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 
 
 <J Gal. iv. 4. r Gen. xlix. 10. s Hag. ii. 9. 
 
 Lord,
 
 LECTURE IX. 133 
 
 Lord, ivhom ye feek y fl:all come to his Tern; , 
 even the Mefenger of the Covenant, ivhom ye 
 delight in': Accordingly he did come to it, 
 and it flood but a few Years longer. A 
 third Mark was, that, from the Reftoring cf 
 Jerufalem, to the Mejjiah's ' f u , were 
 
 to be fuch a Ntfmber of Week ; plain- 
 
 ly confifting, not of feven Days, but 01 n 
 Years : which Number was completed, 
 while Pontius Pilate was Governor : and 
 therefore it was requifite to obferve, that 
 under him our Saviour fullered. 
 
 Next to the Mention of his Death, in the 
 Creed, follow^ that of his Burial : a Favour 
 not allowed by the Romans to thofe who 
 were crucified, unlefs fome confiderable Per- 
 fon interceded for it. But the Jewifti Law 
 requiring, that they mould be taken down 
 and buried before Night w j and the next 
 Day being a great Feftival, when the Viola- 
 tion of this Law would give more than ordi- 
 nary Offence to the People ; Jofcph cf Ari- 
 mat he a, an honourable Counfellor, who alfo 
 ivaited for the Kingdom of God, craved the 
 
 t Mai. iii. i. 
 
 * Dnn. ix. 25, 26. 
 
 w Dcut. xxi. 22, 23. 
 
 
 13 
 
 Body 
 
 * 

 
 i 3 4 LECTURE IX. 
 
 Body of Jefus from Pilate: who, after mak- 
 ing due Inquiry, if he were already, and had 
 been any while dead, gave the Body of Jojeph ; 
 who buried him refpectfully in his own new 
 c Tomb ) a Sepulchre hewn out of a Rock* ; the 
 Entrance into which the Jews fealed up, and 
 fet a Guard over y . And thus were his own 
 Predictions fulfilled, that he fhould be cru- 
 cified 3 ", the mod unlikely of all Deaths : 
 and at the fame Time that of Jfaiah, that he 
 fhould not only be buried, but with the moil 
 unlikely of all Burials in fuch a Cafe, mak- 
 ing his Grave with the Rich*. 
 
 The laft Part of this Article is, that he de- 
 fended into Hell: an AiTertion founded on 
 Pfal. xvi. 10. where David proprieties of 
 Chrift, what St. Peter in the Acls of the 
 Apofles explains of him, b thatZ>/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.<u t+civn; wsp ten im ti> 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<ft to God, it was a ftrong Demonftra- 
 tion of his Concern for the Glory of his 
 Attributes, and the Honour of his. Govern- 
 ment, that he would not be reconciled to 
 Sinners on any other Terms, than fuch an 
 Interpolition of fuch a Perfon in their Be- 
 half; which yet, fince he himfelf pro- 
 vided, as well as accepted, his Kindnefs to 
 us is no lef-, than if he pardoned us 
 without it. Thus then did Mercy and -Truth 
 meet together^ Righteoufufs and Peace fcfs 
 each other* - y and God mew himfelf jufi, and 
 yet the Jnji/Jier of them which believe in 
 
 But then we mutt always remember, that 
 none will be forgiven and made happy by 
 the Means of Chrift, but they who are 
 reformed and made holy by his Means: 
 that his Sacrifice is not to ftand inftead of 
 
 f Pfal. lxxxv. ic. R Rom. Hi. 25. 
 
 Vol. I. Q^ our
 
 242 LECTURE XV. 
 
 our Repentance and Amendment ; but is 
 the Confederation which induces God firft 
 to work in us pious Difpofitions, then to 
 accept us, if we cultivate and exert them 
 faithfully. 
 
 Perhaps the Benefit of this Sacrifice may- 
 extend, in a very valuable, though inferior 
 Degree, even to thofe who have had little 
 or no Knowledge of Him, who offered it. 
 But in fuch Queftions we have no Concern. 
 Our Bufinefs is to take^care that it may- 
 extend to us, by embracing, with an active 
 as well as joyful Faith, the gracious Tenders 
 of the Gofpel Difpenfation. 
 
 Indeed the firft Advantage, that we have 
 from it, is before we are capable of knowing 
 our Happinefs, at the Time of our Baptifm. 
 For Baptifm reftores the Infants of believing. 
 Parents, as will be proved hereafter in ex- 
 plaining it, to that Ailurance of immortal 
 Life, which our firft Parents loft, and we 
 by Confequence. But when adminiftered to 
 Perfons of riper Years, as it conveys a further 
 Privilege, the Pardon of their former actual 
 Sins, it alfo requires a fuitable Condition, 
 the Exercife of an actual Faith, fuch as 
 r will
 
 LECTURE XV. 243 
 
 will produce future Obedience. And as 
 Infants are baptized only on Preemption of 
 their coming to have this Faith in due 
 Time; fo, if they live, and refufe to be 
 initructed in it, or defpife ir, th k Baptifm 
 will avail them Nothing. For it is a Cove- 
 nant : at firfr. indeed made for us ; but to be 
 afterwards acknowledged and ratified by u c , 
 as it is in Confirmation. And in this Co- 
 venant we engage, on our Part, to keep 
 ourfelve>, 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, 
 
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