. Peter faith, Chrift by his Spirit preached^ he faith alfo, were the difobedient in the Days of Noah 5 , with whom his Spirit Jirove 1 , whilft they were on this Earth : and ■who for their Difobedience were fent, not to Purgatory, but to a worfe Confinement. When St Paul bids Men take Heed, how they build on the Foundation of Chriftianity ; adding, that the Fire (kail try every Mans Work ; and if any Maris Work Jh all be burnt he JIdallfuJfer Lofs , but HWlfiall be faved,yei Jo as by Fire^ : he means, that Perfons mud not mix Doctrines of their own Invention with the Gofpel of Chrift, which in this Inftance, amongft others, thofe of the Church of Rome have done : for when the Lord Jefusjhall be revealed from Heaven in flaming Fire™, to judge the World, fuch Notions will not ftand the Trial , they that hold them will be Lofers by them; and though ftill they may be faved, it will be « i Pet. iii. 18, 19, 2O0 * Gen. vi. 3. ■ 1 Cor. Hi. 10 — 15. • * 3 Theff. i. 7. 3 with LECTURE XVI. 263 with Difficulty and Danger : as a Perfon efcapes, when his Houfe is burning. When, laftly, many of the ancient Chriftians prayed for the dead j befides that they had no War- rant for -fo doing, it was only for the Com- pletion of their Happinefs, whom they ap- prehended to be already in Paradife: it was for the Apoftles, Saints and Martyrs; for the blefled Virgin herfelf: whom they certainly did not think to be in Purgatory. And ob- serve, if they prayed for them, they did not pray to them. Purgatory then is nothing, but an imaginary Place, invented by Men, to give bad Perfons Hope, and good Perfons Dread of being put into it ; that they may get what they can from both, by pre- tending to deliver them out of it again. Fear not therefore fuch vain Terrors. The Souls of the righteous are in the Hands of the Lord : and there fh all no Torment touch them x . Thofe of the wicked, on the contrary, as they are to be hereafter with the Devils, we may juftly believe arc, like them, now delivered into Chains of Dark?iefs t to be re- ferred unto Judgment Y : and though the worft of their Sufferings mall not begin, till fWifd. iii. i, J 2 Pet, ii. 4. R 4 the 264 LECTURE XVI. the Day of Judgment comes ; yet are they reprefented by our Saviour, as being, in- ftantly after Death, in a PJace, where they arc tormented 1 : and undoubtedly, the Lofsof their paft Pleafures and Gains, Remorfe for their paft Follies and Crimes, Defpair of Pardon, and the fearful Looking j or of Judg- ment and fiery Indignation, which fiait devour them* j cannot but make their intermediate State intenfely miferable : and what then will their final one be! God grant, that thinking irequently and ferioufly of thefe awful Subjects, we may know and confider, in this our Day, the Things that belong to cur Peace, before they- are for ever bid jrom our Eyes \ a Luke xvi. 25. * Heb. x. 27. b Luke xix. 42. LECTURE LECTURE XVII. C R E ED. Articles XI, XII.— Part II. The Re- Jurredlion of the Body, a?:d the Life everlajling, UNDER the two laft Articles of the Creed, as I have already obferved to you, are comprehended four Points of Doc- trine : I. That the Souls of all Men continue after Death. II. That their Bodies fhall at the lad: Day be raifed up, and reunited to them. III. That both Souls and Bodies of good Perfons fhall enjoy everlafting Happi- nefs. IV. That thofe of the wicked (hall under- go everlafting Punifhment. The 266 LECTURE XVIL The fir ft of thefe being the Foundation of all the reft j I chofe to enlarge on the Proof and Explanation of it. Now I proceed to fhew, II. That the Bodies of all Men fhall be raifed up again, and reunited to their Souls. This Reafon alone cannot prove : and accord- ingly the Heathens were ignorant of it : but it carries with it no Contradiction to Reafon in the leaft. For God is infinite, both in Power and Knowledge : and it is unqueftionably as poflible to bring together and enliven the fcattered Parts of our Body again, as it was to majce them out of No- thing, and give them Life, at fjrft. And therefore, fince we mull: acknowledge the original Formation of our Bodies to have been of God, we have abundant Caufe to be affured, that he can, after Death, form them anew, whenever he pleafes. And that this will be done, was probably implied in that general Promife, made to our firft Parents, that the Seed of the Woman, our bleffed Lord, fiould brui/e the Serpent's Head* ; deftroy his Power ; and confequently take a Gen. iii. ij, away LECTURE XVII. 267 away the Curie, under which he had brought Mankind- For as Part of that Curfe confifts in the Death of the Body, it cannot be completely taken away, but by the Refurre&ion of the Pody. In After- times, Abraham, we find, had (o ftrong a Belief of the Pofilbiiity of this Article, that he was willing, on the divine Command, to facrifice his Son : reajbning, as the Epiftle to the Hebrews teaches us, that God was able to raife him up, even from the dead\ And indeed he could not have been in- duced to this, by any other Reafoning. God had promifj J him, that by his Son Ifaac he fliou! i have a numerous Posterity : and this Promife he firmly believed. Now he mull know, it could never be fulfilled, if lfaac was to be facrificed, but by his riling again; and therefore he muft be perfuaded, that he would rife again for that Purpofe. On proceeding fomewhat further in the facred Hillory, we find Job expreffing himfelf on this Head, if we at all underftand his Word?. in very ftrong Terms : I know that my Re- dee me r iheih j and that he Jhall Jiand at the 1 Htb. xi, 10. latter 26S LECTURE XVII. latter Day upon the Earth. And though, after my Skin, this Body be de/iroyed c ; yet in my Flefi Jhall I fee God d . Again, when Elijah was taken up alive into Heaven, this muft furely give an Expectation, that the Body as well as the Soul, was to partake of future Happinefs. And when the feveral Perfons, mentioned in the Old Teftament, were raifed up to Life in this World, it could not but increafe the Probability of a general Refurreclion in the next. Then in the Book of Daniel we have an exprefs Declaration, that a Time fhould come, when they, who Jlept in the Dujl of the Earth, Jkould awake : Jome to everlafiing Life, andfome to Shame, and everlafiing Con- tempt** And indeed, when thofe, whom we commonly call the three Children, in the former Part of that Book, tell the King, that even though it were not the Pleaiure of God to deliver them from the fiery Furnace, yet would they notferve his Gods { ; on what other Principle could they fo ra- c So, I think, the Original {hould be tranflated. * Job xix. 25, 26. ' Dan. xii. 2. f Dan. iii. 17, 18. tionally, LECTURE XVII. 269 tionally, or did they fo probably fay this as on that, which the Brethren in the Bock of Maccabees explicitly profefs ? There, one of them, ftretching forth his Hands to the Torment faith, The je I had from Heaven : and for his Laws I defpife them -, and from him I hope to receive them again. Another, It is goody being put to Death by Men, to look for Hope from God s to be raifed up again by him. And laftly, the Mother declares to her Children : I neither gave you Birth, nor Life ; nor was it I, that formed your Members : but doubt lefs the Creator of the World, who formed the Generation of Man, and found out the Beginning of all Things, will alfo of his Mercy give you Breath and lafe again ; as you now regard not your- fclves jor his haws Sake*. In the later Times indeed of the Jewim Church, not a few denied this Doclrine : but much the greater Number held it ; allowing, as St. Paul acquainted Felix, that there Jhall be a RefurreSfion, both of tie jujl and un- juji\ t z Mace. vii. 10—23. "■ Aflki xxiv. 1 5. Vet 2 7 o LECTURE XVlL Yet (till, the full Confirmation of it waS referred for our Saviour to give : who, having in his Life-time tailed up three feverai Perions, as you may read at large in the Evangeiifts, raifed up himfelf from the dead, in the lafi Place: to afford us the firongelt Demonfiration pofrTble,that he both can and will raife us all at the Day of Judg- ment. This great Event will doubtlefs, when it comes to pals, exhibit to the whole Univerfe an aftonifhing Evidence of the Power and the Truth of God : who may eafily have many Reafons for refloring our Bodies, which we apprehend not 5 befides thole which in fome Meafure we do apprehend s that the Soul of Man being originally, and in the State of Innocence, united to a Body, is probably capable of completer Perception and Action, and confequently of higher Degrees of Reward or Punifhment, in that State, than a feparate one, or at leaft will be fo, with fuch a Body, as in the next Life /hall be allotted to it: and likewife that our Belief of enjoying Happinefs, or fuffering Mifery, in both Parts of our Frame hereafter, LECTURE XVIL 271 hereafter, muft naturally incline us to pre- ferve the Purity of both here : abftaining, or cleunjing our fe Ives, from all Filthinefs of Fief and Spirit, and perfecting Holinefs in the Fear of God \ The Truth and Reafonablenefs of the Doctrine being thus eftablifhed : it ought to be no Objection, that feveral Particulars relating to it exceed our Comprehenlion. How the dead are raifed, it is fufficient that God knows j and by no Means wonderful, that we do not : for we fcarce know, how any one Part of the Couife of Nature is carried on. And as to the Inquiry, that follows this in St. Paul, With what Bodies do they come* ? we are taught, they fhall be fo far the fame Bodies, that every one fhall have properly his own, and be truly the fame Perfon he was before : but fo far different, that thofe of good Perfons will be fubjecl to none of the Sufferings, none of the Infir- mities, none of the Neceflities of this Life. For, to ufe the fame Apoftle's Words, What is [own in Corruption, fall be raifed in Incorrupt ion ; what isfown in Dif:onour,fall 1 2 Cor. vii. 1. k 1 Cor. xv. 35. be 272 LECTURE XVII. be ralfcd in Glory : what is /own a natural Body, flail be raifed a /pi ritual Body K But the particular Nature of fpiritual Bodies, or the Di(lin6tion that (hall be made in them, between the more eminent in Goodnefs and their Inferiors, as one Star differethfrom ano* tber Star in Glory m j thefe Things we are not qualified, in our prefent State, to under- Hand. And it is fome Degree of Weaknefs even to afk Queftions about them : but would be much greater, to attempt giving Anfwers. I (hall therefore only add, that fuch of the good, as are found alive at the coming of the Lord*, JJoall not Jleep, or die, and therefore cannot rife again ; but fiall be cha?iged° into the fame Likenefs with thofe who do : as the Scripture hath plainly- taught us. But what the Appearance and Condition of the Bodies of wicked Perfons will be at the Refurreciion, it hath not, I think, afforded us the lead Knowledge, fur- ther than is implied in the Defcription of their Punimment, of which I fhall treat before I conclude : and let us be fo wife, as 1 i Cor. xx. 42,43, 44. m Ibid. 41. n 1 Theff. iv. 15. ° j Cor. xv. 51. to LECTURE XVII. 273 to dread the Terrors, that are thus concealed from us. Concerning the general Judgment, which is to come immediately after the Refurrec- tion, I have fpoken under the Article of the Creed, which relates to it : and therefore pro- ceed now to the Confequences of that Judg- ment, by mewing you, III. That both the Souls and Bodies of the pious and virtuous will enjoy everla/l- ing Life: that is, in their Cafe, Happinefs. For a happy Life being the only one, that is a Blefiing : Life in Scripture, very commonly fignifies Felicity; and Death, Mifery. Now that good Perfons will, fooner or # later, be recompenfed by a good God, is an undoubted Truth. But then as no one is perfectly good, and many have been very bad : there is Room for much Doubt, who hath a Right to apply this Comfort to him- felf, and who not. But what Reafon might be at a Lofs to determine, the Scripture hath cleared up ; and entitled all to Pardon and Reward, who truly repent of their Sins ; Vol. I. S and 4 LECTURE XVII. and fmcerely, though not without mixtures of human Frailty, obey God, from a Prin- ciple of Faith in Chrift, and in Reliance on the Grace of the Holy Ghoft. Still, after this, Reafon unafiifted can onlv &ueis, of what Nature, of what Degree, of what Duration, this reward will be. And here once more Revelation interpofes, and mod: happily enlightens us. For Rye hath not feen, nor Ear heard, neither have entered into the Heart of Man, the 'Things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit p . Not that any exact Account is given us, of the Particulars, that fliall make up our future Blifs : for in all Probability we are not capable of receiving fuch a one : our prefent Faculties are not fitted for it. But however, in general, our Saviour tells us, we (hall be as the Angels of God in Heaven 01 . Nay, his beloved Difciple St. John tells us, that though it doth not yet appear what we fall be, this we know, that T - i Cor. ii. 9, ro. * Matth. xxii. 30. when LECTURE XVII. 275 when God fl:all appear weJJja/I be like bin Now to be like God implies, in few Words, every Thing defirable, that evrr To many Words can expn fs. Further yet, a Voice from Heaven proclaims, in the Revelation, that we fhah be free, '• that State, from every Thing, that is uneafy : For God Jhall wipe away all Tears from our Eyes , and there jl:a>! be 110 more Death nor Sorrow, nor Crying, neither flail there be any more Pain \ And Multitudes of Scriptures affjre us, that we {hall enjoy every Tiling, th .t is de- lightful : for they ufe the roblefl: and ftrongeft Images, of all that in this world is great and fplendid, and capable of giving the moll: exalted and moH: refined Satif- fadtions, to reprelent that Happinefs figu- ratively, which cannot be literally de- fer: Sed. Our vile Bodies (hall befajbioned like unto the glorious Body* of our blefied Lord: which, in his temporary Transfiguration here on Earth, Jhone as the Sun ; and his Rain: T 1 John iii. 2. s Rev. xxi. 4. • FhU. iii. 21. S 2 276 LECTURE XVII. was white as the Light*. They fhall be freed from all Tendency to Decay or Dif- order; and become unwearied Inflruments for every excelltnt Purpofe, to that better Part, which they ufed to prefs down™. They fhall doubtlefs alfo have fuch Gratifications allotted to them, as will fuit, though not their prefent grofs Nature, yet their future fpiritual Condition : and be adorned with all the Dignity and Beauty, that ought na- turally to accompany abfolute Innocence, iiniverfal Love, divine Favour, and heavenly Joy- Then for our Minds, when once the Spi- rits of ju/l Men are made perfedl x , as they £hall be, in every Thing worthy and amia- ble : what Pleafure mull: we take in meeting again the dear Objects of our former Affec- tions, now become infinitely more deferving of them 5 in converting with all the great and good Perfons that ever were, concerning the various Scenes of this prefent World, and the blelTed Exchange that we have made of it for a better : in learning from them, and u Matth. xvii. 2, w Wifd. ix. 15. x Hcb. xii, 23. that LECTURE XVII. 277 that innumerable Company of A?igels Y t which minifter to God's Will, continually new In- ftru&ion, concerning all his Works of Na- ture, Providence and Grace! What furprif- ing Advances mud we make by thefc Means in moft pleafing Knowledge : what rapturous Engagements in mutual Friendlhip ! Nor can it be queftioncd, but fuch Employ- ments too, however beyond our Reach to guefs at them now, will be affigned to each Perfon, as mall produce him high Honour, and equal Happinefs. But above all Happinefs will be that of inceffantly fee- ing and loving God, and feeling that we are beloved by him. Thus Jhall we be abundantly Jatisfied with the Fatnefs of his Houfe, and made to drink of the River of his Pleafures : for with him is the Fountain of Life z , in his Frefcnce is Fuhiefs of Joy, and at his right Hand there are Pleafures for ever- more*. Were we to have a Profpecl, that our Felicity would end 3 the more exquifite our Enjoyments were, t.ie more melancholy our Reflections might be. But in the Word 7 Heb. xii. 22. z Pfal. xxxvi. 8, 9. a Pfal. xvi. 11. S3 of 278 LECTURE XVII. of God we find repeated AiTurances, that the righteous Jljall go into Life eternal* ; that the Inheritance ', refirved in Heaven for us is incorruptible and fad, th not away c . Nay, indeed, as there will always b;: Room for finite Creatures, to advance without End to- wards him, who is infinite 1 ; and a^ every Improvement in Pei >n mud be of kf If a frem Delight, and w ii certainly berewuiued by our Maker w ; th frcm Bounties, we have Reafon to conclude, that our Happinefs, far from ever ending, will be continually in- creating to all Eternity. It is true, the greateft, the ableft, the beft. of us merit no iuch Bleffednefa r far from it. Bur ftiil, what God onty wiJe A hath not thought too much to promife,rhe meaneft and moft ignorant may humbly expect. They are as capable, as others, of Love and Duty to him, Good-will to their Fellow-creatures and moral Government of th^mfclves. Now thele are the Things which he values ; the true Seeds of future Blifs : and who ever cul- tivates them faithfully, will be fure to reap h Matth. xxv. 46. Rom ii. 7. c 1 Pet. i. 4; * P»om. xvi. -7. 1 Tim. i. 17. Jude, verfe 15. 8 their LECTURE XVIL 279 their Fruit, each in Proportion to his Im- provement. And thus every one mall be happy to the Height of his Capacity : neither defpifingthofe below him, nor envying thofe above hun. But though, we ought to dwell upon this m:A\ delightful and ufeful Subject, in our Thoughts, much more than we do, we mufl now turn our Eyes from it to a very different View, fet before us. IV. That the Souls and Bodies of the wicked fhiill undergo everlafting Punifh- ipent. This, 't mud be owned, is not explicitly mentioned in the Creed. And God had rather, that we mould be moved to obey him by Love and Hope of his Favour, than by Fear of his Anger. But both Motives are implied in this Article. For though Life in Scripture more especially means Happinefsj yet its original Senfe is only Continuance in Being, whether happy or miferable : and as the wicked are raifed, and judged in order to fuffer what they have deferved, fo they mufl live afterwards for the fame Purpofe. S 4 Let 2 So LECTURE XVII. That Difobedience to God can never end well, is the plained Truth in the World : for Nothing is hid from his Knowledge, No- thing can cfcape his Power: he is hoiy as well as good ; befides that Goodncfs itfclf requires, the incorrigibly bad to be made Examples, for the Sake of deterring others. Yet left, after all, they mould promife themfelves that he will fpare thtm, he hath folemnly and repeatedly declared, that he will not. In this World however, many fuch come off, to all Appearance, with Impunity ; committing much Evil, and en- joying much Good. And they, who are punifhed, are often but flightly punifhed ; and feldom according to the Degree of their Crimes: for the. deliberate and artful Sin- ners, who are the worft, ufually tare beft here below. As fare therefore as God is juft and true, another State remains, in which all this will be fet right. What Sufferings, in particular, the di- vine Juftice will then inflict on unpardoned Sinners, Reafon cannot determine : and Re- velation hath given us only general and figu- rative Defcriptions of them ; but fuch De- fcriptions, LECTURE XVII. 281 fcrlptions, as arc beyond all Things terrible: and I (lull lay them before you, not in my own Word?, but thofe of holy Writ. The Judge of all {lull fay unto them, Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlafing Fire, pre- pared for the Devil and his Angels". There they Jhall drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God, which is poured out, without Mixture, into the Cup of his Indignation, and fi all be tormented with Fire and Brim/lone -, and the Smoke of their 'Torment afcendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no Ref, Day nor Night f : their Worm f!: all not die, neither Jhall their Fire be quenched g . How fevere foever thefe Denunciations may appear to us, afluredly the Threatenings of God will not be vain Terrors. We are partial and incompetent Judges in our own Cafe : prone to flatter and deceive ourfelves. But he knows exactly, what Sin deferves, and what the Honour cf his Government requires : from his Declarations therefore we are to learn our Fate. He hath fet be- fore us Life and Death : and whether we ■ Matth. xxv. 14. f Rev. xiv. 10, II. s Iix. kvi. 24. Mark ix. 44, 4*, 48. like, zSz LECTURE XVII. like, {hall be given us h . If therefore the latter be our wilful Choice, in which we obftinately perfift ; what Wonder, if we are left to it ? For bin and Mifery mud and will be Companions for ever. Not that, in any Cafe the Anger of God fhall prevail over his Juftice: but the Deg ee of e .ii Perfon's Condemnation fhall be fo e .ctly proportioned to that of his Guilt, that when the Eyes of Sinners, which here f 1 3 endea- vour to fhut, are opened, they (hall be hereafter, to fee what their Deeds have merited ; every Mcuth JJjall be flopped \ and all Flejh be pent before the Lord k . For every Circumftance, that can either aggra- vate or excufe, will be impartially weighed ; and feme be accordingly beaten with many StripiS, and fojne w'hbfew 1 . But what the loweft Degree of the Almighty's final V< n- geance may amount to, God forbid we fhould any of us try : for whoever fins, purpofely or carelefsly, in Hopes of a fmall Punifh- ment, will for that very Reafon deferve a heavy one. * Ecclus. xv. 17. 1 Rom. Hi. 19. k Zccb. ii. 15* 1 Luke xii. 47, 48, Let LECTURE XVII. 283 Let us all therefore make the Ufe that we ought, both of the Terrors and the Mercies of the Lord: awing ourfelves by the former from tranfgrefJmg our Duty, and encouraging ourlelves by the latter to the u mod Diligence in performing it : that fo we may pafs through Life with Comfort, meet Death with Cheerfulnefs, and having faithfully ferved God in this World, be eternally and abundantly rewarded by him jn the next. LECTURE LECTURE XVIII. Firft Commandment, THE whole Duty of Man confifts in three Points : renouncing what God hath forbidden us, believing what he hath taught us, and doing what he hath required of us : which accordingly are the Things promifed in our Name at our Baptifm. The two former already I have explained to you. And therefore I proceed at prefent to the third. Now the Things, which God requires to be done, are of two Sorts : either fuch, as have been always the Duty of all Men: or fuch, as are peculiarly the Duty of Chrifti- ans. And our Catechifm very properly treats of the former Sort jfirfl, comprehend- ing 286 LECTURE XVIII. ing them unrler thofe ten Commandments which were delivered by the Creator of the World, on Mount Sinai, in a moft awful Manner, as you may read in the 19th and 20th Chapters of Exodus. For though in- deed they were then given to the Jews par- ticularly, yet the Things contained in them are fuch, as all Mankind from the Beginning were bound to obfsrve\ And therefore, even under the Mofaic Difpenfation, they, and the Tables on which they were engraven, and the Ark in which they were put, were diflinguifhed from the reft of God's Ordi- nances by a peculiar Regard, as containing the Covenant of the Lord b . And though the Mofaic Difpenfation be now at an End, yet concerning thefe moral Precepts of it our Saviour declares, that one Jot or one 'Tittle Jh all in no wife pafs from the haw, till all be fulfilled*. Accordingly we find both him, and his Apoftles, quoting thefe ten Commandments, as Matter of perpetual a Decern fermemes illi in tabulis nihil novum docent, fed quod obliteracum fuerat adinonent. Kovatian de lib. Judaic!?, c. 3. b Exod. xxxiv. z%. Deiit. W. 13. ix. 9, 11, 15. Jofh. iii. 11. 1 Kings viii. 9, zu 2 Chr. v. 10. vi. 11. c Matth. v. 18. Obligation LECTURE XVIII. 287 Obligation to Chriftians: who are now, as the Jews were formerly, the Ifracl of God*. Indeed the whole New Tcflament, and efpecial ly the Sermon of our biciled Lord, on the Mount, inftrucls us to carry their Obligation farther, that is, to more Points, than either the Jews, a People of grofs Urderftanding and carnal Difpofitions, com- monly took into Co nfi deration; or their Prophets were commitTioned diftinclly to represent to them ; the Wifdom of God fore- feeing, that it would only increafe their Guilt: and further indeed, than the Words of the Commandments, if taken ftriclly, exprefs. But the Re:; fon is, that being vifibly intended for a Summary of human Duty, they both may, and mull, be understood, by thole who are capable of penetrating into the Depth of their Meaning, to imply more than they exprefs. And therefore, to com- prehend their full Extent, it will be requifite ' to obferve the following Rules. Where any Sin is forbidden in them, the oppofite Duty is implicitly enjoined : and where any Duty is enjoined, the oppofite Sin is implicitly d Gal. vi. 16. forbidden; s88 LECTURE XVIII, forbidden. Where the higheft degree of* any Thing evil is prohibited ; whatever is faulty in the fame Kind, though in a lower Degree, is by Confequence prohibited. And where one Inftance of virtuous Behaviour is commanded, every other, that hath the fame Nature, and fame Reafon for it, is under- ftocd to be commanded too. What we are expected to abftain from, we are expected to avoid, as far as we can, all Temptations to it, and Occasions of it : and what we are expected to practife, we are expected to ufe all fit Means, that may better enable us to practife it. All, that we are bound to do ourfelves, we are bound, on fitting Occa* fions, to exhort and aflift others to do, when it belongs to them : and all, that we are bound not to do, we are to tempt Nobody elfe to do, but keep them back from it, as much as we have Opportunity. The ten Commandments, excepting two that required Enlargement, are delivered in few Words * which brief Manner of fpeaking hath great Majefty in it. But explaining them accord- ing to thefe Rules ; which are natural and rational in themfelves, favoured by ancient LECTURE XVIII. 2S9 ancient Jewifh Writers 6 , authorized by our blefled Saviour, and certainly defigned by the Makers of the Catechifm to be uicd in ex- pounding it : we fliall find, that there is no Part of the moral Law, but may be fitly ranked under them : as will appear by what fliall be faid, in (peaking feparately on each Commandment. Before them all, is placed a general Pre- face : exprefling firfr, the Authority of him who gave them; i" am the Lord thy God: fecondly, his Goodnefs to thofe whom he enjoined to obferve them ; who brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the Houfe of Bondage. Now the Authority of God over us Chriftians, is as great, as it could be over the Jews. And his Goodnefs is much greater, in freeing us from the Bon- dage of Sin, and opening to us the hea- venly Land of Promife, than it was in lead- ing them, from Egyptian Slavery, to the e Xp« S( /WifJ' £«iro ayrow, on hi i At;:< xttfctAxiot, voy.cawsi, Tur iy etSa 7ra.p' omv rruv Yo/uoQiatctv tv tols i icons' £i«a:/s AtfyfetfivruY. Philo dc Dccal. The ten Commandments are mun\i/f mini mot>i- Cozri, p. 44. See alio there p. 107. Vol. I. T earthly 290 LECTURE XVIIL earthly Canaan: though indeed this Deliver- ance, having made fo frefh and fo ftrong an Impreflion on them, was the fitted to be mentioned at that Time. The ten Commandments being originally written, by the Finger of God himfelf, on two Tables of Stone j and confuting of two Parts, our Duty to our Maker, and to our Fellow-creatures ; which we can never per- form as we ought, if we neglect: that we owe to ourfelves ; the four firft are ufually called Duties of the firft Table; the fix laft, of the fecond. And our Saviour, in Effect:, divides them accordingly, when he reduces them to thefe : Thou jh alt love the Lord thy God, with all thy Heart; and thy Neighbour, as tbyfelfK The firft Commandment is, Thou /halt have none other Gods, but me. The fame Reafons, which prove, that God is, prove that there is but one God. The Imagination of two or more Beings, each perfect: and each infinite, is at firft Sight groundlefs. For one fuch Being is fufficient f Matth. xxii. 37, 39. 2 tO LECTURE XVIII. 291 to produce and govern every Thing elfej and therefore more than one can never be proved by Reafon: and yet, if there were more, all Men would furely have had fome Way of knowing it: and till we have, we are not to believe it. Indeed we have ftrong Reafons to believe the contrary. For if there is no Difference between thefe feveral fuppofed Beings, they are but one and the fame. And if there is any Difference, one muft be lefs perfect than the other, and therefore imperfect, and therefore not God. Befides, as the whole Courfe of Nature ap- pears to proceed uniformly under one Di- rection; there is, without Queftion, only one Director; not feveral, thwarting each other. And what Reafon teaches in this Matter, Scripture every where confirms; forbidding us to worfhip, or believe in, any other Deity; than the one Maker and Ruler of Heaven and Earth; who hath manifefted himfelf to all Men by the Works of his Hands; to the Patriarchs and Jews, by the Revelations, recorded in Mofes and the Prophets; and finally to Chriftians, by his Son our Lord: T 2 who 292 LECTURE XVIII. who, in a Way and Manner to us incon- ceivable, is one with the Father; and the Holy Spirit with both: as I have already fhewn you, in difcourfing on the Creed. There being then this one only God; the Commandment before us enjoins, I. That we have him for our God: II. That we have no other. I. That we have him: that is, think fo of him, and behave fo to him, as his infinite Perfection, and our abfolute De- pendence on him, require: which general Duty towards God, our Catechifm very juftly branches out into the following Par- ticulars. Firft, that we believe in him. For he that cometh, to God, muji believe that he is g . The Foundation on which this Belief ftands, I have (hewn in its proper Place. And the great Thing, in which it confifts, is, that we fix firmly in our Minds, recall frequently to our Memories, and imprint deeply upon our Hearts, an awful Perfuafion of the Being and Frefence, the Power and Juftice, s Heb. xi. 6. the LECTURE XVIII. 293 the Holinefs and Truth, of this great Lord of all. The Confequence of this will be, Secondly, That we fear him. For fuch Attributes as thefe, duly confidered, mud fill the moll: innocent Creatures with Re- verence and Self-abafement. But finful and guilty ones, as we know ourfelves to have been, have Caufe to feel yet ftrcnger Emo- tions, in their Souls from fuch a Meditation: Apprehenfions of his Difpleafure, and Soli- citude for his Pardon ; leading us naturally to that penitent Care of our Hearts and Lives, on which he hath gracioufly allured us, that through Faith in Chrift Jefus, we fhall be forgiven. And then, Gratitude for his Mercy will prompt us to the Third Duty towards him, which our Ca- techifm fpecifies, that we love him: the Fear of the Lord being, as the Son of Sirach declares, the Beginning of his Love h . For whenever we come to reflect ferionfly on that Goodnefs, which hath given us all the Comforts that we enjoy; that Pity which fc Ecclus. xxv. 12, T 1 offers 294 LECTURE XVIII; offers Paidon, on moft equitable Terms, for all the Faults that we have committed; that Grace, which enables us to perform e ery Duty acceptably; and that infinite Bounty, which rewards our imperfect Per- formances with eternal Happinefs: we can- not but feel ourfelves bound to love fuch a Benefactor, with all our Heart , and with all our Mind, with all our Soul, and all our Strength-, to rejoice in being under his Go- vernment, make our Boajl of him all the Day long 1 -, and chufe him favour Portion for ever\ A Mind, thus affeded, would be uneafy, without paying the Regard fet down in the Fourth Place, which is, to worjhip him: to acknowledge our Dependence, and pay our Homage to him; both in private, to preferve and improve a Senfe of Religion in ourfelves; and in public, to fupport and fpread it in the World. The nrft Part of Worfhip, mentioned in the Catechifm, and the firft in a natural Order of Things, is giving him Thanks* God originally made and J PfaK xliv. 8, 9. k Pfal. lxxiii. 25, 26. fitted LECTURE XVIII. 295 fitted all his Creatures for ITappinef,: if any of them have made themfelves refer- able, this doth not lefll-n their Obligation of Thankfulnefs to him: but his continuing ftill good, and abounding in Forgivenefs and Liberality, increafes that Obligation- unfptakably. With a grateful Senfe of his pad Favours is clofely connected, putting our Truji in him for the Time to come. And juftly doth the Citechifm require it to be our whole Truft. For his Power and Goodnefs are infinite: thofe of every Creature may fail us ; and all that they can pofiibly do for us, proceeds ultimately from him. Now a principal Expreflion of Reliance on God is, petitioning for his Help. For if we pray in Faith \ we (hall live fo too. And therefore trufting in him, which might have been made a ieparate Head, is included in this of Worthip; and put between the fir ft Part of it, giving Thanks to him; and the fecond, calling upon him: according to that of the Pfalmift; O Lord, in thee have I trujled: let me never be confounded™. To call upon 1 Jamss i. 6. v. 15. m Pfal. xxxi. i. T 4 God, 296 LECTURE XVIII. God, is to place ourfelves in his Prefence; and there to beg of him, for ourfelves and each other, with unfeigned Humility and Submiffion, fuch Afiiftance in our Duty, fuch Provifion for our Wants, and fuch Defence againfl: our Enemies, of every Kind, as infinite Wifdom fees fit for us all. After this evident Obligation, fol- lows a Fifth not lefs fo : to honour his holy Name and Word: not prefuming even to fpeak of the great God in a negligent Way; but preferving, in every ExprefTion and Aclion, that Reverence to him, which is due: paying, not a fuperflitious, but a decent and refpeclful Regard, to whatever bears any peculiar Relation to him; his Day, his Church, his Minifters ; but efpecially ho- nouring his holy Word, the law of our Lives and the Foundation of our Hopes, by a diligent Study and firm Belief of what it teaches; and that univerfal Obedience to what it commands, which our Catechifm referves for the Sixth and laft, as it is undoubtedly the greateft, LECTURE XVIII. 297 greateft, Thing : to ferve him truly all the Days of our Life. Obedience is the End of Faith and Fear •> the Proof of Love ; the Foundation of Truft: ; the neceilary Qualifi- cation, to make Worfhip and Honour of every Kind, acceptable. This therefore mud complete the Whole, that we walk in oil the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord bla??ielefs n , not thinking any one fo difficult, as to defpair of it ; or fo fmall, as to defpife it ; and never be weary in well- doing : for wejhall reap in due Seajon, if we faint not : and he alone fall befaved, that endurcth to the End*. But we muft now proceed to obferve, II. That, as this Commandment re- quires us to acknowledge the one true God ; fo it forbids us to acknowledge any other. Both before, and long after the Law of Mofes was given, the Generality of the World entertained a Belief, that there were many Gods : a great Number of Beings, fuperior n Luke i. 6. ° Gal. vi. 9. p Matt. xxiv. 13. i to 298 LECTURE XVIII. to Men, that amongft them governed the World, and were fit Objects of Devotion; To thefe, as their own Fancy, or the Folly or Fraud of others led them, they afcribed more or lefs both of Power and Gocdnefs; attributed to feveral of them the vikft Actions, that could be ; fuppofed them to prefide, fome over one Nation or City, fome over another -, worshipped a few or a Mul- titude of them, jufl as they pleafcd j and that with a ftrange Variety of Ceremonies, abfurd and impious, immoral and barbarous. Amidft this Crowd of imaginary Deities, the real one was almoft entirely forgotten : falfe Religion and Irreligion divided the World between them 5 and Wicked nefs of every Kind was authorized by both. The Cure for thefe dreadful Evils muft plainly be, reftoring the old true Notion of one only God, ruling the World himfelf: which therefore was the firft great Article of the Jewifh Faith, as it is of ours. Chriftians can hardly in Words profefs a Plurality of Gods : but in reality they do, if they fuppofe the divine Nature common to LECTURE XVIII. 299 to more than one Being; or think our Sa- viour, or the Holy Spirit, mere Creatures, and yet pay them divine Honours. But befides thefe, we apprehend the Church of Rome to fin again ft the prefent Command- ment, when they pray to Angels, to the holy Virgin and the Saints, as being able every where to hear them j and having not only temporal Relief, but Grace and Salva- tion, in their Power to bellow. Nay, were the Plea, which they fometimes make, a true one j that they only pray to them to intercede with God ; yet it would be an infurricient one. For there is no Re.ifon to believe, that they have any Knowledge of fuch Prayers: or if they had, as there is one God, fo there js one Mediator between God and Man q . And we have neither Precept, nor Allowance, nor Example, in the whole Bible, of applying to any other, amongft all the abfent Inhabitants of the invifible World. But there are feveral Ways more, of tranf- grefling this Commandment. Ifweafcribe 9 1 Tim. ii. 5. Things 3 oo LECTURE XVIII. Things, which befall us, to Fate, or to ChanCe, or to Nature j and mean any Thing real by thefe Words, different from that Order, which our Maker's Providence hath appointed ; we fet up in Effect other Gods, befides him. If we imagine the Influence of Stars, the Power of Spirits, in fhcrt, any Power whatever, to be independent on him, and capable of doing the leaft Matter, more than he judges proper to permit that it fhouldj this alfo is having more Gods than one. If we fet up ourfelves, or others, above him} and obey, or expect any one elfe to obey, Man rather than God j here again is in Practice, though not in Specula- tion, the fame Crime. If we love or trufi in uncertain Riches, more than the living God*-, this is that Covetoufnefs which is Idolatry \ If we purfue unlawful fenfual Pleafures, inftead of delighting in his Pre- cepts; this is making a God of our own Belly f . In a Word, if we allow ourfelves to practife any Wickednefs whatever, we T i Tim. vi. 17. 3 Col. iii. 5. l Phil. iii. 19. ferve, LECTURE XVIII. 301 ferve, by To doing, the falfe God of tl.'n World", inftcad of the true God of Heaven, befides whom we ought not to have any other : and therefore to whom alone be, as is moft due, all Honour and Obedience, now and for ever. Amen. " 2 Co;, iv. 4. LECTURE LECTURE XIX, Second Commandment. WE are now come to the fecond Commandment: which the Church of Rome would perfuade Men is only Part of the firft. But they plainly relate to dif- ferent Thing?. The firft appoints, that the Object of our Worlhip be only the true God : the next, that we worfhip not him under any vifible Refemblance or Form. And be- fides, if we join thefe two into one, there will be no tenth left : though the Scripture itfelf hath called them ten n : to avoid which Abfurdity, the Romanijls have committed another, by dividing the tenth into two. And they might as well have divided it into fix or feven -, as I fhall mew you, in dil- courfing upon it. For thefe Reafons, the a Exod. xxxiv. 28. Deut. iv. 13. x. 4. cldeft 304 LECTURE XIX. oldeft and moft confiderable, both of the Jewifli and Chriftian Writers, who diftin- guifh the Commandments by their Number, diftinguifh them in the fame Manner, that we do. Perhaps it may feem of fmall Con- fequence, how that before us is counted, provided it be not omitted. And we mull own, that fome Perfons, before the Rife of Popery, and fome Proteftants, fince the Re- formation, have, without any ill Defign, reckoned it as the Papifls do. But what both the former have done by mere Miflake, thefe laft endeavour to defend out of Policy: well knowing, that when once they have got the fecond to be confidered as only a Part of the firlt, they can much more eafily pafs it over, as a Part of no great feparate Meaning or Importance, than if it were thought a dif- tinct Precept. And accordingly, in fome of their fmall Books of Devotion, they pafs it over, and leave it out intirely w . But it de- ferves, as I fhall now (hew you, another Sort of Regard. b This they do in the Latin Office of the Virgin, and in fome of their Englifh devotional Books. Indeed there they omit likewife all but the firft Sentence of our fourth Com- mandment, and the Promife in our fifth : perhaps to palliate their preceding Omiffion* The LECTURE XIX. 305 The Prophet Jfaiah very juflly puts the Que ft ion: 1*0 whom will ye liken God? Or what Likenefs will ye compare unto him c ? He is an invifible Spirit: therefore repre- fenting him in a vifible Shape, is reprefenting him to be fuch as lie is not. He is every where prcfent : therefore a Figure, confined by its Nature to a particular Place, mull incline Perfons to a wrong Conception of him. He is the living, wife, and powerful Governor of the World ; therefore to ex- prefs him by a dead Lump of Matter mud be doing him Dishonour. We are unable indeed, at beft, to fpeak or think worthily of him: and we cannot well avoid ufmg fome of the fame Phrafes, concerning him and his Actions, which we do concerning the Parts and Motions of our own Bodies. But we can very well avoid making vifible Images of him : and the plaineft: Rcifon teaches, that we ought to avoid it; becaufe they lower and debafe Men's Notions of God; lead the weaker Sort into fuperftitious andfoolifh Apprehenlions and Practices; and provoke thofe of better Abilities, from a Con- c Ifa. xl. 18. Vol. T. U tempt 306 LECTURE XIX. tempt of fuch childifh Reprefentations, to difregard and ridicule the Religion, into which they are adopted. Therefore, in the early Ages of the World, many of the Heathens themfelves had no Images of the Deity. Particularly, the ancient Perjians had none d . Nor had the firft Romans; Numa, their fecond King, having, as the Philofopher Plutarch, himfelf a Roman Magistrate, though a Greek by Birth, tells us, forbidden them to reprefent God in the Form either of a Man or any other Animal. And accordingly, he faith, they had neither any painted nor engraved Figure of him for ijo Tears -, but Temples, void of any Image of any Jhape : thinking it impious to liken a fuperior Nature to inferior ones \ and impojjible to attain the Notion of God otherwife, than by the XJnderflanding e . And Varro, one of the moft learned of their own Authors, \ after acknowledging, that during more than 1 70 Tears they worfiipped the Gods without any vifble Reprefentation, added, that had they never had any, their * Herodot. 1. i. §. 131. « Plut. in Num. P. 65. Ed. Par. 1624. 3 Religion LECTURE XIX. 307 Religion had been the purer : for which Opinion, among f other Evidences, he brought that of the Jewifi People-, and fcrupled not to fay in Conclufon, that they who fir ft fet up Images of the Gods in the federal Nations, lejfened the Reverence of their Countrymen to- wards them, and introduced Error concerning them i . So much wiftr were thefe Heathen Romans in this Point, than the Chriftian Ro- mans are now. But when fome of the Eaftern Kingdoms had fallen into this Corruption; particularly the Egyptians, who claimed the Invention as an Honour g , the great Care of God was to preferve or free his own People from it. The Words of this Commandment exprefs that Purpofe very ftrongly: and very clearly forbid not only making and worshipping Reprefentations of falfe Gods, but any Re- prefentation of God at all. And to (hew yet more fully, that even thofe of the true f Aug. de Civ. Dei, 1. 4. c. 3 1 . Diunyfms HaluarnaJJevfis indeed laith, 1. 2. c. 15. p. 87. that Romulus erefted Images. But as as he mentions them no othcrwi/e than in- cidentally, amongft the Provifions made by that Prince tor divine Worlhip, his Aflertion is not fo much to be regarded, as the two contrary more formal ones. Or we may lup- pofe that Numa took them down. 8 Herodot, 1, 2, §. 4. U 2 God 3 oS LECTURE XIX. God are prohibited by it, Mofes y in Deute- ronomy, immediately after mentioning the Delivery of the ten Commandments, adds with Refpect to the fecond : Take therefore good Heed unto yourfehes : for ye Jaw no Manner of Similitude, on the Day that the Lord /pake unto you in Horeb, out of the Midfi of the Fire : left ye corrupt yourfehes, and make you the Similitude of any Figure h . And when the Ifraelites made a golden Calf in the Wildernefs, though evidently their De- fipn was to reprefent by it, not a falfe Object of Worfhip, but the Lord (in the Original it is Jehovah) who brought them out of the Land of Egypt; yet they were charged with it, and punifhed for it, as a Breach of their Covenant with God: and Mofes ac- cordingly broke, on that Occafion, the two Tables of the Commandments, which were, on their Part, the Conditions of that Cove- nant 1 . Again, in After-times, when the Kings of Ifrael fet up the fame Reprefen- tation of the fame true God at Dan and Bethel-, the Scripture conftantly fpeaks of it as the leading Sin, from which all the h Deut. iv. 12— i :, 16. i Exod. xxxii. reft LECTURE XIX. 309 red of their Idolatries and at Lift their utter DeftrucYion proceeded. For, from worfhipping the true God by an Image, they Toon came to woifhip the Images of faJfe Cods too; and from thence fell into all Sorts of Superilition, and all Sorts of Wickcdnefs. Yet the Church of Rome will have it, that we may now very lawfully and com- mendably praclife what the Jews were forbidden. But obferve : not only the Jews, but the Heathens alfo, who never were fu eject to the Law of Mofes, are condemned in Scripture for this Mode of Worlhip. For St. Paul's Accufation again ft them is, that when they knew Go J, they glorified him not as God; but became vain in their Imagina- tions 1 and changed the Glory of the incorruptible God into an Image, made like to corruptible Man'\ And in another Place he argues with the Athenians thus. Fcrafmuch as we are the Offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto Gold or Si her or Stone, graven by Art and ALins Device. And the Times of this Ignorance God winked k R : ."i . i . 21, 23 ■ U 3 at; 3 io LECTURE XIX. at : but now commandeth all Men every where to repent 1 . Where then is, or can be, the Allowance of that Image Worfhip in the Bible, for which Multitudes of the Romifh Commu- nion are as earned, as if it was commanded there ? Nor is Antiquity more favourable to it, than Scripture. For the primitive Chrif- tians abhorred the very Mention of Images: holding even the Trade of making them to be utterly unlawful. And indeed pretend- ins: to frame a Likenefs of God the Father AUnighty, whom no Man ever hath Jeen or canfee m > as fome of that Church have done, without any Cenfure from the Rulers of it, liberal as they are of Cenfures on other Oc- cafions, is both a palpable and a heinous Breach of this Commandment. For, though we find in the Old Teftament, that an Angel hath iometimes appeared, reprefenting his Perfon, as an Ambaffador doth that of his Prince j and though, in a Villon of the An- cient of Days, his Garment was white as Snow, and the Hair of his Head like pure Wool" ; yet thefe Things gave the Jews no Right 1 Aasxvii. 29, 30. m 1 Tim. vi. 16. n Dan. vii. 9. then, LECTURE XIX. 311 then, and therefore can give us none now, to make other, or even the like, Reprefen- tations of him, contrary to his exprefs Order. Our bleffed Saviour indeed exifted in a human Form. But we have not the lead Knowledge of any one Part or Feature of his Perfon. And therefore all Attempts of exhibiting a Likenefs of him are utterly vain. Befides, he hath appointed a very different Memorial of himfelf, the Sacrament of his Body and Blood : and we ought to think that a fufficient one. Thefe others can ferve no good Purpofe, but what, by due Medita- tion, may be attained as well without them. And there is great and evident Danger of Evil in them, from that unhappy Pronenefs of Mankind to fix theirThoughts and Affec- tions on fenfible Objects, inftead of railing them higher; which if any one doth not feel in himfelf, he muft however fee in others. But particularly in this Cafe, long Experience hath given fad Proof, that from fetting up Images of our gracious Redeemer, the holy Virgin, and other Saints, to remind Perfons of them and their Virtues, the U 4 World 3 i2 LECTURE XIX. World hath run on to pay fuch imprudent and extravagant Honours to the Figures themselves, as by Degrees have arifen to the groffeft: Idolatry. Indeed fome of the Popifh Writers tell u?, that they do not worfhip their Images. Yet others of them, who have never been condemned for it, fay quite the contrary, that they do worfhip them ; and with the very fame Degree of Worfhip, which they pay to the Perfons reprefented by them. Nay, their public authorized Books of Prayers and Ceremonies not only appoint the Cru- cifix to be adored, but in Form declare, that divine Adoration is due to it. And accord- ingly they petition it, in fo many Words, exprefsly directed to the very Wood, as their only Hope, to increafe the jfey and Grace of the godly, and blot cut the Sins cf the wicked' V But let us fuppofe them to pay only an inferior Honour to Images, and to worfhip the holy Trinity and the Saints by them. Having no Ground, or Permiffion to pray at ° See Dr. Hickes's Coiieftion of controversial Difcourfes, vol. i. p. 4-, all LECTURE XIX. 313 ail to Saints departed, they certainly have none to ufe Images f r enlivening their Prayers. If any Words can forbid the Wor- ship of God, his Son and Spirit by Images, this Commandment forbids it. And if any Excufes or DiftincYions will acquit the Papifts of tranfgreffing it, the fame will acquit the ancient Jews and Heathens alfo. For if any of the former mean only, that their Adoration mould pafs through the Image, as it were, to the Perfon, for whom it was made ; fo did many of the Pagans plead, that their Meaning was juft the fame p : yet the Scripture accufes them all of Idolatry. And if great Numbers of the Pagans did abfolutely pray to the Image itfelfj fo do great Numbers of the Papiils too : and fome of their own Writers honeftly confefs and lament it. But further : Had they little or no Regard, as they fometimes pretend, to the Image ; but only to the Perfon reprefented by it: p See a remarkable Proof of this produced in an Epiftle to Mr. Warburton, concerning the Conformity of Rome, Pagan and Papal ; printed for Roberts, 1 748, 8vo. p. 2 1. why 3 i 4 LECTURE XIX. why is an Image, of the blefled Virgin fup- pofe, in one Place, fo much more frequented, than another in a different Place, and the Prayers made before it thought to have fo much more Efficacy ? Upon the Whole, therefore, they plainly appear to be guilty of that Image Worfhip, which Reafon and Scripture condemn. Nor do they fo much as alledge either any Com- mand or exprefs Allowance for it. And yet they have pronounced a Curfe upon all who reject it. But let us go on, from the Prohibition, to the Reafons given for it in the Command- ment. The firft is a very general, but very awful one. Fer the Lord thy God is a jealous God : not jealous for himfelf, left he mould fufter for the Follies of his Creatures : that cannot be : but jealous for us, for his Spoufe the Church ; left our Notions of his Na- ture and Attributes, and confequently of the Duties which we owe to him, being depraved, and our Minds darkened with fuperftitious Perfuafions, and Fears, and Hopes, we mould depart from the Fidelity which LECTURE XIX. 3^ which we have vowed to him, and fall into thofe grievous Immoralities, which St. Paul y in the Beginning of his Epiftle to the Ro- mansy defcribes as the Confluences of Ido- latry 11 , and which have been its Confe- quences in all Times and Places. The fecond Reafon for this Prohibition is more particular : that God will vtfit the Sins of the Fathers upon the Children^ unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate him. For, obferve, worfhipping him irrationally, or in a Manner which he hath forbidden, he interprets to be hating him; as it mult proceed, wholly or in Part, from a dishonourable Opinion of him, and tend to fpread the like Opinion amongft others. Now we are not to underliand by this Threatening, that God will ever, on Ac- count of the Sins of Parents, punifti Chil- dren, in the itricl Senie of the Word, punijh % when they deferve it not r . But in the Courfe of Things, eftablifhed by his Provi- dence, it comes to pafs, that the Sins of 1 Rom. i. 21 — 32. r Againfl this wrong Imagina- tion, Cotta in Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. 3. §. 38. inveighs vehement]}. one 3 i6 LECTURE XIX. one Perfon, or one Generation, lead thofe, who come after, into the fame, or other, perhaps greater, Sins; and fo bring upon them double Sufferings, partly the Fruits of their PredecefTors Faults, partly of their own. And when fucceffive Ages follow one another in Crimes, befides the natural bad Effects of them, which puniflb them in fome Meafure, God may juftly threaten feverer additional Corrections, than he would elfe inflidt for their perfonal Tranfgreffions 5 : both becaufe it may deter Men from pro- pagating Wickednefs down to their Pofte- rity; and becaufe if it doth not, inveterate Evils demand a rougher Cure. According- ly here the Ifraelites are forewarned, that if they fell into Idolatry, they and their Chil- dren would fall, by Means of it, into all Sorts of Abominations : and not only, thefe would of Courfe produce many Miichiefs to both, but God would chaftife the fol- lowing Generations with heavier Strokes, for not taking Warning, as they ought to have done, by the Milbehaviour and Suf- See 'iurlock on Providence, p. 382—390. ferings LECTURE XIX. 317 ferings of the former. Denouncing this Intention beforehand mud influence them, if any Thing could: becaufe it mufr. give them a Concern, both for themfelves, and their Defendants too; for whom, next to themfelves, if not equally, Men are always interefted. And therefore vifiting Sins upon them to the third and fourth Generation feems to be mentioned ; becaufe either the Life, or however the Sollicitude, of a Per- fon may be fuppofed to extend thus far, and feldom farther. This threatening therefore was not only juft, but wife and kind, on the Supposition, which in general it was reafonable to make, that in fuch Matters Children would imi- tate their wicked Progenitors. And when- ever any did not; either their Innocence would avert the impending Evils; or they would be abundantly rewarded in a future Life for what the Sins of others had brought upon them in the prefent. But if God hath threatened to p'inith the Breach of this Precept to the third <: jourth Generation, he ha:h promifed to 5 ji t ,l W 3 i3 LECTURE XIX. Jhrw Mercy unto thoufands, that is fo long as the Wor:d mall endu-e, to them that love him and keep his Commandments. To the Jews he fulfilled this Engag. ment, as far as they gave him Opportunity, by tem- poral Bleffings. And amongft Chriftians there is ordinarily a fair Profpect, that a Nation, or a Family, pious and virtuous through fuccefTive Ages, will be recompens- ed with increafing Happinefs in every Age : which is a powerful Motive, both for wor- fhipping God in Purity ourfelves, and edu- cating thofe, who are placed under our Care, to do fo too. Yet it muft be ac- knowledged, that neither the rewards fore- told, nor the Punimments denounced, in this Commandment, are fo conftantly dif- tributed on Earth under the Gofpel Difpen- fation, as they were under that of the Law. But (till our Maker as certainly requires, as ever he did, fince he is a Spirit, to be wcrfiipped in Spirit and in Truth 1 : and the Inducement to it is abundantly fufficient, that the Idolaters, amongft other Sinners, 1 John iv. 24. JbaU LECTURE XIX. 3 i 9 Jliall have their Part in the Lake, which burn- eth with Fire and BrimJIone u . Not that we are to be forward in applying fo dreadful a Sentence to the Cafe of thofe, whether Chriftians or others, who, in this or any Re- fpecl:, offend through fuch Ignorance or Mif- take, as, for ought we can tell, is excufable. May our heavenly Father J orgive them: for they know not what they do*. But we mould be very thankful to him for the Light, which he hath caufed to {Line upon us; and very- careful to walk in it as becomes the Children of Light y having no Fe/lowftip with the un- fruitful Works cfDarknefs*. ■ Rev. xxi. 8. * Luke xxiii. 34. ' Ephef. v. 8,11. LECTURE LECTURE XX. Third Commandment. TH E firft Commandment having pro- vided that we mould worfhip only the one true God; and the fecond prohi- bited worshipping him in a Manner fo un- worthy and dangerous, as by Images ; the third proceeds to direct, that we preferve a due Reverence to him in our whole Con- verfation and Behaviour. Tboujhalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain. Under thefe Words are forbidden feveral Things which differ in their Degrees of Guilt. I. The firft, and higheft Offence is, when we fwear bv the Name of God falfely. For Vanity in Scripture frequently means, fomething, which is not what it Vol. I. X would 322 LECTURE XX. would appear. And hence ufing God's Name in vain, or to Vanity, principally fignifies, applying it to confirm a Falfehood. Doing this deliberately, is one of the mofl mocking Crimes of which we can be guilty. For taking an Oath is declaring folemnly, that we know ourfelves to be in the Pre- lence of God, and him to be Witnefs of what we fpeak : it is appealing to him, that our Words exprefs the very Truth of our Hearts; and renouncing all Title to his Mercy, if they do not. This it is to fwear: and think then what it muft be to fwear falfely. In other Sins Men endeavour to forget God : but Perjury is daring and brav- ing the Almighty to his very Face; bidding him take Notice of the Falfehood that we utter, and do his worft. Now of this dreadful Crime we are guilty, if ever we fwear, that we do not know or believe what indeed we do; or that we do know or believe what indeed we do not: if ever, being upon our Oaths, we miflead thofe,whom we ought to inform; and give any other, than the exacleft and faireft Account that we can, of any Matter, concerning which LECTURE XX. 323 which we are examined. Again, if we promife upon Oath to do a Thing; without firmly defigning to do it; or if we promife not to do a Thing, without firmly de- figning to abftain from it : this alfo is for- fwearing ourfelves. Nay further; provided the Thing, which we promife, be lawful, if we do not ever after take all the Care, that can be reafonably expected, to make our Promife good, we are guilty of Perjury; and of living in it, fo long as we live in that Neglect. If indeed a Perfon hath fworn to do, what he thought he could have done; and it proves afterwards unexpect- edly, that he cannot ; fuch a one is charge- able only with Miftake, or Inconlideratenefs at mod:. And if we either promife, or threaten, any Thing, which we cannot law- fully do : making fuch a Promife is a Sin; but keeping it would be another, per- haps a greater Sin; and therefore it inno- cently may, and in Confcience ought to be broken. But if we have promifed what we may lawfully, but only cannot conve- niently, perform; we are by no Means on that Account releafed from our Engage - X 2 ment: 324 LECTURE XX. ment: unlefs either we were unqualified to promife, or were deceived into promifing: or the Perfon to whom we have engaged, voluntarily fets us at Liberty; or the Circum- ftances of the Cafe be plainly and confeffedly fuch, that our Promife was not originally defigned to bind us in them. You fee then what is Perjury. And you muil: fee, it is not only the directed and groffeil Affront to God; for which Reafon it is forbidden in the firft Table of the ten Commandments j but the moft pernicious Injury to our Fellow-creatures ; on which Account you will find it again forbidden in the fecond Table. If Perfons will aflert falfely upon Oath; no one knows what to believe; no one's Property or Life is fafe. And if Perfons will promife falfely upon Oath: no one can know whom to trufl; all Security of Government and human So- ciety, all mutual Confidence in Trade and Commerce, in every Relation and Condition, is utterly at an End. With the greateft Rea- fon therefore are perjured Wretches abhorred of all the World. And no Intereft of our own, no Kindnefs or Compaffion for other Perfons, LECTURE XX. 325 Perfons, no Turn or Purpofe of whatfoever Sort to be ferved by it, can ever juftify our fwerving at all from Truth, either in giving Evidence, or entering into Engagements. Nor muft we think in fuch Cafes to come off with Equivocations, Evafions, and Qujb- bles; and imagine it innocent to deceive this Way. On the contrary, the more artful and cunning our Falfehoods are, the more deliberate and mifchievous, and therefore the wickeder, they are. Be not deceived; God is not mocked*: and the following are the Declarations of his facred Word to the upright Man : Lord, who Jhall dwell in thy Tabernacle, and rejl upon thy holy Hill? He that fpeaketh the Truth from his Heart, and hath ufed no Deceit with his Tongue : he that fweareth unto his Neighbour and difappointeth him not, though it were to his own Hindrance b . But to the perjured : feeing he defpifed the Oath, by breaking the Covenant -, thus faith the Lord God: As I live, fur ely mine Oath that he hath defpifedy and my Covenant that he hath broken, I will recompenfe it upon his Head*. a Qal.vi. 7. b Pfal. xv. 1,2,3,5. r Ezck. xvii. iS. 19. X 3 [tcl 326 LECTURE XX. [Let us all ftand in Awe of fo dreadful a Threatening, and avoid fo horrible a Guilt. Particularly at prefent, let all, who have fvvorn Allegiance to the King, faithfully keep it, and that in Regard to the Oath of God d . And let thofe who have not fworn, remember however, that merely claiming the Protection of a Government, implies fome Promife of being dutiful to it in Return; and that a fuccefsful Rebellion would not only tempt Multitudes of our Fellow-fubjecls to Perjury, but lay our Country, its Laws and Religion, at the abfolute Mercy of a Faith-breaking Church 6 .] One Thing more fhould be added here; for it cannot well be mentioned too often, that next to falfe fwearing, falfe fpeaking and lying, whether in what we afTert, or what we promife, is a grievous Sin, and hateful to God and Man. Though we do not call on our Maker to be Witnefs, yet he is a Witnefs of whatever we fay. And it is pre- fumptuous Wickednefs to utter an Untruth in the Prefence of the God of Truth f . It is d Eccl. viii. 2. e This Paragraph was adtjed in the Time of the Rebellion, 1745. ' f Pfal. xxxi. 5. alfb LECTURE XX. 327 alio at the fame Time very hurtful to other Perfons: and very foolifh with Refpecl to ourfelves. For they who will lie, to conceal their Faults, or to carry their Ends, are per- petually found out, difappointed and fliamed, for the moil: Part, in a very little while: and then, for ever after, they are diftrufted and diibelicved, even when they fpeak Truth : as indeed who can depend upon fuchj or who would venture to employ them ? Many other Faults may be borne, fo long as Honefty and Sincerity laft : but a Failure in thefe cannot be paiTed over: fo juft is Solomons Obfervation; The Lip of Truth flail be efablifed for ever: but a lying Tongue is but for a Moment s . Another Way of taking God's Name in vain is when we fwear by it needlefsly, though it be not falfely. For this alfo the Word in vain fignifies. One Way of doing fo, is by ram and inconfiderate Vows : for a Vow, being a Promife made folemnly to God, partakes of the Nature of an Oath. And there may pofljbly be fometimes good Reafons fur £ Prov. iii. j 9. X 4 entering 3 2% LECTURE XX. entering into this kind of Engagement. But vowing to do what there is no Ufe in doing, is trifling with our Creator : making unlaw- ful Vows, is directly telling him, we will difobeyhim: making, fuch without Necef- fity, as are difficult to keep, is leading our- felves into Temptation : and indeed making any, without much Thought and prudent Advice firft, ufually proves an unhappy Snare. One Vow we have all made, and were bound to make, that of our Baptifm, which includes every real good Refolution, That therefore let us carefully keep, and frequently ratify 3 and we fhall fcarce have Occalion to make any more. Another very needlefs, and always finful, Ufe of God's Name, is by Oaths in common Difcourfe. Too many there are, who fill up with them a great Part of their moft tri- fling Converfation : efpecially, if ever fo little warmth rifes in Talk, then they abound in them. Now it is unavoidable, but Per- fons, who are perpetually fwearing, muft fre- quently perjure themfelves. But were that otherwifej it is great Irreverence, upon every flight Thing we fay, to invoke God for a 6 Witnefsj LECTURE XX. 329 Witnefs; and mix his holy and reverend Name h with the idleft Things, that come out of our Mouths. And what makes this Practice the more inexcufable is, that we cannot have either any Advantage from it, or any natural Pleafure in it. Sometimes it arifes from a Haftinefs and Impatience of Temper j which is but increafed by giv- ing this Vent to it : whereas it is every one*s Wifdom, not to let it break out in any Way, much lefs in fuch a Way. But generally it is nothing more than a filly and profane Cuftom, inconfiderately taken up : and there are the ftrongefl: Realbns for laying it down immediately. It will make us dilliked and abhorred by good Perfons, and fcarce recom- mend us to the very worft. No Perfon is the fooner believed for his frequent fwear- ing : on the contrary, a modeft ferious Affir- mation is always much more regarded. And if any one's Character is fo low, that his Word cannot be taken j he mud think of other Methods to retrieve it. For he will not at all mend Matters, by adding his Oath ever fo often over. Then if Swearing be h Pfal. cxi. 9. affected, 3 3 o LECTURE XX. affected, as becoming j it is certainly quite otherwife, in the higheft Degree. The very Phrafes ufed in it, as well as the Occa- sions, on which they are ufed, are almofr. constantly abfurd and foolilh : and furely Profanenefs can never leflen the Folly. Be- fides, they make the Converfation of Men fhocking and hellifh. They are acknow- ledged to be difrefpe&ful to the Company, in which they are ufed: and if Regard to their earthly Superiors can reftrain Perfons from fwearing; why mould not the Re- verence, owing to our heavenly Father, do it much more effectually? But indeed the Indulgence of this Sin wears off by Degrees all Senfe of Religion, and of every Thing that is good. Juftly therefore doth our Saviour direct : But I fay unto you, Swear not at all: neither by Heaven, for it is God's Throne j nor by the Earth, for it is his Footfhol -, neither by Je- rufalem, for it is the City of the great King: neither fJjalt thou f wear by thy Head, for thou canfi not make one Hair white or black* But let your Communication be. Tea, Tea/, Nay, LECTURE XX. 331 Nay, Nay ; for ivhatfoever is more than thcfc, comcth of Evil 1 . That is: avoid, not only the groffer Oaths, but all the filly Refine- ments and Softenings of them, which Men have contrived, in Hope to make them feem innocent: for, though the Name of God be not cxpreiTed, yet if it be implied, by men- tioning fomething related to God, inftead of himfelf j indeed whatever Form is ufed to difguife it, the Intent is the fame ; and the Effect will be, bringing a facred Obliga- tion into Familiarity and Contempt. Keep yourfelves therefore, throughout the Whole of your common Conversion, within the Bounds of a plain Affirmation or Denial: for whatever goes beyond thefe, proceeds from a bad Turn of Mind, and will produce bad Confequences. If indeed we be required to fwear before a Magistrate, or public Officer, for the D;f- covery of Truth, and the doing of Juftice, this is notwithstanding lawful. For our Saviour forbids it only in our Communication, our ordinary Difcourfe : and he himfelf, our great Pattern, anfwered upon Oath to ■ Matth. v. 34, 35, 36. tbi 332 LECTURE XX. the high Prle/l, who adjured him by the living Gcd k . Or though we be not called upon by Law, yet if fome other weighty and extra- ordinary Occafion mould oblige us to call our Maker to Witnefs ; as St. Paul hath done, in more Places than one of his Epiftles; then alfo we may allowably do it, provided it be always with Sincerity and Reverence. For by Oaths, thus taken, Men are benefited; and the Name of God not profaned, but honoured. But in our daily Talk, and Communication with each other, it is our Saviour's peremptory Precept, Swear not at all: a Rule fo evidently right and important, that even Heathens have ftrictly enjoined and followed it, to the Shame of too many, who call themfelves Chrif- tians. Together with common (wearing mould be mentioned another Sin, very near akin to it, and almoft always joined with it, that monftrous Cuftom of curfing -, in direct Contradiction to all Humanity, and to the exprefs Words of Scripture, Blefs, and curfe not K To wim the heavier!: Judgments of k Match, xxvi. 63. l Rom. xii. 14. God, LECTURE XX. 333 God, and even eternal Damnation, to a Perfon, for the flighted: Caufe, or none at all ; to wifh the fame to ourfelves, if fome trifling Thing, that we are faying, be not true, which frequently after all is not true ; amounts to the mod defperate Impiety, if People at all confider what they fay. And though they do not, it is even then thought- lefsly treating God, and his Laws, and the awful Sanctions of them, with Contempt: and blotting out of their Minds all ferious Regard to Subjects, that will one Day be found moft ferious Things. His Delight was in Curfingy fays the Pfalmift, and it fall bap- fen unto him : be loved net BleJJing, therefore fiall it be far from him m . 3. Eefides the Offences already mentioned, all indecent and unfit Ufe of God's Name in our Difcourfe, though it be not in fwear- ing or curling, comes within the Prohibi- tion of this Commandment. All irreverent Sayings, and even Thoughts, concerning his Nature and Attributes, his Actions and his Commands, fall under the fame Guilt; unlefs we are tormented with fuch Thoughts, m Pfal. cix. 16. whether 334 LECTURE XX. whether we will or not : for then they are only an Affliction, not a Sin. All Sorts of Talk, ridiculing, mifreprefenting, or in- veighing againft Religion, or whatever is connected with it, incur the like Condem- nation. Nay, even want of Attention in God's Worfhip, drawing near to him with our Mouths , whilft. we remove our Hearts far from him n , if it be wilfully, or carelefsly indulged, makes us chargeable, in its De- gree, with the Sin of taking his Name in vain. 4. Though we no Way profane his Name ourfelves 5 yet if we intice others to Perjury and Falfehood j or provoke them to rafh. Oaths and Curfcs j or give them any needlefs Temptation to blafpheme God; to fpeak difrefpeclfully, or think flightly, of their Maker, or his Laws, natural or revealed : by fuch Behaviour alio we become acceflary to the Breach of this Commandment ; and rank ourfelves with thofe, whom it ex- prefsly declares God will not hold guilt- lefs : that is, will not acquit, but feverely punifti. n Ifa. xxix, 13; Let LECTURE XX. 335 Let us therefore be watchful to preferve continually fuch an Awe of the Supreme Being upon our own Minds, and thole of all who belong to us, as may on every Oc- cafion effectually influence us to give him the Glory due unto his Name, both in our more folemn Addrefles to him, and in our daily Words and Actions. For God is greatly to be feared in the A[fembly of the Saints ; and to be had in Revere tic e of all them, that are round about him °. » Pfal. Ixxxix. 7; LECTURE LECTURE XXI. Fourth Commandment. IF the Worfhip of God were left at large to be performed at any Time, too many would be tempted to defer and pofl- pone it, on one Pretence or another, till at Length it would be performed at no Time. And therefore, though he were to be adored only by each Perfon fepa- rately, and in private, it would be very expedient to fix on fome dated returning Seafons for that Purpofe. But Reafon mews it to be requifite, and the Experience of all Ages proves it to be natural, that as we are focial Creatures, we fhould be focial in Religion, as well as other Things, and ho- nour in common our common Maker : that we fhould unite in giving Thanks to him Vol. I. y' for 338 LECTURE XXL for the Bleflings of Life ; a very great Par£ of which we mould be incapable of, with- out uniting: that we fhould join in praying Forgivenefs of the Sins, which we too often join in committing : petition him together for the Mercies, which we have Need of receiving together y and r by affembling to learn and acknowledge our feverat Duties, keep alive in one another, as well as our- felves, that conftant Regard to Piety and Virtue, on which our Happinefs depends, here and hereafter. Since therefore, on thefe Accounts, there muft be public Worfhip and Inftrudtion : it is not only expedient, but necefTary, that there mould be alfo fixed Times appointed for it by fufficient Authority, And how much and what Time mould be devoted to this Purpofe, every Society muft have determined for themfelves, and would have found it hard enough to agree in determin- ing, if God had given no Intimation of his Will in the Cafe. But happily we are in- formed, in the Hiftory of the Creation, that the Maker of the World, having finish- ed his Work in fix Days, (which he could as LECTURE XXI. ZV) as eafily have finished in one Moment, had it not been for ibme valuable Reafon, pro- bably of Inftruclion to us) kkjjed the fe- Ventb Day, and fanttified it*: that is, ap- pointed every Return of it to be religioufly kept, as a folemn Memorial, that of him, and therefore to him, are all Thi?igs w . It is much the moil natural to apprehend, that this Appointment took Place from the Time, when it is mentioned j from the Time, when the Reafon of it took Place. And it is no Wonder at all, that, in fo fhort a Hiftory, Notice mould not be taken of the actual Obfervation of it be- fore Mofes : for Notice is not taken of it in 500 Years after Mofes. Yet we know of a Certainty, that in his Time, at leafr, it was ordered to be obferved, both in this fourth Commandment, and in other Parts of the Law, which direct more particularly the Manner of keeping it. The Thing, molt exprefsly enjoined the Jews, in each of thefe PaiTages, is, retting from all Manner of Work ; and not fuf- fering their Families, their Cattle, nor a Gen. ii. 3. b Rom. xi. 36. Y 2 even 340 LECTURE XXI. even the ftrangers that lived amongft them, to labour on that Day. And the Reafon of this Reft, given in the Commandment, as you have it in the Book of Exodus, is, that the Lord rejied on the feventh Day from his Work of Creation. Not that this, or any Thing, could be a Fatigue to him. For the Creator of the Ends of the Earth faint eth not, neither is weary c . But the Expreffion means, that having then finifhed the For- mation of the World, he ceafed from it ; and required Men alfo to ceafe from their Labours every feventh Day -, in Memory of that fundamental Article of all Religion, that the Heavens and Earth were made, and therefore are governed, by one infinitely wife, powerful, and good Being. And thus was the Sabbath, which Word means the Day of Reft a Sign, as the Scripture calls it, between God and the Children of Ifrael* $ a Mark, to diftinguifh them from all Wor- shippers of falfe Deities. But befides this principal Reafon for the Repofe of every feventh Day, two others c Ifa. xl. 2?. d Exod, xxxi. 13, 17. Ezek. xx. 12, 20. are LECTURE XXI. 341 are mentioned in the Law: that it might remind them of that Deliverance from heavy Bondage, which God had granted them ; Remember, that thou waft a Servant in the Land of Egypt, and that the Lord brought thee out thence \ therefore he commanded thee to keep the Sabbath Day c : and likewife that their Servants and Cattle might not be worn out with inceflant Toil; that thine Ox and thine Aft may reft ; and the Son of thy Hand- maid, and the Stranger, may be refrefoed 1 '. Such Mercy indeed is little more than common Prudence : but there are in the World Multitudes of hard-hearted Wretches, who would pay fmall Regard to that Confideration, were they left to their own Liberty. Now merely abftaining from common Work on this Day, in Obedience to God's Command, for fuch religious and moral Ends as thefe, was undoubtedly fanctifying, or keeping it holy. But then we are not to fuppofe, that the Leifure, thus provided for Men, was to be thrown away juft as they pleafed, inftead of being ufefully employed. * Deut. v. 15. f Exod. xxiii. 12. Y 3 God s4 2 LECTURE XXI. God directed the Jews : Thou Jhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Soul and with all thy Might; and the Words, which 1 command thee this Day,fiall be in thy Heart ; and thou Jhalt teach them diligently unto thy Children ; and JJjalt talk of them, when thou fittejl in thine Houfe, and when thou walkeft by the Way, and when thou Heft down, and when thou rifejl up*. Now, as he required them to attend fo conftantly to theie Duties; he couid not but expecl:, they mould attend more especially to them on that Day, when the great Foundation of all Duty, his creating the World, was appointed to be commemorated ; and when they had No- thing to take ofT their Thoughts from what they owed to God their Maker. There was a peculiar Sacrifice appointed for that Day : there is a peculiar Pfalm compofed for it, the Ninety-fecond : and thefe Things are furely further Intimations to us, that it muft have been a Time, peculiarly intended for the offering up of Prayers and Thankf- givings to Heaven. Few indeed, or none, of God's Laws were t Petit, vi. 5, 6, 7. well LECTURE XXI. S43 well obferved in the Days of the Old Tef- tament. But flill, as the Priefts and Levitec were difperfed through the Jewim Nation, that they might teach the People Religion 5 £0 we read, that in good Times they did teach it accordingly : and when could this be, but on the Sabbath Day ? We fee it was the Cuftom of religiovis Perfons, on that Day, to refort to the Prophets, that were in Ifrael; doubtlefs to hear the Word of God from their Mouths h . We fee public Plap- pinels promiled on this Condition, that Men fliould honour the Sabbath of the Lord, net doing their own Ways, nor finding their own Pleafure, nor fpeaki?ig their own words 1 . We fee abfolute Ruin threatened for the Profanation of it k . We fee a Time fore- told, when from one Sabbath to a?iot/jer aii Flejh Jhould come to worjhip before the Lord 1 . And in Confequenceof this, when their Cap- tivity had taught the Jews a ftricler Regard to their Duty, Synagogues, and Houfes of Prayer, were erected in every City: where the Maker of all Things was publicly adored, and his Law read 'and preached, every SabbathDay m . h 2 Kings iv. 23. 1 Ifa. lviii. 13, 14. k Jcr. xvii, 27. .' Ifa. lxvi. 23. » Afts xv. 2 1 , Y 4 Such 344 LECTURE XXL Such was the ftate of Things, when our Saviour came into the World : whofe Re- ligion being intended for all Mankind equally, the Deliverance from Egyptian Bondage, in which the Jews alone were concerned, was mentioned no longer in the divine Laws : but inftead of the Commemo- ration of this, was fubftituted that of the Redemption of the World, from the Domi- nion and Punimment of Sin ; which our bleffed Redeemer accomplished by his Death, and proved himfelf to have accomplimed by his Refurredlion. Accordingly, the firft Day of the Week, being the Day of his Refurreclion, was appointed, in thankful Remembrance of it, for the Time of public Worfhip amongft Chriftians, and therefore is called by St. John, the Lord's Day n ; though in common Language it be more ufually called Sunday : as it was even before our Saviour's Time, and may be for a better Reafon fince, becaufe on it Chrift, the Sun of Righteoufnefs arofe. Accordingly fome of the earlieft Fathers give it that Name. And that no one may doubt the Lawful- nefg of this Change, of the Day ; it plainly 15 Rev. i. 10. appears, LECTURE XXI. 345 appears, from feveral PafTages of St. Paul, that we are not bound to obferve the Day of the Jewifh Sabbath: and it llill more plainly appears, in the Scripture Hiftory of the Apoftles, that they did obferve, and direct the Obfervation of our prefent Chriftian. Sabbath ; as the whole Church hath con- ftantly done fince, from their Times to thi?, though it doth not appear, that they called it the Sabbath Day for many hundreds of Years. One Day in feven being (till kept, the Memory of the Creation is as well preferved, and the Intent cf this Command- ment as fully anfwered, as before: and that one Day in feven being chofen, on which our Saviour rofe again, the Memory of the Redemption wrought by him, and called in Scripture a new Creation , is, in the propereft Manner, as well as with the greater!: Reafon, perpetuated, along with the former. The Day then being thus fixed, which we ought to keep holy ; it remains to con- fider how it ought to be kept. And 1 i It muft be a Day'of Red, in order to commemorate God's re/ling, as the Scripture exprefies it, from all his Work, which be 2 Cor. v. 17. Gal. vi. 15. created 34$ LECTURE XXL created and ?nade? -, and to allow that Eafe and Refreshment, which, with fo great Hu- manity, the Commandment requires mould be given, not only to Servants, but to the very Cattle. Befides, it cannot be a Day of Pveligion to Mankind, without fuch Vaca- tion from' the ordinary Labours of Life, as may give fufricient Leifure to diftinguifh it by Exercifes of Piety. But then, as Chrif. tians are not under a Difpenfation fo rigorous in outward Obfervances, as that of Mofes ; they are not bound to fo Uriel and fcrupulous a Reft, as the Jews were. Though indeed the Jews themfelves became, at laft, much more fcrupulous in this Matter, than they needed j and are accordingly reproved by our bleiTed Saviour: from whom we learn this general Rule, that the Sabbath was made for Man, not Man for the Sabbath q ; and therefore all Works of great Neceility, or great Goodnefs and Mercy, if they cannot be deferred to another Time, be they ever fo laborious, may very allowably be done then. Only fo far as the public Wifdom of the Laws of the Land hath re? flrained us, we ought certainly to reltrain p Gen. ii. 3. 1 Mark ii. 27. ourfelves, LECTURE XXI. 347 ourfelves, even from fuch Th Dgs c , in our private Opinion, we plight ptherwife think innocent. As to M tcs of lefs Labour j what Propriety and Decency, and reaionable Convenience require, we iurely need not omit. And what Practice of the more religious and confiderate Part of thofe, amonrrft whom we live, allows, hath with- out Queftion no fmall Title to our favour- able Opinion. But the Liberties, taken by thoughtlefs or profane Perfons, are not of any Authority in the leaft. And the fafeft general Rule to go by, is to omit whatever may be finful, and is needlefs; and neither to require, nor fufTer, thofe who belong to us, to do, on this Day, what we apprehend it unlawful to do ourfelves. 2. A reafonable Part of our Day of holy Reft, mud; be employed in the public Wor- fhip of God. This you have feen, the Jews underftood to be requifite on their Sabbath : and the earlieft Account, which we have of ours, informs us, that en the firfl Day of the Week, the Difciples came together to break Bread' : which means to celebrate the Lord's Supper. That with this was joined the *. Afls xx. 7. Apojlles 348 LECTURE XXI. Apojlles Dodlrine and Prayer, we learn from another Place of the fame Book of Scrips ture \ And that every Lord's Day was de^ dicated to the Public OfHces of Piety, the Hiftory of the Church fully fhews from the Beginning. To ftrengthen the Obligation of attending on thefe Offices, the Laws of the Land alfo enjoin it. And as all Perfons need Inftruclion in their Duty both to God and Man, and the Generality have fcarce any other Seafon for it, than the Leifure of the Sunday: if this mod valuable Time be either taken from them, or thrown away by them 5 they muft become ignorant and vicious; and of Confequence miferable in this World and the next. How wicked then, and how unwife, is it, either to throw Contempt on fuch an Inftitution, or on frivo- lous Pretences to neglect improving by it! 3. Befides affembling in the Church on the Lord's Day, every one fhould employ fome reafonable Part of it in the private Exercifes of Piety : in thinking over their t>aft Behaviour, confcffing their Faults to God, and making prudent Refolutions againft them for the future; in praying for the Mer- s A6ls ii. 42. 5 cies, LECTURE XXI. 349 cies, which they more efpecially want, and returning Thanks for the BleiTmgs, with which Providence hath favoured them; in cultivating a Temper of Humanity; in doing Acts of Forgiven efs, and fetting apart fome- thing according to their Ability, for Ads of Charity; (for which lafl St. Paul hath par- ticularly recommended this Time 1 :) and in ferioufly confidering at Home, whatever they have heard in God's Houfe. For our pub- lic Religion will foon degenerate into an ufelefs Form, unlefs we prelerve and enliven the Spirit of it, by fuch Means, as thefe, in private: to which they, above all Perfons, are bound on the Lord's Day, who either have little Leifure for them on others, or make little Ufe of it. When once Perfons have brought them- felves to fpend fo much of the Sunday as is fitting in this Manner; it will then, and not before, be Time for them to aik, how the Remainder of it may be fpent. For it is a very bad Sign, to be carelers of obferving what is commanded; and zealous for ex- tending to the utmoit, what at bed is only permitted. Over great Striclnefs however 1 i Cor. xvi. 2. mult 3p LECTURE XX'L mufl be avoided. And therefore decent Civility and friendly Converfation may both innocently and ufefully have a Place in the vacant Part of our Lord's Day: of which it is really one valuable Benefit, that it gives even the loweft Perfons an Opportunity of appearing to each other in the mod agree- able Light they can, and thus promotes mutual good Will. Nor is it necefTary at all to baniih Cheerfulnefs from our Conver- fation on this Day j which being a Feftival, though a religious one, we fhould partake of all God's Bleflings upon it with joyful Hearts. But then fuch Inftances of Free- dom and Levity, in Talk and Behaviour, as would fcarce be proper at any Time, are doubly improper at this ; and tend very fatally to undo whatever Good the preceding Part of the Day may have done. And as to the taking further Liberties, of Diveriions and Amufements, though they are not in exprefs Words forbidden, for the Defire of them is not fuppofed, in the Word of God; yet by the Laws both of Church and State they are. And what Need is there for them, or what good Ufe of them. If Perfons are fo vehemently fet upon thefe Things, LECTURE XXL jjf Things, that they are uneafy to be Co much as one Day in (even without them ; it is high Time, that they mould bring them- ielves to more Moderation, by exercifing iome Abftinence from them. And if they are at all indifferent about them, furely they mould confider, what muft be the Effect of introducing and indulging them : what Offence and Uneafinefs thefe Things give the more ierious and valuable Part of the World ; what Comfort and Countenance to the unthinking and irreligious Part; what a dangerous Example to the lower Part : what Encouragement they afford to Extra- vagance, and the mad Love of Plealure: what a Snare they place in the Way of all, that think them unlawful; and yet will thus be tempted, to thefe Liberties firfr, and then to others, againft their Confciences : and, to add no more, how unhappy they irifcreafe the Appearance (which, without them, God knows, would be much too great) of Reli- gion being flighted and difregarded; efpe- cially by the upper Part of the World, who ihould be the great Patterns of it. And if this be the Cafe of merely anfea- fonabfe Divcrfions j imprudent and unlawful 7 ones 35 z LECTURE XXL ones are ftill more blameable on this Day : but moft of all that crying Sin of De- bauchery and Intemperance, which perverts it from the Service of God to the Service of the Devil: and leads Perfons, more directly than almoit any Thing elfe, to utter De- ftru&ion of Body and Soul. Therefore let us be careful, firft to guard ourfelves againft thefe Tranfgreflions, then to keep our Chil- dren, Servants, and Dependants from the like, if we make any Confcience of do- ing well by them, or would have any Profpect of Comfort in them. Nor let us think it fufficient, to reflrain them from fpending the Day ill; but, to the bed of our Power and Underftanding, encourage and afiift them to fpend it well. And God grant, we may all employ in fo right a Manner, the few Sabbaths, and few Days, which we have to come on Earth; that we may enter, at the Conclufion of them, into that eternal Sabbath, that Re/I, which remaineth for the People of God*, in Heaven. u Hcb. iv. 3, 9, End of the First^Volume. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. Form L9-20m-7,'61(C1437s4)444 PX Seeker - SWa 1 v.l Lectures on the catechism of \ land Church of En - PX •5139 SlUi 1 v.l *A ooo