THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES NINE SERMONS PREACHED IN THE Parifli of St. JAMES, WESTMINSTER, ON OCCASION OF THE WAR and REBELLION in 1745. By THOMAS, Lord Bifhop of OXFORD, Then RECTOR of the faid PARISH, Afterwards Lord Archbifhop of CANTERBURY. To which are added, His Grace's ANSWER to Dr. MAYHEW, AND His LETTER to Mr. HORATIO WALPOLE. The FOURTH EDITION. LONDON: Printed for F. and C. RIVINOTON, in St. Paul's Church-yard ; and B. and J. WHITI, in Flcet-ftreet. 1795. H O . J BX 133 THE CONTENTS. SERMON I. Page i. Preached at St. James $ Church, on the Faft- Day, Jan. 9, 1739-405 and at King-ftreet Chapel, on the Faft-Day, Feb. 4, 1740-1, on Occafion of the War againft Spain. 2 CHRON. xv. 2. The Lord is with you, while ye be with Him : and if ye feek Him, He will be found of you : but if ye forfake Him, He will forfake you. SERMON II. Page 27. Preached at St. James's Church, on the Faft- Day, Nov. 10, 1742; and at King-ftreet Chapel, on the Faft-Day, Jan. 9, 1744-5, on Occafion of the War. A 2 i PET. iv CONTENTS. i PET. v. 6. Humble yourfehes therefore under the mighty Hand of God, that he may exalt you in due Time. SERMON III. Page 51. Preached at St. James's Church, on the Fail- Day, April n, 1744, on Occafion of the War. Text the fame. SERMON IV. Page 73. Preached at St. James's Church, and the Cha- pels belonging to it, Oft. 6, 13, 1745, on Occafion of the Rebellion in Scotland. 2 SAM. x. 12. Be of good Courage, and let us play the Men for pur People, and for the Cities of our God : And the Lord do that which feemeth him good. SERMON V. Page 103. Preached at St. James's Church, and the Cha- pels belonging to it, 051. 20, 27. Nov. 24, '745- PHIL, CONTENTS. v PHIL. iv. 6, 7. Be careful for nothing : but in every Thing by Prayer and Supplication, with Thankf giving, let your Requefts be made known unto God. And the Peace of God, which paffeth all Under- ftanding, jhall keep your Hearts and Minds through Chrift Jefus. SERMON VI. Page 127. Pleached at St James's Church, and at King- jlreet Chapel, May 4, j 746, on the Vidory at Culhden. 2 COR. i. 9, 10. But we had the Sentence of Death in ourfelves, that we jhould not truji in ourfehes, but in God which raifeth the Dead: Who delivered us from fo great a Death, and doth deliver - y in whom we truft that he will yet deliver us. . SERMON VII. Page 151. Preached at St. James's Church, on the Thankf- giving-Day, Off. 9, 1746, for the Suppref- fion of the Rebellion. 4 JOHN vi CONTENTS. JOHN v. 14. Afterward Jefus findetb htm in the Temple, and f f aid unto him, Behold, thou art itiade 'whole : Jin no more, left a worfe Tubing come unto SERMON VIII. Page 177. Preached at St. James's Church, on the Faft- Day, Jan. 7, 1746-75 and at King-Jlreet Chapel, on the Faft-Day, ?eb. 17, 1747-8, on Occafion of the War. .PsAL. cxxii. 6. O pray for the Peace of Jerufakm : They jhall proffer, that love thee. SERMON IX. Page 207. Preached at St. James* Church, on the Thankfgiving-Day, April 25, 1749, for the Peace. PSAL. xxix. 10. -- tfhe Lord flail give his People the Bleffing of Peace. An CONTENTS. vii An Anfwer to Dr. Maybe*. Page 239 A Letter to the Right Honourable Horatio Walfole, Efq; Page 341 SER- SERMON I. (Preached on a General Faft.). 2 CHRON. xv. 2. The Lord is with you, while ye be with Hint, and if ye feek Him, He will be found of you: but if yeforfake Him, He willforfake you. THESE Words are the Beginning of a ferious Admonition, given by the Di- rection of Heaven to the Nation of the Jews, as they returned from obtaining, under the Conduct of Afa their King, one of the greateft Victories recorded in Scripture. Their Condition, after This, might have ap- peared to human Policy a very fecure one: But the Divine Wifdom faw the greateft of all Dangers impending over them, that which proceeds from forgetting God, and abandoning Virtue. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Azariah the Son of Oded, and he went out to B meet 2 SERMON I. meet Afa, and faid unto him, Hear me y Afa> and all Judah and Benjamin : 'The Lord is with you while ye be with Him, and if ye feek Him, He will be found of you ; but if ye forfake Him, He will forfake you. Now thefe great Truths,, of which Heaven thought it needful to remind them, at the Concluflon of a profperous War, it muft be very much more needful that we fliould attend to, who feem to be only at the Beginning of a doubtful one. And accordingly we are met here, by the Command of Autho- rity, to confider our Ways, and humble our- felves before God for our Sins, as the neceiTary Means for deriving a Blefling on our Arms, and reftoring and perpetuating Peace and Profperity to our Country. It is a melancholy Confederation, that Crea- tures endued with Reafon and Humanity mould ever come to employ Force againfl one another, and make the dreadful. Addition of the Miferies of War to the many unavoidable Sufferings of Life. But wicked as this is, when Paffion and Refentment, Defire of unjufl Gain, or Fond- nefs of infamous Glory prompts to it: yet when, Injuries of pernicious Confequence are done to a Nation, and perfifted in, and no competent Redrefs can be obtained, it becomes then, both neceflary SERMON I. 3 neceiTary for particular Societies, and beneficial to human Society in general, that invaded Rights be vigorouily afferted by the only Way left. When the Sword is drawn for Juflice alone, and ever ready to be fheathed as foon as that is granted, then Heaven may be appealed to, with Hopes of a favourable Sentence coming forth from his Prefence, whofe Eyes bekold the thing that is equal*. But if the Aflertors of a righteous Caufe be in other refpects a finful People, it is evidently ju ft for God, who hath the Cognizance of both thefe Things, to regard whichfoever of them infinite Wifdom mall di- rect; and make even the injurious Party the Rod of his Anger, and the Staff in the Day of his Indignation*, to correct, or deftroy, if their Wickednefs defer ve it, fuch Nations, as though right in their Difputes with their Enemies, are wrong at the fame Time in Matters more im- portant. And how little Terror foever our Enemies might give us at firft; yet now wo muft be fenfible, that we know not in the leaft, how foon and how formidably they may increafe: but this we know certainly, that there is no Rejlraint to the Lord, to puniih, as well as to fai)e t by Many, or by Few c . Times of * Pfal. xvii. 2. b Ifai. x. . c i Sam. xiv. 6. B 2 War 4 SERMON I. War therefore add a peculiar Strength to thofe Admonitions, which Reafon and Scripture give us at all Times, to confider what our State is with regard to Him, who doth according to bis Will in the Army of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth*. Let us then all confider now, whether we have Ground of Hope or of Fear from that awful Declaration of the Prophet, which you have heard read. The Lord is with you, while ye be with Him. To be with God, is to preferve in our Minds a reverent Senfe of his Being, Prefence, and Go- vernment; to keep clofe to his Laws, and fland on his Side again ft the oppofite Power of Darknefs and Sin. Let us then think, if there be need of Thought to anfwer; How is the Reverence due to the Supreme Being preferved among us? Have we not Perfons who even ri- dicule the Notion of a wife and good Maker of all Things? Have we not thofe, who, if they do admit a Creator, do not admit a Moral Governor of the World ; or at leaft reprefent him fo very defective in his Adminiftration of it, as finally to let bad Perfons be Gainers by their Wickednefs, and good Perfons Lofer.s by their Virtue: rejecting with mirthful Scorn, 4 Dan, iv. 35. what SERMON I. 5 what hath ever been the Hope and Support of wife and good Men, the Belief of that future State, in which the vifible Irregularities of the prefent (hall be rectified? Have we not alfo too many, who, profeffing perhaps to believe in Natural Religion, yet fpeak of Chriftianity, the great Means by which it is both fupported and perfected, not only as a Falmood, but an Impoffibility: Blafpbeming that worthy Name 9 by which we are called*, and difdaining to receive from God himfelf any other Rules, either of Faith or Life, than fuch as their own Reafon, directed by their own Fancy, (hall prefcribe to them ? And let us fuppofe, if we can, that the. Number of fuch, as go thefe Lengths delibe- rately, is upon the Whole but fmall: yet what fhall we fay of the inconiiderately guilty? Are there not Multitudes of all Degrees, who feem never once to have aiked themfelves, whether they believe in God or not? or if they do, whether any Regard is due to him or nqne: who flight Religion boldly, without imagining they have ever examined it; who are perfuaded of its Truth perhaps, fo far as they have any Perfuafion about the Matter; but have no No- tion, that they are to regulate their Conduct by * James ii. 7. 6 SERMON I. it: who poffibly do not quite approve of pro- fane Perfons, but are aftonimed at pious ones; and by their Indulgence to the former, and their very great Pronenefs to defpife the latter, plainly (hew, whether they perceive it them- felves or not, which Party they are on the' Road to join? We have indeed many ft ill, who frequent Divine Worfhip: but how many of all Ranks, and of that Rank particularly, which ought to &e an Exarriple, and will be one either of Good or Bad ; -how many that omit this Duty entirely, or near it; and though it be an evi- dent Part of the Law of Nature, and an ex- prefs Precept of Chriftianity, can yet talk, not only of their own neglecting it, with much Gaiety and Humour, but of other Perfons at- tending upon it as Matter of Confcience, with much Raillery. And fuch an Afcendant hath this contemptuous kind of Impiety got, that there are many Perfons, who fincerely honour their Maker in their Hearts, but dare not for fear of Derifion mew it in their Behaviour. Let it be thought of a little, what the Ap- pearance and Conftru&ion of thefe Things is : and let thofe who are qualified for it, judge j Is not this the one Nation upon Earth, in which S E R M O N I. 7 which Regard to God is taught in the greateft Purity, and treated with the greateft Con- tempt ? But a wbtfe Syrripfom -yet is, that whilft Irreligious Perfons are active in the Caufe of Infidelity; fomc of them with fo felf-deny- ing a Bigotry, as to teach it their Servants, their very Wives and Children : the Genera- lity of fuch, as think themfelves very compe- tently religious Perfons, fcarce appear to have any practical Impreffions at all made on them by thofe Truths, which they acknowledge for the Law of their Lives. They forget, it may be feared, almoft totally, the Exercife of pri- vate Piety ; and behave in regard to publick Devotion with a Negligence, which they would think highly indecent towards their earthly Superiors : allow themfelves in fuch Levity of Speech on the moft ferious Subjects, as would fcarce be juftifiable in fome of the moft trifling ones; form their Conduct avowedly on Prin- ciples, that have no Tincture in them of the Faith, which they profefs ; and in effect de- clare themfelves to think of nothing but this World, whilft yet they are really perfuaded of another to come. To this it muft be added, |hat very many, who not only believe, but 64 are 8 SERMON I. are influenced by their Belief in other Re- fpects, inftead of conf effing their Lord and Maf- ter before Men, as he hath mofi folemnly commanded them f , are filent and indifferent, whilft he is denied, or difregarded ever fo muphj and feem amamed of a Caufe they ought to glory in: by which Means they give bad Perfons a Colour for pretending, that few or none are Chriftians in earn ell: ; and take away from fuch, as are well- difpo fed, the En- couragement of feeing how great a Number yet remains. For, God be thanked, they are ilill no fmall Number, who continue after all bearing Teftimony to the Gofpel of Chrifl. But of how many Sins againft it, not a few even of thefe are guilty at the fame Time, by 4eviating from the Form of found Words 8 , by unwarrantable Divifions, and uncharitable Ani- mofities ; it is a great deal better that they fhould confider, than that others mould fay: only thus much cannot but be faid, that thefe Things add a peculiar Gloom to the View, which we are taking. Religion, it mufl be owned, hath never been practifed any-where, as it ought. But have . i Matt. x. 31. Mark viii. 38. Luke ix. 26. 8 2 Tim. i. 13. not SERMON I. 9 not both the Practice and Profeffion of it de* caved moft remarkably, in this Nation, within the Compafs of but a few Years? Is not the Profpedl before us, that of its declining yet much lower in the Generation that is coming on? And what do we imagine this will end in? If God is, it muft be a Matter of ill De- fert, either wilfullyv or thoughtlefsly to treat Him, as if he were not. If he hath given a Revelation of his Will to Mankind, it cannot be innocent to neglect it, as if he had given none. And if he is the righteous Governor of the World, he will fupport his Government by puniQiing where Guilt appears. If the Guilt be National, it muft be expected the Punifh- ment will be fo too. And though it were not, yet amid ft the innumerable Connexions of Things, one Part of a Society cannot fuffer, but the Whole muft partake. What Judgments in particular God will ex- ecute at any Time on impious Nations, we can- not fay. All Nature is in his Power : and they, who offend, have every thing to fear. But one fure Method of Correction, (a very mer- ciful Method, as the lower Degrees of it give Warning of the higher, but a dreadful one in- deed, io S E R M O N I. deed, if that Warning be not taken) is by ap- pointing the natural Confequences of every Sin to be Part of its Reward. The Confequences of Irreligion then what are they, and what muft they be, on every Community ? True Piety cannot induce Men to injure their Country $ and comprehends peculiar Inducements to ferve it, of the greateft Force. But in Times of public Danger efpecially, Belief of Religion gives a Spirit, and Defence of Religion a Mo-, tive for exerting it, which Confiderations of a lower Nature will never equal. For what is there that can equal the Exhortation, Be of good Courage, and kt us behave ourfelves vali- antly for our People and for the Cities of our God: and let the Lord do that 'which is good in his Sight*. Fear not, neither be difmayed: for the Battle is not yours, but God's '. Whereas, if fome through Infidelity have no Hope in him, and others through Wickednefs have only Fear of him, fo far as thefe Ways of Thinking can influence, all Hands will be feeble, and every Heart will melt k . But indeed the Belief of a juft and good Be- ing, who fees and will reward, is at all Times the great Support under the Sufferings of Life, * i Chron. xix. 13. * z Chron. xx. 1 5. k Ifai. xiii. 7. 4 the S E R M O N I. ii the great Incitement to every thing worthy, the great Reftraint from every thing bafe. Human. Weaknefs evidently wants thefe Things : and there is nothing elfe, that can always furnifti them. The virtuous Dictates of their own Minds will have little Influence comparatively on mofl Men, when they 'are confidered no longer as the Voice of God fpeaking inwardly to them. And the Penalties of human Laws, without thofe of the divine Law fuperadded, will often be evaded, and not feldom defpe- rately braved. For if once Men think there is nothing beyond Death, they will foon come to think there is nothing in it, which ought to with -hold them from preferring a fhort Life fpent as they like, to a long one fpent otherwife. Feeling themfelves free frorri the Terrors of Religion, they will fly out into Profligatenefs, merely to mew they are free : And it will be Encouragement enough to them, to purfue every Appetite, Paffion, and Fancy, without Referve; that whatever Inconvenien- cies may happen to arife from it, one Mo- ment can deliver them from all at once, when- ever they pleafe. How then will they aft in the numberlefs Cafes, to which the Power of the Magistrate either cannot or is not likely to reach 1* S E R M O N I. reach at all, or but imperfectly at beft ? How, for Inftance, will the Properties, and even the Lives of Men be fecured, when Perjury is no longer dreaded ? A Confideration of pe- culiar Weight in this Country : where, with amazing Jnconfiflence, we are multiplying Oaths, as if we could depend upon them for every thing; and flighting the Care of Reli- gion, which alone can give us Caufe to de- pend on them for any thing. But in general, What or Whom can we poffibly hope Man-. kind will regard to any conftant good Purpofe, if they will not regard God: And how can, we pretend to regard him, whilft we go on, as we do? Nor let it be thought, that the Belief of a future Recompence is neceflary to the lower Part of the World alone : though if it were, they will never preferve it long* when they fee their Superiors have it not. But the higher Mens' Station, and the greater their Power is, the more is the Importance, both to others and themfelves, that they be ftrongly influenced to do Good and not Evil, by this only Motive that can never be out- weighed. It is very true, neither Irreligious Perfons are always fo bad, nor Religious ones always fo SERMON I. 13 fb good, as their Notions lead them to be: But ftill every Way of Thinking produces, more or lefs, its natural Effecls. The deeper Root Religion takes, the more Benefit will fpring from it : and the wider Irreligion fpreads, the more Mifchief it will bring forth. At prefent it muft endeavour to appear as harmlefs as it can, to recommend itfelf : and fome Degree of the good old Impreffions will remain, and have Influence for a Time, even on thofe who have done their beft to wear them out. But when Profanenefs ihall once have attained its Maturity, then it will be felt, if Men are refolved not to fee it before, which were in the right : the weak and credulous Creatures, who contended for honouring God: of the Perfons of fuperior Knowledge and Freedom of Thought, who fcorned and for- fook him. But we muft remember, our Maker is for- faken, when Virtue, the Law He hath given to Mankind, is tranfgrefled; as well as when his Wormip is deferted, or his Being denied. L.et it then be a fecond Article of Inquiry, What our Condition is in this Relpedt. The Confequence appears a very plain one, fhat when Religion decays, Morals muft. How* i 4 S E R M O N I. However let us look into Faci. In fpeaking of Virtues and Vices relating to the Public, no Matters of Controverfy ought fo much as to be hinted at in this Place: a Place to be kept facredly feparate from the Contefts of Parties; and only employed, when Occafion requires, to call on every Party alike, as in the Name of God, to confider their Doings. Where Divifions and mutual Accufations run fo dreadfully high, there muft be great Faults on one Side or other; 'tis well, if not on all. And all mould coniider very ferioufly, what they are aiming at, and by what Means ; what they are rifquing, and to what good End. But That above the reft fhould be confidered, which it may be feared is often thought of leaft, what muft become, whilft each Side is fupporting itfelf by the Methods too common, what muft become of the Virtue and Inte- grity of this People, the moft important Part of all they have to be concerned for. Every other Sort of Lofs Nations have often recovered, and rifen again from the loweft Ebb : but Lofs of Probity and Principle, this affedls the Vitals of Society : and whatever accidental Advantages may feem to arife from it in any Cafe for a Time ; if the Diftemper grows, and it S-E -R M O N-. I. 15 it is the h#rdeft in the World to ftop, its Con- clufion mull bp fatal. And let it not be ob- jested that Countries of very little Virtue and public Spirit have flou rimed notwithftanding. For how have they flourifhed? In a State of Freedom? No. Outward Profperity hath been joined with domeftic Oppreffion : or if Inter- vals of Eafe have been felt ; they have always been precarious, and generally mort. Impartial Reflections on thefe Matters will fhew us very clearly the Guilt and the Danger of our Sins with RefpecT: to the Public. But we mall fee both in a yet ftronger Light, if we reflect farther, How very little Zeal we exprefs, in the Midft of all our Vehemence about difputed Points, for the Promotion of Things indifputably right. Propofals for Reformation are treated in the Grofs, as mere Chimeras ; mighty little Harm apprehended from the moft flagrant Immoralities, but dreadful ill Confe- quences to Liberty from retraining them * Laws treated with Contempt by thofe who mould obey them, and this connived at by thofe who fhould execute them , ftill every one complaining immoderately of others, for what no one will himfelf contribute to amend. But 16 SERMON!'. But indeed public Virtue, though it Were genuine, will never be confident and univerfal> while private Vices are indulged. And to what a deplorable Degree thefe abound amongft us, needs not be faid, how much foever it needs to be thought of. The Intemperance, the promifcuous Lewdnefs, the Want of In- duftry and Frugality, the Difregard to Autho- rity and Order, the Profiigatenefs of all Kinds, that hath overfpread in a moft uncommon Manner the lower Part of the People, every Body fees. And would but fome of higher Condition reflect, how much they have funk themfelves to a Level with their Inferiors, in fome of the worft of their Qualities ; and in- deed contributed to make many of them fo bad as they are, and themfelves defpifed by them at the fame Time; it might be hoped the Con- fideration would be ufeful. But not to fay more of thefe: The Faults of too many, who are accounted, and are in Comparifon, decent and regular Perfons; their improvident Expenlivenefs, pernicious many Ways; their Living to Amufernents and Pleafures only, and overlooking the moft ferious Obligations of Life; forgetting the Infpection of their own Conduct, their Families and Affairs; negledl- tog S E R M O N I. 17 ing their Very Children, at leaft in the import-- ant Point of their Religion and Morals: Thefe are fad Inftances of perfonal Guilt, and make a great Addition to the national Danger. But when to the above-mentioned Epide- mical Sins, every one hath added, after exi^ mining himfelf faithfully, the feparate Tranf- greffions of his own Life, and the inward Plague, which he hath permitted to infect hu own Heart 1 -, unknown perhaps to Men, but naked and open to Him, with whom we have to do m : then we mail have no Doubt left, whe^ ther the total Amount be not abundantly fuffi- cient to juftify Heaven, in whatever Judg- ments it may inflict on Us and our Country. And if, for Inftance, by our Contempt of true Religion, we mould open a Way for Popifh Superftition to overfpread us, after a fhort pre-^ paratory Reign of Atheiftical Diflblutenefs ; if our Abufes on all Hands of the Bleffings of a Free Government mould introduce upon us a Slavery of our own creating; if the finful Exceffes, that we have fuffered Wealth and Plenty to lead us into, mould bring on us, as 1 i Kings viii. 38. rt Heb. iv. 13. . C they i8 S E R M O N I. they naturally do, Poverty and Diftrefs; and our domeftic Enmities deliver us up to our common Adverfary : who fhall have Pity upon thee t O yerufalem, or who Jhall bemoan thee-> or who Jhall go ajide to ajk of thy Peace * ? The common Anfwer to all Reprefentations of this Sort, is, That the World hath always been bad; and therefore we have no peculiar Reafon to fear. But if it hath been always a Place of Wickednefs, it hath always been a Place of Mifery too, ty Means of that Wick- ednefs. Continual Effects have been ever ne- ceffary to keep both from increaiing. And if we, whom God hath treated with fuch diftin- guifhing Mercy, will not ufe thefe Efforts, but abandon ourfelves to Sin; as he doth think fit to make fome Examples of his Juftice from Time to Time, what fitter Example he can make, is hard to fay. Perfons however will flatter themfelves, that thefe, at the worft, are Dangers of very diftant Times. And every fmgle Sinner in the World flatters himfelf in juft the fame Man- ner. Yet the Confequences of their Sins do overtake Men, and may overtake Nations too, Jer. xv. 5. with S E R M O N L 19 with furprifing Suddennefs. And the Sen- tence, recorded in Scripture, is perfectly juft: They of the Houfe of Ifrael fay, The Vifion that befeetb is for many Days to come -, and be pro- phejieth of Times that are far off. Therefore flail none of my Words be prolonged any more : but the Word which I have fpoken jhall be done, faith the Lord God*. And they flail know, that I am the Lord; and have not f aid in vain, that I 'would do this Evil unto them p . Other Perfons there are, who acknowledge the Profpeft to be bad, and Evil perhaps im- pending: But the only wife Part in their Opi- nion is, to let Matters go as they will, and en- joy themfelves as long as they can : Why fhould they be uneafy before the Time comes? Now if it were certain, that nothing could do good, this might be reafonable in a worldly View of Things : but where every one may contribute, both by amending himfelf and awakening others, to prevent Ruin ; there to be indolent, is as contrary to Humanity, as it is to Religion. And therefore the Word of God hath taken fevere Notice of it, as a great Crime , Ye have fien the Breaches of the City of David, that they are many : And in that Day Ezek. xii. 27, 28. P zek. vi. 10. C 2 did 20 S E R M O N I. did the Lord God of Hofts call to Weeping, and to Mourning, and to girding 'with Sackcloth: and behold Joy and Gladnefs, eating Flejh, and drink- ing Wine: Let us eat and drink , for To-morrow we die. And it was revealed in mine Ears by the Lord of Hojis: Surely this Iniquity jhall not be purged from you, till ye die, faith the Lord Godof Ho/Is*. But even they, who are concerned for the Public, may yet exprefs that Concern in a very faulty Way. Many feem to think they have fully done their Duty, as foon as they have been angry at thofe, whom they apprehend to have any Way occafioned what is amifs : an- gry, perhaps at the wrong Perfons, perhaps in a wrong Manner : fuch as only tends to increafe Guilt, and haften Mifchief. The firft Complaint, generally fpeaking, is of thofe in Authority. And undoubtedly the People have a Right to complain, whenever the common Concern is adminiftered ill. But then it mould be confidered, that we may, through Ignorance or Prejudice, expert from Authority, either^what it cannot do, or what is not fit to be done : we may expect more than 1 Ifa, xxii. 9, 12, 13, 14. is S E R M O N I. 21 is reafonable to expedt from Men like ourfelves, though it be fit : and even fuppofing them very much to blame, we may conduct ourfelves upon it fo as to be equally or yet more to blame. Want of Reverence to Laws and Superiors is one of our great Evils : and all Oppofition to whatever is thought wrong, fhould be accom- panied with the ftrifteft Care not to augment this Evil. But our Duty requires us peculiarly to beware of raifing Domeftic Uneafinefles too high, when a foreign Enemy may take Advantage of them : and* at all Times it re- quires us, to preferve moil religioufly the Loy- alty and Honour due to the fupreme Power: efpecially now, when our prefent Eftablifli- ment is our only human Hope of having all that is valuable to us fecured to ourfelves, and tranfmitted to our Pofterity. Next to the Rulers of a Nation, its Inftruc- tors are ufually the great Object of Cenfure: and we acknowledge there is Caufe. We have not been fo ferious and religious, fo zealous and diligent, fo difinterefted and humble, fo mild and charitable, as we ought. The Pub- lic muft have fuffered by this : we have fuf- fered by it ourfelves : and, unlefs we repent, we have Ground to expert a yet fuller Execu- C 3 tion, 22 S E R M O N I. tion, than we have experienced already, of what Heaven inflicted on our Predeceflbrs in the Jewifh Nation: "Therefore have I alfo made you contemptible and bafe before all the People, ac- cording as ye have not kept my Ways r . Yet we cannot but hope, that a very confiderable Part of the Accufations brought againft us, would appear, upon Enquiry, to be without Founda- tion. But however that be, we muft remind you, that Our Faults will be no Excufe for Your Tranfgreflions : and we earneftly beg, that they who complain we do not the Good we ought, would at leaft not hinder, but give us Opportunity, and affift us rather, to do both Others and Themfelves the Good we would. But even they, who proceed from Complaints to Endeavours of amending Things, will fail unhappily of their End, if they truft to worldly Methods alone, and leave Religion and Virtue, the great Support and Cement of human So- ciety, out of their Schemes. This will be merely palliating for a little while : and doing what the Scripture, in perfect Conformity with plain Reafon, hath long, ago condemned, as doing nothing. Becaufe they have feduced my People, faying> Peace t and there was no Peace; ' Mai. ii. 9. and S E R M O N I. 23 and one built up a Wall, and others daubed it with untempered Mortar: Therefore, thus faith the Lord God, I will rend it with aftormy Wind, and bring it down to the Ground, fo that the Foundations thereof JhaH be dif covered ; and it flail fall, and ye fhall be confumed in the Midfl thereof, and ye foall know that I am the Lord*. Indeed every Page of the prophetical Writings recommends itfelf greatly to thinking Perfons, by the moft forcible and convincing Expreflions of the utter Inefficacy of every Expedient for public Good, that is not accompanied with true Virtue and true Piety. Thefe, therefore, it is our moft important Ifitereft to reftore and promote: to reprefent with Earneftnefs, and yet with Mildnefs, to fuch as are deficient in either, how wrong in itfelf, and how hurtful to the World, their Conduct is : and to be zealous in doing our own Duty, whether They will attend to theirs or not: Perfons of Rank and Influence, by fetting an Example worthy of Imitation, and {hewing different Regards to the Good and the Badj Perfons intruded with public Power, by behav- ing in their feveral Stations uprightly; Parents and Matters, by the prudent Exercife of their Ezek. xiii. 1014, C 4 private 24 S E R M O N I. private Authority; and every one, at leaft, by reforming himfelf. This, if it do nothing far- ther, will be fecuring his own Happinefs : and the more fingle Reformations there are, the nearer will .be our Approach to an Univerfal one. We are called indeed perpetually to Re- pentance: but the prefent National Call, if it be not hearkened to, will much aggravate the Guilt, not only of the profane Defpifers of it, but thofe alfo, whofe Compliance with it is merely external; who dare to approach the Searcher of Hearts, and mock him by faying to him, without Sincerity, fuch Things as we have joined in faying this Day. On the Times appointed for Confeffion of Sins, it hath always been a Rule, as the Word of God plainly mews, for Perfons to abftain in a conliderable Degree from their ufual Food: not as thinking it a Duty of any Value in itfelfj for that were a fuperftitious Imagination ; and nothing can be more exprefs againft every Su- perftition, than Scripture is: but partly to make an Acknowledgment of more than ordinary Solemnity, by their Actions as well as Words, of their Unworthjnefs to partake of the coiru mon Bleffings of Heaven; and chiefly to fpend thpfe Hours in Humility of Spirit, and cool Refleftion, S E R M O N I. 25 Reflection for their future Good, which they have fpent too frequently in dangerous Levities, or finful Indulgences. It is not then the Abfti- nence, it is not the outward Humiliation, nor even the real Serioufnefs of a Day, which God requires of us; but that thefe Things be made fubfervient to our lafting Benefit: that preferv- ing on our Minds the Impreffion of what we have faid and heard here, we go Home and re- tire into ourfelves; think over our feveral Du- ties, public and private, with refpect to our Maker, our Fellow -creatures, and the Regu- lation of our own Hearts; and after renewing our Applications for Pardon and Grace, fet right, without Delay, whatever hath been wrong : that we form Refolutions to think of- ten of our own Conduct, to follow fteadily the moft effectual Methods for preferving it fuch as we ought, and not to fuffer the Opinions and Cuftoms of an inconfiderate World, to wear out of our Minds the Regard we owe to the Au- thor and End of our Beings. \ But betides thefe Obligations, there is yet another, which particularly deferves our Atten- tion at this Time; that when we aik Mercy of God, we (hew it to Man. And accordingly the ' Scripture joins clofely together Fading and giv- ing '26 SERMON I. ing Alms; which therefore we fhould join too, each according to his Ability: but always re- membering, that no one Part of our Duty whatever will be accepted as an Equivalent for tranfgreffing any other j but we muft break off our Sins by Right eoufnefs, as well as our Iniqui- ties by Jhewing Mercy to the Poor*, if ever we expect that our Charity mould avail towards procuring our Pardon. And now would we but employ the prefent Solemnity, in determining confcientioufly to practife thefe Things : befides the good Fruits, it could not fail to produce in each of us fingly 5 we might hope, on very juft Grounds, to expe- rience nationally the fame happy Effects of it, which we read the Jews did, from making the fame Determination, upon hearing the Admo- nition of the Text. They gathered themfehes together, and they entered into a Covenant to feek the Lord God of their Fathers. And they fware unto him with a loud Voice: And all Ju- dah rejoiced at the Oath. For they hadfworn with all their Hearty and fought him with their whole Dejire, and he was found of them : And the Lord gave them Reft round about*. * Dan. iv. 27, u ^ Chron. xv. 10, 12, 14, 15. SE R- C 27 } SERMON II. (Preached on a General Faft.) i PE T. v. 6. Humble yourfehes therefore under the mighty Hand of God, that he may exalt you in due 'Time. HUMILITY of Heart and Behaviour is a Duty fo deeply founded in the Na- ture of Man, that though we knew of no Power above us, we ought yet to think modeflly of ourfelves, from a Confcioufnefs of our Infirmities ; and pay a mutual Deference one to another, in proportion to the different Pre-eminences, be they ever fo fmall, by which we are feverally diftinguifhed. But the leaft Apprehenfion of a perfect Being fuperintending us, muft furely magnify beyond Expreffion the Senfe, how very imperfect we are : and con- vince us, that the utmoft Reverence, of which we are capable, towards fuch a one, if fuch a one 28 S E R M O N II. one there be, will fall vaftly fhort of what we owe. Now the Existence of a powerful and wife, a juft and good, Ruler of all, is at firfl Sight a poffible Thing. And were we fure of no more, the Notion is fo refpectable in itfelf, fo beneficial to human Society, and fo peculiarly comfortable to every honeft Mind, that paffing it over with a fcornful Neglect, inflead of at- tending to it ferioufly, would be a Haughtinefs of Spirit, blameworthy and mocking to a great Degree. But the Reality of this Notion is undeniably proved, by the plaineft Obfervations on every Part of the Univerfe, and the ftricteft Inquiries into its general Conftitution: by the natural Prepo/Teffions of common Men, the acuteft Reafonings of fpeculative Men, and the moft univerfal Confent, that ever any invifible Truth obtained, of all Men. Yet farther, to leave no Plea for Ignorance of it, or of its Confequences, the Creator hath made himfelf known to his Creatures by exprefs Revelation: and declared, what he is, what he expects from them, what he hath decreed concerning them. How monftrous a Difpofition of Soul mufl it be then, that can pride itfelf in ftanding out againft fuch Evidence of fuch a Doctrine: can take upon it to cenfure the Works of the Al- mighty, S E R M O N II. 29 mighty, without understanding a fingle Part of them thoroughly; can triumph in the Thought of an ungoverned and fatherlefs World, of Wickednefs unpunished, and Virtue unreward- ed; and hold thofe in utter Contempt, who entertain better Hopes! Our Nation affords, I fear, more than a few Perfons, guilty even of fuch Pride againft God, as this. But it affords Multitudes of a Sort, if poflible, yet more unaccountable ; who believe in him, and flight him. Acknowledging a So- vereign Lord of the World, without flanding in Awe of him, is doubtlefs a moft aftoniming In- confiftency: and yet I conceive it will appear, on Inquiry, the main S.ource of thofe great and many Sins, for which we are met here to ex- prefs our Concern. Now if this be our Cafe, a little Reflection will mew it to be a very dan- gerous one: and the Apoflle hath pointed out the only Cure, that fmce, as the preceding Verfe teaches, God refifteth the Proud, and giv- eth Grace to the Humble, we mould humble our- fehes unfeignedly under his mighty Hand, which hath been, and is, in feveral Refpefts, heavy on us; that fo, inftead of deprefling us lower {till, he may exalt us again in due 'Time. There 30 S E R M O N II. There are not many comparatively, but in their cooler Hours at leaft, believe the Author of Nature to be alfo the wife and juft Lawgiver and Ruler of Mankind. Nay, lamentable as the Apoftacy of our Days hath been, the Genera- lity ftill entertain a Perfuafion, grounded on the firmeft Proofs, that he hath notified the Conditions of eternal Felicity by Jefus ChrifL But, having this Knowledge of God t do theyg70- rify him as God*"? Do they pay any Homage to him, do they cultivate any Regard for him ? Do they confider him as the Giver of all Good, to whom their Thanks are due for every Thing they enjoy; as the Judge of the whole Earth, who mall reward every one according to his Works ? Will they, in Obedience to that Rea- fon, which he hath beftowed on them, refift their vicious Appetites and Paffions: will they, on the Authority of that Revelation, which he hath fuperadded, receive any Thing, but what they can fee of themfelves to be true ; or do any Thing, but what they can fee of them- felves to be requifite ? Is it not indeed their ftated Practice to fet their own Inclinations and Fancies above all his AfTertions and Laws : dif- daining to mind what is right or wrong, even a Rom. i. 21, 4 when S E R M O N II. 31 when it relates to this Life; and much more, to be fwayed by the Tendencies, which Doc- trines or Precepts may have, to fit them for the Happinefs of another ? Nay, fuch as imagine themfelves perhaps very fteady Believers, and fufficiently good Chriftians, do not many of them, though lefs profeffedly, and without diftinctly feeing it, yet ajmoft as effectually make their Choice juft a$ they like, in what Things their Chriftianity mall confift ; and what they will go on to think or practife, however plainly forbidden in any one's Judgment, but their own. Are they at all willing to feek, with ferious Humility, what the Gofpel teaches? Are they withheld from any Sin which it forbids, merely by the Fear of their Lord and Matter ? Do they perform any Duty which it enjoins, merely from Love to their Redeemer? Try them but in one Point. The facred Writings have repeatedly directed a regular Attendance on public Wormip and Inftruclion. Yet they neglect it perpetually, on Pretences, for which they would neglect fcarce anyone Thing befides: when they condefcend to come, they would ufually be underftood to do it as Matter of Prudence, or Propriety, and Compliance with Cuflom; but by no Means of 3* S E R M O N II. of Obedience to God. And in general, they fubftitute the Fafhions and Ufages of what they call the World, that is, of the Perfons with whom they are pleafed, and whom they defire to pleafe, in the Place of the Divine Com- mands. This wretched Rule they follow againft their Confcicnces firft i to this by Degrees they bend their Confciences afterwards: and when once they have accomplimed that, they will not reflect, they will not hearken, they will not bear the Mention of an Argument or a Hint to the contrary ; but exclaim againft it as abfurd, before it can well be brought out ; let Reafon or Scripture fay what they will: till at laft, not even yet renouncing their Faith, they have hardly a fingle good Impreflion from it left: no Gratitude to God, no Hope in him, no Dread of him ; no Thought of themfelves in earned, as his Creatures j nor any Recollec- tion, how profligate a Treatment this is of our Maker, of our Saviour^ of the holy Spirit of Grace. We do not know, I believe, nor fuf- ped: very often, how inconfiderable God is be- come in our Eyes, and how near Advances we have made to what is in Effect mere Atheifm. But we have cheated ourfelves with Difguiies, and fhifted between Religion and> Irreligion, till we S E R M O N II. 33 we have no Perception whereabout we are. And it is high Time for us to fix once for all, which we will Hand to. , For if the Almighty deferves any Regard, he deferves a moft dutiful and univerfal one. Will we therefore pay him that, or will we avow paying him none ? But were many of us, whofe Appearance is more decent, to be examined, what there is in us beyond Appearance; were many, who have fome inward Reftraints and pious Feelings, queftioned how far they extend ; and if there be not mixed with them, a much lefs indeed, but ftill a very criminal Neglect and Contemp.t of the fupreme Being ; what do we think the Refult would be? Were fuch to be afked, how often they pray to him in private, or whether they remember perhaps, when they did fo laft; with what Attention they pray at fuch Times, or whether hurrying over a Set of unmeaning Words contents them; what Care they take in his Houfe, that their Hearts join in the Things they fay, or x improve by thofe they hear ; how often they meditate, as in the Prefence of God, on their Duty, and their Condition with Re- gard to another Life; whether in Truth the/ almoft ever think of a future State, as their principal Concern, or have not inwardly chofen D their 34 S E R M O N II. their Portion here ; whether they indulge no fecret Immorality, are chargeable with no In- juftice or Unmercifulnefs; what ExpreiTion, or what Tincture, there is in their common Con- verfation and Behaviour of a Chriftian Spirit; what Zeal they have, what Expences they are at, what Methods they encourage, what Pains they take, for promoting the prefent and eter- nal Welfare of their Fellow Creatures : how muft they anfwer? Nobody hath a Right, it may be, to put fuch Queilions to you : but furely they are very important ones for you to put to yourfelves. And for God's Sake do it : and prefs your Souls home to make an honefl Reply. For if Religion be any Thing, thefe are moil material Things. Do you then find, that you have hitherto been, in Relation to them, fuch Perfons as you ought ? And if not, do you experience a proportionable Concern for your Failures ? Are you even now refolved to become fuch ? And will you remember and keep to what you refolve: or run away from your Convictions to the firfl Employment or Amufement you can hope to lofe them in, or however fuffer them to wear out for Want of being renewed ; fo after a while, neglect your Maker' and his Laws as much as ever; and i poffibly S E R M O N II. 35 poffibly defpife yourfelves for having once, in a Sort of Fright, thought to do otherwife ? If you relapfe fo far, your Cafe will be a very dan- gerous, God grant it be not a defperate one. Yet amongft all thefe blameable Sorts of Perfons, there are many perhaps not ill-dif- pofed, were they left to follow their own Judg- ments quietly, towards becoming fincerely and throughout religious. But the World would wonder at them, their Acquaintance would ri- dicule them: and that they cannot bear. But which is your God then ? The World, or the Maker of it? And which is it fitter you mould humble yourfelves under ? The rightful Autho- rity of the greateft and beft of Beings ; or the ufurped Tyranny of a few vain Mortals, whofe Friendship means you no Good, and whofe Enmity can do you no Harm ? But fo it is : we are cowardly one to another, and brave only again ft Him, who hath Power to caji into Hell*. Even the loweft Part of Mankind, they alfo now have, learnt from their Superiors to lift themfelves up in Defiance of the Moft High: to plead openly and boldly for Gratifications, exprefsly prohibited by his Commandments; b Luke xii. . > D 2 to 36 S E R M O N II. to prefer their Diverfions or their Idlenefs be- fore his Worfhip; fome of them to fit in, and others to furround the Seat of the Scorner*. For poor Wretches, that know nothing elfe, imagine they know enough however to be above Inftru&ion in their Duty, to contemn God's Word, and feoff at his Ministers. Such is the Condition,- and I appeal to the Obfervation of you all, alas ! to the Confciences of too many of you, if it be not daily more and more, if it be not, I had almoft laid, univer- fally, the Condition of the People of this Land, efpecially this City. Help, Lord: for the godly Man ceafeth, for the faithful fall from among the Children of Men . But how great and general foever our Tranf- greflions have been; it will be alledged, that they cannot have arifen from a Principle fo very fhocking as Pride, directed againft the Author of our Beings, but from inconfiderate Indul- gence of lefs heinous, though ftill blame-worthy Difpofitions. But were there, and O that there were, much more Room for this Plea than there is, yet bare Inconiiderateneis and Forgetfulnefs of God is, in no fmail Degree, Contempt of him. However, fome Offenders have not ad- PfaL i. i. " Pfal. xii. i. ventured SERMON!!. 37 ventured on fo direct Impiety as others. And we ought to judge with all poffible Tendernefs of every one's Cafe, befides our own ; but it concerns us beyond Expreffjon not to flatter ourfelves in that. And we may difcern with Certainty the true State of it by this one Mark. If Want of Thought hath occafioned our ill Be- haviour, we (hall be thankful for Admonition, and readily change our Courfe : if Pride, we (hall be difpleafed with it, and tempted to go on. But whether we have difobeyed God wil- fully or inadvertently, we have great Caufe to humble ourfelves before him with deep Con- trition: and bewail our own perfonal Guilt in the firft Place; theri the Sins pf thofe, who make up the fame Community with us: for he cannot corred: Them? biat we muft fuffer at ths fame Time, Now fuppofmg we did not at all feel ourfelves particularly under his mighty Hand at prefent;, yet furely we ought to recollect with great Awe, that in Reality we are under it always. His Government of the World is without ceaiing carried on, however filently, yet fteadily and powerfully, to that one End, which a Being of perfect Holinefs muft propofe to himfelf ulti- mately, the Manifestation of his Glory, in the 38 S E R M O N II. Punimment of the Wicked, and Reward of the Good. Were both to be entirely deferred till after Death, as the chief Part of both will, yet how near is that to us all; and how very near to many of us, who perhaps are the fartheft of any from fufpectmg it! Though were it as dif- tant as it can, yet the Connection of it with eternal Enjoyments or Sufferings being as cer- tain as tnat God is holy and true, the practical Inference would be jufl the fame, as if it were overtaking us this very Moment. But indeed,, unlefl we will abfolutely {hut our Eyes, we muft fee Judgments from above, both naturally flowing from our Sins, and additionally inflicted on them, in the mean while. All Wickednefs by the righteous and wife Appointment of Providence, in the ordinary Courfe of Things produces Mifery: and the great Reftraint from all Wickednefs is the Fear of God. While Men continue to reverence Him, there will always be fome Hold upon them, to keep them back from committing Evil, or bring them back to repent of it. But when once that Band ig broken, which it is of late in this Nation, beyond any other in the Chriftian, or perhaps the Heathen World, ilighter and weaker Ties will foon give Way one SERMON II. 39 one after another, till by Degrees every Thing is fet loofe. And how very faft accordingly our Morals and our Prudence have been foriaking us, ever fince we have begun to forfoke Reli- gion, and to find out that our Maker is un- worthy of our Notice, a little Reflection will ihew us too plainly, if indeed any be needful. Do we not fee Probity and Integrity, Friendli- nefs and natural Affection, vifibly decayed ? Perfons of all Ranks living above their Ranks; and firft diftreffing themfelves and their Families by vain and vicious Expences, then defcending to every Bafenefs, that will enable them to pro- ceed in this wrong Way, and every Folly that will drive away Remorfe f or an Hour, though by furnifhing Caufe for its Return with more Bitternefs than ever: crouding their whole Time with abfurd and dangerous Diverfions-, and infected with a Rage for Pleafure and Shew, be the Confequences what they will, that hath taken PofTcfTion of High and Low, Young and Old, to a Degree unknown before; and in many fears not, in fome affects, to dif- play itfelf, on the Days fet apart for the Wor- mip of God, nay for folemn Penitence and Hu- miliation ? Do we not lee almoft every Body D 4 treating 40 SERMON II. treating the grofTeft and moft pernicious Im- moralities, of what they gently itile the gay Kind, as no Faults at all in one Sex, and daily approaching nearer towards affording them open Countenance in the other: making on any Occafion indeed, very little DifHndtion, though it be of unfpeakable Importance to make a great one, between good People and bad ; or, to fay the Truth, rather inverting than laying Claim to the Pfalmift's Character: In iv/jjfe Eyes a vile Perfon is contemned-, but he honoureth them that fear the Lord*. Do we not fee them, educating their Children, and managing their Servants as if it were on purpofe to have them wicked : plainly perceiving them to be mifera- ble in Confequence of it; perpetually involving themfelves in grievous UneafinefTes and Diffi- culties from it, and making frequently heavy Complaints of it; yet never once reflecting to Purpofe, whence it comes, or what would mend it: but flupidly acquiefcing in what they have the neareft Concern to prevent ; find take it for granted, that fuch of Neceiiity is to be the Condition of their Families, from one Ge- neration to another ? Pfal. xv. 4. And SERMON II. 41 And if thefe fruits have fprung in. private Life from our Difdain of Piety, what mult it have produced in public ? Juft what we were to expect from a Number of fuch Creatures put together ; and from the fixed' Decree of Provi- dence, that they, who plough Iniquity, and fow Wickednefs, Jhall reap the fame f . Rulers and Magistrates having permitted the Authority that ordained them, to fink, have, by a Con- fequence, which they might eafily have fore- feen, loft their own ; Refpect to every Kind of Superiors is worn out; and next to the Laws of Heaven, thofe of our Country are regarded Jeaft. The Nature of Things, and the Word of God, have made Uprightnefs and Indufhy the Supports of Society, and Religion the Sup- port of Them. But we have imagined we could do better than this : we have been laying other Foundations, and bringing thefe into utter Dif- efteem, as it were by Confent on all Sides ; till they, who defire moft to act upon Principle, find, it may be feared, fcarce any Remainder pf Principle among us, left to act upon. We have trujled in the Staff of a broken Reed, whereon if a Man lean, it will go into his Hand, f Jyb iv. 8. and 42 S E R M O N II. and pierce if*. We have forfaken God y the Fountain of living Waters t and hewed us out broken Gifterns, that can hold no Water h . We have indeed been worfe than negligent, we have been jealous of Religion ; fearful, that Bigotry, Enthufiafm, Superftition, and all Manner of Evils would flow from it: and fo, without taking the leaft Care to guard againft them, or prevent the Increafe of that Communion, in which they are moft intimately mixed with it, Piety in general hath been made the Subject of Invedtive and Derifion, till we are at prefent immerfed in Profanenefs and Profligatenefs : and, as Extremes beget one another, direftly in the Road to be over- run after a while by Popery, the Schools of which are multiplying continually in our Streets. We have thought the Morals of our People totally undeferving of Regard, unlefs it were to corrupt them, that we might enjoy the public Benefits of private Vices : and the Confequence hath been, to fay of others no more than hath been faid, that our Poor, the Strength and Riches of a Nation, when regulated well, are every where deftroying themfelves and their Pofterity by their Intem- perance and promifcuous Lewdnefs; and be- * Ifa. xxxvi. 6. fc Jer. ii. 1 3. ceming, S E R M O N II. 43 coming, in the mean Time, an infupportable Burthen by their Idlenefs and Extravagance. We have thought that neither God nor Man were to reftrain what we are pleafed to call Li- berty; and thus we have plunged into a Licen- tioufnefs, that hath brought upon us many of the Inconveniencies, and almoft all the Difcon- tent, of Slavery. Nor hath the Almighty omitted to fuperadd, though with a gentle Hand, Corrections in- tirely his own, to the Sufferings, which we have chofen to inflict on ourfelves by Means of the ftated Connections, which he hath wifely and juftly eftablifhed. We had long been polTeffed of the Bleffing of Peace, without making any one good Ufe of it: and he hath permitted a War to come upon us, of which we forefee neither the Duration nor the Event. We had long enjoyed healthy and plentiful Seafons, without acknowledging Him for the Giver of them : and we have fince been vifited with Sicknefs in all our Borders ; and fuch Dearth, as few, if any of us, ever knew before. Our Heavens have been made as Brafs, and our Earth as Iron l ; and we would not underftand it to be a Chaf- tiiement: the former and the latter Rain k have 1 Deut. xxviii, 23. k Deut. n. 14. Jer. .24. been 44 S E R M O N II. been reftored to as, and we have not owned it to be a Mercy. Now, if lighter and fhorter Judgments will not awaken us, heavier and longer muft. For fo the Prophet foretells: Lord, when thy Hand is lifted up, they will not fee: but they flail fee l . And how much greater Evils God may yet caufe us to fee, lies hid in the Treafures of his own Foreknowledge, We, are at prefent in a Condition, that may, in va- rious Refpects, very naturally and very foon become extremely dreadful. And what elfe we can do to better our Profped:, is neither eafy for any Perfon to difcover, nor indeed the Concern of every Perfon to inquire: but there is one Thing, which alone of itfelf will do in- credible Good; and every Thing befides, very little without it; which we all have in our Power, and all feel to be our Duty. Come, and let us return unto the Lord our God: for He hath torn, and He will heal us: He hath fmittcn, and He will bind us up m , Both Particulars and Nations, which fall intp a bad Way, are ftrangely unwilling, for the moft Part, to understand the Truth of their own Cafe. Such was the Difpofition of God's ancient People, admirably defcribed by the Pro^. 1 Ifa. xxvi. ii. m Hof. vi. i. phet SERMON II. 45 phet Hofea: His Strength is devoured, and he knowcth it not: yea, grey Hairs are upon him, and he knoweth it not. And the Pride of Ifrael teftlfieth to his Face : and they do not return to the Lord, nor feek him, for all this*. Nay, when the Difeafe is much too notorious to be denied, Perfons will be afcribing it to other Caufes, and inventing other Cures, than the right one; putting Confidence in Schemes unconnected with Reformation, and perhaps mending bad with worfe. But to thefe the Almighty him- felf hath exprefsly denounced : Woe to the rebel- lious Children, faith the Lord, that take Coun- fel, but not of me ', that cover with a Covering, but not of my Spirit ; that they may add Sin to Sin : that hich is in 'Jerufa- lem. Eecaufe ye have faid, We have made Covenant with Death, and with Hell are we at Agreement -, when the overflowing Scourge foall pafs through, it flail not come unto us ; for we have made Lies our Refuge, and under Falsehood have we hid our/elves: 'Therefore thus faith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a Founda-* tion a Stone, a tried Stone, a precious Coraer Stone, a fure Foundation : he that believe, tb, foall not make hafte ! . Judgment alfo There is no Hope : but we will walk after our own Devices, and we will every one do the Imagination of his evil Heart. Therefore thus faith the Lord, Ajk ye now among the Hea- then, who hath heard fuch Things. I willfcatter them, as with an Eaji Wind, before the Enemy : m Amos vi. i, 3 7. I will SERMON III. 61 / will foeiv them the Back, and not the Face, in the Day of their Calamity \ So that, whether it be Confidence, or De- fpair, that hinders Reformation, the Threat- nings, you fee, are the fame. And the full Execution of thefe Threatnings, together with the Caufe of it, is thus recorded in the Book of Chronicles. The Lord God of their Fathers fent to them by his Mejjengers, becaufe he had Com- pajjion on his People, and on his D we/ting -P/ace. But they mocked the Me/fingers of God, and de- fpifed his Words, and mifufed his Prophets, until the Wrath of God arofe againji his People, till there 'was no Remedy. Therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldees, who Jlew their young Men with the Sword in the Houfe of their Sanftuary, and had no Companion upon young or old: he gave them all into his hand** How near we have approached to them in our Guilt, is too viable : how ealily we may come to refemble them in our Punifhment, is not lefs fo. The Hand of God is plainly lifted up over us: the only Queftion is, Will we bum* ble ourfehes under it, or will we not ? Will we yet acknowledge, that He is the Sovereign of the World, and obeying him the only Way to Jer. xviii. ii. 12, 13,17. . z Chr, xxxvi. 15, 16, 17. I profper? 62 SERMON III. profper? Will we yet feek him, -while he may be found* $ confefs our Sins, change our Conducl, and petition for his Mercy? There have been Circumftances, in which Repentance itfelf would not ftop the Courfe of temporal Punifli- ments, though it will always prevent eternal ones: in which God hath laid to his Prophets, Pray not for this People for their Good. When they f aft, I will not hear their Cry, and when they offer an Oblation , / will not accept them : but I will confume them by the Sword, and by the- Famine, and by the P eft Hence q . Even to this Extremity we may reduce ourfelves : but that we are already in it, no Way appears. The general Rule of his Providence is, At what In- ft ant Ifiallfpeak concerning a Nation, and con- cerning a Kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to dcftroy it : if' that Nation, againft whom I have pronounced, turn from their Evt'/ t I will repent of the Evil that I thought to do unto them r . And it ought to be our Perfua- iion, that we are within the Rule. Our Caufe is unquestionably good: and though we have been, moft of us, lamentably wicked, yet through his Grace many have preferved their Integrity; and either for their Sake, or his Ifa. Iv. 6. * Jer. xiv. 11,12. * Jer. xviii. 7, 8. Mercies SERMON III. 63 Mercies Sake, we {till enjoy great Bleflings. He hath been far from forfaking Us, to the Degree that We have forfaken him : elfe our State were wretched indeed : and would we but now humble ourfehes throughly under bis mighty Hand, there is no Room to doubt, but he 'would exalt us in due Time. Whenever he calls upon us to ufe the Inftru- ment, he furely defigns us to attain the End, for which it was formed. Now penitent Re- formation is the natural, as well as the appoint- ed Inftrument for exalting both particular Per- fons and Communities. Religion works indeed by Terror at firft, and lowers the high Spirits of the Guilty: but only to raife them again on folid Grounds, in (lead of the treacherous Props which kept them up before. Without it, there is no Dignity in the Condition of Man : and how mould there be any expected in his De- portment ? If Perfons either believe not in one, who fees and rewards, or cannot hope that he will reward Good to them: if all that they promife themfelves be here, and they appre- hend, that neither Annihilation or Mifery awaits them hereafter ; they will of Courfe be many of them dangerous and mifchievous, the . Generality 64 SERMON III. Generality of them bafe and vile, attend folely to the Indulgence of their Fancies and their Senfes, eat and drink, for To-morrow they die *. Or if any Sparks of Worth do remain, unex- tinguimed by fuch a mean Way of Thinking, they will have only an occaficnal and partial Influence. Or could it, in foine few, be a con- flant and uniform one, yet they will be very few : and the Body of a People, if they are without Conference towards God, will be with- out Honour and Probity towards Men, without Prudence and Magnanimity in the Conduct of themfelves, profligate and defpicable in all Re- ipe&s. But on the contrary, true Religion, for I fpeak not of fuperftitious Perfuafions and Ob- /ervances, true Religion places Men above for- did Interefls, low Pleafures, and worldly Anxie- ties: teaches them to dread nothing, but of- fending their Maker; to fet their Hearts on nothing, but pleafmg Him; and to have no Conception of pleafmg him by any other Means, thaii rational Piety and genuine Virtue : it excites them by the nobleft of Motives to whatever is ufeful and eftimable ; and reftrains them by the flrongeft Terrors from whatever is bad and hurtful: obliges them to right Beha- i Cor. XY. 32. viour SERMON 111. 65 Vioiir in the highefl Profperity, and fupports them in it under the heaviest Adverfities: in- fpires Men with the moft earfteft Concern for doing their Duty; and frees them from all Concern about the Conferences of it in this World, by prefenting to their View the endlefs Recompences of a better. Such, in fome De- gree, is the Influence even 6f natural Religion : but unfpeakably more powerful will that be found, whereby are given unto us exceeding great find precious Protrtifes, that by theft ide might be Partakers of the Divine Nature *. Then farther, the Sentiments, which thui dignify every one's Behaviour fingly, muft have the fame Influence upon all, ccfnfidered as form- ing a Community. Publick Welfare will never be confulted as it ought, while Men aft merely on feparate felfifh Bottoms: nor ever fail to be confulted, when a well-founded Faith in God animates their Zeal for general good. Slights and Provocations, Difficulties and Rifques, pri- vate Advantages, and party or perfonal Attach- ments, may very eafily fway and bias all, that act from temporal Motives: but are nothing toi fuch as aft from This; the only one that can- not poffibly be at any Time overbalanced. S0 2 Pet. i. 4. F long 66 SERMON III. long as the State of Affairs is calm indeed, Gd* vernment may go on very fmoothly, without much Principle in thofe who are employed by it, or live under it: perhaps the more fmoothly for a while, in fome Cafes, the lefs Principle there is. But when Storms rife, as after fuch Calms they will rife, then is the Time to fee', in what the real Strength of Society confifts : who will ftruggle, who will hazard, who will' be faithful to the laft. They, that fear God, certainly will : and we can have no Certainty (how mould we?) of any other. Amongft the truly religious, becaufe they are fuch, there will be fecure and mutual Truft, faithful Oe^ conomy, and unwearied Application : their Counfels will be Heady, their Undertakings juft, their Execution bold, their Confidence in Hea- ven flrong, and their Adherence to a righteous Cauie unmoveable ! Seldom, if ever, will a State," which proceeds in this Manner, fail of Succefs. And were they to fail ever fo greatly, nay, to be overwhelmed ever fo intirely, they would fall with more Reputation and more Happinefs, than others flourim. But there is always Reafon for better Hopes. A Nation, reverencing the Sovereign of the Univerfe, will be reverenced by all around them, as a ivife and SERMON III. 67 and under/landing People, which hath the Lord nigh unto them*. Their Friends will know, they can depend on them : their Enemies will know, they have the utmoft Efforts to fear from them: both will know, and they them- felves too, that even in their laft Extremity, Providence may be expected to fight for them. Great are the troubles of the Righteous : but the Lord deliver eth him out of them all. 'The Lord delivereth the Souls of his Servants : and they, that put their Trujl in him t fhall not be dcjlitute w . But then it muft be obferved, that fuch as have long been Sinners, and are at laft become penitent, (the former is certainly our Cafe, would to God the latter were!) if Relief doth not appear immediately, ought to wait for it with much Patience, and be well fatisfied if they are. exalted in due Time: in God's Time, not their own. Wickednefs ruins Nations by Degrees : Reformation may reftore them by Degrees. An imperfect Reformation will be likely to bring forth but imperfcdt Fruits. And the completed Reformation of a Few may prove inefficient to lave the Whole. Still thefc are Reafons, only " Deut. iv. 6, 7. w Pfal. xxir. 20, 22. F 2 why 68 SERMON III. why All mould repent: not why None fhoulct, unkfs All will, which it is impoilible to forefee. For be the Generality ever fo incorrigible, and their Deftrudtion ever fo absolutely decreed on that Account: there is Encouragement enough, notwithftanding, for thofe who do humble themfelves, and return to a better Mind. Seek ye the Lord, all ye r,icek of the Earth, which have wrought his "Judgment. It may be ye ft all be hid in the Day of the Lord's Anger*. At leaft, whatever fuch may fuffer in common with others, far from being a Mark of his Anger .towards Them, will contribute largely to im- prove their Virtues, and increafe their future Reward. So that in every Event they may caft all their Care on God, for he caret b for them J . Undoubtedly they will feel the Uneafmefs, which human Nature muft from whatever is gainful to it: and in particular, a tender Con- cern for. Multitudes, who have none for them- felves. Bat frill they will fubmit with Com- pofednefs and reverent Approbation to the fe- vereft Sentences of Heaven j and reflect with Joy, that their chief Interefl is fafe, though inferior Comforts be loft. -* Zfph. ii. ji * i Pet. y. 7. SERMON III, 69 Let us therefore acquaint ourfefoes with God, and be at Peace z : For be will keep tbofe in per- fett Peace, wbofe Mind is Jl^td on Him*. Whoever they are, that, fenfible'of their Of- fences and their Weaknefs, apply for the Par- don obtained by Jefus Chrift, and the Grace communicated by the Holy Spirit : who, in their private Capacity, honour God, fludy to be harmlefs and ufeful amongft Men, and govern themfelves by the Rules of Virtue ; who alfo, in their public Capacity, earneftly pray for and impartially feek the Peace of Jerufalem b , the Welfare of their Country, civil and religious ; not led by Intereft, Refentment or Vanity, but having at Heart real common Good; and who in their whole Conduct encourage and reftrain. themfelves as the Cafe requires, by the Faith of a Future Recompence: whatever may befall the Society, of which they are Part, it mall be well with them. Whatever elfe they may un- dergo, others will have nothing to reproach them with, they will have nothing to reproach their own Souls with ; and in the Darkncfs Light foqll arije unto them'* All fuch Perfons therefore, after doing confcientioufly what is 1 Job xxii. 21. Ifa. x*vi. 3. k Pfal. cxxii. 6. 5 Pfal. exit. 4. F incum- 70 SERMON III. incumbent on them, not only may, but ought to be without Solicitude : and fliould let the Foundation of their Peace be known; that all around them may perceive, how vaftly prefer- able the Confolations of Religion are to every other Method of making themfelves eafy. The pious Man doth not labour to quiet his Thoughts by obftinately {hutting his Eyes, or plunging into Excefles, or ' taking off his Attention by Amufements: but can with Tranquillity look towards the evil Day, and fee it coming: wait for it, and bear his Share of it, lefs or greater; being allured, that all Things work together for his Good*. A very different State from theirs, "vho know they have deferved the Judgments of God, who know they have contributed to bring them down on their own and others Heads ; who have nothing to cheer them, when the Clouds gather on every Side of them ; no- thing to direct them, when the blackefl Tem- peft pours upon them, but the momentary Glimmerings of human Hope, ftruck out by their ov/n Imaginations; and if they mould ef- cape, if they mould outwardly profper again for the prefent, will only be tempted by it to trea- fure up to tbemfehes hotter Wrath againft the d Ropi. viii. 28. SERMON III. 7 i )ay of Wrath*, and final Judgment. But hear, I intreat you, how the Word of God exprefTes the Cafe of each : and may its enlivening Ex- hortation to the former, and its terrifying Admonition to the latter, fink deep into your Breafts. Who is among you, fearing the Lord, that walketh in Darknefs, and hath no Light? Let him trufl in the Name of the Lord, andjlay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a Fire, and compafs yourfehes about with Sparks -, walk in the Light of your Fire, and in the Sparks which ye have kindled: this foall ye have of mine ) yejhall lie down in Sorrow f , f Rom. ii. 5. { Ifa. l f 10, n. F 4 S E R- I 73 1 SERMON IV. (Preached oaOccafion of the Rebellion in Scotland in 1745.) 2 SAM. x. 12. j& a/" 00^ Courage and let us play the Men for our People ', and for the Cities of our God: And the Lord do that which feemeth him good. MANY of you, I hope, remember, that I difccurfed to you upon thefe Words, a year and feven Months ago * : when God, for our Sins, threatened us nrft, with what, for the Continuance of them, he hath at length permitted to fall on Part of this Land, The Renewal, and nearer Approach, of the fame Danger, requires a more earneft incuU eating of the fame Exhortations. For perhaps we may now lay to Heart the Things we did , 1743-4. not 74 S E R M O N IV. not then. It is very true, the Pulpit ought never to be prophaned, and I truft never hath or fhall by me, to forve the Purpofes of Party- Intereft ; or intermeddle with any Points of a Political Nature, about which the Friends of their Country, that think at all, can poffibly be of different Opinions. But the prefent is a common Caufe, affecting every one of us, with- out Diftinction, in what is moft important to us : and God forbid, that the Minifters of the Gofpel mould be either unwilling or afraid to fpeak, when his Providence calls on them fq loudly, to lift up their Voice. Should the Storm, which is now beating on many of our Fellow-Subjecfts, be difperfed by infinite Good- nefs ever fo foon and fo intirely, without reach- ing Usj it may yet be of unfpeakable Ufe, tp have made the proper Reflections and Refolu- tions, whilft it was approaching towards us. And mould the Almighty fuffer us to feel it> as we have well deferved; nothing, but think- ing and behaving rightly under his Judgments, can give us Hope of his Mercy to moderate and ihorten them. Now whatever is requifite for thefe Ends, is clearly comprehended in the Words of the Text: which S E R M O N IV. 75 which bring naturally to our Thoughts the three following Particulars. I. The Interefts we have at Stake. Our People 9 and the Cities of our God. II. The Spirit, which we ought to mew in defending them. Be of good Courage, and let us play the Men, III. The humble Dependance on Heaven, which we ought to exercife at the fame Time. And the Lord do that which feemeth him good. I. The Interefts we have at Stake. Our People, and the Cities of our God: in other Words, our Civil Rights, and our Religion. The Defence of their Perfons and PofTeffions againft lawlefs Power, and the fecure Enjoy- ment of the Means of Happinefs here and here- after, were the great Motives, that induced Men to fubmit originally to Government, And every particular Government is good or bad, as it anfwers or fails of anfwering thefe Purpofes. Now in our own, as it ftands at prefent, our Liberties are greater than thofe of any other Nation upon Earth: we enjoy them fo fully, that we abufe them beyond Example: and, I believe } no one Perfon amongfl us, of Know- ledge 7 fr S E R M O N IV. ledge and Confi deration, doth or can fufpecl our King of having the leaft Defign to infringe any. Branch of them. The private Property of the very Meaneft is as fafe from the Violence and Opprefiion of the Greateft, as good Laws and an impartial Execution of them can be hoped to make it. And for the public Burthens we labour under, we have laid them on our- felves, by Reprefentatives of our own Choice, for Ufes, which we and our Fathers, very juftly in the main, thought necefiary: In particular for the moil important Ufe, of fecuring the Nation, from Time to Time, againfl the Mif- chief that now once more hangs over us : which if we at laft get rid of, all we have fpent is well laid out; and if we fubmit to, nil is thrown away. Still, there may doubtlcfs have been Faults committed, in Relation both to thefe and other Matters. But then, Part of the Faults com- monly charged may be imaginary 5 for we are all as fallible, as thofe whom we blame ; and few of us in fo good a Situation for judging. Part may be of fmall Coniequence; and there- fore no Ground for any great Refentment. Part may have arifen from our own Mifcondudl, as much, if not more, than frotn that of our Su- periors. S E R M O N IV. 77 periors. Part again may have proceeded from excufable Miftakes or Infirmities of theirs; for which, as we need Allowance in ourfelves, we mould make Allowance in others: efpecially in Princes, for the fame Reafon as in Parents ; and to a fit Degree, in thofe alfo that are employ- ed by them. But whencefoever apprehended Grievances may have come, we have legal, conftitutional, peaceable Means for redreffing them ; with uncontrolled Liberty to ufe thofd Means, if we will. And fuppofe they have not operated fo fpeedily, or fo effectually, as we may wim: yet, if Force may be ufed inftead of them, upon every Failure or Delay, efpecially when caufed merely by Difference of Opinions amongft ourfelves, no Society can ever fubiifr.. And if we are too corrupt a People to expect any Good from mutual Perfuafion ; much lefs can we expect it from mutual Violence. Then laftly, as for our Religion ; the leaft valued, I fear, yet infinitely the mod valuable of all our Bleffmgsj and which guards and fences the reft, in a Manner that nothing elfe can : our Religion, I fay,, is undeniably the molt rational and worthy of God, the moil humane and beneficial to Men, the furthefl from being either tyrannical or burdenfome, the freeft from Super- 78 S E R M O N IV. Superftitiori, Enthufiafm, and Gloominefs of any in the World. It is eftablimed with fuch Care, that the Support of it is infeparable from that of the Civil Government : yet happily with fuch Moderation, as to bear hard on none who diffent from it. The Practice of it indeed, we muft own, hath not besfi inforced on its Pro- feflbrs, fo generally or fo carefully as it ought, either by the Authority or the Example of thofe, whofe Duty it is. Would to GOD it had ! GOD grant it may! But ftill, they who have not duly excited Men to Piety, have not re- flrained them from it: and every one's Difre- gard to it is principally chargeable on himfelf alone. This I apprehend to be a true and a modeft Account of our prefent Condition: for I have put the 'Advantages of it at the loweft, in order to fay nothing that can be difputed. And what are we to change it for, if the Attempt, now making, fhould fucceed? Indeed what have we to expeft before it can fucceed, (for every one muft be convinced, that it will not be tamely fubmitted to,) bat a wide and horrid View, in Proportion as it makes a Progrefs, of Bloodmed in the Field and out of it, and of Ravage at the Pleafure of a rude and uncivilized People, to the S E R M O N IV. 7$ the imminent Hazard of every Thing, and every Perfon, dear to us ? Judgments, which this Ifland hath been long without experiencing: but how long, and how heavily it may groan under them now, unlefs a fpeedy Cheek be given to this Rebellion, God only knows. For a conquering Enemy, had he the Will, which, is dreadful to truft to, hath often 'hot the Power of reftraining the Deiolations of Fire and Sword, when once they are begun. But fuppole this Beginning of Sorrows over t what muft follow ? With Regard to our Civil Concerns : Ho\v large Numbers are there, .who have no other Security for a confiderable Part, it may be the Moft, or the Whole of their Property, than the Continuance of the Government now in being ; in whofo Hands it actually is ? And fhould that Government fail: as it cannot be hoped, that what hath been lent for its Sup- port, and proved one of its main Supports, will be regarded very favourably by thofe who come to overturn it; how terrible may the DiftrefTes of fuch Perfons be, and how much farther than themfelves muft they extend? To all their Do- rneftics, all their Dependants, all that have Dealings or Concerns with them. What Mul- titudes 8o S E R M O N IV. titudes are there again, whofe Fortunes ate in-* tirely, or principally, built on Royal Grants, judicial Determinations, or Acts of the Legifla- ture, made within the laft fix and fifty Years? which, in Cafe of a Change, will all become questionable, as done by incompetent Autho- rity, and lie at the Mercy of we know not whom. The Perfon, who. now threatens us* comes attended with a large and an indigent Train of Followers, collected from each of the Three Nations, who will think, and do their utmoft to make him think, that the long Suffer- ings of many of them, and the prefent dangerous Services of many mofe, can never be rewarded with fufficient Bounty. And when Revenge, and Poverty, and Avarice, are fet on Work to- gether, what Forfeitures may be claimed, what Mifdemeanors and Treafons charged, in a Na- tion, which will be looked on as the Whole of it involved in Treaibn, for fo many Years part; or how unfairly the plainefl Laws in our Fa- vour may be interpreted to admit of fuch At- tempts, or even wrefted to ferve them; which of us all can fo much as gusfs, or who can be affured of his own Safety ? But betides thefe Hazards to the Properties and- the Lives of particular Perfons, in what State S E R M O N IV. 81 State will be Commerce and Poffeffions of the Nation be? Think, what innumerable Debts the Pretender to His Majefty's Crown muft needs have contracted in fo long a Space, du- ring which he hath had nothing of his own to fubiifl on: think, what immenfe Sums foreign Princes may charge on Account of moft expen- iive Wars, which they may plead were begun or carried on for his Service : and how dread- fully this Nation may be exhaufted, to fatisfy but a fmall Part of thefe Demands: for which it will make no Amends, to annihilate the prc- jfent Incumbrances on our public Revenues, by a ruinous Breach of the public Faith. Think alfo, once more, what fatal Conceffions the Powers who fupport the prefent Invaiion, and who will be wanted for a continual Support, even were it to fucceed; what fatal Conceffions they will afluredly require in Return, of Places on which our Trade, depends, of Indulgences in Trade to themfelves, of Reftriclions upon Us ; which will reduce us to a Condition im- potent, precarious, and defpicuble. I fay not this, or any Thing, to raife in you a Spirit of unchriflian Bitternefs, either again ft the ignorant Wretches that have been deluded into this Rebellion, or even againft their Lead- G ers. $2 S E R M O N IV. ers. Let them be judged of with all the Cha- rity, let them be treated with all the Mercy, which their Cafe will poffibly allow : only let us fee the Mifchief, that their Succefs would bring on us, and exert ourfelves accordingly to prevent it. But were we ever fo fafe in other Refpe&s : what Security can we have with Refpeft to our happy, envied, legal Conftitution; when that Power of fufpending and difpenling with Laws, and levying Money without Law, which lays every Provifion, that can be made in Favour of the Subject, wholly at the Sovereign's Feet; and yet was not only claimed, but exercifed im- mediately before the Revolution, mould come of Courfe to be eftablifhed as a jufl Prerogative, by what will be called a Reftoration ? The Rights, that we have enjoyed as indifputably our own, from that Time to this, may then be accounted feditious and treafonable Pretences ; and every ExprefTion of Fondnefs for any Re- main of Liberty, be deemed a Step towards Rebellion: as indeed it will be thought but natural, to fufped: and ftifle the leaft breathing of that Spirit which once delivered us, in order to prevent another Change. Efforts notwith- {landing will, in all Likelihood, be made to- wards S E R M O N .IV. _ 83 wards one : how bloody and how fatal, who can tell? The Apprehenfion of thefe Efforts will be a much ftronger Plea, than in the late King James's Time, for keeping up a charge- able and dangerous ilanding Force, perhaps a, foreign one. The Dread of that Force will in- timidate fome ; and the Principle of turning to their own Advantage what they cannot help, will intice others, to go every Length of Com- pliance that they are required. And a Prince, coming in on the Bottom of Right Hereditary and Indefeafible, will think he hath the cleareft Title to Abfolute Power. His Partizans, even whilft he is out of PofTeflion, have openly avow- ed that he hath: and what can be expected then, if he mould get into it ! The mere Ex- ercife of fuch a Power very probably will not fatisfy: but Declarations and Oaths be invented -for the Acknowledgment and Support of it ; which, it will be impoflible for us, either to make with Innocence, or to refufe with Safety. Then for the State of our Religion : No one Inftance can be given, that Popery ever fpared Proteftantifm for any Continuance, after it was able fafely to opprefs it. But leaft of all will Favour be fliewn here, longer than Necellity obliges. For, to whatever Tendernefs many G 2 Of 84 S E R M O N IV. of that Communion may be* inclined; as, no Doubt, there are Numbers amongft them of mild and worthy Perfons : yet the uncharitable Part will affu redly prevail, as they always have done every- where ; and falfely imputing to our Religion that pretended Difloyalty, which pro- ceeded only from their illegal Attempts to over- turn the whole Conftitution, will not fail to argue, that the fame Caufe muft produce again the fame Effect, and therefore muft not be per- mitted to fubfift. Think then, all that love the Church of England, all that believe the Doctrines of the Reformation to be the Truth of Chrift, what a Condition it will be, either to profefs and pradtife the Falfehoods and Im- pieties, of which you are fo thoroughly con- vinced, or to be driven from this, and every other Place of God's public Worfhip into Cor- ners: nay, in a while, to be dragged out thence alfo, and facrificed to that Mother of Abomina- tions, which hath fo long been drunken ivitb the Blood of the Saints \ And let even them who are indifferent, or Doubters, or Unbelievers in Religion, reflecl: on this at leaft: that, as they are always in- veighing againft Superftition, fo the Church of b Rev. xvii. 5, 6. Rome SERMON IV. 85 "Rome is over-run with it to the higheft Degree poffible : and, as they are always exclaiming againft the Wealth and the Power of Ecclefi- aftics ; fo the Wealth and the Power, the Pride and the Tyranny of Popery, are unfpeakably the greateft, that ever the World knew. And if they will notwithstanding go at prefent upon their favourite Maxim, that All Religions are the fame, it will be a jufl Judgment of God to make them feel the Difference. But to thefe Things it may be anfwered, that the moft folemn Obligations , have unqueftion- ably been entered into, by him who claims the Crown, for our intire Security, both in Church and State. Nor indeed could any thing feem in Speculation more likely: becaufe nothing is more apparently requifite in all common Policy. And yet, furprizing as it is, no one clear and explicit Declaration of this Kind was made by the Pretender at the Time of the laft Rebellion: nor can I hear of any made by him at prefent. And I beg you to confider, if he will not pro- mife plainly now, what will he do afterwards/? For as to any good Words, given by another ih his Name, what can be eafier for him, than to difavow them, as going beyond the Commiffion which he granted ? But fuppofe the Itrongeft G 3 Afiu ranees 86 S.E R M O N IV. AfTurances given by himfelf: were they not given by the bloody Queen Mary to her Pro- teffont Subjects, who had fully merited them by their Zeal for railing her to the Throne ? And did {he -not perfecute them immediately^ and burn them in little more than a Twelve- month ? Were they not given by the late K-yig y&nes ? And had he not ftrong Motives of Gra- titude, as well as Confcience, to keep thein ? And yet did he keep them for the fmalleft Part of four Years ? - How can we then flatter our- felves, that any one, who claims under him, will be at all more favourable to that Religion, and thbie Liberties, which hav.e been all this Time the,, capital Enemies to his Pretenuons? The moft formal Declarations, that he can make, have been over and over, and long fines the Revolution, declared by the Authority of the See of Rome *' utterly null and void from " the Beginning, whenever they are prejudicial, *'. in any Manner, and the leaft Degree" (I ufe -the very Words of Pope Clement XI. in the very Cafe of Stipulations made in Favour of Proteftants) " to the Catholic Faith, the Sal- " vation of Souls, or to any Rights of the " Church whatsoever; even though fuch En- " gagements have been often ratified, and con- " firmed S E R M O N IV. 87 " firmed by Oath e ." Let therefore the Pre- tender to the Crown make Promifes ever fo full and expreffive, let his natural Difpoiitions to keep them be ever fo favourable; yet, as he profeffes Subjection of Conference to the Pope's Determinations, under whofe Eye he hath long refided, in whofe Dominions his Son, who hath now invaded us, was born and educated, and by whofe Bounty they have both been all along fupported; he cannot refufe to break any Ties, which ihall be declared fmful by his in- fallible Guide; who may purpofely have con- nived at his engaging in thiem, in order to his breaking them at a proper Time. But if he were to refufe it; can we imagine, that all his Succeflbrs tQO will be fo obftinately undutiful, as to fpare a Religion which they mortally hate, when they believe extirpating it will intitle them. to heaven, and atone for all the Sins of a wicked Life ? It muft be acknowledged, Popery hath ap- peared milder of late, than in former Ages. Yet even our Days have known the Executions of Thorn, and the Banifhments of Saltzburgh; and France, this very Year, hath been perfe- Clem. XI. Pont. Max. Epift. & Brevia. fol. Roma;, 1724. tojn. ii. p. 1 79. G 4 cuting S3 S E R M O N IV. curing and murdering our Proteflant Brethren for the Profeffion of their Faith. Nor hath, the Churcrrof Rome ever given up any one of the Claims, which it may have forborn to exercife: and, mould 'it once regain fo much of its an-^ cieht Power, as would necefTarily follow from prevailing here, it would foon refume its ancient Fiercenefs'in Proportion. Shall we perfuade ourfelves then, that Fear will reftrain a Popim Prince from attempting to overturn our Religion and Laws? But what if his greateft Fear mould be that of Damnation for not attempting 'it ? which was the known Cafe of King Jamesy and may be that oif others after him. 'Or what"- if it fhould be held the fafeft Way, in a political View, to make tho- rough Work at once, by the Affiftance of Fo- reigners, now preparing to invade us ? Still it may be faid, that whoever becomes our King, will at leaft, for his own Intereft, be careful of the Trade and Power of the Nation. But how can he, if he would; when he muft undoubtedly have promifed the contrary to fo- reign Powers already? And if he i's capable of deceiving Them, how fhall We truft him? But fuppofing he hath promifed them nothing : yet, if he prevails by their Help, what can he be SERMON IV. 89 be elfe, than a Deputy and a Viceroy, fubject to the Commands of our moft formidable Ad- verfaries ? This Consideration ought in Reafon to alarm even thofe who wifh well to his Caufe, even thofe who profefs his Religion; and make then! utter Enemies to his coming in fuch a Manner, however defirous they may be of his coming otherwife. For can we, or can they, make Terms with the Power of France, when we have once given it a footing in the Heart of our Country; or hope, that any Terms, which are made, will ever be obferved? Will that moil ambitious and perfidious Crown lofe fuch an Opportunity of weakening us by our own Strength, making us dependent on itfelf for ever, and Tools to enflave the reft -of Europe? Will it not treat both us, and the King it fets over us, as the Tyrant of Babylon did the Prince, whom he gave to the yews? He hath made a Covenant with him, and taken an Oath of him; he hath taken alfo the Mighty of the Land; that the Kingdom might be bafe, that it might not lift up itfelfi but that by the keeping of bis Covenant it might Jland A . d Ezek. xvii. 13, 14. Such 9 o S E R M O N IV. $.uch then being the View of our Dangers, let ijs proceed to confider, II. The Spirit, with which we .ought to de- fen$ ourfelves again ft them. Let us be ef good C our age i and play the Men. Thefe Words may fqeift.tQ exprefs the Duty of the Soldiery alone. Ant}, without Queftion, they exprefs that pe- culiarly : and, joined with the following ones, clearly fhew, that a ftrong Senfe of Religion, a,ad a virtuous Concern for the common Wel- fare, are the two Principles, that will give military Perfons Bravery and Succefs ; as they did to thofe,, whofe Hiftory the Text . relates. JSut flill the more literal Translation is, Be firing, and let us jlrengthen one another e . la this enfe they concern us All : this therefore I {hall follow. And if ever Caufe required exerting and joining all the Strength, and all the Courage we have, This is that Caufe. For the Attack is made by our Enemies, foreign and domeftic at once, on every Thing dear to us, Civil and Sacred : and Confcience towards God, as well as private Intereft and public Good, demands our utmoft Zeal in fuch a Conteft. See Gen, xxv. 22. xli. 2. 2 Kings xiv. 8, 1 1. The S E R M O N IV. 91 The Plea, which fome would ufe to check this Ardour, as if the Government we live under ought not to be fupported, becaufe the late King James and his Son were fet afide by the People, is abfolutely groundlefs. For in- deed King "James fet himfelf afide; abandoned the Government wilfully, rather than adminif- ter it according to Law: and by fo doing, left the Nation at Liberty, or rather under .Necef- fity to provide for itfelf in the Manner it did $ efpecially as he carried away the Perfon, whom, be. called his Son, along with him.- And had he not been carried away ; all the World knows, it was generally and ftrongly fufpeoted. that he was not the Queen's Child: and the" three Eftates of the Kingdom, the only fit Judges of a doubtful Succeffion, fixed it without taking Notice of him. But had none of thefe Things been fo; that unhappy King, feduced by Romifh Bigots, had invaded, with a high Hand, the Religious and Civil Rights of his People: in- ftead of giving the leaft Hope of Amendment, he was going on with Rapidity to the utter Deftru&ion of both. And Subjefts were not made for Princes, to be treated as their abfolute Property, and defcend from one to another like Cattle, let them be ufed as they will: But Princes 92 S E R M O N IV. Princess-were made for-their Subjects ; to govern them legally, and- feek their Good. What is the Duty of the one, is the Right of the other: and where there -is 'a Right, 'there ought to be a Remedy. Common Remedies are ever to be ufed in common Cafes: and ; if they are infuf- ficient, fingle Perfons ought to bear every Thing; and Nations, every Thing that can be borne without Deftruction ; rather than break the public Peace, and eftabllmed Order of Go- vernment. But in extreme, imminent, uni- verfal Dangers, Methods of the laft Refort, if neceflary and likely to fucceed, are fully war- ranted ; by the Nature of the Thing, by our original Conftitution, by ancient Practice upon it, and royal Recognitions of it. The Scripture indeed commands what Reafon itfelf doth, Subjection to the fupreme Powers. But how many other Commands are there, wfeioh confefledly admit of proper Exceptions r And were this ^to admit of none, yet the Scrip- ture doth not determine, in whofe Hands the fupreme Power is lodged. And where it is divided, as it is with Us, between the King and his great Council, by whofe joint Autho- rity every Statute is expreffed to be made : he, who refufes to iland to that Divifion, as the late SERMON IV. 93 late King Barnes did openly, both by Word and Deed, renounces the Authority that be- longed to him under it j and other Authority he hath none. Or fuppofe even this doubtful ; the Scripture requires Subjection: But to whom ? To the Powers that be, the adual, vifible Go- vernments of every Country. Thefe it declares are ordained of God-, and that they who rejift, Jhall receive Damnation { . Not the leaft Hint given, of enquiring into the Juftice of an Efta- blimment in its firfl ;Rifc long ago: a Thing which few Subjects can do, and perhaps few Governments can bear. Not the flighted Inti- mation, of adhering for ever to the Family of an abdicated Prince, and going on, Age after Age, to afcribe the fovereign Authority over a Nation, to a Perfon that hath no Means of ex- ercifing any one Act of Authority. The Ne- ceflities of Mankind render it abfurd: the Prac- tice and the Notions of Mankind have always been contrary to it. Heathens, Jewsy Chrif- tians, Papifts, Proteftants, all the World have agreed in the Point with univerfal Confent; excepting a fmall Handful of Men in this one Age and Nation: Perfons greatly to be pitied, and highly to be efteemed, while they fubmit f Rom. xiii. 1,2, . peaceably 94 SERMON IV. peaceably to Inconveniences for Confcience Sake \ but furely guilty of as indefenfible a Sin- gularity, as ever was. There may indeed often be a Doubt, and fometimes it may laft a good while, which are the Powers that be : whether a Government is yet to be confidered as eftablimed, or not. But in our own Cafe, if a Duration of fo many Years, and the peaceable Succeflion of fo many Princes, and the repeated Acknowledgments of the whole People of thefe Kingdoms, and of all the Sovereigns and Nations of the Earth, do not make it a clear Point, in whofe Hands the fupreme Authority of this Country long hath been, and actually now is : nothing of fuch a Nature can ever be clear at all. Very few of Us have either kftown, or lived under any other Government: we have all of us claimed, and enjoyed the Protection of this: we have acted in Purfuance of its Authority ; we have prayed continually for its Prefervation ; we have many of us bound our Souls by folemn Oaths, and fome of us by repeated ones, to maintain it: in fo doing, we maintain at the fame Time, every Thing that is valuable to us and our Poiterity : and there cannot be a firmer Tie upon us, than thefe Things together : nor more 4 abandoned SERMON IV. 95 abandoned Wickednefs, than to break through it. Strengthened thus then within ourfelves, let us proceed to ftrengthen one another. God knows, inftead of this, we have taken great Pains to weaken one another, by feparate Inte- refts and Views, Animofities and Refentments, unkind Sufpicions, and unjuft Imputations. What Party or Sort of Men hath been moft to blame in this Refped, were it ever fo eafy to fay, would be very unfit: when the plain Con- cern is, not to accufe and recriminate, but all to unite in what affects all fo nearly. They therefore, who have hitherto thought the Dan- ger of fuch an Attempt fmall, let them now (hew they were far from wilhing it greater. They who have been difTatisfied with particu- lar Meafures of Government, let them now give Proof, that they were not difaffected to the Government itfelf: and if poffibly in any Thing they may have oppofed too far, take this fitteft Opportunity of making Amends. This will demonflrate the Uprightnefs of their In*- tendons, give Weight to their Sentiments on other Matters, and pull down the falfe Hopes, that our Enemies have founded on our domeftic Disputes. But then, at the fame Time, if the Zeal 96 S E R M O N IV. Zeal of any for the prefent Eftablimment, hath tempted them to judge too hardly concerning the Affection of others towards it, they ought now candidly to acknowledge their Error: em- brace thofe as true Friends, who approve them- felves to be fuch in the Day of Trial; and re- member for the future, that Strength is attain- ed, not by Divifion, but by Union. Indeed we mould all remember, inftead of aggravating what our Oppofers have done amifs, to reflect ferioufly what we and our Friends have been faulty in: and perhaps we mould mofl of us find, it hath been a great deal too much. But it is not mutual good Temper alone, that our Cafe requires -, but mutual Affiftance and Encouragement, to be given with Spirit by each of us, according to his Ability, and the Nature of his Station, to all around him : by ranking ourfelves openly on the Side we are of; joining our Counfels, contributing our Money, hazarding our Perfons, if need require it -, by inftructing, undeceiving, exciting, fortifying, as many others as we can. That Part would be indifferent, Part timorous, and All refift weakly, was the great Thing, that the Adver- faries of the Government promifed themfelves, and S E R M O N IV. 97 and its Friends were apprehenfive of. God be thanked, both of them in fome Degree have feen their Miftake. Let us go on to complete the Convi and it flail come to nought: /peak the Word, and it flail not Jland: for God is with us. Santtify therefore the Lord of Hofts, and let him be your Fear, and let him be your Dread, and he Jhall be for a Sanctuary n . For God ivill Jave Sion, Jfa. viii. 9, 10, 13, 14, H 3 and S E R M O N IV. and will build the Cities of Judah. The Pofte- rity alfo of his Saints jhall inherit it- t and they that low his Name JhalL dwell therein . Their Children Jhall continue ', and their Seed jhall be ejtablijhed before him v . Pfalm Ixix, 35-, 36. Pfalm cii 8. SER- S E R M ON V. (Preached in 1745.) PHIL. iv. 6, 7. Be ' careful for nothing : but m every 'Thing by Prayer and Supplication, with < Tha?2kfghmg > let your Requefts be made known unto God. And the Peace of God, which pa/eth all Under- Jiandmg, jhall keep your Hearts and Mi?ids 9 through Chrift Jsfus. DANGERS are fo conftant, and Suffer- ings fo frequent, in human Life, that behaving properly under the Apprehen- fions and Experience of them, conflitutes a very confiderable Part of our Buiinefs here. But when Providence permits a peculiar Degree of either to be our Lot, it calls us peculiarly to think, what Methods will beft prefer ve us from them, or carry us through them. Now thefe are of two Sorts: Worldly Prudence, and Re- H 4 io4 S E R M O N V. ligious Wifdom. The Precepts of the former it is not the Bufinefs of this Place to deliver ; but to limit and perfect them by the Dictates of the latter: fhat we may neither endeavour to fecure ourfelves by acting wrong, nor doubt of Support in acting right. We are apt to look, on Religion, very injurioufly, as only prefcrib- ing difagreeable Duties -, whereas it fuggefts the kindeft Advice, and fuperadds the moft com- fortable Promifes: which cannot be done more completely, in the great Point of moderating Fear and Uneafinefs, than it is in the Text: where v/e have I. A friendly Caution : Be careful for no- thing. II. A moft neceflary Direction : But in every Thing by Prayer and Supplication, with ^hankf- gtving, let your Requefts be made known unto God. III. And Aflurance of the happy Effect, which this Conduct will produce : And the Peace of God, which paffeth all Underjlanding, pall keep your Hearts and Minds, through Cbrtjl Jefus. I. A friend- S E R M O N V. 105 1. A friendly Caution: Be careful for no- thing: Words, which neither common Reafon allow us to take in their utmoft Extent, nor Scripture itfelf. For it every-where demands from us the moft earneft Care about the Things of another World: and enjoins, quite as often as it needed, a moderate Care about the Affairs of This. Being careful therefore muft mean, in the PalTage which I have read to you, as an Expreflion mighty little varied from it, being full of Care, doth for the moft Part, in our daily Speech ; not a difcreet and rational, but a difquieting and tormenting Solicitude: and that principally, not concerning our Behaviour, which is the only Thing in our Power; but the Event, which is often entirely out of it. This the Original Greek Phrafe clfe where ufu- ally fignifies, though not always. In the Sixth of St. Matthew it is many Times rendered, Take no 'Thought. But there alfo we muft re- member, that only what is immoderate was intended to be forbidden : which, it had been happy, if our Tranflation had more determi- nately exprefTed. Thoughtfulnefs concerning our Deportment, our Welfare, that of others, and the Public, ib far as it will really be of Ufe, is a Duty of i indif- io6 S E R M O N V. indifpenfable Obligation. And firft acting at Random, then turning our Eyes from the evil Day, when we fee it coming, inftead of con- fidering how we may avert it, or make the beft Provi(k>n againft it, will prove the furefl Way to bring it on with its blackeft Horrors. But the contrary Extreme,- Anxiety, is both a mi- ferable Feeling in itfelf, and the Parent of many farther Mifchiefs, - without any -Mixture of Good. It reprefents every Object of Terror as vaftly greater than it is in Truth: and fre- quently gives far more Pain beforehand, than the Prefence of all that we fear, is capable of giving. Nay, it makes us tremble at mere Spectres : and fills us* with the mofl alarming Sufpicions, fometimes of what cannot happen, often of what is highly improbable. And yet, were it ever fo likely, exceffive Dread will do nothing towards preferving us from it. Calm Reflection will inftruct and excite us to do every Thing for ourfelves, which we are able to do : and the utmoft Agonies of Difquiet can never carry us beyond our Abilities. Indeed very commonly vehement Emotions either hinder us from feeing what is fit, or difqualify us from performing it: nay, hurry us into what is very unfit; S E R M O N V. 107 unfit, and prejudicial to the Point, which we have in View. But were they to leave us other wife intirely Matters of ourfelves, that Eagernefs of looking farther than we can fee, which they always be- get, hath a powerful Tendency to miflead us very unhappily. Dangers, which we think we difcern at a Diftance, may have no Reality : or if they have, may never draw near. Dangers that are near, may never reach us: and Evils, that have reached us, may vanifli on a fudden. Thefe are no Reafons againft prudent Forecaft: but they are ftrong Reafons againft extracting Wretchednefs out of Speculations on Futurity, inftead of following quietly and chearfully the proper Bufmefs of the prefent Day ; fince we know not what another may bring forth*, and confequently require us to contrive or execute, to grieve or rejoice at. To-morrow, our blefled Saviour hath told us, fhall take Thought for the Things of itfelf*: Time, as it runs on, will direct us much better than we can guefs now, what Precautions we are to take, and what Judgments we are to form, about remote Af- fairs: and fince all, that appears at this, Inftant likely to fall out, or wife to do, may poflibly * Prov. xxvii. i. k Matt. vi. 34. in ie>8 SERMON V. in the next appear quite otherwife ; we ought fludioufly to moderate both our Actions and our Paffions, by recollecting the Mutability of the World : which would fave us a vaft deal of fruitlefs Labour, and needlefs Mifery. We every one of us think the Sorrows of Life abun- dantly enough : why then mould we multiply them by long Anticipations; and load purfelves at once with Misfortunes prefent and to come, unmindful of our gracious Lord's important Maxim : Sufficient unto the Day is the Evil thereof* ? Had our Maker framed . the human Mind in fuch Manner, that we mud have been always forecafting grievous Things*, and fufFer- ing every Hour, in Thought, all that through a Courfe of Years we are to fufTer in Reality, and much more ; we mould certainly have looked on it as very hard Ufage. Why thca will we bring ourfelves into a State, in which if God had placed us, we mould have corn- plained of him, as cruel ? He hath mercifully hid future Events from us, left the Forefight of them mould make us unhappy. And we pry into them by Conjecture, and dwell upon them by Imagination, that we may be unhappy whe- ther he will or not. c Matt. vi. 34. * Wifd. xvii. 11". This S S E R M'O N V. 109 This, you fee, is more than Folly: it is evidently Sin. He intended us to live here in Comfort and Peace: and we are not at Liberty to frustrate his Defign, by making ourfelves un- eafy and wretched. Both Nature and Scrip- ture plainly forbid it. Nor have we the leaft Ground to hope, that the Fault will be deemed a Punimment fevere enough for itfelf. Many others are accompanied with grievous Mifery, to which not with (landing more hereafter is de- fervedly threatened. And the Guilt of inordi- nate Solicitude is greater, than we generally apprehend. It implies, not only Difobedience to God, but Diftruft in .him. It unfits us for the Offices of Piety and of common Life. Bj dejecting the Spirits, and fouring the Temper, it renders us different, in many Reipedts, from what we fhould be, to all around us. It leads Perfons into flrong Temptations, of raiting and cheering theinfclves under their Troubles by falfe and pernicious Supports, or of feeking Deliverance from them by di&oneft Arts and Compliances. It infe&3 others, who fee it, with the fame Apprehensions: which may pro- duce the fame or worfe Effects on their Quiet, .nay their Innocence. And in Proportion, .as difcoirragmg Alarms became epidemical, the Calamity no S E R M O N V. Calamity dreaded becomes likely to happen. Still, fo much of this wrong Turn, as is really conftitutional and unavoidable Weaknefs, will certainly not be imputed as criminal. And therefore we ought not to double our Uneafi- nefs, by adding to involuntary Anxieties a rigid Condemnation of ourfelves for them : but ftrive againft them to the utmoft of our Power 5 and then be fatisfied with the Confcioufnefs, that we have done fo: only not deceiving our Hearts with a Notion, that we have refifted Fears, which in Truth we have indulged. But fome will fay, " How can we refill: " them ? Muft we not of Neceffi ty be terrified " at what we perceive is terrible : be concerned " about what we are fenfible is of great Con- " cern to us? Where is the virtue of pretend- " ing to blind ourfblves, or even of doing it " actually, if we could?" Noae at all certainly. But the Rule prefcribed you is, not to fhut, but open your Eyes, and contemplate the whole of your Cafe deliberately and impartially. For perhaps it is not fo bad, perhaps not near fo bad, as you conceive, though you were to look on it only in a worldly View. And yet were outward Appearances, and our own Strength, all that we had to look at, there would be no Wonder, S E R M O N V. in Wonder, if fometimes our Hearts fainted with- in us at the Profpecl: for the ftouteft and the proudeft Hearts have fainted, before Us, on like Occafions. But the never-failing Founda- tion of Comfort is this. A Being infinitely powerful, wife, and benevolent, fuperintends the Univerfe continually: thefe Attributes af- ford us large Ground of Hope; and, that our own Unworthinefs may raife no Doubt, his ex- prefs Declarations give us full Affurance, that if we fly to him with humble Faith, he will not fuffer us to be tempted above that we are abk, but will, with the Temptation, alfo make a Way to efcape* . The moft ufual , Anxiety of Men is about the daily NeceiTaries of Life. With Refpect to thefe therefore he condefcends to argue with us particularly -, and the Argu- ment will hold as well concerning lefs common Exigencies: that fince he fuftains the Vegeta- ble Part of the Creation, which can do nothing fpr itfelf, and the Animal, which cannot do near fo much as we : certainly he will take of Us, on doing what we ought, a Care propor- tionable to the Superiority of our Nature. For in this lies the Force of our Saviour's Reafoning. > when he faith, Behold tke Fowls of the 6 i Cor. x. i 3. Air-, H2 S E R M O N V. Air ; they few not ; neither do they reap ; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them : Are ye not much better than they*? He doth not mean, that they take no Pains, and therefore we are to take none. They take a great deal, in feek- ing Food, and contriving Security againft Dan- gers, for themfelves and for their Young, ac- cording to the Extent of their Faculties. And we are to take as much, in Proportion to the Extent of ours. But then, as Providence fur- nifhes to Them, fo far as confifts with its wife Purpofes, whatever they need, and cannot ac- quire by their own Power: the fame Provi- dence will certainly watch over Us with more peculiar Tendernefs, even in the prefect State; befides that what we fuffer now (hall increafe our Happinefs hereafter. And therefore, fince They are eafy in Their Condition, ^weil may We in Ours. For it would be ftrange indeed, if that Order of earthly Beings, which enjoys the greatefl Favour beyond all Comparifon, (hould be the only one difcontented. Reflect then : where human Care ends, the Divine Care begins. The Duty of To-day is our Bu T finefs-5 the Event of To-morrow is our heavenly Father's: and fbrely you do not wifh to remove * Mt, vi, 16. it S E R M O N V. 113 it out of his Hands into your own j or furmife, that you can poffibly be unfafe, while under the Protection of Him, with whom the very Hairs of your Head are all numbered*. Here then we have a fecure Refuge againft Inquietude. But let us remember: If, having it, we ufe it not: if, profefling Faith in God, we allow ourfelves to be as much difconcerted and per- plexed on every Alarm, as they that have no Hope, and are without God in the World* -, we either think unworthily of him, or behave quite unfuitably to what we think; and our Guilt is greater, as our Temptation to it is lefs. When therefore, on being troubled and caft down, we are inclined to lay the Blame on accidental or natural Lownefs of Spirits, or whatever Excufe occurs, kt us take Heed, left there be in us an evil Heart of Unbelief \ or Difobedience. If there be, amending That is the Way to uphold him that was falling, and Jirengthen the feeble Knees*. But in vain mall we attempt any Thing bene- ficial to us, if we truft to ourfelves for Succefs. And therefore, to make his Caution effectual, the Apoftle fubjoins, 8 Matt. x. 30. h Eph. ii. iz. Heb. iii. 12. "Jobiv.4. I II. A moft ii4 S E R M O N V. II. A moft fieceffary Direction. In' every Thing by Prayer and Supplication, with Thankf- gtving, let your Requefts be made known unto God. The ufual Method is, to be careful about many Things ', and pray about Nothing : but the right one is, to be careful about Nothing, but pray about every Thing, which is of Im- portance enough to be laid before the Lord of All. The Movements of our Hearts indeed, though unuttered, are clearly difcerned by him: and he forefaw from Eternity whatever we fhould wim on every Occafion. But the Scrip- ture fpeaks in the Language of Men: and calls that making known our Requefts to God, which is only exprefling before him what he is per- fectly acquainted with already, in order to im- print more efficacioufly, on ourfelves and others, the Sentiments concerning him, which belong to our Condition. Applying to the, Almighty in our Difficulties immediately reminds us, on whom we and all Things depend: and brings it ftrongly to our Thoughts, that the moft threatning Dangers cannot advance one Step farther, than infinite Wifdom fees it proper they mould, and infinite 1 Luke x. 4z. Goodnefs SERMON V. 115 Goodnefs permits. Placing ourfelves in his Prefence awes and compofes our worldly Fears; not by a fervile Dread of him, forcibly over- coming them, and fubftituting itfelf, a Hill worfe Terror, in their Stead; but by a filial Reverence, mixed with humble Reliance on his Favour, which calms and revives us in fuch Manner, that we perceive our Solicitudes to va- nifh even whilft we are confeffing them; and quickly fmile at what we fhuddered at before. Then, befides, venting our Defires to Him, {hews us in the fulleft Light, which are fmful, and to be repreffed, if we hope for Acceptance with him: and begging his Help, muft power- fully admonifh us, that we are not to think of helping ourfelves by Methods difpleafing to him ; but adhere ftriftly to our Duty, and be allured it will lead us out of whatever Perplexities it leads us into. Commit thy Way unto the Lord, and put thy truji in him, and he ft all bring it to pafs m . Further yet, praying to our Father which is in Heaven, leads us to confider him as our common Father: who is concerned, not only for us, but for all our Friends; and ex- ped:s us to be zealous for the general Good, as well as our own; and on no Account to with- m Pf. xxxvii. 5. I 2 draw n6 S E R M O N V. draw from the Service of the Body, of which he hath made us Members. Piety therefore, excites the trueft and firmeft public Spirit; but fmooths and tempers, at the fame Time, that Roughnefs and Vehemence, which too fre- quently renders it ineffectual and hurtful, by promoting, as it doth beyond all Things, an humble Opinion of ourfelves, and Meeknefs towards others. With fuch Difpofitions, we fhall be duly qualified for the Mercy we in treat : and they who are, will never fail to receive it. For this is the Confidence which we have, in him, faith the beloved Difciple, that if we ajk any 'Thing ac- cording to his Willy he heareth us. And if we know that he heareth us, whatfoever we ajk, we know that we have the Petitions which we de- jired of him'". We are fure of the very Favours we beg, if they are conducive to his Glory, and the Happinefs of his Creatures: which doubt- lefs the Deliverance of this Nation from its Enemies muft be, fmce we profefs and fupport his holy Truth, would we but penitently con- form our Conduct to it. And his long For- bearance under our Provocations gives us Room to expect every Inftance of Mercy, in Cafe of n i John v. 14, ij. 4 our S E R M O N V. 117 our Amendment. What indeed the humble Applications of a few may do for others, He only knows. But for themfelves they will cer- tainly obtain infinitely greater Benefits, than fharing in the higheft Degree of earthly Prof- perity. Now the fole Reafon of our praying for any Thing is, that we fuppofe it will be good for us. And therefore we pray for no- thing of this World abfolutely, but on that Condition. So that if God, who knows beft, withholds it becaufe it will be otherwife, he grants our Requeft in the general, though he refufes it in the particular : and if we are wife, far from being overwhelmed by the fevereft Difpenfations, we mail not only be contented, but glad, in fuch Meafure as human Infirmity and Sympathy permit, that His Will jhould be done, not Ours". For this Caufe the Apoftle, when he might have faid, what moft People would have thought very fufKcient, that we mould make our Requefts known unto God with Refignation, chofe to fay more, that we mould do it with Tbankf giving. And indeed we ought to be hear- tily thankful, not only for the many and great Bleflings, temporal and fpiritual, national and Luke xxii. 4.2. I 3 perfonal, ii8 S E R M O N V. perfonal, which God continues to us in the Midft of his Corrections, (O that we would all think ferioufly, how many and great they are) but even for his Corrections themfelves : and much more for the Alarms and Warnings, the Liftings up of his Rod, which are defigned to prevent the Neceffity of heavier Judgments. What he doth with this View, though it pro- duce terrifying Apprehenfions* is the moft real Kindnefs -, the only Kindnefs, that we permit him at prefent to (hew. Many, we may hope, will be influenced by fuch awful Notices, to amend their Ways. But at leaft we need not fail of being influenced ourfelves to what is right. And then, whatever the Event be to thofe around us, to Us it mall be happy: if in no other Refpect, yet in That, which, beyond all Comparifon, is of the greateft Confequence: Our light AffiitHons 'which are but for a ^Mo- ment y fiall work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory p . Knowing thefe Things, well might the A- poftle add in the Text III. An AiTurance of the blefled Effect, which railing our Thoughts from Earth to P 2 Cor. iv. 17. Heaven S E R M O N V. 119 Heaven will produce. And the Peace of God, which pafleth all Under/landing, Jhall keep your Hearts and Minds, through Cbrift Jefus. Bad Perfons, as they have never any well- grounded, have feldom any long-continued Peace of Mind, even in Profperity : and much lejfs can they hope for it in Troubles and Dan- gers. If they have not been juft and merciful, they are confcious of ill-deferving Behaviour to their Fellow-creatures. If they have not been uniformly virtuous and religious, they know they have acled undutifully and ungratefully to their Creator. If they have not by due Appli- cation for Pardon reconciled themfelves to Him, the Guilt of their Sins remains upon them: and the whole Creation is a Weapon in his Hands againft them. They may be ftupidly unmoved by thefe Confiderations : they may affect: to hide their Convictions, or flrive to run away from them into whatever prefents it- felf. But ufually the livelieilt and ftrongeft na- tural Spirits will link under them, in a Time of fevere Trial. Or fuppofing they do not ; the more obftinately fuch Perfons hold out, and the more gaily they go on, the heavier in all Like- lihood will be their prefent Ruin, but the dread- I 4 fuller iso S E R M O N V. fuller certainly their final Sentence. For fooner or later, and with full Recompence for ever fo long Delay, the folemn and repeated Denunci- ation muft be verified, Wbatfotver a Manfow- eth y that Jhall he alfo reap . But the obedient and devout Soul, which looks beyond worldly Appearances, and refls itfelf on the divine Providence, is intitled, whatever outward Commotions happen, to the trueft, the fleadieft, the moft delightful inward Compofednefs : to that Peace of God, that Senfe of being in Friendship with Him, that Feeling of Comfort and Joy flowing from him, which paffeth all Under/landing ; exceeds the Conceptions of thofe who have not experienced it, and {hall exceed hereafter the prefent Con- ceptions of thofe who have. Yet the fincerely Good may not conftantly enjoy a very high De- gree of This. The Imperfection of their Good- nefs, the Lownefs of their Spirits, Errors of Judgment, fudden Alarms, Afflictions uncom- monly grievous, may lefTen, may interrupt it : or God may, for fecret Reafons of infinite Wif- dom, hide bis Face from them r for a Time. But, ordinarily fpeaking, their Tranquillity ard Confolation will be found proportionable to their i Gal, vi. 7. T Pfa. xiii. i. Improve- S E R M O N V. 121 Improvements in real Religion. And, though undoubtedly Seafons of Difficulty and Hazard will give fome Uneafinefs to the befl Minds; yet no more, than is moderate, and very tole- rable: no more, than leaves them, on the whole, in a peaceful State ; and able to caft, if not all, as they mould, yet the moft of their Care on Him, who careth for them '. Let us therefore try ourfelves by this Rule, whether we have indeed practical Faith and Confidence in the Almighty. And if not, let us inftantly labour to obtain it, by a total For- faking of our Iniquities, 'which have feparated between Us and Him*, and humble Addrefles for Grace to help in ime of Need " The com- mon Refource is to the Help of Man alone: there be many that fay, who will jhew us any Good? but the Language of a well inftru&ed Heart is, Lord, lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us". Some put their Truji in Chariots, and fome in Horfes : but let us remember the Name of the Lord our God*: provide for our Security with the utmoft Prudence, and defend our Caufe with the boldeft Zeal: but ftill rely on Him alone, who giveth Victory unto > i Pet. v. 7. Ka. lix. 2. Heb. iv. 16. w Pfa. iv. 6, 7. * Pfa. xx. 7. Kings. 122 S E R M O N V. Kmgs r . Every other Aid may fail : but God cannot. He is able to fave by many or by Jew z : to break the Arm of the Wicked*, and dif appoint the Devices of the Crafty*. He Jlilleth the Raging of the Sea, the Noife of its Waves, and the Madnefs of the People c . Under his Conduct, the Things, that feem the moil againjl us H , may prove the very Means of our Deliverance: and the fierceft Storms drive the Ship with -more Speed into a fafe Harbour. Therefore y2zy to them, that are of a fearful Heart , Be jirong, fear not: behold your God~ will come with a Re- compence ; he will come and fave you e . All, who are penetrated with thefe Truths, though timorous naturally, and while the Danger is dif- tant, mall when it draws near, out of Weak- nefs be made jlrong, and wax valiant in Fight { ; not with a tumultuous and tranfitory animal Courage, but a calm and fledfaft Refolution, keeping, as the Apoftle expreffes it, their Hearts and Minds, quieting their Paffions, fixing their Judgments, and by Confequence determining their Behaviour. The Reafonings of fuch Per^ fons will be thofe of the Pfalmift: God is our Hope and Strength, a very prefent Help in Trou- T Pfa. cxliv. 10. * * l Sam. xiv. 6. Pfa. x. 15. * Job v. 12. Pfa. Ixv. ? . a Gen. xlii. 36. * Ifa. xxxv. 4. f Heb. xi. 34. Me. S E R M O N V. 123 ble. therefore will we not fear, though the Earth be moved, and though the Hills be carried into the Midji of the Sea: though the Waters rage and f well, and though the Mountains Jhake at the Tempejl of the fame. 'The Rivers of the Flood thereof Jhall .make glad the City of God, the holy Place of the Tabernacle of the Mofl High. God is in the Midft of her, therefore foall Jhe not be removed : God Jhall help her, and that right early. The Nations make much ado 9 and the Kingdoms are moved: but God fhewetb his Voice, and the Earth jhall melt away. . The Lord of Hojis is with us, the God of Jacob is our Refuge*. Thefe are the Grounds, and there cannot be ftronger, on which a good Per- fon, unlefs he is wanting to himfelf, will not be afraid of any evil Tidings : for his Heart Jiandethfaji, and believeth in the Lord* 1 . Nay, were it not the Pleafure of God to deliver his People from their Enemies, even in that Cafe, they would be enabled to fuff'er according to his Will, and commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator 1 . But then we muft ever obferve, by whofe Means alone this unconquerable Firmnefs, this inconceivable Serenity, is to be acquired. The * Pfa. xivi. i 7. h Pfa. cxii. 7. j i Pet. iv. 19. Peace 124 SERMON V. Peace of God flail keep your Hearts and Minds, through Chrtft Jtfus. For as, without Faith in Religion, Perfons very often have no Refuge at all in the Storms and Troubles that overtake them; fo, without Faith in the Chriftian Re- ligion, they are liable ftill to moft uneafy and dimeartening Fluctuations; from Doubts, how far Providence extends ; Doubts of their own Tkle to Forgivenefs and Favour ; Doubts of the Exiftence and Duration of a future Reward: to all which the Gofpel hath put the happieft End; informing Mankind with Certainty of every Thing that could induce them to act right with chearful Perfeverance ; and confirming the highefl Expectations, which they can poffibly entertain, by that equally convincing and affect- ing Argument: He that fpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how /hall be not with him a/fo f reefy give us all Things*? Thus then we have Hope, as an Anchor of the Soul, jure and Jledfajt, and which entereth into that within the Veil-, lays hold on the promifed State of invifible Glory, whither the Forerunner is entered for us, to take Pofleffion already in our Name, evenjefus 1 : whofe gracious Words to his Difciples we ought to have conftantly pre- k Rom. viii. 32. * Heb. vi. 19, ZQ. fent SERMON V. 125 fent to our Thoughts, when Clouds arife and darken our Profpe<5l, hang over our Heads, and feem ready to burft upon us. Thefe Things have Ifpoken unto you, that in me ye might have Peace. In the World ye jh all have Tribulation: but be of good Cheer: I have overcome the World*. Peace I leave 'with you : my Peace I give unto you : let not your Heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid*. m John xvi. 33. n John xiv. 2 7. SER- SERMON VI. (Preached in 1746, on the Victory at CULLODEN.) 2 COR. i. 9, 10. But we had the Sentence of Death in ourfefaes, that we jhould not truft in ourfehes, but in God which raifeth the Dead : Who delivered us from fo great a Death, and doth deliver - y in whom we truft, that he will yet deliver us. OU R gracious Sovereign having appointed, of his own mere Motion arid Perfonal Piety, a folemn Acknowledgment to Heaven, for our late Victory over the Rebels, to be inferted in the Prayers of this Day, per- mit me, as far as I am able, to be a Helper of your y^y* on that happy Occafion. And may God effectually difpofe us all to rejoice before Verfe 24. Him 128 S E R M O N VI. Him* in fo wife and religious a Manner, as may lay a fure Foundation for his rejoicing over Us to do us Good* -, for his going on to comfort us again, after the 'Time that he hath afflicted Us, the Tears 'wherein we have fuffered Adver* I hope it may promote this blelTed End, if we confider our Condition in the fame Views in which the Text places before us that of the Apoftle St. Paul, comprehending an Account, I. Of his Danger: A great Death, of which be bad the Sentence within himfelf. II. Of his Defender from it : God, who had delivered, and didjlill deliver him. III. Of the Reafons, for which he was firft permitted to fall into this Danger, then brought out of it : that he might not truft in Himfelf, but might truft in God, which raifeth the Dead: as accordingly he declares he doth, for Deli- verances yet future. I. His Danger: A great Death, of which he had the Sentence within himfelf. Death, being the Extremity of temporal Sufferings, in the Hebrew Idiom, which exprefles every Thing k Deut. xii. 12. Jer. xxxii. 41. * Pfa. xc. i$. ftrongly, SERMON VI. 129 ftrongly, fignifies any very dreadful Evil or Hazard. Thus Pharoah, on the Plague of Locufts, begs of Mofis ; Entreat the Lord your God, that he may take away from me this Death only *. But more efpecially Hazard of Life goes under that Name. Whence David fpeaks of himfelf, as Counted ivitb them that go down into the Pit-, free among the Dead, like the Slain that lie in the Grave*. Now St. Paul, to ufe his own Phrafe towards the latter End of this Epiftle, had been in Deaths often*. And therefore the Term, fo great a Death, muft denote, that on the Occaiion, to which he re- fers, his Peril was eminent, peculiarly terri- ble, and, humanly fpeaking, unavoidable. His own Words are, we were preffed out of Meajiire, above Strength, infomuch that we defpaired even of Life h . Farther Particulars cannot now be difcovered, excepting one, which he adds, of fmall Confequcnce to Us, that this Trouble came to him in AJia. But by his Manner of notifying it, and the Warmth of his Defcrip- tion, it muft have been recent, fince he wrote the former Epiftle. e Exod. x. 17. f Pfal, Ixxxviii. 4, s Chap, xi, 23. * Vcr. 8. How 130 SERMON VI, I low lately we have been in like Did reft, you all know. How gfeat a Death we muft have furTered* had our Enemies prevailed; how total a Deftruclion of every Thing valuable to us on Earth, that can be dcftroyed by Man ; I endeavoured to mew you at the very Begin- ning of their Attempt : and the whole Body of the Nation, God be thanked, have exprefll-d the ftrongeft Deteftation of it. May neither the Horror of the impending Ruin, nor the frightful Probability there was of its overwhelm-" ing us, ever be forgot. Recollect, I intreat you, what your fucceffive Apprehenfions have- been for many Months pail : on the early and intire, and eaiy Defeat of our Forces by the Rebels ; on the defencekfs Condition in which the liland then was; on their pafiing after- wards, unhurt, by two Armies pofled to inter- cept them, and approaching towards this Capi- tal ; on the Profpsc! of powerful Aiiiftance to them from Abroad ; on the credible, though happily falfe, Intelligence of our being actually invaded ; on the fare Retreat of our domeflic Enemies into the North, to join, as it was aitirmed and believed, with foreign Succours there ; on our fecor.d Difappointment in Battle, a fatal one it might have proved ; on the con- tinuaj SERMON VL 131 tinual Dangers, to which that heroic Prince was expofed, whofe Prefence and Conduct, and Courage and Activity, were fo effentially ne- cefTary for animating our difpirited Troops ; on the Reafiembling and Succefles of our Foes, after a feeming Defpondency and Difperfion ; on the Largenefs of their Numbers, the Advantages of their Situation ; and laftly, on the flrong Re- port of what was but too poffible, a complete Victory obtained by them, when indeed one had been obtained over them, of which we were ignorant. Had we not often, daring this Pe- riod, the Sentence of Death within ourfehes ? Were we not troubled on every Side ; without were Fightings, within were Fears ! j Mem Hearts faikng them for Fear, and for looking after tbop Things which were coming on the Earth*? And had we been afked, at feme. Junctures efpecialiy, as the Prophet was, in Language akin to that of the Text, Can theft dry Bones live ? Can this exhausted Nation rife up again, and fnake off the PreiTures, from every Quarter, under which it labours ? What other Reply, at beft, could we have made, than His ? O Lord God, thou knoweji*. For furely the wifeft of Men did not know: nor could the 1 2 Qor. vii. 5. k Luke xxi. 26. * Ezek. xxxvii. 3. K 2 braveft 132 SERMON VI. bra vert anfwer for the Event, after it had been fo frequently contrary to what we thought the moft rational Expectations. Of this only there was Certainty, that we had the loudeft Call to adopt the Pfalmift's Prayer: O GW> tbou baji ca/i us off] and fcattered us j thou haft alfo been difpleafed: O turn thee unto us again. Thou haft moved the Lidnd, and divided it: heal the Breaches thereof, for it jhaketh m . And praifed be his Name, that we can now add the Words which follow thofe : Tbou baft given a Token for fuc b as fear thee, that they may triumph becaufe of thy Truth ". And we have accordingly triumphed in this comfortable Earnefl of Profperity, returning to us after fo long an Abfence, with a Joy as cor- dial and univerfal, as perhaps this Nation ever exprefled. May both our Friends and our Enemies know it, and draw the natural Con- clufions from it, to the Encouragement of the former, the Difmay of the latter. But then, if we triumph only for the Safety of* our Perfons and Properties, and not becaufe of God's Truth, and pure Religion ; if we rejoice, and overlook the Author of our Joy, the Giver of all Vittoryi we fliall fall inexcufably fhort of our Duty, and * Pfal.lx. i, a. a Verfe 4 . the SERMON VI. 133 the Example let us by the Apoftle : who fub- joins immediately to his Account of the Dan- ger, which he had efcaped, II. A thankful Mention of his Defender from it : God, who bad delivered, and did Jlill de- liver him, It is evidently both as eafy for the Supreme Being, and as worthy of him, to govern the Univerfe, as to create it. Indeed the only Pur- pofe, for which Divine Wifdom could create it, muft be to conduct every Part of it to a right End: and the fmalleft Parts are no more be- neath his Attention, than the greateft ; for He is infinitely above all. What Reafon thus teaches, holy Scripture confirms with important Additions : informing us, that a future Day is appointed for the full and final Difplay of his Juftice and Goodnefs towards the Children of Men ; but that in the mean Time his Provi- dence is active, fo far as the Conftjtution of Things eflablimed by him permits, and not the leafl Occurrence comes to pafs, without the fuperintending Care of our Father, which is in Heaven . We are often indeed ignorant, by \yhat Means he acts: for he is able to influence, Matt, x. 29, Jt 3 upper- SERMON VI. unperceived, not only the Courfe of inanimate Nature, but the Minds of rational Agents, and to produce the greater! Events from the flighted Occafions. We are often equally ignorant of his Views in acting: for we know but in Part p ; whereas all Things are naked and open to the Eyes of Him with whom we have to do*. The Imperfection of our Difcernment therefore mu ft be no Hindrance to our Faith : but our plain Duty is to reverence implicitly thofe Proceed- ings of His, the Manner and Grounds of which are hid from us: as well as to pay him more particular Acknowledgments on Account of Itich as we underfland. For in many Cafes the Hand of God is clearly vifible : but no-where more than in the Cor- rection, and yet Prefervation of States profef- jing his holy and eternal Truth *: as indeed there cannot be on Earth fitter Objects of his righte- ous Providence. Thus in all Ages he hath watched over his Church. Thus more efpeci- ally he hath treated this Church and Land, ever fmce the Reformation : vijiting our Offences with the Rod, and our Sin with Scourges ; nc- vertkelcfs his loving Kindnejs hath he not utterly P i Cor. xiii. 9, 12. 1 Hcb. iv. 13. ' Office for Novtmber 5. taken SERMON VI. 135 taJ::n from us, nor faff er:d bis 'Truth to fall 3 . Many a Time have they fought agalnjl me from my Youth up, may Ifrael now fay -, yea, many Q 'Time have they afflicted me from my Youth up, but they have not prevailed agamft me. The Ploughers have ploughed upon my Back, and made long Furrows: but the righteous Lord hath hewn the Snares of the Ungodly in Pieces '. And furely in the Troubles, which we have undergone of late, a pious and thoughtful Mind may trace evident Footfteps of Divine Interpolation. Why elfe, on the one Hand, did our Enemies in- creafe, prevail, and efcape, fo furpriiingly, for fo long together ? Why, on the other, did they fo unaccountably mils the faireft and moft pal- pable Opportunities of Undoing us effectually ; neither purfuing at Home the Advantages they had gained, nor procuring the Succours, which their Friends Abroad in all Prudence ought to have fent them? And why, laftly, have they allowed us to obtain fo deciiive a Victory, in a few Moments, at the Expence of fo little Blood loft on our Side, (would God their own, poor deluded Wretches, could have been fpared) when both from the Encouragement of their preceding SucceiTes, and the Neceffity of exert- s Pf. Ixxxix. 32, 33. l Pf. cxxix. i 4. K 4 ing 136 S E R M O N VI. iug thcmfelves to iht utmoft in this Crifis of their Fate, a very obftinate Engagement was to have been expected ? Whence have thefe Things happened thus, but that Godruleth in the King- dom of Men 11 ? The Lord maketh the Devices of tht People to be of none Effect, and cajleth out the Counfels of Princes. But the Counfel of the Lordfoall endure for ever, and the Thoughts of Ins Heart from Generation to Generation^ Blcflcd are the People, whofe God is the Lord jebovtib - y and bleffed are the Folk, that he hath chofen to be bis inheritance* '. Let us learn therefore, and acknowledge, for it is a "very bad Sign if we are unwilling, that both our Dangers and our Deliverances are from above. This will in no Degree leflen the Guilt of our Enemies: for they were prompted by their own Wickednefs unjuftly to attempt, what Heaven for Our Wickednefs might juitly have permitted. Nor can it ever be a Plea for yield- ing tamely to their Enterprizcs, that God makes Ufe of them to ferve his Purpofes. We know not the Extent of thofe Purpofes ; which he will certainly execute, as far as they extend : and are therefore to do our evident Duty. If he fuffers cur Adverfaries to attack our moll: u Dan. v. zi. w Pf. xxxiii. jo, 1 1, tz. valuable SERMON VI. 137 valuable Rights, he both impowers and com- mands Us to defend them: and they, who confider themfelves as his Inilruments for this End, will act with unfpeakably more Faithful- nefs and Zeal, than fuch as are induced by worldly Motives alone ; which frequently other worldly Motives, and fometimes very trifling ones, may outweigh : whereas there is no Counterbalance to a Principle of Confcience. Nor doth it in the leaft detract from the Merit of our Soldiers and Commanders, that the Sal~ vation of the Righteous cometh of the Lord, ivho alfo is their Strength in the Time of Trouble x . Every Pre-eminence is more eftimabk for being his Gift ; every great Action, for being done by his Guidance : and the higheft of thofe, who have wrought this Deliverance for us, are furely the moil deeply fenfible, that the nobleft of their Diftinctions is, being employed by their Maker, and Fellow-Workers with him, for the Support of genuine Religion, virtuous Li- berty, and public Happinefs. This Way of Thinking will infpire the moft compofed Mo- deration, along with the moft undaunted Bra- very : and whoever makes it the Bafis of his Conduct, will be intitled to all Demonftrations 40, of r 5 S SERMON VI. of Refpecl from Men ; and yet abundantly con- tented with the Honour, that cometh from Gcd only >'. Every Thing that befalls us therefore, advede or profperous, let us look on it as proceeding from the juft and good Pleaftire of our heavenly Father: humble ourfelves before him in all our Afflictions ; and, which is our prefent Concern, be thankful to him in ail our Rejoicings. If the Lord hlmfdf had not been on our Side, let Ifrael now fay, if the Lord himfelf had not been en our Side, ivhen Men rofe up againjl us : they had faallowed us up quick, \sben they were fo wathfully difpleafed af us : yea, the Waters had drowned us, the deep Waters of the Proud bad gone aver our Sou!. But praifcd be the Lord, who hath riot green us over for a Prey unto their Teeth z . This is the Language, that expreties the Truth of our Cafe: and it is of in- finite Importance, that we own it unanlmoufly. For the Sovereign Difpoler of the Univerfe will neither be denied nor forgot, without vindi- cating the Glory of his Name : and he hath long ago pronounced the Sentence: They regard not in their Mind the Works of the Lord, nor the Operation of his Hands -, therefore flail he v John v. 44. l Pf. cxxiv. i 5. i Ireak SERMON VI. 139 break them down and not build them up a . Bat the Duty and the Neceffity of fuch Regard will more diftindly appear, by confidering, III. The Realons, for which the Apoflfe was firfl brought into Danger, then brought out of it: that b might learn by the former not to trujl in himfelf ; and by the latter, to trujl in God, which raifcth the Dead. Now if there was Need of improving St. Pan! in this LefTon, much more is there of teaching it others. And never perhaps was any Nation, at leafl which made Profeffion of Faith in Chnft, fo deplorably inattentive to it, as ours. Our Wealth, our Fleets, our Valour, have been for many Years part, till very lately, our continual BoafL And in vain had the Scrip- ture forewarned us : Cur fed is Hs, that trujlcth in Man, and maketb Flejh bis Arm, and Pfal. xl. 1 6, 19. SERMON VII. (Preached OElober 9, 1746, on the Day appointed for aGeneral Thankf- giving for the Suppreffion of the Rebellion.) JOHN v. 14. Afterward Jefus Jindeth him in the temple, and faid unto him, Behold, though art made whole : Sin no more, left a worfe 'Thing come unto thee. AFTER feven yearly Fafts, we have now through God's Mercy, before we have deferved it, one Day of general Thankfgiving : and furely our Concern is to employ it fo, that we may hope for more. Now there can be no wifer or kinder Direction for this Purpofe, than that of our Lord in the Text. He had juft healed the Perfon to whom L 4 he 152 SERMON VII. he fpeaks, and therefore certainly did not meai} to ufe him harmly in thefe Words : but indeed to (hew him ftill greater Goodnefs, than he had don.e already ; as much greater, as Spiritual and Eternal Welfare is than Temporal. His Cure had been the heavieft of Misfortunes to him, had he behaved imprqperly upon it. But Jsfus found him In the temple, whither probably he went with a devout Heart, to give God Praife. This promifed well concerning him : yet by no Means rendered a ftrong Warning to him fu- perfluous. Permit me therefore, finding You, and God be thanked that I find fo many of you, in the Temple on a like Occafion, to treat you in a like Manner. And think it not ftrange, I "befeech you, if at prefent you hear not folely the Voice of Joy, though never was a jufter Occafion for it, but are exhorted, even now, tojerve the Lord in Fear, and rejoice unto him with Reverence*. I hope many Teachers of his Word will dwell this Day on the fame Sub- ject : 'for the Advice, here given by our graci- ous Matter, comprehends every Thing that our Condition requires. Pfal.ii. 1 1. I. A SERMON VII. 153 I. A thankful Senfe of the Bleffing, which we have received. Behold, tbou art made whole. II. A firm Refolution of virtuous Obedience in Return for it. Sin no more. III. A prudent Confideration of the Danger of behaving otherwife. Left a *worfe Taking come unto thee. I. A thankful Senfe of the Bleffing, which we have received. Behold ', thou art made whole. At this Time laft Year, and for many Months after, we had a very afflidting Senfe of the Judgments, that threatened us : the whole Nation had it, and with the utmoft Caufe. Our Religion, our Liberties, our Lives, our public Independence, our private Properties, were all at Stake. Our Forces were few, unfuccefsful, and disheartened : the Rebels were numerous, flumed with Victory, and increafmg. Then befides what appeared, we knew not how much more Evil we had to apprehend, from Abroad or at Home, from the Fury of our Enemies, from the Coldnefs of our Friends. The Dan- ger too was no lefs imminent than great : and muft foon crum us, if not foon averted. We faw, and felt, and trembled at it ; we exerted ourfelves againft it, with a Spirit, never known amongfl 154 SERMON VII. amongft us before : and God forbid we fhoald have forgotten, God forbid we fhould ever for- get, the Impreffions that we had fo lately, firft, of the Terrors impending over us, then of the Felicity of their fudden Difperfion. It is true, we are not yet perfectly whole. Far from it, Heaven knows. But what would we have given once for fo happy an Approach towards it, as we now poffefs? Our domeftic Foes are fallen in Battle, or cut off by Juftice, pr driven into other Lands, or abfconding in Cprners of their pwn ? impoverished and dif- armed, and taught by Experience neither to rely on themfelves, nor their faithlefs Allies. Our Soldiery have recovered their antient Cou- rage and Character. The Nation in general hath united in active Loyalty : we are known and trufled one by another ; known and dreaded J>y our Adverfaries, who had ftrangely miftaken pur inteftine Divifions, bad as they were, for ibmething much worfe. Our Diftemper is at Jeaft expelled from our Vitals, and driven to |he extreme Parts. We have Notice, we have Time, to provide againft a Return of it : and poffibly at prefent France may be feeling from us, in her own Dominions, a fmall Share of the Sufferings, which She projected for Ours, 6 while SERMON VIL 155 We are enjoying in Peace all that we feared to lofe. Whatever we may want there* fore to make our Happinefs complete, we ought to be mod deeply fenfible, that our Portion of it is remarkably large : fo large, that there is, pot furely a Nation upon Earth, with which any one of us, in the Midil of all that we have to complain of and lament, would be willing on the whole to change Conditions. But then, as often as we confider to how comfortable a, Degree we are whole, we mould always recollect, by what Means we were made 'whole. Our Saviour was not afraid the poor Man, whom he cured, mould forget that he had regained the Ufe of his Limbs, but how he had regained it. And if He, who had been miraculouily healed, yet had need of being re- minded to whom he owed his Health : much Blefiings, which the Rifque of lofing 156 SERMON VII. lofing exited the moft vigorous Efforts for pre- ferving; to the Valour, the Prudence, the Vi- gilence, the Activity of his illuftrious Son ; to the Bravery and Indignation, thus infpired into his Officers and Troops j to the unexampled Unanimity, Zeal, and Liberality of his faithful Subjects, the Nobility, the Gentry, the Clergy, the Commonalty of the Realm. Let us ever acknowledge our Obligations to the Merits of all thefe. But flill let us remember, that Men are only Inftruments in the Hand of the Al- mighty. We have owned this all along by our Prayers : let us own it fincerely in our Thankf- givings alfo ; and not receive, without fuitable Gratitude, what we begged with fuch uncom- mon Earneftnefs. It is juft as true at this Hour, as it was then, that except the Lord keep the Clty y the Watchman ivaketh but in vain b . From his Difpleafure came our Danger : from his compafiionate Goodnefs, our Deliverance. 'Therefore defplfe not either the Chajlenlngs or the Mercies of the Almighty. For he makethfore end bmdeth up: he ivoiindeth, and bis Hands make whole*. It cannot be lefs criminal to-* wards God than Men, it is unfpeakably more ? to afk Afliftance, and when we have had it, not } Pfal, cxxvii. 2, Job v. 1 7, 1 8. acknow* SERMON VII. 157 acknowledge it. He doth not indeed want our Acknowledgments ; but he hath ftill an equal Right to them ; and that he requires them not for his own Sake, but for ours, is furely no Reafon, why we (hould with-hold them. But you will fay, " We do acknowledge *' God's Mercy in delivering us, and will never ** deny it," But if after a While you never think of it more, you might almoft as well deny it. Or if you think of it, and are not moved by it, that is worfe than forgetting it. Or fuppofe you have ever fo warm a Feeling of his Fa- vours, yet if you refufe to make a proper Re* turn for them, this is worfl of all. And what Return doth he demand ? Some hard and un- natural, or expenfive and ruinous Service ? No: the moA reafonable Thing in itfelf, and the moft beneficial to us and our Fellow- Creatures, that poiTibly can be : what the Text exprefles, II. A firm Refolution of virtuous Obedience. 'Behold, thou art wade whole: fm no more. God hath been gracious to you : be dutiful to him. Sin is at all Times equally abfurd and ill-de- ferving. It is fetting up our own perverfe Will again ft the Authority of our Maker and Sove- reign Lord; our own Paflions and Caprices, againft i$8 SERMON VII; againft the Wifdom of our heavenly Father J thinking, that we can profper in Oppofition td the Almighty j or if not, preferring Rebellion and Mifery to Fidelity arid Happinefs. But to fin on, directly in the Face of diftinguilhing Mercies, juft vouchfafed, this is the moft fhocking Aggravation of the worft Thing in the World : a Crime fo heinous, that perhaps you may refent being thought bad enough to heed a Caution againfi it. But the impotent Man, whom Our Saviour healed, was not, that ive know, a Sinner beyond others. And there- fore, could we of thefe Nations truly fay, that we are not fuch neither ; ftill the Caution, gi- ten Him, would be a feafonable one to Us. We have at leaft finned enough to deferve 'what we have fuffered, which is more than a little. And had we deferved nothing farhef; yet, a Elibu remarks in the Cafe of Job, Surely it h meet to befald unto God, I have borne Chaftife- ment, I will not offend any more d . But, to fee, how far fuch Advice is necefTary for us, it will be requifite, not to keep in Ge- nerals, but defcend to Particulars. And they muft be fuch, as relate to each of us in our pri- vate Capacities : for I am not fpeaking now ta * Jobxxxiv.jr. Bodic SERMON Vll; 159 Bodies of Men, or to fingle Perfons in high Stations. May God beftow plentifully on all fuch, Grace to confider, what the Warning* Jin no more, directs Them to, while we confider, what it directs Us to. And I apprehend the prefent Occafion calls upon us to avoid, for Time to come, four Kinds of Sin efpecially : to disregard Religion no more; to mifbehave towards our Rulers no more ; to encourage Party-Difputes and Contentions no more ; to indulge extravagant Pleafures and Amufements no more* i . To difregard Religion no more. Perhaps this is the Nation upon Earth, where it is re-* garded the leaft, (our Neglect of God's Wor- mip in our Churches, our Families^ our Clo- fets ; the impious Talk, the infidel Books, that abound every-where, afford lamentable Evi- dences of it) though we have confefTedly the! greateft Bleffings to incline us to be religious, and the moft rational Inftruction how to be fb. Not with {landing this, who is there amongft us, of any Age, who doth not perceive, how much commoner and opener both Indifference and Profanenefs are grown within his own Time, within a fmall Part of it ? Who was there amongft us lately, of any Thought, that did not ftrongly 160 SERMON VIL flrongly fear we were become fo intirely un^ concerned about the Matter, that even Popery would have had no Terrors for us ? God -be thanked, it hath proved otherwife. And permit me to add, let Them be thanked alfo, by whofe long defpifed and reproached Labours, a Spirit of Piety had ftill in fome Meafure been kept alive : and by whofe earneft and feafonable Ex- hortations an unexpected Degree of Proteftant Zeal was principally raifed. Do us the Juftice then to bear it in Mind, that you wanted our Help, and you had it. The Enemies of the Government avowedly hate us for what we have done : if its Friends will not love us for it, our Cafe is hard indeed. But, however you think of Us, learn at leaft to think of the Religion we profefs, as the trueft Support, indeed as an eflential Part, of our happy Eftablimment. Not that preferving it for political Purpofes alone will be at all fufficient : they, who aim at no more, will come mort even of that. God will difappoint them; Men will fee through them: and Infection will fpread from Hypo- crify, as well as Profligatenefs, though not quite fofaft, yet till at length the whole Frame is corrupted and deftroyed. You SERMON VII. 161 You may plead, that however prophane the Nation may be, we are anfwerable each for him- felf only. But indeed, fo far as our Behaviour can properly influence, we are anfwerable be-, yond ourfelves. Do we then endeavour to dif- countenance Irreligion, and encourage Seriouf- nefs in thofe who belong to us, in thofe with whom we converfe ? Do we, as our Saviour hath enjoined us, confefs Him before Men c % Or do we not on many Occaiions outwardly appear afhamed of Him, while inwardly our Hearts condemn us for it ? But were we to anfwer for ourfelves alone, what Anfwer could we give ? We are as good as others, perhaps. And what if others be very bad? Will that excufe Us from being what the Word of God, and our own Confciences, tell us we ought to be ? If not, are we indeed fuch ? Is Concern for our future Happinefs, is Reverence and Love of God, the great Princi- ple within our Breafts ? Do we really love him, the better for thefe very Mercies, for which we are now met to praife him ? We hope fo, perhaps. But what proof have we given of it. By ferving him better (ince? And if Mone, while the Motive was frefli upon our Minds, what is to be expedted afterwards, unlefs the e Matt, x, 32. Luke xii, 8, M prefent f62 SERMON VII. prefent Call awaken us, as Heaven grant it may? 2. The next Point of Inftruction is, to mif- behave towards our Rulers no more. The Connexion is infeparable, Fear God: Honour the King f . For by him Kings reign, and Princes rule; Nobles and all the Judges of the Earth*. For which Reafon we are to refpect, not only the Perfon of our Sovereign, but, to ufe the Apoftle's Words, All that are in Authority*. For without a Number of fuch, GovernmeM cannot be admin iftered. And Profeffions of Duty to Him, xvith unjuft Bitternefs againft thofe whom he intrufts, and caufelefs Oppofi- tion to the Meafures they advife, betray either grofs Infincerity* or pitiable Weaknefs, or an Impetuoiity of Temper, that fliould be better governed. This however doth not reftrain thofe, to whofe Rank or Office it belongs, from ufing the faithful, though poffibly fometimes unpleafing, Freedom of giving fuch Counfel, or propofing fuch Laws, as public -fpirited Pru- dence appears to direct. Nor doth it reftrain any one from expreflmg, in a proper Manner, his Opinion of whatever public Meafures may confidcrabTy affeft Him, or the Whole, pro- ' > Pet. ii. 17, ^Prov. viii. 15, j6. h I Tim. ii. i. vided SERMON VII. 163 vided he hath Ground to think himfelf a Judge of them. But it ought to reftrafh all Perfons from being vehement, and judging harfhly, where perhaps they are unqualified to judge at all : from indulging fuch Behaviour, fuch Lan- guage, or even fuch Notions, as are injurious to Governors, or hurtful to the Ends of Go- vernment; as may excite or cherim Diiloyalty, or unreafonable DifTatisfadtion, or barely pro- mote Unconcernednefs about thofe, whom Pro- vidence hath fet over us. How far we have been guilty of thefe Things, it is much fitter that each one mould think ferioufly for himfelf, (for it is a very feri- ous Matter) than that any one mould take upon him to tell others, efpecially from this Place. I mail only fay therefore, that every Sort of Perfons may have been guilty: fome by wrong Compliances, and Abufe of Power and Favour; fome by ill-founded Complaints and Refentments; all by difguifing felfim Views under plaufible Pretences. But whoever the Criminals [are, the Crime is very great. Not only thofe in Authority fuffer by 'it, when they ought not, which alone is grievous Injuftice, but the Community in general fuffers deeply with them. The wrong Things of this Kind, M 2 which i64 SERMON VII. which are faid and done, give the Ill-defigning dreadful Advantages againft their Superiors ; and hurry the Inconiiderate, even they who mean well, into WildnefTes almoft incredible. Nay, the Wife and Good are infenfibly cooled and alienated by them. And then is the Juncture for attempting to overturn a Conftitution. We have felt this : and therefore we mall be inex- cufable, unlefs we remember it ; remember to abftain from all Appearance * of Undutifulnefs -, to keep our Mouths with a Bridle, while the Wicked or the Weak are before us k j on no Oc- cafion to expect more from our Rulers, than we juftly may from human Creatures, like our- felves ; to bear it patiently, if our moft equi- table Expectations are not always anfwered ; and accept and acknowledge every worthy Deed ' they do y and furely they have done many, with all Thankfulnefs '. Acting thus, very probably, might have prevented the late Rebellion, and may prevent another. 3. A further Caution, clofely connected with the preceding, is, to encourage Party Conten- tions no more. For they always break in, and ufually to a high Degree, be it ever fo unde- figned at firft, on the Refpect owing to our Go- * i Theff, v. 22. k Pfal. xxxix. j. ' Aftsxxiv. 2, 3. vernors. SERMON VII. 165 vernors. Or could that be avoided, one Side will be tempted to patronife, for the Sake of Popularity, what they know, or eafily might know, is wrong; to oppofe what is ufeful, or even necefTary; to conftrue the worthier!; and wifeft Conduct unfairly ; to prefer the Support of their Caufe before the Service of the Public; to imagine or pretend, that the Prevalence of it will produce every defirable Effect; when both Reafon and Experience demonftrate, that little, if any, Good is like to follow from it, and poffibly much Harm. The other Side, in Re- turn, are tempted to reject what they ought to forward; to infift on what they ought to give up; to opprefs their Adverfaries by fuperior Power; to accufe them of being what they are not, till perhaps they provoke them into being what they would not be. And on both Sides thefe Difputes engage Mens principal Attention, to the Neglect of their common Welfare ; drive them into doing bad Actions, and countenancing bad Perfons ; make foreign Friends afraid to rely upon us ; and both foreign and domeftic Enemies bold to enterprife againft us. Their late Enterprife was chiefly founded on our Di- vifions : which neither They, nor indeed We, could have imagined would have fuffered us to M 3 unite i66 SERMON VII. unite againft them fo foon, and fo heartily, as we did. God be praifed, who inclined our Hearts to it : but let us Jin no more. Each Party fees, that the other have finned: each might fee, that they have finned themfelves : both muft fee, that the Event was nearly pernicious : let us take Warning for the future. But it will be of fmall Advantage not to op- pofe one another, if we all agree in behaving amifs : and therefore, 4. The laft Caution is, to indulge extravagant Pleafures and Amufements no more. It is but too vifible, how much, living intirely to Trifles and Follies hath increafed in the upper Part of the World : and Madnefs for Diversions and Entertainments, even in the middle and lower; together with moil profligate Intemperance and Debauchery in the lowefl: of all. Now vicious Indulgences are deftru&ive to our temporal, as well as our Spiritual Interefts; to. the Health and Strength, that mould labour for and defend the Public ; to the Honefty and Regularity, that mould fecure private Peace and Comfort. Merely imprudent Gratifications, by devouring Time and Money, as they do beyond Imagina- tion, deftroy Induflry, and propagate Poverty ; which, we muft be fenfible, is making yearly 4 frightful SERMON VII. 167 frightful Advances upon us. And when Wick- ednefs is inftigated by Neceffity, the worft of Confequences may juftly be apprehended. Thofe of mean Rank are then fully ripe for any Mifchief : and what Mifchief might we not have dreaded from them ten Months ago, had Providence permitted the Rebels to reach our Capital ? Perfons of better Condition, when diftrefied, will too often facrifice every other Confideration to the urgent one of fupplying their Wants, real or fancied; prefer their own prefent Profit, fometimes a trifling Profit, before the common Safety; heighten groundlefs Dif- con tents, to take Advantage of them ; nay, join in Rebellion itfelf again ft their Confciences ; of which we have lately had a moft remarkable Example, and ingenuous Confeflion m . May it prove an ufeful Preventive ! A further great Evil is, that immoderate Lovers of Pleafure will of courfe favour the vileft Wretches, who contribute to their Enter- tainment; and too frequently depreciate the worthieft Character, if it be a grave one: whence proceed Inconveniencies without Number. But m See Fofter's Account of the Behaviour of the late Earl of Kilraarnod , after his Sentence, p. 6, 7, 10, 1 1, 41. M 4 were 168 S E R M O N' VII. were this defpicable Inclination hurtful no other- wife 'j it would be extremely fo, by taking off the Mind from Application to Things of Mo- ment. Even in Perfons the leaft confiderable, Indolence, and Inattention to their proper Bu- iinefs, may have extenfive bad Effects : and when it grows general among fuch, it fenfibly impoverimes and weakens, and tends to ruin a Nation. But they, who are intruded with Matters of Importance, may, not only by a Series of Neglect, but by the ill-timed Indul- gence of an idle Humour for a Day or an Hour, caufe irretrievable Mifchief to a Society, that hath purchased and depends on their beft Vigi- lance and Induftry: which therefore are due to it, not only in Point of Honour, but of indif- penlible moral Obligation in the Sight of God. Thefe, I apprehend, are the chief Particu- lars, in which we mould learn, from being made whole, to fin no more. And every one fhould apply them to examine and direct him- felf, not to inveigh againft others : and remem- ber, that the utmofl Punctuality and Zeal in fome Parts of his Duty, will not be accepted* as an Atonement for tranfgreiUng or overlook- ing any of the reft. III. The S E R M O N VII. 169 III. The laft general Head, comprehended in the Advice of the Text, is, A prudent Con- fideration of what may follow, if we difregard it: Sin no more, left a worfe Thing come unto thee. Perhaps we may think, that nothing worfe dan come. And fo perhaps thought the poor Man, to whom this was faid firft : for his Illnefs had been a very deplorable one. Yet our Saviour gave Him the Warning : and let Us take it alfo. Whoever goes on to offend, after receiving iignal Mercies, is plainly a greater Sinner : and let him not doubt, but God can fend him a heavier Punimment even in this World, and make bis laft State ivorfe than the jirft n . Indeed, mould only what we have al- ready felt return upon us : the Tendernefs of a wounded Part will augment both the Fear and the Pain. And how little Probability of it fo- ever we difcern, as one dreadful Danger hath grown up out of nothing, ftf may a dreadfuller of the fame Nature. Our Sins, if we amend not, will enfeeble and divide us yet more : our inteftine Foes may take new Courage -, our fo- reign ones may fupport them better : God may refufe intirely to go forth with our Hofts'- y and any Thing may have any Effect, that he pleafes. Matt. xii. 45. Pfal. cviii. 1 1 . Hitherto : 7 Q SERMON VII. Hitherto we have only been warned by the Waves : the next Time we may link under them : that furely would be worfe. And they, who have now fufTered fo much from us, would with Reafon become vaftly more formidable to us, were they to fucceed hereafter, than if they had fucceeded lately. Hut where is the ImpoiTibiUty, that without the Help of Enemies at Home, the powerful and inveterate one, which we have Abroad, may enflave us ere long immediately to itfelf: and That without granting even the mort Re- prieve to our Religion, Liberties, and Proper- ties, which perhaps from the former we might hope ? Our only Defence againft both is in God's good Providence : and our only Ground of Truft in That is, If weyfo no more. For frem Provocations, it muft be expected, will bring on feverer Judgments. Let us often recollect then, that He, who hath delivered us out of the Hand of our Enemies, can full as eafily de- liver us into it : and if he doth not, ftill hath us continually in his own. Every Thing terri- ble, Fire, Famine, Peftilence, waits on his Orders. At this Inftant we are fuffering hea- vily by the laft, though hitherto confined to our Cattle, Bu.t how much longer and more general aRa- SERMON VII. I7 i a Ravage it may make amongft Them, or to what other Species of Creatures it may extend at length, and whether not to our own, which of us can fay ? But indeed, without any other Scourge at all, Sin alone, by the natural Confequences, which Heaven hath originally annexed to it, is able to ruin us very completely. Contempt of God and our Duty may overturn on a fudden, but muft undermine gradually, in Proportion as it prevails, every Bleffing that we enjoy : fill every Family with Diforders and DiftrefTes, abolim mutual Faith and Confidence, open a wide Door to Fraud and Force, defeat the Ex- ecution of Juftice, make our envied Conftitu- tion ineffectual to its great Ends, and turn all the Good of it into Evil : till we are able to bear, as was the ancient Complaint in like Circum- ftances, neither our Difeafes, nor their Remedies p . The more Immorality fpreads, the deeper Root it ftrikes : the Difficulties of checking it in- creafe -, the Numbers and Vigour of thofe who endeavour to check it, leffen. Some Diftem- pers, by the Fermentation, which they excite, work their own Cure. But Wickednefs is a Gangrene, which deftroys the Part it fcizes : * Uv. Hift. Pracf. and, 172 SERMON VII. and, if it approaches towards being univerfal, muft end in Death. External Force, like an acute Difeafe, though for a Time it bears down all before it, may ftill, by the Vigour of Na- ture, be thrown off unexpectedly: but an inter- nal Principle of Diflolution, that hath corrupted the whole Mafs of Humours, admits no Re- lief. Or fuppofe a finful Nation, either by flop- ping ftiort of the Extremity of Sin, or by an uncommon Delay of Divine Juftice, neither of which can reafonably be expected, were to efcape temporal Ruin ever fo long : yet there will be a worfe, an infinitely worfe 'Thing, conic without fail, and that very foon, to every Sin- ner in it ; the final Vengeance of God in the next Life: which will be, as it ought, peculi- arly fevere on thofe, who defpife the Riches of bis Forbearance and Long-fuff'ering ; and will not know, that his Goodnefs leads them to Re- pentance q . I am very fenfible, that this may appear a comfortlefs, an intimidating Manner of fpeak- ing to you : and exceedingly unfuitable to fo joyful a Solemnity, as the prefent. By why then will not all who hear me, why will not i Rom. ii. 4, this SERMON VII. 173 this whole Land refolve on that Amendment, without which no true Comfort can be admi- niftered to them ? Relieve us then from the Neceffity, for we muft deal faithfully with you, of faying on Thankfgivings juft the fame terri- fying Things, that we do on Fafts. It would afford us the highefl Delight to omit them, on both : to fet before you only pleafmg Views, and defcribe your Condition in the Language of the Pfalmifl : Happy are the People, who are in fuch a Cafe : yea, blejjed are the People, who have the Lord for their God*. It is intirely your own Fault, that Motives of Fear are ever men- tioned to you. Our gracious Maker hath fur- nimed us plentifully with a much better Ground of Obedience, by the numerous Mercies, which we have long enjoyed, and ftill continue to en,-* joy. Think but a little of the natural Advan- tages of this liland ; of the Civil, the Spiritual Privileges, that have diftinguilhed it for Ages ; and what Requitals they deferve: think but, how complicated a Blefling this laft Deliverance is : and hbour to be induced, as much as you can, by the Bounties of God to ferve him. But let us be confcious .alfo, that our Imperfection, our Depravity, needs Awe, as well as Love, to move i 7 4 SERMON VII. move ns ; and ufe the joint Efforts of both, to produce in our Souls that filial Sorrow, and pe- nitent Return to Duty, which will prove the Inlet, and is the only one, to all Manner of Confolation. They; that ihusjow in Tears, are intitled to reap in Joy * : their Mouth may be filled 'with Laughter, and their Tongue with Singing * .* they may with Propriety, not only gitfe, as they are bound, the more ferious Demonftra- tions of pious Gratitude, but indulge every lighter Expreffion c f chearful Heart, that In- nocence and Prudence allows. Outward Re- joicings for Mercies, without inward Concern for Unworthinefs, and fixed Refolution of vir- tuous Improvement, is an abfurd and infolent, arid will be a mort-lived Triumph. Praife is not feemly in the Mouth of a, Sinner : for it was notfent him of the Lord 11 . But when humble and hearty Devotion hath preceded, Gladnefs and Exultation, kept clear of Excefs and Riot, may and mould follow, on Occafions like this. The Grief of our Offences mould be loft, for the Time, in a thankful Senfe of God's Good- nefs : a chearing Hope be entertained, that He who hath delivered, will deliver* ; and our Be- Pfal. cxxvi. 6. ' Ver. 2. Ecclus xv. 9. w 2 Cor. i. 10. haviour SERMON VII. 175 haviour (hew to all around us, what our Hearts feel. This was the Direction, immediately given to the Jews, when once they had been made fenfible of their Tranfgreffions, in their public AfTembly for a Thankfgiving, on their Return from the Captivity : and I conclude with reciting it. "~Fbe Levites read in the Book, in the Law of God, and gave the Senfe, and caufed them to underfiand the Reading. And all the People wept, when they heard the Words of the Law. Then Nehemiah the Governor, and Ezra the Prieft, and the Levites, that taught the People, faid unto them, "This Day is holy unto the Lord your Gad : mourn not, nor weep. Go your Way, eat the Fat, and drink the Sweet > and fend Portions unto them, for whom nothing is prepared ; for this Day is holy unto our Lord : neither be ye forry, for the Joy of the Lord is your Strength. And all the People went their Way, to eat and to drink, and to fend Portions* and to make great Mirth ; becaufe they had under- Hood the Words, that were declared unto them \ ' Neh. viii. 7, 8, 9, 10, 12. SER- [ 177 1 SERMON VIII. (Preached on a General Faft.) PSALM cxxii. 6. O pray for the Peace of Jerufalem : fbey fiall profper that love thee. GOD hath planted in the Hearts of Men, and it is a ftrong Proof of his Goodnefs to us, a Principle of tender mutual Benevolence ; which Reafon enjoins us to exert on all Occafions: and Revelation both threatens our Tranfgreffion of this Rule with the fevereft Punimments, and encourages our Obtervance of it by Promifes of the mod effectual Affif- tance and nobleil Rewards. But as all Mankind is an Object too large, for the Generality of Perfons to embrace in their Affections, and for the reft to think of actually benefiting; the Scripture hath very juflly approprkted our Love to our Neighbour : to every one, who is any N Way i 7 3 SERMON VIII. Way brought near enough to us, to be capable of receiving any Service or Mark of Kindnefs from us : according to our Saviour's moil ra- tional Explication of that Term". And each Nation of the World being only a more ex- tenfive Neighbourhood, of Perfons combined together, under one Head, for common Advan- tage : the Views of the feveral Members of it' may well reach thus far; but ordinarily fcarce farther. And therefore Love to our Country hath been ever considered, not merely as an important and excellent Virtue, which it al- ways is, when genuine and judicious ; but as filling the whole Compafs of reciprocal Duty, which it ufually doth, provided we proportion it rightly to the various Relations, which we bear to each Perfon in the Society. Now this is the Affection, which the Pfalmift fo warmly recommends in the Text : Peace being well known to iignify, in Holy Writ, all Sorts of Profperity ; and Jerufalem being the Centre of Unity of the Jewijh People, both in religious Affairs and Civil. For thither the Tribes went up, to give Thanks unto the Name of the Lord : and there 'was the Seat of Judgment, even the Seat of the Houfe of David u . 2 Luke x. 29, &c. * Pfal. cxxii. 4, 5. During SERMON VIII. 179 During the latter Part indeed of the Time, that their Government fubfifted, they had moft of them a Zeal for their Country, which ex- cluded Charity towards the reft of Mankind. But this was a Corruption, not a Precept, of their Religion. For no Law of any other Na- tion ever enjoined fo flrictly both Juftice and Mer9y to Strangers as theirs : though it did provide againft needlefs Intercourfe with them, to prevent Imitation of their evil Cuftoms. It is true, they were commanded to extirpate~the Inhabitants of Canaan. But thefe were grown to fuch a Height of monftrous Idolatry, unna- tural Lufts, and mocking Barbarities, as the Wifdom of God favv to be incurable. And he chofe the Ifraelites for bis Mimfters, Revengers to execute Wrath upon them', that they might learn to abhor what they had been employed to punim. This done, their Commiffion ex- pired : for it reached to no other Nation. And in fact, they were as quiet Neighbours to the Heathen round them, and as dutiful Subjects to their Chaldean, Per/tan and Grecian Mafters, as any other People. Nor did the Text more plainly require them to pray for the Peace of Jerufalem, than the Prophet Jeremiah doth, c Rom. xiii. 4. N 2 to i8o SERMON VIIL to feek the Peace of the City, iv hit her they were carried Captives, and pray unto the Lord for it*. We need not therefore fcruple to imbibe Love of our Country from the Sacred Writings of the yews : and much lefs have we Caufe to imagine, as fome would perfuade us, that this is a Virtue not prefcribed to Chriftians. It is true, that as the Romans had long been ravag- ing the World, and the Jews in our Saviour's Days were evidently ruining themfelves ; both of them prompted to what they did by a nar- row-minded and unjuft Vehemence for their national Intereft and Honour : he earneftly re- commended, as it was necefTary, not the parti- cular Paflion, of which they had already too much , but the general Difpoiition, which they wanted, of good Will to all Men. For that is the only fure Foundation of focial Behaviour r and while it retrains Perions effectually from doing any Thing wrong in favour of their Country, will incite them powerfully to do every Thing right. In teaching this Dodrine therefore, and indeed throughout his whole Conduct, he mewed the kindeft and wifeft Re- gard to his undeferving Fellow- Citizens : for . 4 Jcr. xxix. 7. i whom, S E KM O N VIII. i9i whom, ill as he was treated by them, he fully appears to have had the moft affectionate Con- cern. Witnefs his Tears and pathetic Expoftu- lutions : Jerufalem, Jerufalem, thou that Weft the Prophets, and Jlonejl them that are fent unto ihee : bow often would I have gathered thy Chil- dren together, even as a Hen gal beret h her Chickens under her Wing;, and ye would not*. // thou hadjl known, or as it rather iliould be translated, O that thou hadjl known, even thou, (it leaji in this thy Day, the 'Things, which be- long unto thy Peace f . Witnefs again his pe- remptory Command, even after he had been crucified there, that Repentance and Remijjion of Sin Jhould be preached in his Name to all Na- tions, beginning at Jerufalem s . The fame he- roic Sympathy his great Apoftle St. Paul ex- prefles, after the fevereft Ufage, in the ftrongeft Manner, for his Brethren, his Kinfmen, accord- ing to the F/eJb, declaring folemnly before Cbrift and the Holy Ghoji, that he had great and con- tinual Sorrow and Heavmejs m his Heart on their Account h . He hath not indeed exhorted the Chriftians, whom he favoured with his Epiftles, to the Love of their feveral Countries : f Matt.^xiii. 37. f Lukexix. 41, 42, Lukexxiv. 47. h Rom.ix. i, 2, 3. N 3 for 182 SERMON Vlll. for they were all under one Dominion, and de- figned by Providence to remiin fo. He hath not exhorted Magi ft rates to ftudy the Welfare of thofe, over whom they prefided : for there were no believing Magiftrates ; and it might have been deemed prefumptuous, and ill in- tended, if he had laid down Directions for others j or foretold explicitly fo foon, that the Gofpel would come to have Authority on its Side. But he hath fufficiently, though ob- liquely, intimated to Rulers, what their Office requires of them : and urged private Subjects moft convincingly and awfully to fuch Beha- viour, as will render Communities quiet and flouriming. Love of our Country therefore is an undoubt- ed Chriftian Duty. And we fhall both be di- rected and encouraged in the Performance of it, if we confider, as the Text leads us, I. Wherein the Public Welfare confifts. IL How we are to exprefs our Regard to it. III. What Advantages will flow from expref- fing it as we ought. I. Wherein it confifts. Now plainly the Happinefs of any Society is that, which the Perfons, SERMON VIII. 1 3 5 Perfons, who compofe it, door may enjoy in it'. And therefore wide Extent of Dominion con- tributes nothing to the Happinefs cf a State : for fuch unwieldy Bodies are feldom or never kept long in good Health. Much leis is mili- tary Glory the Point to be had in View, any farther than is needful to fecure a peaceable PorTeffion of all important national Rights. For fuch a Purpofe, War is lawful : and they, who hazard their Lives in it, worthy of high Honour. But in all Cafes it is accompanied with dreadful Evils : of which we are apt to confider the heavy Expence, as if it were the only one ; and forget the Sufferings, and mifer- able Deaths, of fuch Multitudes of human Creatures, though every one of them is a Mur- der committed by the Authors of this Cala- mity ; befides the innumerable DiftrefTes of Relations and Friends, the Devaluations, Inhu- manities, and WickedneiTes of every Kind, jwhich never fail to be its Attendants. Then if the Event of all mould turn, as God grant it always may, to the Difadvantage of the Ag- greffors, here is much Mifchief brought on their Neighbours, only to bring more on theni- felves. Or fuppoie their Succeis be ever fogreat, the Injury done by them will be great in Pro- N 4 portion; 1 84 SERMON VIII. portion : they will receive little real Good from it, and have paid very dear for that, even in this World : and in another, God will take ef- fectual Care, that no one fhall have Caufe to rejoice in having broken his Laws, and ufed his Creatures ill. The next Pre-eminence, commonly imagined to constitute the Profperity of a State, is that of Wealth ; and its ufual Source, Commerce- Now undoubtedly Riches are a valuable In- ftrument, both of common Defence, and fepa- rate Enjoyment. But then they are alfp a dan- gerous Incentive to Luxury and Debauchery : by which Perfons grievoufly diftrefs themfelves, their Families, their Acquaintance, the Public, In many Ways, alas ! but too well known. And many, whom affluence doth not imme- diately feduce into grofs Vices, it leads how- ever to Indolence and Ignorance, to the Admi- ration of Trifles and Follies, and thence to the Neglect, and afterwards the Contempt and Ri- dicule, of virtuous and prudent Conduct. This wrong Tafte being once formed, high Honours and Pompous Appearances are thought ncceilary by fome ; the idleft Gratifications and Vanities, by others : the Means to procure and fupport them muft be found : and when their Incomes Jail, SERMON VIII. 185 fail, as the largeft, with fuch Management, will fail ; they muft fupply the Defecl: by any Bafe- nefs or Iniquity, that they can j at leaft any fuch, as general Practice, in a Time of general Corruption, makes a Shift to keep in tolerable Countenance. This Example in the upper Part of the World is followed of courfe by the lower: their Induftry leflens, their Expences increafe, their Principles are depraved, they and their Fa- milies ruined ; they feek for Relief in Fraud, Violence, or Intemperance, and plunge them- felves by each deeper in Mifery. Even of the Regular and Diligent, the Home Labour is much of it employed on Things ufeleis or hurtful ; the foreign Trade, in importing Superfluities. This Procedure muft as necefiarily empoverilli the Public, as it muft any fingle Perfon* or Number of Perfons : for the whole Number of them is the Public. And in fuch Circum- ftances, whatever prefent Show of Strength and Plenty there may be, is fallacious : like the over-full and florid Look of a difeafed Body, caufed by too indulgent Regimen ; and under the fuperfkial Appearance of redundant Health, betraying to the Skilful evident Symptoms of the moft fatal Diftempers, already begun, if not far advanced. Another 186 SERMON VIII. Another Thing, conflantly and juftly men- tioned, as a main Ingredient in political Happi- iiefs, is Liberty: an invaluable Privilege; but often mifunderftood, and ftill oftener abiifed. Abfolute Liberty, to do what we will, is abfo- lute Power. If one alone, or a few, have this, the reft are in Slavery : if all have it, the whold mufl be in Confufion. Liberty therefore^ in order to preferve it, mufl be reftrained by Law, in whatever Cafes the Exercife of it may affeft others. And Regulations by Authority are ne- ceflary, not only to prevent mutual Encroach- ments, but to afcertain each Perfon's Claims and Expectations j and to inftruft every one, what he is' to do, and what to avoid, for the common Benefit. Now legal Provifionsf for thefe Ends ought to be juft and equitable, fuit- ed to the State of Things, known and fixed. And thofe, which a Nation makes for itfelf by its chofen Reprefentatives, are fo very much the moft likely to have thefe Properties ; that living, as We do, under a Conftitution purpofely con- trived for making, on every Occafion, fuch as we want, is the greateft of civil Bleffings, pro- vided we turn it not, by our Fault, into a Curfe. But SERMON VIII. 187 But to prevent this, befides Care and Impar- tiality in framing Laws, there muft be a general Obfervation of them : elfe they were enacted in vain. Even fuch, as are in their Nature the moft variable, muft be obferved while they lafir. For not only the total Neglect of them will fruftrate their beneficial Intent, and open a Door to yet worfe Irregularities ; but the par- tial, beiides having this unhappy Effect in its Degree, will introduce a very dangerous Kind of Inequality: good Subjects muft be Lofers by their Obedience, and bad ones Gainers by their Tranfgrefiion. Still more effentially doth the common Wel- fare confift in the Practice of fuch Rules of Conduct, as are in themfelves, and therefore always, obligatory: in abftaining from Violence, Fraud, promifcuous Lewdnefs, Intemperance, Extravagance; in performing carefully the pro- per Bufmefs of our feveral Stations; in providing diligently what is needful for ourfelves, and thofe who belong to us ; in relieving the Poor with prudent Bounty; in behaving with Refpect to Superiors, with Condefcenfion to Inferiors, with Friendlinefs to Equals, with peculiar Af- fection to thofe, whom either Nature or volun- tary Ties have united to us more clofely : Thefe i8B S E R M O N VIII. Thefe are the main Things, on which ibcial Happinefs depends. A Nation may be fmall and weik and poor ; and yet the Perfons who compofe it, may enjoy their Beings very com- fortably. But however great and powerful and rich it is, Folly and Wickednefs will bring Mifery on each Particular j which, put toge- ther, is general Mifery: and will beiides gra- dually weaken and dillblve the whole. For the principal Supports of a State, confefTedly are, the Numbers, and Health, and Strength, and Induftry, and Probity, and Concord, of the feveral Members of it: all which good IV(orals promote, and bad undermine. But as human Laws, in Multitudes of In-r fiances, cannot punifh, and much leis prevent, the Breach of moral Obligations : the chief Se- curity of Regard to them, in any Society, muft proceed from Reverence of the Divine Laws. And as the Precepts of Christianity are vaftly more determinate, accompanied with Commu- nications of far greater moral Powers, and en- forced by Sanctions of unfpeakably ftronger Terror to Sinners, and fweeter Confolation to pious Minds, than the Dictates of Nature, un- affifted by Revelation : eftabliming a practical Belief of the Gofpel is fecuring and completing the SERMON VIII. iS 9 the Provifion for National Felicity. This will, in all Cafes, reftrain Men from what is wrong, animate them in what is right, make them eafy and happy under every Suffering. Befides, Profeffion of the fame Faith and Hope, and Participation of the fame Worfhip and Sacra- ments, mufl give fo peculiar a Sacrednefs and Endearment to the Bonds of civil Union, that Zeal in the common Caufe of our Country and our Religion, at once, will be intrepidly active, and indefatigably perfevering h . For my Bre- thren and Companions Sakes, I 'will wi/h thee Profperity: yea, becaufi of the Honfe of the Lord our God, I ivillfeek to do thee Good 1 . Then to all the Advantages, flowing naturally from Piety, we cannot doubt but God will fuperadd his Bleffing, and withhold it from the Profane j for his own Words are, T'hem that honour me, I will honour : and they, that defpije me, Jhall be lightly ejleemed* . Nor muft a further Con- fideration ever ,be omitted, for it. is a very im- portant one: that unlefs true Religion be che- riflied and praclifed, falfe Religion will inii- nuate itfelf and prevail. For the Mind of Man mufl have fome: as the Experience of all Ages proves, arid our own particularly; amongft h Dion. Halic. Ant. Rom. 1. ii. c. 23. * Pfal. cxxii. 8, 9. k i Sam, ii.30. whom i 9 o SERMON VIII. whom the Increafe of Infidelity is accompanied with that of Popery-: an Evil, which ought to be highly formidable to us; as it muft of Courfe, if ever it gain Power enough, not only over- turn our prefent happy Eftablimment, but in- troduce the crueleft Tyranny over the Souls and Bodies and Eftates of Men. Having now feen, wherein the public Wel- fare confifts, we mould all with great Seriouf- nefs confider, IT. How we are to exprefs our Regard to it. The Manner, prefcribed in the Text, accord- ing to our Tranflation, is, Praying for the Peace of Jerufalem : according to others, Afking or inquiring concerning its Peace. Both imply, having it much at Heart. And whatever we have defervedly at Heart, ought jointly to en- gage our watchful Solicitude, and our earnefl Petitions. I mail now begin with the firft. Pretences to public Spirit, if they are not fincere, ufually cover hurtful Defigns. There- fore we mould examine ourfelves clofely, for Self-deceit is wonderfully frequent, of ivbaf Spirit we indeed are l : whether private Paffions or Interefts, concealed under fpecious Appear - 1 Luke ix. 55. ances, SERMON VIII. 191 ances, do not influence our Difcourfe and Be- haviour, perhaps our very Thoughts. And, fo far as we have Need to "know, we mould make the fame Inquiry concerning others alfo : forming our Opinions of them with Charity, yet with .Caution. But, fuppofmg the com- mon Good be ever fo really Our Object and Theirs : unlefs we underftand well the Ten- dencies of Things, we may do it irreparable Harm, inftead of furthering it : and therefore ihould always be, according to St. James's ad- mirable Direction, Swiff to hear, Jlow to fpeak* flow to Wrath m : impartially diligent to learn the Truth, where it is our Bufinefs to judge and act -, backward to meddle, where it is not ; reafonable and moderate in all Matters. But let us confider our Duty more distinctly, in Relation to the feveral Articles, that were fpe- cified under the preceding Head. As Defence againft Enemies is an eflentia! Ingredient in public Happinefs : Rulers are bound to provide for it with Vigilance, and Subjects to contribute to it with Chearfulnefs ; far from repining at neceflary Burdens, though heavy ones. But we ought to oppofe with double Vigour, from Principle as well as Inte- m Jamei i. 19, reft, 192 SERMON VIII. reft, the deliberate, and habitual, and perfidi- ous, and infolent Difturbers of Mankind : yet always remembring, that the only lawful Aim, even in the juftefl War, is an equitable Con- clufion of it. The Lord give Strength unto his People, the Lord give his People the Blefjing of Peace n / Again : as national Wealth, and private Plenty of the Conveniencies of Life, are de- lirable in Communities, but Luxury and Extra- vagance deftructive to them : all Perfons, in their Stations, ought fo to promote the former, as to difcourage the latter at the fame Time : which they will do moil fuccefsfully, by fetting Examples to others of decent Frugality, and Attention to their own Affairs ; by honouring worthy Characters, though in mean Circum- ftances ; and expreffing, in every proper Way, Diflike and Contempt of Bafenefs, Debauchery, Profufion, Admiration of undeferving Things, Neglect of important ones ; be they, who are guilty of fuch Faults, ever fo diftinguifhed by their Rank or Accomplishments. Further : as Liberty is a Blefling of inefti- mable Value in Society, it ought to be arTerted with the utmoft Refolution and Watchfuinefs, B Pfal. xxix. 10. not SERMON VIII. 193 not only againft open AfTaults, but every Prac- tice, that may fecretly and filently impair it ; yet with religious Care, neither to ufe it, nor unwarily affift others to ufe it, for a Cloke of Malidoufnefs ; nor hazard the Deftrucftion of it, by Attempts of improving it to a vifionary Perfection. Therefore Power, in a requifite Degree, muft both be allowed and diligently fupported : They, in whofe Hands it is placed, muft both be obeyed and humbly refpedted, not only for Wrath, but alfo for Conference Sake p ; even the Subordinate, much more the Supreme: their whole Conduct mull be viewed with Mo- defty and Candour ; their good Actions and In- tentions acknowledged with due Thankfulnefs ; their Miftakes and Failings, imagined or real, borne with that Mildnefs, of which we have All Need, to excufe our own. And the fame equi- table Temper fhould always be preferved be- tween private Perfons, one towards another; were their Differences about public Affairs of ever fuch Moment, whereas they are frequently nominal or trifling ; and were they ever fo fure of being in the right, whereas poffibly both of them have Reafon to diftruft it. This is the Method, and it is the only one, by which we i Pet. ii. i 6. P Pvom. xiii. 5. O csn i 9 4 SERMON VIII. can ever hope to fee "Jerufalem built as a City, that is at Unity in itfelj <1 . Further yet : as good Laws, and the Obfer- vation of them, are neceffary to the public Welfare ; all, who have a Share in Legiflature, ought to contrive or aflent to fuch, and oppofe others, without fuffering any Confideration to bias them : all Magiflrates ought to execute them with Uprightnefs and Courage, yet with Humanity ; and all Subjects, to obey them diiintereftedly, and procure Obedience to them zealouily. But the Laws of Morality require peculiar Attention, for our Country's Good, as well as our own. Every Peribn who tranfgrefTes thefe, teaches his -Neighbour, teaches his Family, an evil LeJJbn againft bimfelf*, in Points of the greateft Confequence. And every Government, which connives at fuch Tranfgreflions, when it can fafely puniih them, connives at the Ruin of the People intrufted to its Care. But efpe- cially every free Government, guilty of fo cul- pable Remiffnefs, be it to court Popularity, be it to ferve what prefent Turn it will, undermines the only Ground it hath to ftand upon. For without Virtue, Liberty cannot fubfift. i Pfal. cxxii, 3. r JEcclus ix. r. Nor SERMON VIII. 195 Nor Indeed without Piety can Virtue fubfift. For our good Affection s are fo weak, our bad Inclinations fo vehement, and the Temptations of the World fo numerous and inticing, that we need every poflible Prefervative. And evi- dently the Fear of God is the moft awful Re- ftraint from doing ill : and the Love of God the moft delightful Inducement to do well. True Religion, therefore, muft be eftablifhed by the Authority of the Legiflature, but with the ten- dereft Regard to fcrupulous Confciences : and upheld in Reputation by the Countenance and Example of the Great. Its Minifters muft be in- duftrious, and their Superiors muft fee that they are, in teaching and defending it, and adorning their Doctrine by refpedtable and amiable Beha- viour. Its ProfeiTors muft be affiduous Attend- ants on its Exercifes in the Congregation, and ferious Practifers of its Injunctions at Home. But particularly, in both Places, they muft be earneft with God for their Country's Prof- perity, and fervently pray for the Peace of Je- rujakm. Many can do little elfe : but all can do fo much for it. In fome of our Endeavours to ferve the Public we may err : in this we are fure to be right. Often we know not, what is beft for it : Our heavenly Father always doth. O 2 Poffibly 196 S E R M O N VIII. Pollibly in Times of Difficulty and Danger we may be tempted to defpair of the Common- wealth : Praying for it will remind us, that its Fate is not in the Hands of Men, but of the Almighty. In all Times, Refentments, Inte- refts, Prejudices, frequently blind and miflead us : devout Applications to Heaven will compofe our Paffions, purify our Intentions, obtain us Light to guide our Steps, and enlarge our Views. Perhaps we have been diligent enough, or more than enough, in the Ufe of other Means, conducive, as we imagined, to public Good : but have never, humbly and heartily, uied this. And yet, if we believe a righteous Judge of the World, we muft furely believe, that he takes Notice of the Addreffes, which his poor Creatures, with pious Affections, offer up to him. Or could we doubt it otherwife, we are fully allured of it in his Sacred Word. Not that naming our Wants informs him, or Ads of fervile Submiffion delight him, or unfit Importunities prevail on him : but that praying in Spirit and in 'Truth % while it feems intended to influence Him only, hath a powerful Influ- ence on Us : and by ftrengthening the Senfe it exp reffes, how dependent we are on his Mercy, * John iv. 23. and SERMON VIII. 197 and what Qualifications are needful to obtain it, fits us at the fame Time to receive it, and grow better by it : whereas beftowing his Favours on thofe who are too negligent of him to afk for them, might neither be fuitable to the Holinefs of his Nature, and the Honour of his Govern- ment, nor indeed contribute to their final Ad- vantage. Why then mould not we addrefs our- felves to the Lord of all, not in outward Form, only, but inward Reality : not merely at diftant Seafons appointed for it, like this, but every Day of our Lives ; that he would gracioufly protect the Community, of which we are Mem- bers, and inftruct and excite us to perform pro- perly our Duty towards it ? His own Declara- tion, even after he had promifed a Blefling, is ; / will yet for this be inquired of by the Houfe of Ifrael, to do it for them '. And the Direction of his Prophet is, Te that make mention of the Lord y keep not Silence, and give him no Re/t, till he cjlablifo, and till he make Jerufalem a Praife in the Earth ". Affectionate Vigilance therefore to do each his Part for the Service of the Whole, and con- flant Prayer, that God would proffer the united Work of his Hands w , are the genuine Demon- e Ezek. xxxvi. 37, u If. Uii. 6, 7. w Pfal. xc. 17. O ftrations 198 SERMON VIII. Orations of that Regard, which we owe to the public Welfare. Let us nojv coniider, III. What Advantages will flow from ex- preffing it in this due Manmer. They Jhall frofper that love tbee. Worldly Profperity is defigned to partake of the Uncertainty of all worldly Things : but, fo far as any Thing on our Part can fecure it, a virtuous and pious public Spirit muft. Princes, Magiftrates, Teachers of- Religion, military Men, private Perfons of all Ranks and Profeflions, who thus exprefs the Love of their Country, will be loved by it, and love one another. Such Union will give them both the higheil Pleafure, and the greater!: poffible Strength: nothing will be done to betray or thwart the general Intereft, but every Thing imaginable to promote it : they will be bold in Dangers, perfevere through Dif- ficulties, furnim mutual Affiftance at any Ha- zard : Allies will know they can truft them ; Enemies will refpect and dread them. Indeed they will have no Enemies, but fuch as oppofe Truth and Right : and therefore, when they are driven to War, they will coniider themfelves as fighting the Battles of God. But ufually they will enjoy Peace, at Home as well as Abroad, and taite the Comforts of it without Allay : each SERMON VIII. 199 each delighting in the other's Good , each feel- ing the Tranquillity, the Wealth, the Honour of the Community, as his own ; and rejoicing with humble Thankful nefs, that His Share in the Production of it hath not been wanting. If fuch Happinefs be feldom feen, the Reafon is, that fuch Difpofi tions towards it are feldom ge- neral. But let them be ever fo uncommon, and Affairs for Want of them ever fo unprof- perous; whoever facredly preferves them in himfelf, and faithfully exerts them when he can, bis Soul Jhall profper x , as St. John expreffes it : be filled with the Confolation, that he hath meant and endeavoured well, though fur- rounded with Examples and Temptations to the contrary ; and that none of the Calamities, that have happened or may happen, can be laid to his Charge. Were he to be intirely deferted by other Men, he would fupport himfelf by our Saviour's Reflection : Behold, the Hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye Jhall befcattered, every Man to his own, and Jhall leave me alone : ana yet I am not alone, becaufe the Father is with me y . Some, however, in the worft of Times, will probably bear Witnefs to him on Earth : but God will certainly look down upon him x 3 John, ver. 2. r John xvi. 32. O 4 with 200 SERMON VIII. with Approbation from Heaven , and blefs him with a pleafing Confcioufnefs of his Favour, the Foretaflc of future Reward. Let us now, on the other Hand, contemplate the Effects, I do not fay of downright Ill-will to the Public, which few perhaps can be wicked enough to harbour knowingly, but of Indiffer- ence, and preferring other Confiderations to its Advantage. If Perfons in Stations of Truft, fupreme or fubordinate, regard Empire, abfo- lute Power, Profit, Pleafure, Indolence, as their Felicity: Inferiors will in Proportion be facri- ficed, opprefTed, exhaufted, neglected. If thefe Inferiors are principally intent on their own private Gratifications of any Kind : even where they have no Share in the Government, they will hurt it by ferving it remifsly or unfaith- fully, and be miferable by unwilling Subjection. But where the Government is mixed, and di- vided between the Sovereign, the Nobles, and the Reprefentatives of the Commonalty; as it cannot be carried on at all in that Form, with- out Profeffions, on every Side, of a patriot Spirit : fo in the Degree, in which thefe Pro- feflions are falfe, there will be a wide Door open for fupine Mifmanagement, felfim Pro- jects, Corruption, Treachery : the vileft of Men SERMON VIII. 201 Men will melter themfelves under plaufible Ap- pearances and favourite Names j and be fup- ported by Parties, which they have artfully raifed or carefTed. At the fame Time, they, who think they have the tendereft Love for their Country, perhaps will find on Reflection, that in truth they love only the Faction, in which they have lifted : or though it be tjieir Country j if they have not had Tendeniefs enough for it, to examine coolly what Conduct its Interests require, they may accelerate its Ruin, by increaling the Fiercenefs of Conten- tion, and lending the Reputation of their good Meaning to colour over the bad Defigns of others. Free Nations therefore, as they are the happieft beyond Comparifon, if the general Advantage be the general Object : fo they are peculiarly uncomfortable, and expofed to Dan- ger from within and without, if Divisions in- flame men one againll another, or the Atten- tion of each be confined to himfelf. , Still the Wife in their Generation z may ima- gine, that however impoflible it be for the Whole to profper without the mutual Affection of the Parts, they fhall profper the better for throwing off a Principle, that will be always * Luke xvi. 8. interfering 202 SERMON VIII. interfering with their Interefl or Inclinations. But they cannot attempt to throw it off, or even contradict it in a fmgle Inftance, without fe- verely condemning themfelves in their Hours of Recollection. Or if they could, they will be detected, in Spight of all Difguife, and abhor- red by others, and moft by the Worthieft : which gives the harder): Hearts much greater Uneafmefs, than they are willing to own. Be- iides, through the Mercy of Providence their wicked Schemes often fail of anfvvering their Ends : and firft to do wrong, and then be dif- appointed of their Aim in it, is double igno- miny. Punimment alfo not uncommonly over- takes even the fecureft Criminal. But fup- pofing the felrlfh Wretch to fucceed : that Suc- cefs will tempt or provoke many more to imi- tate him in hurtful Defigns and unfair Methods. If they act in Oppofition to him, he may fuffer, as he deferves, by the Example he hath fet : if they act in Conjunction with him, ere long fomewhat will difunite them. Or however, bad Precedents naturally produce worfe, and fo they multiply continually ; till at laft the Au- thors and Encouragers of Mifchief are in their Turn involved in it. But were they to efcape for Life, yet their Pofterity, whofe Advance- ment SERMON VIII. 203 ment perhaps is the main Point, which they have in View, muft partake, it may be largely, in whatever the Commonwealth is brought to fuffer : befides the hereditary Difgrace of fp ring- ing from fuch Anceftors. And, if ill People of every Rank would conlider, what Figures their PredecefTors in Wickednefs make now in daily Talk ; and are likely to make hereafter in Hif- tory, if they be of Confequence enough ; and in how very different a Light Men of Probity are feen, when the tranfient Mifts, that Arti- fice, Prepoffeffion and Refentment have raifed, are difperfed : furely it muft have a beneficial Influence on their Conduct. Or if none of thefe Confiderations can affect them, there is yet another of infinite Moment. This Life, at beft, is fhort : and moft of the bufy Actors on the Stage of the World have probably but a fmall Part of it to come, before a ftrict Account of their Behaviour in it is de- manded. And will it be well for us then, think we, that, for the Sake of Purpofes not to be owned, we have brought unjuft Reproach, Uneafmefs, Diftrefs on our Brethren j and dif- quieted, weakened, impoverished, undone our common Parent, whom Nature and Reafon and Revelation jointly require us to love and to ferve ? 204 SERMON VIII. ferve ? Or muft it not be inexpreffible Happi- nefs, for thofe in low Stations to have difcharged the Duties of them with faithful AfFeclion, both to their Rulers and their Fellow-Subjects : and for thofe in the higher! to be able to fay, with the excellent Jewi/h Governor, Think upon me, O my God, for Good, according to all tbat I have done for this People * ? If thefe be folid Motives,, let us all be moved by them : firft, to ufe the utmoft Caution, that we do no Harm to our Country ; next to try, what Service we can do it ; but efpecially to Endeavour, for that we every one, 6f us can, by virtuous Lives, united Hearts, and fervent Prayers, to call down the Divine Benediction on our national Counfels and Undertakings. If indeed we confider worldly Appearances only, we have great Caufe to fear : if we refleft on our many heinous Iniquities, we have flill much greater Caufe. But when we call to Mind, what Deliverances God hath often and lately beftowed on us, what Warnings and what Time he hath given us to repent, how flow and un- willing he appears to let our Enemies proceed to our total Deflruction, it cannot but kindle in our Breads a moft reviving Perfuafion, indeed Neh, v. 19. a full SERMON VIII. 205 a full Ajjurance of Hope b , that would we but yet be unanimous and religious, we might yet by his Blefling be fafe and profperous. And may the Lord fo blefs us t that ive may fee Jeru- faleni in Profperity all our life long c : but let Them be confounded and turned backward, as many as have evil Will at Sion d . b Heb. vi. 1 1. c Pfal. cxxviii. 6. d Pfal. cxxix. . SER- [ 20 7 ] SERMON IX. (Preached April 25, I 749? on the Thankfgiving for the Peace.) P s A L . xxix. i o. The Lord Jhall give bis People the Bkffing of Peace. WE are met this Day to thank God for a Mercy, that hath long been the Object of our earneft Wifhes, and fo- lemn Prayers ; that we have often had but fmall Hope of obtaining, and yet now have poflefled many Months, with an increafing ProfpecT: of its Continuance : on which Account our Joy is ftill more reafonable, though it muft, from the Conftitution of our Nature, be lefs warmly felt, than it was at firft. Accordingly we have juft been exprefling it in the Divine Prefence. And Inftruftion from this Place was not previ- oufly 2 o8 SERMON IX. oufly neceflary, to excite our Gratitude for a Benefit, fo vifible and fo important. But it may contribute, not a little, to fix in our Breafts a more durable Senfe of what we have acknow- ledged : and, which is the End of all, direct us to fuch Behaviour, as will fecure and improve the Happinefs, we enjoy. I fhall therefore at prefent, I. Set before you the BleJJing of Peace. II. Shew you, that it is the Gift of God. III. Prefs you to remember, that only bis People are intitled to it : and confequently to confider, whether We are fuch - y and to labour that we may, in the higheft Degree. I. I fhall fet before you the Bleffing of Peace. Man appears, from the harmlefs Make of his Body, the converfable Difpofition of his Mind, the Tendernefs of his Affections, the Sovereignty of his reflecting Principle, the Neceflity of Af- fiftance in his numerous Wants, and the Rules of Life prefcribed him by exprefs Revelation, to be formed for a focial inofFenfive Creature. Now the natural State of each Being is the happy one. And the Happinefs of Peace is like that of Health : it fpreads through the i whole S E R M O N IX. 209 whole of the Civil, as that doth of the Animal Confiitution ; and furnimes Vigour and Plea- fure to every Part, without being diftindlly per- ceived in one more than another : for which Reafon we are apt to overlook the Felicity of both, till the Lofs of them for a Time renews our Senfe of their Value ; and even liich Expe- rience ufually doth not long preferve it in our Memory. Therefore to dilcern fufficiently the Advantages of Peace, we rnuft recoiled: the Miferies of War. To thefe we feldom attend farther, than we immediately feel them. And the Generality feel only the Expence : which indeed is a fore Evil, and hath been for many Years paft, and muft be for many to come, a heavy Burthen t who gave himfelf for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purify unto himfelf a peculiar People, zealous of good Works'. Do we know ourfelves by this Pic- ture ? Or is not the very different one, which I have fo often been obliged to fet before you, ftill our true Refemblance ? Are we not regard- lefs in general, both of a prefent Providence and of future Rewards ? Have not many of us call off with Scorn, and moft of us contributed to loofen, thofe Ties of Faith and Worfhip, which 'in every Country elfe, and in this till of late, have always been held necelfary, even to civil Welfare ? They, who have not rejected Religion, do they not however, Numbers of them, flight the Exercifes of it, wholly in pri- vate, and to a great Degree in public ? Nay, fuch as appear pretty regular in them, and feem, to have a real Senfe of Piety, have they any r Tit. ii, 11-^.14, Zeal 222 SERMON IX. Zeal for it, any Sorrow for the Decay of it ? Do they not feel and exprefs more Diflike and ' Contempt of thofe whom they think, and per- haps but think, righteous overmuch*, than of the moft thoughtlefs about their fpiritual State, not to fay, the moft abandoned ? Are we not in common Life diffolute, expenfive, negligent of our Affairs, our Families, our very Children, at leaft in the moil important Point, their Prin- ciples i overrun by an epidemical Rage for hourly Pleafures and Amufements, with an utter Contempt of Confequences ; which, after infecting almoft univerfally the upper, and next to them the middle Part of the World, is yearly fpreading wider among thofe, whofe Parfimony and ufeful Induftry is the Wealth of the Na- tion ? Are we not alfo in our political Capaci- ties, how irreconcileably foever we differ, la- mentably alike : void of Reverence to Autho- rity, fubordinate or fupreme ; attentive chiefly, if not only, to felfifh or Party Confiderations, varnimed over with tranfparent Pretences of Public Good ; vehement about difputable Mat- ters, unconcerned about confeffedly neceffary ones ; each Denomination, each Order and Rank, bitterly accufmg the other, and none * Eccl, vii. 1 6. ever SERMON IX. 223 ever thinking in earned to amend themfelves : extremely afraid of hurting Liberty by reftrain- ing Wickednefs, but not at all of being undone by indulging it ; wonderfully jealous of the Power of our own Church, which hath and defires lefs, than ever any other in any Age ; but perfectly eafy about the daily Growth of Popery, the moft tyrannical Empire over Soul and Body that can be, and the moft peculiarly formidable to this Country ? My People is fool- ifhy they have not known me : they are wife to do Evil, but to do Good they have no Underftand- ing '. Can fuch a Nation hope for the Favour of Providence ? Could it flourifh, even were there no Providence ? Evidently it is impoflible. Sen- timents of Religion and Virtue are the Seeds of all Happinefs, the Security in all Danger, the Support in all Affliction. Thefe are decay- ing apace, and wearing quite out. Habits of Prudence, formed by a careful Education, might in fome poor Meafure fupply their Place. But we have them not. In Trifles indeed we are bred up to a ftrict Obfervance of Rules and Forms and Fafhions : but in Points of Confe- quence every one is left, from his early Youth, ' Jer. iv. 22. to 224 S E R M O N IX. to do as he pleafes ; and They moft, whofe Ex- ample will be moft followed. General Diflike and Shame however might reftrain Perfons, when they come out into the World, from fe~ veral Vices, againft which they had no Prefer- vative before. But with us, there are few Vices or none, of which any Body needs be alhamed : the moil notorioufly guilty of the worft, are as well received in all Places, if not better, than other Perfons. Yet, even in fuch a State, ftrict Laws, vigoroufly executed, might deter, at leaft from the more immediately mifchievous Crimes. But we are deflitute of this Guard alfo. A great Part of our Laws, from the univerfal RemifTnefs of the Times, are fcarce executed at all : and, from the Nature of our Conftitution* cannot be executed fo effectually, as where Power is lefs bounded. Still this Con- flitution, with its many Defects, especially un- der a Prince, who, God be thanked, mofl cor- dially wiflies the Continuance and Improve- ment of that and every Advantage to his Sub- jects, amply compenfates for many Inconveni- encies ; and prelerves many valuable Privileges, not enjoyed elfewhere. But then fuch inward Diforders muft by Degrees impair and under- mine it, till at length it will fall : poflibly the fooner, SERMON IX. 225 fooner, the more fafely we think we can follow our own Devices. Peace may be no Bleffing to fuch, as will abufe it : and the Scripture hath told us long ago, that the Profperity of Fooh fhall dejlroy them*. After all, it would be fomething, if when we had reduced ourfelves to the fame Condition with the reft of the World, in point of Freedom at Home, by our Unworthinefs and Incapacity of it, we had a Profpect remaining of Security from Abroad. Other Nations, neither free nor virtuous; though internally miferable on both Accounts, continue for a Time, perhaps a. considerable one, to an- fwer Purpofes of God's Wifdom, externally potent, courted and dreaded. But what Con- lolation can We draw from hence : exhaufted and burthened as we are ; with fo little to hope, as Experience hath fhewn us/ even from the friendlier Part of our Neighbours; and fo much to apprehend from the neareft and mofb powerful, who hath repeatedly attempted our Deftruclion, whofe Strength in the only weak Article will be recruited with Zeal and Indig- nation, to whole Defigns we have always been the chief Obftacle, and whofe Succeis in them Prov. i. 3Z. inufl 226 S E 11 M O N IX. mud be fatal both to our religious and civil Interefls ? Think not, that I am become your Enemy, be* caufe I tell you the 'Truth ". Would God it would permit me to fay every Thing, that was pleaf* ing to you. Think not, that I delight, or even mean, to foretel Evil : I mean only to caution you againfl it. And who iliall or will, if the Minifters of God's Word do not ? And what muft follow ? / have fan, faith He himfelf, in the Prophets ofj*rufa!cm t an horrible T.'hing: they Jlrengthen the Hands of evil Doers, that none 'doth return from his Wickednefs. T'hey fay unto them, that defpift me, the Lord hath faid, Ye fo all have Peace ; unto every one, that walk- eth in the Imagination of his own Heart, no Evil flail come upon you. Behold a Whirlwind of the Lord -is gone forth in Fury : it ft all fall grievoujly on the Head of the Wicked. But if they had flood in my Council, and caufed my Peo- pie to hear my Words, then they jhouid have turn a d them from their evil Way x . Think not, that, however, fuch Language might be fpaied on this Day of Rejoicing. It might fo indeed, had we either been hitherto innocent, or were now duly penitent. But, being iuch, as God "*' Gal.jiv. 1 6, * Jen. xxxiii. 14, 17, 19,^22. knows S E R M O N IX. 227 knows we are, Admonition of our Faults is in- difpenfably neceflary, to excite our Thankful- nefs, that we are not punimed in proportion to them : and Warning of our Dangers, to remind us of proving our Gratitude by that Obedience, which alone will obtain us Protection. Would we but make this Ufe of the prefent Solemnity, then it would be a Day of Gladnefs indeed : a Day, much to be obferved unto the Lord through all our^Generations y , for laying the only Ground- work of public Happinefs. And therefore I muft repeat to you on .the Conclufion of this War, what I earneflly recommended to your Confederation at the Beginning of it, that when. Afa King of Ju4ab y was returning Home, both with Peace and Victory, the Prophet Azariah went out to meet him, and f aid : Hear ye me, Afa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you, while ye be with Him , and if ye feek him* .he will be found of you: but if ye forfaks him, He will forfake you z . Other Methods to fupport a tottering or raife a finking State, without Reformation, frequent- ly overturn it : and at beft are only Palliatives, temporary Expedients, to delay a little its final Ruin. Thus faith the Lord of Ho/is y They i Exod. xii. 42. * 2 Chron. xv. i, i. Q2 have 228 S E R M O N IX. have healed the Hurt of the Daughter of my People flight!) 1 , faying, Peace, Peace, when there is no Peace a . There is no Peace > faith my God, to the Wicked*. And not only the facred Writings have faid this : but Heathens have faid it who knew them not : Infidels have faid it, who regard them not : innumerable Fads have proclaimed it in every Age. But above all it holds in limited Governments, like ours. There muft be public Virtue, or they cannot fland. There muft be private Virtue, or there cannot be public. There muft be Religion, or there can be neither. There muft be true Re- ligion, or their will be falfe. There muft be Attendance on God's Worfliip, or there will be no Religion at all. Not four Years ago it was univerfally doubted, whether we had Prin- ciple enough, of any Kind, left, to make an Effort for the Prclcrvntion of every Thing va- luable to us. Moft hanpily more appeared, than was expecled. Yet God knows how it, had proved, if the Trial had gone but a little further. And. iar God's Sake let us provide, as much as ever \v.c can. ngrunll the next. How loon it may happen, is beyond human Forefight. But in the mean. Wink, we have fome Leifure, 1 Jcr. vi. 9. i. b If. l v jj. 2l . i , not S E R'M O N IX. 229 not only for perfonal Amendment, which is equally poffible in all Seafons, but for concert- ing Schemes, and executing, as well as framing, Laws for public Reformation. In War, many Things, confeffed to he right and necellary, are put off, becaufe the Attention mud be con- fined to the immediate Danger. And if they are put off in Peace too, becaufe there is no immediate Danger, when they are to be mind- ed; and what will be the Confluence, if they never are ? I would by no means excite a ram and igno- rant Zeal, to be meddling where we fee not to the Bottom of Things : much lefs a factious one, to cramp and embarrafs, difquiet and in- flame. Tfciefe Practices muft be hurtful : they may be pernicious : and the firft Article in true Patriotifm is confcientioufly abftaining from them. Taking unwarrantable Steps, in Op- pofition to fuch as we may think, whether too haftily or not, bad Men and bad Meafures, is only introducing additional Wickednefs of our own, and giving others a Pretence for con- tinuing, and even increafing theirs. Or mould we fucceed againft them : yet fuch, as ad; ill to get Power to act well, feldom or never ufe 230 S E R M O N IX. it to that Purpofe, when they have it, what- ever they may intend beforehand. The Rule then is, that each perform his own Duty fleadily and calmly ; rejoice, and ac- knowledge it with Thankfulnefs, when others perform theirs ; and be very moderate, when he apprehends they overlook or tranfgrefs it : endeavour to rectify what is wrong, fo far as it belongs to his Station ; but never exercife him- Jslf in Matters, which are too high Jor Lim % nor watch more folicitoufly over the Conduct of the State, than over his own Heart and Life. He, that neglects the latter, will feldom be thoroughly in earneft, and feldomer yet impar- tial, about the former : or though he were, will have much lefs Weight, than a better Man. The one is incumbent on us all; the other on very few: in the one we need never miflake or fail ; in the other we muft frequently. There- fore let us earnefcly pray Jor the Peace of Jem- fakrn* : but remember that the furtil Way of feeking to do it further Gocd*, is fir ft to be at Peace ourfcives with God and with Men. Prefhng you to general Reformation, as the Means of general Happinefs, may feem a very hopelefs Expedient. But it is the only one, * Pfal. cxxxi. z, * Pfj!.' cxxii.. 6. e Vcr. g. which SERMON IX. 231 which Heaven hath pointed out, or will blefs. Whether you will make Uie of it, depends on yourll'lves. We are charged, before God, and the Lord Jefm Chrijl, who flail judge the Quick and the Dead at his Appearing and his Kingdom, to preach the Word \ be i.-i fhwf, in Scafon, out of Scafon ; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all Long- Jvffering and Doar'me* . We do accordingly, as AmbaJJadors for Chrijt, as though God did . bffcech you by us, pray you in Chriji's Stead, Be v.' reconciled to God z : and wrum we have done fo, ive have delivered our Souls h : but we beg you, think of your own. The fewer will amend, the more Need there is, that we fhould add to the Number. Our doing it may be of fome Benefit to others, we know not how great : but at lead will he infinitely beneficial to our- Hives. We mall he happy, whatever They be: happy, even at prefent , though lefs, than if all were i'o. Probably, indeed, when Times of Trouble come, we ih.ill iufFer with them : but poifibly not, or -however not fo much as we apprehend: For the lard knoiveth how ta deliver the Godly out of 'Tewptiiiion '. Or if he determine otherwife, he will enable us to bear it k : f 2 Tim. iv. i, 2. e 2 Cor. v. 20. h Ezek. xxxiii. g. 4 z Pet. ii. 9, * i Cor. x. 13. and 232 SERMON IX. and jbjfenng now according to his Will ', is a Title to more Enjoyment in a better Life. This World is not our main Concern. They, who take it for their Portion, will be every one auxioufly providing for his own feparate Advan- tage in it; and confequently every one inju- rious to his Neighbours, and uneafy in Himfelf : but let Felicity hereafter be the Point in View, and Tranquillity here will be the Refulc. T^he Peace of God, which pajfeth all Under/landing, fhall keep our Hearts and Minds through *jcfus Chrift. Even if we fuffer, not only in com- mon with others, but more than others ; if we are defpifed, hated, ill-treated, for what ought to procure us Honour and Friendmip, our Piety, Integrity, Regularity : flill the Spirit within us will fupport us -, we fiall receive an hundredfold now in this Time, with Perfections ; and in the World to come, eternal Life n . Say ye to the Righteous, that it jball be well with Him : for they flail cat the Fruit of their Do- ings. Woe unto the Wicked, it jhall be HI with Him : for the Reward of his Hands fball be green him . 1 i Pet. iv. 19. Phil. iv. : . Mark x. 30. 1C iii. jo, ii. Doubtlefs SERMON IX. 233 Doubtlefs good Perfons will be forry, as they have Caufe, for what the Public muft undergo, unlefs Reformation prevent it. But at the fame Time they will acquiefce, as they have Caufe, with entire Complacency, in the Juftice of Pro- vidence : and the more, as the fevereft Difpen- fations of it are bringing forward continually, though by unfeen Ways, that blefTed State of Things, even on this Earth, of which, how- ever elfe improbable in itfelf, the Attributes of God afford us Hope j and his Prophets, Aflur- ance. Nay, thofe Nations themfelves, whom by his Punimments he makes miferable for being bad, may by that very Mifery be made good, and then happy. / will leave in the Midft of tbee, faith God to Jerufalem, an af- fiitted and poor People, and 'They ftall truft in the Name of the Lord. T'he Remnant of Ifrael jfhall not do Iniquity, nor fpeak Lies. It follows, They flail feed and lie down, and none ft all make them afraid*. Such a Cure, though effected by fuch Difci- pline, would be an unfpeakable BlefTing. But furely we are not refolved, that no other mall do. God is trying at prefent milder Methods : and the Language of his Proceedings is, How f Zeph. iii. 12, 13. flail 2 3 4 SERMON IX. fhall I give thee up, JLpbraim ? How foall I de~ liver thee, Ifrael?Mine Heart is turned within me, my Repentmgs are kindled together 9 . But flill in the Midft of his Mercies, his Threatnings remain in full Force : and we have a folemn Warning, that if, when we hear the Words of his Curfe, we blefs ourfelves, and fay, we Jkall have Peace, though we walk in the Imagination of our Hearts : the Lord will not fpare us, but his Anger* and his yealoufy /hall fmoke againfi us; and all the Curfes that are written in his Book, flail lie upon us r . For a long Time we feemed to think, that we might fecurely truft in our own Wealth and Strength, our own Po- licy and Bravery, let us behave to our Maker as we would. He hath given us, through a Courfe of Years, ample Conviction of our Mif- take, if any Thing will convince us : and he hath given us now Time to act upon that Con- viction. Let us therefore at length intitle our- felves to truft in Him : turn our Minds to fear God, honour the King, love the Brotherhood*, that is the Public : ceafe from our profane Dif- courfe, our unbelieving Prefumption, our uncha~ ritable Contentions, our felriili Projects, our dif- folute Pleafures, our idle Amufements, our i Hof. xi. 8. r Deut. xxix. 19, 20. * i Pt. ii. 17. fafhionable S E R M O N IX. 235 fafhionable A Mediations, our definitive Ex- pences: beg Pardon of our Guilt, through Jefus Chrift ; and Afliftance of our Weaknefs, through the Spirit of Grace : govern our Lives by the Rules of the Gofpel; and both awe and cheer ourfelves by continual Thoughts of that Day, when God will judge the World in Righteoufnefs, by that Man, whom be hath ordained*. All this is the indifpenfable Duty of every one, were he to be tingle in performing it : there are fome, God be thanked, who pra TO Dr. Mayhctifs Obfervations ON THE CHARTER AND CONDUCT OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION of the GOSPEL in FOREIGN PARTS. [ *39 1 AN ANSWER TO Dr. Mayhcisis Obfervations. DR. Mayhew** a Book is written, partly againfl the Church of England in gene-* ral ; partly againft the Conduct of the Society for the Propagation of the Gofpel, in fettling Minifters of that Church in the Majfa- cbufetts and Conne&icut -, partly againft appoint- ing Bifhops to refide in his Majefty's American Colonies. The firft, though not formally pro- pofed by him as one Head of his Work, appears to be in his View throughout the whole of it. And if Satisfaction be prcvioufly given tp candid Perfons on this Point, they will be better pre- pared for confidering the other two. a The Quotations out of Dr. Mayhe fiould 'have that Power 9 . Nay, the Quakers affirm, that they who bad loudly cried out of the Tyranny and OppreJ/ion of the Bifhops in Old England, from whom they fled, when fettled in a Place, where they bad Liberty to govern, made their little Finger of Cruelty bigger, than evef they found the Loins of the Bifhops *. Dr. May- kew indeed faith, that Severities are ufed agalnft the Quakers^ much lefs under the Notion of their being DiJ/entcrs from the public Mode ofWorfhlp^ than of their being Difturbers of the Peace and re- ligious AJJemblies*. But ftill Severities were ufed againft them on the former Account ; and they juftly obferve in Mr. Neate, that Offences of the latter Kind have never been thought worthy of Death by any civilized Nation *. But the Doc- tor alks, fuppofmg the New Englanders to have perfecuted the Quakers, From whom did they learn this Practice ? Rpifcopalians certainly Jhould lay their Hands upon their Mouths *. Now the plain Truth is, that all Proteflants learnt this Practice from the Church of Rome, and all mould lay their Hands upon their Mouths. But the Dodtor hath no Right to open his as wide as he pleafes, and require us to mut ours. P Vol. I. p. 329. and if he had preferved y Pag 36, p. 46. p. 7. b p. 93. c p. 9- the 250 Jh ANSWER /* the &me Temper throughout, fhould cither h^ve &ad no Contr^verfy with him, or have engaged *ji the friendly Debate with Pleasure : whereas now the, frequent and copious Effufions of a bad Spirit in his Work make fuch Animadverfions upon him unavoidable, as I fhould otherwife gladly have fpared. His Charge on the Society is, that they haye maintained Epif copal Churches, 'where other Pro- teftant Cbttrches were before fettled, and the Ad- wrinijlration of God's Word and Ordinances pro- vided for *> with a formal Dejign which they. ave long bad, to root out Prefbyterianifm, &c. m the Colonies. Now this Defign, in Purfuancc of which, he faith, they have in a great Meafure neglefted the Ends of their Injlitution % is falfely afcribed to them. They have never formed a Scheme to root out Prefbyterianifm, &c. in the Colonies, either by Force, which the Doctor could not mean, though the Word moft natu- rally fuggefts it, or even by Argument and Per- fuaiion. Undoubtedly they would be very glad, if all the^ Inhabitants were of the Communion of the Church of England : as undoubtedly the Doctor would, if they were all of his Commu- aio&. But they have fent no Perfons to effect * Pag. 15. p. 86. this. Dr. MAYHEW^ Obfervations, 25* this. He attempts to prqve the contrary from the following Inftru&ion, given by them to their Miflionaries : That they frequently vifit their refpeftive Parijhioners ; thofe of our own Communion, to keep them jleady in the Profeffion and Pr attics of Religion, as taught in the Church of England ; thofe that oppofe us, or diJJ'ent from us, to convince and reclaim them with a Spirit of Meeknefs and Gentlenefs f . His Words on that Occafion are : tfhis clearly Jhews, what they are after. It will alfo he obferved here, that WE. are conjia'ered as PariJJmners of the Miflionaries, no lefs than profejjed Epifcopalians. And ive are often fpoken of as fuch by them in their Letters to the Society, as' appears by the Abjlrafts. How afjuming is this * \ But furely it may be retorted^ How unfair is this ! The Inftru and I remember none) it only follows, that they have exprefled themfelves improperly, and fhould be fet right when it is obferved. Another Evidence produced by the Doctor is, that in the Account of the Society * publifhed in 1706, after fpeaking of the independent Congre- gations in New England, they fay ; " Several *' other Ways of Di'vijion and Separation did fa " much obtain in other of our Colonies and- Plan- " tations,, that this made it more necejjary ta " think of providing for a regular and orthodox " Miniftry, to promote^ as much as pojjible, *' oil Agreement in Faith and Worjhip" This, lie faith, can mean nothing, more or lefs, than Uniformity t or a general Conformity to the Doc-? trine, Difcipline and Worfoip of the Church of -England 11 . I have not been able to procure * Pag. 86, 7. this Dr. MAYHW'J Qbfervatioris. this Account , or to learn by whom, or whofe Order, it was compiled. But the PafTage quoted from it, exprefly fpeaks, not of independent, TOT any Congregations in New England, but of other Ways of Divifion and Separation in other Colonies^ and therefore is nothing to the Doc- tor's Purpofe : befides that, as much Agreement as pojfible in Faith and Worfiip might be far left than a general Conformity to the Church of England; which it might be impoffible to ob- tain* and yet as near an Approach to it as could be obtained, might even, in his Opinion, be more deiirable, than letting them continue in their prefent Way. For how bad that was., appears not. The real Conduct of the Society, with Re- fpecl: to Provinces and Pariflies not epifcopal, hath been, to contribute towards fupporting public Worfhip and Inftruction amongft fuch Members of the Church of England, as cannot in Confcience comply with the Worfliip and Inftrucliion of the other Congregations in their Neighbourhood, and yet cannot wholly main- tain Minifters for themfelves. The moft of thefe will ufually be in the more confiderable Towns; and for that Reafon it is, and not with a View of making Converts, as the Doctor pre- tends, ^n ANSWER t9 tends 1 , that epifcopal Ministers are fettled irt fb many confiderable Towns of New England. But they are fettled no where, till a competent Number of our People inhabiting near, requeft it, and fubfcribe what they are able. Nay, thefe Requefts have often, both formerly k and lately, been rejefted> or poflponed for many Years together, when the Number did not ap- pear to be fufficient, or the Society apprehended, that too much of their Money was going this Way. And were it but known, as it feems to "be in fome Meafure to theDhTentersthemfelves ', how continual and importunate the Calls and Expoftulations of fuch Perfons are, the Impar- tial would wonder, how the Society could with- Itand fo many of them, as it hath done. Thefe are plain Evidences, that Miffionaries are hot fent to New Eng/andfor. the Purpofe of making Profelytes to Epifcopacy. Accoitlingly, which is a further Evidence, they have no Directions, public or private, given them to make any, or to preach at all upon difputable Points : but on the contrary, one Rule laid down for them is, that they keep always in View the great Deftgn of their Undertaking -, viz. to promote the Glory 1 Pag. 46. k See Humphrey* * hiftorical Account, p. 6l, &c, i See Mr. Ootart's ferious Addrefs, p. 133, 138. tf Dr. MAYHBW'J Qlntions. 255 $f God, and the Salvation of Men, by propagat- ing the Goffel of our Lord and Saviour rt ; and Another is, that the cbkf SubjeEt of their Ser- mons be the great fundatnental Principles of Cbrif- tianlty ; and the Duties of a fiber, righteous and gvdly Life, as refultingfrom thofe Principles ". Nor can the Miffionaries eafily mifapprehend the Intentions of the Society, thus manifefted. Several of them have indeed fpoken highly, ibmetinies perhaps, as it is but natural, too highly, of the Increafe of their Churches; and have mentioned it with great Pieafure in their Letters, and no Wonder. But they have not afcribed that Increafe to the Pains which they Jiave taken to bring Perfons over to it, but ra- ther to the Satisfaction which our Service had given to Perfons, who of their own Accord, from Curioiity or other Motives, attended it* Qr if they now and then do mention themfelves as making Converts, they do not ever, to the beft of my Remembrance, mention this, as the End for which they were appointed. Dr. "John* fon, one of the oldeft of them, profefles it not to be fo, in thefe Words : He [Mr. Hobart] h jnucb miflaken in faying ive make it our chief and grand Eufmefs to profelyte Diffenters to the * Collection of Papers, p. 20. * c Ibid, p. 23. 6 Church An ANSWER to Church of England. Our chief Bufinefs is, to minifter to thofe who are Church People ; and if this proves the Occajion of increajing the Num- ber, it is but what may naturally be expected, when they, by that Means, have Opportunity to fee how great the Advantage is on our Side . And Mr. Beache, one almoft, if not quite, as old, faith, // is not the Dejign of the Charter ', that the Society fhould fend Mijflonaries to con- vert Prefbyterians to the Church : and it is a bafe Reflection to fay they do. They never fend Miffionaries to convert Protejlants to the Church of England, but to minifter to Church People : and if Diffenters by that Means are added to the Church, they do not think by this any Evil is done. This is the Truth, and all the Truth p . Accord- ingly a very refpe&able Miffionary ufes the fol- lowing Words, in a Paper not printed, which I have feen. " I believe very few Inftances, if " any, can be produced of any Miffionary 's begin- " ning with any Diffenter, with a View of re- ft claiming him to the Church* I have long tc known the Affairs of the Society, and know of '< nofuch Inftance" Pref. to Mr. Btacke's Vindication, or .Addrefs, 1749, p. 5, 6. p Second Vindication, or Addrefs, 1 751, p. 67. Therefore Dr. MAYHEW'J- Obfervations. 257 Therefore Mr. Apthorp might well aver, as the Doctor tells us he is faid to have done, that he dejires not to make one Profelyte from the congregational Church f . The Doftor however thinks, that there feems to be fome Difficulty in reconciling this Declaration with the Hopes ex- frejj'ed in his Letter to the Society, of future Ac- cej/ions to his Congregation. But may there not be Acceffions to it by the Settlement of more Members of the Church of England in thoie Parts, or by a Change of Sentiments in Perfons of other Perfuafions, without Mr. Apthorp's in- terfering ? The Doctor, unable or unwilling to perceive fo obvious a Solution, charitably helps him to come off, by fuppofing, that perhaps it was from the College, not from the Church, that hejlattered him felf with fuch Aocejjions : adding, m which he is fuppofed to have been not a little difappointed. But hath Mr. Apthorp attempted to make any Profelytes, either from the Church or the College ? if not, why is a poor needlefs Evaiion afcribed to him ; and a Difappointment fuppofed of Hopes, which he doth not appear to have entertained ? Why mould not his De- plaration, and fuitable Behaviour, be rather Deemed another Proof, that the Miffionaries 9 Ib. p. 6^ S under* 258 An ANSWER to underfland their Bufmefs to be, not profelyting DhTenters, but officiating to our own People ? The Dodor believes indeed what may feem a Prefumption of the contrary, that fcarce ten Families in the town of Cambridge ufuaUy at- tend the Service of the Church lately fet vp there*., But it was represented to the Society, that 50 Families in the Town and Neighbourhood were defirous to attend it. And fhould they prove to be much fewer, yet feveral Members of the Church of England fend their Children to Har- vard College there : and fuch a Place of Wor- fhip, as they and their Parents approve, may be reafonably provided for them, without any De|ign of profelyting others. There is indee4 a College in Nfw England, where Students have been forbidden to attend epifcopal Service, and a young Man hath been fined for going to hear his own Father, an epifcopal Minifter, preach But in Harvard College, it feems, a better Spirit prevails : and it is more likely to flourish, froth for that Moderation, and for the new Church built near it. The Doctor faith that ;n fome other Places the Supplicants for Miffionaries have not exceeded 3 or 10, or 1 2 Heads of Families s . But if this J Pag. 48, Ib. be Dr. MAYHEW'J Obfervations. 259 be true, they have petitioned in the Name of others, as well as their own. And fuppoling the Society to have been mifinformed about their Numbers, this may happen notwithftand- ing good Care ; and by no Means proves them to have a Defign, which other Circumftances prove they have not. But the Doctor apprehends, that whatever the Number of thefe Petitioners any where may be, Conscience is but fejdom their Motive, and therefore they fhould not be encouraged. In- deed, he fcarcely feems to conceive how it can be their Motive : and wants to be tojd, what there is that jhould give Offence to good Protefr tants* in the Prefbyterjan or congregational Churches. We muft not call them Indepen- dent, for he faith the Epifcopalians off eft to re^ Broach them under that Name u : though Mr. Neale, himfelf an Independent, ufes it frequent- ly, and it is more proper, and not reproachful at all. Nor muft we call them ^fTemblies or Communions; for he hath rebuked Mr. Aptborp and the Archbishop of Canterbury fbr doing it w , though l^e doth it himfelf. In thefe Churches therefore, he wants to know what there is that can give Offence : arid fo lets him- 1 P?g. 66. " p. 36. " P 67, 3 2 fclf 260 An ANSWER to felf again into his darling Topic, of abufing the Church of England in Comparifon. However, he recollects that he hath heard fome Epifco- palians fay, and been told that others have faid, 'that they JJoouId much prefer the Communion of the Church of Rome x to that of the Diffenters. And indeed none are fo likely as he, and fucH as he, to provoke thofe into faying it, who would think very differently in their cooler Hours. But fuppofing this to be their fettled Judgment; would he have them left to turn Papifts, if they will, becaufe they are not fo good Proteilants as they mould be ? The Church of Rome and its Society V or at being under, or likely to come * Pig. 6> * i Cor. xiv. 10. fc Rom* xir. 4. 6 Dr. MAYHEW'J- Qlfervations. 263 Cenfure for immoral Practices. But he doth not affirtn pofttively that either [he means &ny\ of thefe hath always been the Cafe without Exception c . Here again he is remarkably care- ful, that his Conceffions to the poor Epifcopa- lians (hall not be too liberal* And to keep on even Terms with him, we do not affirm poll- lively that none of thefe hath ever been the Cafe. But we muft infill, that the favourable Prefumption is the preferable one, and that Mens Profeffions, concerning their own In- ducements, are to be credited, unlefs the con- trary appears ; which, according to the bell Intelligence that could be got, we believe it hath not ordinarily done, in the Matter now under Consideration. On one of thefe Heads, Avarice, the Doctor explains himfelf, by fay- ing, that till a Law was made, obliging the Epifcopalums to pay minijlerial Rates In com?non with others, but for the Support of their own. Clergy, Epifcopacy made a great Progrefs ; and that if they had been exempted from all minijhrial Taxes as the Quakers are -, almoft all who loved their Money better than any Thing elfe, might In the Courfe of a few Tears have adorned the Communion of the Church. But what needed **g- 47- * P. 49- S 4 they 264 An ANSWEk to they who loved their Money better than any Thing elfe, turn Epifcopalians to fave it, when turning Quakers would have ferved the fame Purpofe more effectually ? And have any Epif- copalians turned Quakers, when they found their former Change would fecure them no longer ? If not, this Suggeflion is unauthorized and unwarrantable. He declines giving any recent Injlances of Mens acting upon the Mo- tives which he alledges, becaufe if you will be- lieve him to be fo tender, old ones, given by another Perfon, may be lefs invidious. Of thefe he produces two, from a Letter of Dr. Colman t of Bo/Ion, written above 50 Years ago to Dean, afterwards Bifhop Kennet. And he obferves rightly, that the Dean in his Anfwer exprefles his Belief that they are true. But he plainly believed it only on the Information of Dr. Col- man, a perfect Stranger to him 3 nor can any Inquiry into the real Truth be made now. And I beg Leave to obferve in my Turn, that according to Dr. May hew* s own Account, for I have no other, the Dean thought the Society was authorized to plant epif copal' Churches, where, though there was a fettled Minijlry, there were alfo good Numbers^ who could not in Conference conform to the Ways of Worjhip diffe- rent Dr. MAYHEW'J- Obfervations. 265 rent from the ejiablified Church ^England' Therefore averting, that the true and only De- fign of the Society, in fending Miffionaries to the Majfacbufetts and Conneclicutt hath always been to provide for fuch Perfons, is not a new Plea, fet up to ferve a Turn. The Dean had good Opportunities of knowing its real Pur- pofes ; and fo worthy a Man as Dr. Mayhe-w allows him to be, would not have written as he hath done, if he had fufpected any further infidious Scheme. Indeed the Society far from having formed a Project to epifcopize (as the Doctor calls it) that Country, had but three Miffionaries in it feven 1 Years after; and the following ones went upon no other Errand than the firft. After faying that the abovementioned Caufes produced Factions and Parties, and they pro- duced epifcopal Separations, the Doctor goes on to fay, that divers of the Miffionaries have been- much injured, (which there is no Reafon to fuppofej if they have not been very bufy in fo- menting tkefe Divijions ; yea, been at the Bottom cf them f . But I take the Liberty of main- taining, that there is great Reafon to fuppofe they have been injured. For in all fuch Dif- f Peg- 57' putes 266 An ANSWER putes it never fails, but each Side injures the other; and the Miffionaries would be very fure of having a double Load of Calumny throwrt upon them. Still, that fome of them may have been to blame in this refpect, is not only pof- fible, but confidering human Nature, too like- ly. And if any where it can be proved that they have been bufy Bodies in other Mens Mat- ters*, or ufed bad Arts to promote a good Caufe, they ought to be reprimanded, and if they amend not, removed. But the Doctor, confcious that Mifbehaviours of particular Per* fons would not come up to his Point, charges the Society itfelf with manifefting a fufficient Forivardnefs to encourage and increafe fmall dif* aff'efted Parties in fawns, upon an Application to them. And this, he faith, appears** But how ifr appears, he hath not faid, nor can I imagine. The Society hath never been made acquainted with any of the little Quarrels in the Towns of New England; and were they to know them, they are too remote to give Di- rections about them ; unlefs the Doctor can make it appear, that they have given their Millenaries a general Direction to inflame them all as much as they can. * i Pet. iv. 15. h Pag. 47. Perhaps Dr. MAYHEW'J Obfervations. 167 Perhaps he may think that no other Caufes can be alledged, than fuch as he hath produced, for the Increafe of Epifcopalians in thole Part?* But this would be a great Miftake. Though the firft Planters of New England were Separa* tilts from our Church, many Conformifts to it came afterwards to fettle there ; and fome of them, as I am credibly informed, were to be found fifty Years ago, in almoil every Town of confiderable Standing. Thefe new Comers were defpifed and reproached for their religious Principles by their Neighbours ; moft of whom had been taught to think the Church of Eng- land nearly as bad as the Church of Rome. Thus attacked, it was natural that they lliould en- deavour to defend themfelves, and procure fuch Books as would enable them to do it better. Some of the more candid and inquiiitive amongft the Prejby tenant and Congregationalifls adven- tured to hear their Defences, and to read their Authors; were convinced by them, and became Churchmen. As their Number grew, it was natural that they mould endeavour to procure themfelves Minifters, and on their Requeft the Society helped them. This occafioned a further Augmentation, to which alfo contributed greatly the wild Enthufiafm that prevailed in feveral of the 268 An ANSWER to the New England Churches, even before Mr. Whitefield cams amongft them, but was mightily increafed by him and the ftrolling Teachers that followed him ; as did likewife their extend- ing fpiritual Cenfures to mere Trifles, with their endlefs Contentions and Confufions on the fettling of Minifters, and on various Occurren- ces belides; all which Things difgufted and weaned out many of their People, and induced them to feek a peaceable Refuge in our Com- munion. If thefe are known Facts, as I am aflured they are, they will go a very great Way towards accounting for the Growth of the epif- copal Party ; and the Doctor fhould not have fuppreffed them, and afcribed it wholly to fuch bad and fuch low Motives as he hath done, in order to throw an Odium upon the Society, as 1 encouraging what it abhors, for the Attainment of a Defign which it never framed. But the Doctor feems to intimate, that even upon Suppojition, that the Epifcopalians in New England, who pleaded that they had no Minif- ters whom they could attend, were confcientious People, yet they were not much to be pitied, or really Objefts of Charity *. Surely he could not mean this. At leaft, I fhould have great Com- 5 Pag. 6$. paffion Dr. MAYHEW'-T Obfervations. 269 paffion for a Number of DifTenters in the fame State. Thus much however he allows, that if any Perfons in England, in their private Capa- city, Jhould think it, which again rather implies that he in their Condition mould not think it, a Deed of Charity to fupport epif copal Churches in New England, for the Sake of thofe compara- tively few confcientious People, to whom the Means of Religion, to be had in the Protejlant Diffenting Communion, are no Means they have a Right to do it. But he infifts that the Society hath not, their whole Fund and Revenue being otherwife appropriated; which he undertakes to prove from their Charter. Now I acknowledge that the Cafe of the New England Epifcopalians, is not particularly de-r fcribed and provided for in the Charter. But fo neither is the Cafe of any other Indians, than fuch as are the King's Subjects, and People liv- ing in his Plantations and Colonies, for to thefe only, the Letter of the Charter extends j and in refpecl of others, Mr. Apthorp might juftly fay, that Indian Converjions are undertaken by the So- ciety, as it luzre, ex abundanti. Yet Dr. May- hew is fo far from blaming the Society for ap- plying Part of their Benefactions to the Inftruc- fion of fuch Indians as only border on his Ma- jetty's Jn ANSWER to jefty's Dominions, that he blames them greatly for not applying more of it to that Ufe. Now if their Cafe, which exifted when the Charter was granted, and yet is not named in it, may Jxowever be looked on as comprehended within, Its Intention, and obtain Relief by Means of it in Confequence of the general Principle on which it is founded, much more may that of the Epifcopalians, which did not exift, and was jx)t forefeen, and therefore no Wonder it was not named. Though it was not exprefsly men-* tsoned before it was in Being, {till if, when it fame into Being, it was included under the Keafon and Equity of the Purpofes which are exprefsly mentioned ; paying Regard to it muft fce underflood to be allowed by the Charter, and virtually directed in it. For the Rules of Law require that Grants of Princes, and parti- cularly Grants in Favour of Religion, be inter- preted as liberally as may be lc . And thus far, 1 conceive, Mr. Apthorp rightly aflerts, that tbe Society have a difcretionary Power of making Alterations in their Jnjlitution -, nor do I believe that he meant to carry it further, however un^ * Se thofe Roles in #W't Ivfitxtes of Civil La/ An ANSWER to n fuch Cafes, is no eafy Matter f . The Society \vi(h, and endeavour to be well informed, con- cerning the Number of Families in every Mif- fion. If they are mifinformed only in fome few Inftances, it is neither a great Marvel nor a great Objection. And if they apprehend many Miffions to be more confiderable than they are, iince Epifcopacy thrives fo poorly, the Doctor hath no Reafon to be alarmed about it. For fuppofing them to have engaged in the Enter- prize which he imagines, they will certainly grow fick of it and abandon it. But indeed I doubt whether any one of them ever dreamt of what he is pleafed to fay hath long been their formal Defign, the true Plan and grand Myjlery of their Operations in New England *. Another Thing, afferted by him, is, that after epifcopal Congregations in fome Places have become we// able to fupport their own Minifters, the Society have jlill continued to pay thefe : to which he adds, that the only Reafon, why he doth not come to Particulars, is, left it Jhould feem too invidious ; and that this Condutl of the Society for fome Tears, proved no inconjiderable Means of incrtaftnv the Church Party b . Now the Society hath always been defirous to know, ' Pag. 83. I p. 49. h i bidi 4 when Dr. MAYHEwV Obfervations. 281 when any Congregation became able to fupport itfelf without their Help ; and have never con- tinued their Contribution, when they have un- derftood that to be the Cafe. If their Friends have been too flow in giving them Intelligence, which may have happened, and the Doctor will favour them with any, which on Inquiry (hall appear to be well grounded, they will both be thankful to him, and fhew the World that they are far from wiming to increafe the Church Party by profufe Liberalities. The Dodtor exaggerates the Fault, with which he charges the Society, of mifapplying their Money, by alledging further, that they have done no Good by it. He declares, that be never knew an Example of any Profelyte from their Churches tv ours, being brought back to a Chrijlian Life : but that there are numerous ones of Perfons, ivbofe Morals, though exception- able before, were much ivorfe afterwards ; that they often become loofe, profligate, vain and cen- Jbrious, feemingly placing no fmall Part of their Religion in railing at their congregrational and Prejbyterian Neighbours J . Now in Anfwer to an Accufation of the fame Nature, brought by Mr. Hobart, Mr. Beache \\z\hferioujly declared, f Fag. 82. that 282 An ANSWER to _ that be hath known many Perfons who have greatly improved in Virtue by the Change*. And other worthy Millenaries have declared the fame Thing. The Do&or indeed will perhaps treat me for producing MuTionaries, as he hath Mr. Apthorp for producing Members of the Society, as Witneffes In what he calls their own Caufe '. But the Teftimony of its Accufer is not more admiflible. The Zealots of all Parties, and thofe of his own at leafl as much as others, are mighty apt to fpeak with overgreat Severity of fuch as forfake them. And if the Dodlor himfelf doth not place fome Part of his Reli- gion in railing at the Epifcopalians, it is very hard to account for his practifmg it fo much. But befides, the Queflion is not, whether Pro- felytes to the Church of England grow better, but whether the Members of the Church of England would not grow worfe, if they had no ftated Miniftry to prevent it. Inattentive to this, he urges further, that fwearing, gaming, &c. are beyond all Compart- fon more frequent, fince the Church of England prevailed there, than before m . Yet Mr. Beache faith, he is perfuaded, that folid Chriftian Virtue, k Firft Vindication or Addrefs, p. 43. ' > Pag. 9. 70. -Pag. 75. as Dr. MAYHEW'J Obfervations. 283 as well as Knowledge, increafes, as the Church gains Ground in the Country , and thoufands of People are really better d by it in their moral Character ; But fuppofing the abovementioned Vices are more frequent fince that Time, fo I fear thefe and others are in England fince the Revolution and the Toleration. But would it not be very wicked to afcribe the Increafe of them to either of thefe ? Are the Miffionaries Examples of Vice ? The Doctor hath not dared to fay it. Do they preach in Favour of Vice ? Are they not as diligent and zealous to the full. in teaching moral Duties, as the Minifters of his Communion, if not more fo ? And why then are the Immoralities, of which he fpeaks, to be imputed to them, or the Society, or the Church of England, when perhaps his own Friends are as much degenerated as any ? He declares indeed, that he 'will not affirm that this is greatly the Work of the Society. But he hath done his utmoft to make others think it ; and, I fuppofe, imagines that Epifcopalians deferve no better Treatment. In one Thing however he hath dealt very fairly. After expreffing his Perfuafion, that there is lefs real Religion in thofe Parts of New England, where the Society's Second Vindication or Addrefs, p. 65. Money An ANSWER to Money hath been expended, than there 'would have been, had It been funk in the Ocean, he adds, 'tis not to be fuppofed that any Epifcopalians can be of this Opinion ; neither is any Strefs laid upon it in the prefent Argument *. Mr. Apthorp aflerts that, inftead of Harm, the New England Miflionaries have done great Good there; that the religious State of the Country is manifejlly improved, though much indeed remains to be done in Manners and Piety. And here the Doftor, with his ufual Charity, reprefents him as making a ConceJJion, that this boafted Reformation very little, if at 'all, conjifts in the Improvement of Piety and Morals p . Then he proceeds, without any Occafion given him, to a mock Defence of the formal Air, which he admits the old Divines of that Country had, compared with the jovial Countenances which he afcribes to the Miflionaries 9 . What the Doctor's Countenance is, 1 know not; but I wifh he gave as good Proofs of a ferious Heart, as the Miflionaries in general do. That Re- ligion wore a gloomy and uninviting Appear- ance amongft the Puritans there formerly, and now wears a more pleating one amongft their Defcendants, and that in Part they have learnt Pag. 96,97. P j>. 73. 9 p. 74. this Dr. MAYHEWV Obfervations. 285 this Alteration for the better from the Mem- bers of the Church of England, the Dodtor, I prefume, will not deny, though he will not permit an Epifcopalian to fay it ; and Mr. Ap- tborp did not mean to fay more on this Head. What he faith in the next Place, of the Im- provements lately made there in the fpeculativs Doctrines of Religion, the Doctor endeavours to conftrue into the licentious Infult on their Fathers and Teachers, living and dead* ; of which Mr. Apthorp had evidently no Intention, though he doth ufe a ftrong Expreffion or two, which probably were not meant even of the dead Teachers at large, but of the wild Secta- ries with which that Country abounded '. At leaft they cannot be meant of the living Fa- thers, becaufe he both owns and pleads, that the Faults, which he blames, are amended. And after abufing him for fome Time, the Doctor himfelf allows, // 'was too common a ning for People in New England to exprefs themfehes in a Manner jujlly exceptionable upon thefe Points , and that they may be indebted to the Society or their MiJJionaries in fome Degree, for their doing otherwife now '. So that in the * *& 7- * See Humphreys'* Account, p. 36, 37, 38. 1 JP*g, 78. main 286 An ANSWER to main he agrees with Mr. Apt&orp, at the fame Time that he inveighs againft him ; and pro- bably wimes that far greater Changes were made in the fpeculative Doftrines of his Bre- thren, than the Society and its Miffionaries would approve. Mr. Apthorp adds, that Hypocrijy bath worn off, in Proportion as Men have feen the Beauty of Holinefs : that is, in Proportion as the Face of Religion hath become amiable, and its Doc- trines have been rationally explained ; the two Things which he had mentioned immediately before. But the Doctor chufes to mifunderftand him of the Beauty of Rites, and Modes, and Forms, in order to get an Opportunity of reproaching the Church of England again, as placing Holi- nefs in a Zeal for thej'e u , which it notorioufly doth not. I wifh others were as far from placing it in a Zeal againft them. The laft Inftance of religious Improvement, in which Mr. Apthorp thinks the Millenaries have been inftrumental, is the exterminating of Perfection. On this the Dodlor obferves, that no Afts of Uniformity ever took Place in New England . Very true, for they could not ob- tain them : elfe there was a Time when they Pag. 79. v Ib. certainly -Dr. MAYHEW'J- Obfervations. 287 certainly would. But they made a Shift to per- fecute pretty effectually without them. He adds, that no F 'erfecution had been known amongft them for many Years before the Society was in Being*. But can he prove that they held it unlawful before that Time ? He reprefents it as incredible, that the Poflerity of thofe who had perfecuted their Fathers into America, mould teach the prefent Generation their Charity and Moderation, But why more incredible, than that the Pofterity of thofe who had perfecuted the Quakers in America, mould now be Ene- mies to Perfecution ? The Act of Toleration was patted by Members of the Church of Eng- land. Mr. Locke, a Member bf the fame Church, was, of all Englijh Writers, the greateft Advocate for Toleration. The Efteem of it increafed continually. The Generality of our Miflionaries, I hope, carried that Efteem with them into Neiv England. Their Need of Toleration there, muft recommend it ft ill more to their good Opinion ; the Neceffity of allow- ing it to them muft gradually reconcile others to an Approbation of that Allowance ; and better Motives, I doubt not, co-operated with thefe ; which had the ftrongeft Influence, I do Pag. 80. not An ANSWER to not undertake to determine. But furely the Doctor goes too far, when he faith, Wherever we learnt Chrijlian Charity towards thofe who differ from us, we did not learn it of the Church of England. Where elfe they learnt it, he doth not fay ; and they certainly might learn it from her, unlefs they difdained to learn any Thing from her. Where he learnt it indeed will be very needlefs to enquire, till he gives better Proofs of his having learnt it at all. For one who ufes his Pen in fuch a Manner, feems but too likely, notwithftanding a few Expref- fions of gentler Import here and there* to ufe other Weapons, if he had the Command of them. Yet I do not fufped: him of hoping to /hoot Epifcopalians as freely as Pigeons -, though he faith it is credibly reported, thztfome of the warm Epifcopalians hope for the Time when they may treat Diffenters fo Y . Mr. Beache on the other Hand, had actually heard fome of the Prefbyterians fay, it was Pity that all thofe, ivhojirft fet up the Worfiip of God according to the Church 0^ England in that .Country, had not been hanged, as the Quakers were formerly at Bofton z . Such hot headed Creatures, I am perfuaded, fay much more than they deliberately v Pag. 8 1. * Vindication or Addrefs, p. 28. think ; Dr. MAYHEWV Obferuations. 289 think; and are too few, on either Side, to deferve the Notice of the other* The New England Epifcopalians in general, fo far as I can learn, fmcerely deiire to live amicably with their Neighbours. And amongft the Englifh % wiia whom my Acquaintance hath been pretty ex- tenfive, and without whom the others cannot be formidable, I know not a Man of the Clergy or Laity, and do not believe there is one in a hundred, perhaps 1 might fay a thoufand, who wimes to overturn the prefent Toleration of the DifTenters. I mould be glad of an Alfurance, that They wifh no worfe to the Church Efta- blimment. The Doctor faith, they do not in all Refpeffsjind the kindejl Ufage from us, being fub- jeft to divers temporal IncorrutmerieKs*. I fup- pofe he hath principally in View the Tefl Act. Now without digrefling to enquire whether this be juftifiable or not, they who approve of retraining them fo far, may heartily difapprove any further Reftraints ; nay, many of them have given the ftrongeft Evidence that they do. And perhaps as many Epifcopalians in New England are excluded from Offices without Law, as Dif- fenters here by Law, on Account of their Re- ligion. But enough of this. * Fag. 80. U The 90 An ANSWER to The Doctor argues moreover, that even iup* pofing the Miffionaries in Afrit) England tv have done Good there> thwgh it may be fotfie Apo- logy , it will not juftify the Society + if it hdth occa- iioned the Negleft of d much greater Good to the Heathens ) or Unprovided Colonies b , who bad an cxclu/ivc Right to the Money 'which hath been funk in the epl/copalGulph e . But the exclufive Right hath been difproved, and there hath been no defigncd Negleft. The Heathens meant muft be either the Indians or the Negroes. Now the Do&cr owns, that as to ihe Indians, there /jave bttn> andjlill are t fome great Difcoiiragements in 'attempting to chrijliani-zc them. But he faith that according to divers Appearances , the Society have bad this Work lej\ at Heart than that of propagating Kpijcopacy in New England d . I hope he would not have the Complaint made by the Indian Sachem in June 1700 % reckoned amongfl thefe Appearances, for the Society was not incorporated till a Year after. But he faith, that the Accufation of neglecting the Natives in America, hath been in feme Sort allowed to be j.uji by the Society tbemfehcs ; and brings for' Proof of it, Bifliop Williams s Sermon before k Pag. 7 z. e p. 9*. d p. 98. p. 107. them Dr. MAYHEW'J- Obfervations* 29! them in 1705 f . Now, unhappily for the Doc- tor, Bimop Williams doth not fpeak of the So- ciety, in the Words which he quotes, but of the Englifh Nation. Nor could he fpeak of the Society; as neglecting the Indians, and yet lefs as neglecting them to propagate Epifcopacy in New England; for the Society had not fubiifted five Years, and had but one, if any, Miflionary in that whole Province. But the Bimop's Words founded fo plaufibly for a Charge upon the Epifcopalians, that he could not forbear mifap- plying them. He affirms,-' that it would not be difficult to juftify this Complaint by an Appeal to any of the later Sermons before the Society. I conceive it would, and he hath not attempted it. In one Place heexprefTes a Doubt, whether the Society have fo much as begun to ufe Me- thods of converting either the Negroes or the Indians. But in another he owns, that they have made fome J&Jfays from Time to Tinie to- wards the Converjion of the Savages - t but very feeble andfparing ones , conipdred with the Zeal of the French to popize the Indians, or with their own Zeal to epifcopize New England g . , Now indeed they have (hewn no Zeal to epifcopize New England-, and it is much eafier (I go on ' Pag. 98. 8 p. 134, ij 5 , U 2 with 7.92 An ANSWER id with the Doctor's Language) to popize than to chriilianize the LtJitms. Teaching them a few Words and Ceremonies, of. which they know riot the Meaning ; giving them a few Trink- ets, and inspiring them with a mortal Hatred againit the RngUfky makes them good Chriftians enough to Cerve the Purpofes of the French; and no Wonder that fuch Conversions are effected with Eafe* Our Society cannot undertake to make Profelytes in this' Manner. Befides, it hith not fuch Numbers to employ, fuch Funds to maintain them, or fuch. Authority to require their Perfeverance in the Work. Many of their Millionaires are under Vows of abfolute Obe- dience, none of ours arej and therefore they will engage to go only where they chufe, and will ftay no longer than they chufe. Reafon- able Perfons will be moderate in blaming them, if they confider the manifold Difagreeablenefs and Danger of fuch an Employment; but at lean: they will be far from blaming the Society for not fending Miffionaries, when they cannot procure them. And that they have failed to ufe their beft Endeavours for procuring them, the Doctor doth not affcrt. Inftead of this, he tirft infinuates without Proof, what would be nothing to his Purpofe' if Dr. MAVHEW'J 0$Jer*fotiont. 29? If true, that the Mijfi'mancs bars frequently given the World too pompous Accounts of their Efforts, and fpokcn by periodically 'of- their Dif- ' JicuItieSy and been'toQ ft on drfcouraged * ; then goes on to make Remarks on Mr. now Dr. Bare/ay's Miffion about 2 q Years ago, as if no- thing worth Notice had been attempted before. He is careful indeed to tell us, that an Order of Council was made very early [in 1702] for fending two Proteftant Minifters to the Indians of the Five Nations j that this Order was com- municated to the Society, and referred to a Committee h . But that any Thing was done, or tried upon it, or about the fame Time with it, he hath not given the leaft Hint. Yet he might have known, and probably did know, from Dr, Humphreys, to whom Mr. Ap < thorp refers his Readers, not only that the Society fent a Miflionary that very Year, the firft after it was formed, to endeavour the Converfion of the Indians bordering on South Carolina, and that the Governor and other Gentlemen there, thinking it not to- be a proper Sea/on, difpofed of him another Way*: but that in Purfuance of the above Order, the Society, after inviting unfuccefsfully a Dutch and an Englijb Minifter, I Prg. 99. h p. 1 08. Ib, U who 204 <** ANSWER to who lived in the Neighbourhood of thofe Na- tions, to undertake their Converfion, prevailed on the Rev. Mr. Thoroughgood Moor to go upon this Defign in 1704, who applied to the Mo- bocks, and acquainted them, that another Mi- nljler was daily expecJed for the Oneydes, and one for every other Nation^ as foon as proper and 'willing Perfons could be found ; that they feemed at firfl highly pleafed with the Care thus taken of them; but would give no deter- minate Anfwers to his Offers of intruding them, nor at laft any Anfwers at all, though he. ufed all the Means he could think of to get their Good-will: fo after near a Twelvemonth's Trial he left them, and was foon after loft at Sea*. The Dodor might alfo have known, if he did not, that Mr. Barclay, a different Perfon from the abovementioned, being font Miffionary to the fame Indians in or before 1709, tried all the Methods he could t to engage them to, be in- ftru&ed in our Language and Religion, but with. 'very fmall Succefs ; that fever al indeed would feem for a Time to be converted, but foon after they would return again t,o their Jirjl faiage * Pag, 286 291. l Ibid. p. 215, 2t& Hi* Dr. MAYIIEW'J- Qbfen^thns. 295 His palling over in Silence the following Ac- count is yet more obiervahle. In 1710, the Requeft of the four Sachems, who came oveT to England that their Subjects might be in- ftrufted in Chnftianity by refident Miniflers, being thought to favour a new Attempt, the Society agreed to find t to Dr. MAYHEW'J- Obfematwns. 297 to make Enquiry, whether continuing his Mif- fion was likely to be of Ufe. And on the Go- vernor's* confirming the Accounts which Mr, Andrews had given, they recalled him, after a Trial of fix Years n . I beg the Reader to compare thefe Relations, taken from authentic Papers, with the Doctor's unauthorized Suggeflions, that the Miffionaries told what Stories they would, and the Society believed them without Examination, or wil- fully neglected this Part of their Bufinefs. Without entering into the fubfequent Particu- lars of this Indian Undertaking, I fhall only fay, in general, that other Miffionaries were fent afterwards, and with fome Effect, down to the Year 1735, when the firft mentioned Mr. Barclay went, of whofe Miffion alone the Doc- tor is pleafed to take Notice, becaufe he thinks it will afford Matter of Objection, Accordingly he alledges, that Mr. Barclay had not half a proper Support, but the Miffion was Jiarved. For Mr. Sergeant, a Miffionary from the Society incorporated in 1661, reports from a Letter of Mr. Barclay, that he had but a fcanty Allowance* (i. e. from the Society) and (Quid obtain no Salary for an Interpreter &r Ib.p. 29J.3H, School- 2598 An ANSWER to Scboolmafter*. And Mr. Barclay himfelf faith in a Letter, June u, 1736, that be laboured under great Difadvantage for Want of an Inter- preter, ivkich could he but enjoy for two or three Tears, be fiould be Mafter of the Indian Lan- guage ". Now when Mr. Barclay wrote thefe Letters, of which I know nothing but from the Poclor, he was not a Miflionary but a Cate- chift only. And though lie had, as he faith, but a fcanty Allowance,. /. e. 30!. a Year from the Society, yet he expected further Encou- ragement from them ; and the Afiembly of Neiv York had alfo voted him ^o/. a Year, which may account for the Smallncfs of the Society's Allowance. Only he had not received either of the Salaries p . But before the End of the fame Year, he wrote to the Society, that he had made himfelf Mailer of the Mohock Lan- guage, which probably induced them to think an Interpreter unneceffary. The next Year they raifed his Salary to 5o/. Why he deli red in 1740 an Interpreter, as well as a Schoolmaf* ter, appears not ; but in the fame Year a School- mafler was allowed him. That the Society (hould be cautious and frugal in the firfl Trial of a young Man, after fo many Difappoint* n Pag. ioi. p. J02. P p. loz, 103. merits, Dr. MAYHEW'J- Obfervations. 299 ments, is far from being ftrange. And the Ex- pence of an Interpreter for two or three Years, which is all that Mr. Barclay wifhed, could not poflibly be grudged, in Order to faye fa trifling a Sum towards a more favourite Pur- pofe, as the Boftor would have it believed. Nor did the Miffion mifcarry for Want of due Support, as he leads his Readers to imagine it did. What he quotes from Mr. Apthorp, that from the lateft Accounts we find this Mtffion much dwindled^ or greatly interrupted 9 relates to the State of Things brought on 18 Years after- wards by the late War. Mr. Barclay's Miffion was carried on with feeming Succefs till about the Year 1 745, by which Time the French had infufed fuch dreadful Imaginations into our /- dians t and incited their own to fuch Violences, that it was no longer fafe for Mr. Barclay to flay amongft them. There is therefore not the leaft Ground for the Doctor's Pretence, that the Indians die} not think the Engliflj in Karneft, or that the French made their Advantage of any Negligence of the Society. Inftead of de- fpiftng what the Society was doing, they were alarmed at it, and employed both all their vfual Arts and open Force to defeat it. How- ever, Mr. Qd, a German Clergyman appointed by 300 An ANSWER to by the Society, ftaid with the Indians during the War, in which they were faithful to this Coun- try. And he, and Pau/us, a Mohock, whom the Society made School-matter, were ftill doing the beft they could there when the laft Accounts came. Mr. Barclay being fettled at New Tork in 1746, Mr. Ogihie was fent in his Stead to the Indians in 1748, who found that many of them were removed into the French Territory, and the reft fo much addidted to Drunkennefs, which hath fince deftroyed a great Part of them, that he had little Hopes, excepting from the Children, and not much from them, .unlefs they were maintained in Houfes appropriated to their Inftruction. Now this Undertaking would not only be executively expenfive, particularly be- caufe the Parents, muft be well entertained a& often as they pleafed to viiit their Children, but' in all Likelihood fruitlefs, confidering their Dif^ portions with Refpect to their Children already mentioned. Mr. Ogihie took one by Way of Trial, cloathed, maintained and inftructed him.- But his Friends fetched him away, left he fliould learn to defpife his own Nation. Notwith- ftanding all this, Mr. Ogihie continued his Endeavours there, till he was carried off in 1758 for his Majefty's Service, by the Com- mander. Dr. MAYHEW*> Obfervations. 301 mander in Chief of his Forces in thofe Parts. There are ilill, or lately were, Hopes of his Return ; in the mean Time, the Rev. Mr. Brown fupplies his Place. Belides thefe Attempts, and feveral other oc- cafional ones by feveral Miffionaries, one of which, by Mr. Beach, he faith, was fruftrated by the Diffenters prejudicing the Indians againft him s ; there was a Refolution taken by the Society in 1743, to eilay the Converfion of the Mojklto Indians, which Mr. Hobart hath mif- reprelented. He faith, the Society fpent fo much Time in endeavouring to perfuade either the In- dians themfehes 9 or the Government of Jamaica, to fupport the Mijionary, that though the Letter from the Indians requeuing Afftftance, bears Date May 19, 1739, yet Mr. Prince at the Time of his Death, July 25, 1748, had not reached the Place of his Miffion*. Any Reader would conclude from hence, that the Letter from the Indians was either written to the Society, cr inftantly communicated to them, and that the Delay arofe wholly from their Umvillingnefs to part with their Money on the Occafion. But the Truth is, that the Indians applied in 1739 i Second Vindication or Addrefs, p. 70. r Hobart's fe- cond Addrefs, p. 141. to 3 62 An ANSWER to to Mr. Trelawney, Governor of without naming the Society, whofe firft Know- ledge of their Application was in the latter End of the Year 1742 : that on this they wrote im- mediately to the Governor, not to perfuade any Perfons to contribute, but folely to enquire whe- ther the Indians were able or the Jamaicans willing, which was furely a justifiable Piece of Prudence : that as foon as they had his Anfwer, giving no Ground to hope for pecuniary Aflift- ance, which was in a few Months, they agreed to fend a Miffionary and School matter ; that Mr. Prince, then in America, being recom- mended 'to them for this Work ihortly after, they agreed without Delay to accept him, if he brought proper Teftimonials > but that Objec- tions were made to him from thence,- which could not be fully difcuOed under a corifiderable Time : that when his Character was cleared, he was directed to come over, and ordained : that he returned as foon as he could, but died on his Way from Jamaica to the Place of his Deftination : that on hearing this, the Society ordered -another Miflionary to be provided, but no one could be got. Evidently there was no Backvvardnefs in this Cafe ; but Affiftance was rcoft readily jfent to Indians not comprehended within Dr. MAVIIEW'J- Obfirvations. 303 within the Letter of the Charter, not being in any of his Majefiy's Colonies -, on which Ac- count the Treafury refufed Mr. Prince the ufual Bounty granted to Miffionaries, and it was made up to him by the Society, xvho might calily and plauiibly have excufed themfelves from engaging in this Matter, if they had not really had it at Heart. From thefs various Attempts it appears, that the Society have always been defirous, always endeavouring, to make Impreffions on the In- dians. And from their bad Succefs with thofs on whom they bellowed the moil Pains, it ap- pears, that notwithstanding their feeming good Inclinations towards Chriilianity, and their Pe- titions to be inflructed in it, on which the Doctor lays fo much Weight 5 , they were either iniincere, or quickly changed their Minds and grew intractable > fo that appointing more Mil"- nonaries, jf the Society could have found them, would probably have t>een little elfe tftoajfiui* ing more Money, if I may prefume to imitate his Style, in the Indian Gulpb*, inftead of mak- ing thofs Bribes in general profejjed Chrijlians, wTiich he defires to have it thought would have been the Confequence. His Prefbyterian and * Pag. ico, 106. T p. 109. con- 364. An ANSWER./* congregational Friends have had a much longer Space of Time for this Work than the Society ; they have alfo lived in great Numbers amongft the Indians, which is another Advantage. Yet I fear the Fact is rather, that few Indians are left in New England, than that many are Chriftians. And though the Doctor tells us, that two Mif- fionaries, lately fent from Bofton to the Five, otherwife Six Nations, give very encouraging Accounts of their Difpojition u , one cannot help doubting, whether thefe Accounts will end in any Thing better, than the abovementioned like Accounts given to the Society. I heartily wifh they may. But furely as yet, it is too early to infult us with the Superiority of their Suc- cefs to ours. The Doctor faith, Mr. Barclay's Miffion was flamed * : I hope the contrary hath appeared. Much lefs was it ftarved to propagate Epifco- pacy in New England, for at that Time the So- ciety had fcarce any Miffionaries there j yet in a great Meafure it failed like the reft. And therefore it is very unjuft to impute the Failure of any to that Caufe, when it may be fo natu- ' rally imputed to thofe which produced the fame Effect before ; and are likely, though not fo u Pag. 105. * p. 104. likely, Dr. MAYHEW'J- Observations. 305 likely, to do it again. However in the Begin- ning of the Year 1756, the Society, confulted fome of their American Friends, 'whether a few Indian Boys might not be procured, and taught in the Colleges of New Tork and Philadelphia, and fent from thence to in ft rue! their Country- men. The Anfvvers to them reprefented great Difficulties of obtaining Children, greater ftill of keeping them long enough ; and no fmall Danger of national Refentment, if any Accident mould happen to any of them. The Society notwithstanding, the College of New York being not as yet in a Condition to receive any fuch Children, refolved to give io/. a Year towards educating fbme in that of Philadelphia, in which they had Hope alfo of further Affiflance. But a frem War foon broke out. Now in a Time of War, and it ihould be remembered, that there have been very frequent ones fince the Incorpo- ration of the Society, fome taking their Rife in Europe, fome only in America, little or nothing can be done, even with the friendly Indians, in Favour of Religion. On the late Peace with France, another Indian War hath unexpectedly" followed. When God in his Mercy iliall per- mit thofe Regions to enjoy Tranquillity again, it will be a proper Seafon to refume this Project. X la 306 An ANSWER to In the mean while, our Society hath agreed with that of 1661, to fend jointly a Lay In- ftructor to the Six Nations, as foon as it is fafe, and to bear much the greateft Part of the Ex- pence. The Doctor, it is hoped, will, on con~ iidering thefe Things, retract his Affertion, that little more can be Jaid, than that the Indians have not been wholly neglefted by the Society *. At leaft, as it hath never been charged with Re- miflhefs in this Article, either by the. Govern- ment at Homej or by any of the fucceffive Go- vernors Abroad, this may furely be accounted as confiderable a Prefumption in its Behalf, as his Opinion is againfl it. And I dare fay the Promifes, which it voluntarily and freely made to the King on his Acceffion, will be faithfully kept, as far as the Means of fulfilling them can be found. With refpect to the Negroes, the Doctor is not particular in his Accufation of the Society, and therefore a general Anfwer will fuffice. He obferves juftly, that our Weft India IJlands abounds with them y , and fo do fome of our Plan- tations on the Continent. But in both they live under the abfolute Government, chiefly of hard Mailers ; too many of whom forbid them * Pag. 109. > p. 95. to Dr. MAYHEW'J- Obfervations. 307 to be inftru&ed in Religion, and others deprive them of Time for it, by making it necefTary that on Sundays they fhould work for them- felves. Where they are allowed to attend the Minifter of the Parim, they are properly under his Care ; and where Negroes abound moil, the Parimes are in general fo well endowed, that the Society have not, and need not have, Mif- fionaries in them ; but Provifion, even for the loweft of the People, may be eafily made with- out them. Where they have Miffionaries, the Negroes are underftood to be Part of their Flock, whom they have been finally charged not to neglect. In thofe Places where there are no Mi- nifters, it is impoflible to appoint a feparate Mif- iionary or Catechift for the Negroes of each Fa- mily, and almoft impoffible to aflemble thofe of diftant Families together. The Proprietors of large Numbers of them are ufually well able to get them inftrudted by fome of their upper Servants, or a neighbouring Schoolmafter ; and if they are unwilling, would be very apt to de- feat the Endeavours of Perfons appointed by the Society. If fuch in any Place, as are well difpofed, will form any reafonable Plan for the Inftruction of the Negroes belonging to them, or near them, which they may contrive much X 2, better 3 o* An ANSWER to better on the Spot than the Society can at a Diftance, they will be fure to receive as much Help from it, as they can expect. The Society hath for many Years maintained Catechifts for the Negroes in the two great Cities of New York and Philadelphia, with very good Effect. And of late they have been blamed for it, as overdoing, becaufe the Inhabitants may well bear that Burthen themfelves. However this may be, they can truly anfwer to the Doctor's Charge, that they have refufed no Affiftance towards the Converfion of the Negroes, which they have been afked, or faw how to give -, and particularly, that they have withdrawn none fince the Increafe of their Millions in New Eng- land. On the contrary, they have extended their Care far beyond the literal Bounds of their Charter, and in 1751 appointed a very worthy Miffionary, with a Salary of yo/. a Year, to in- ftruct the Negroes in Africa : where he con- tinued five Years, and then returned to England on Account of his Health ; having firft fent over to the Society three Boys of good Families, to be educated here under their Direction. One of thefe is dead ; the other two have been main- tained, though as frugally as was proper, yet at no fmall Expence, and taught whatever would fit Dr. MAYHEW'J- Obfervations. 309 fit them to propagate Chriftianity in their na- tive Country, to which they are now on the Point of going back. The greateft Part of this the Doctor muft have known from the Ab- flradts, but hath mentioned nothing of it. For it would have been hard to .reconcile with his Accufation of the Society, that they have dif- regarded every Thing elfe, to propagate Epif- copacy. The laft Head of his Charge of Negled re- lates to the Colonies, unprovided of a competent Number of Minifters. Here he faith, that though he will not affirm It for Truth, yet he hath been very credibly informed, that the People in feme of the Southern Colonies, and particularly in thofe Parts of North Carolina, 'which were en- tirely deflitute of Minifters, had made earnefl and repeated Applications to the Society for Miffion- aries, fometimes without any Anfwer for Tears together, and at laft without Succefs : and that fome Jenfible and ferious Perfons from that Coun- try, federal Tears ago, he thinks, gave him the fame Account ; but that whether they did or not, they made fuch a Representation of their fad State for Want of Minijlers, that at the Moment of his Writing, it was not in his Power to refrain from Tears in ref effing on it. And then he X 3 makes An ANSWEH to makes his qfual charitable Addition, that per* haps the Society had it not in their Power / and fo far as human Forefight can reach, both the Moderation of the Clergy, and the Watchfulnefs of the Laity over them, are much more likely to increafe than diminifh. But above all, a Bifhop in New England would find abundant Reafon to be cautious of Vert- ing himfelf too far, and very thankful, if with all his Caution he could live in any tolerable Degree of Peace. Therefore the Doctor would not need to be at all anxious for the Liberty of his dear Country, though one were to be placed there. 334 4* ANSWER to there. But to make him perfe&ly eafy, he may be aflured, that this neither is, nor ever was, in- tended or defired ; which muft certainly be ad- mitted as another Proof ftill, that epifcopizing that Province hath not been the favourite Scheme, nor indeed any Scheme, of the Society. During the Courfe of more than fifty Years, that fending Bimops to America hath been in Agitation, I believe no fingle Perfon, there or here, hath once named or thought of New England as a proper Place for the Refidence of one ; but Epifcopal Colonies have always been propofed. And this the Doctor might fo eafily know, that one cannot help thinking he muft know it. But then alas, if he had owned it, what would have become, not only of his pom- pous Harangue already mentioned, but of his ingenious Suppofitions, that Mr. Apthorp was right -r ever endly inclined*, and that a certain fu- perb Edifice, near Harvard College, ivas even from the Foundation dejigned for the Palace of one of the humble Succeffbrs of the ApojHes * ? So much Wit and Archnefs, how greatly foever the Doftor abounds in it, would have been too great a Sacrifice to make to dull Truth and Fad:. * Pag. 149. p. 89. We Dr. MAYHEW'J- Obferuations. We confcfs indeed, that we cannot perceive why the Prejbyterians and Congregationalifts in New England might not as fafely breathe the fame Air with a Bimop, as their Brethren in Old England do. However, we are unwilling to difquiet any of them, by importing and fet- tling amongft them a Creature, which it feems they ibme of them account to be fo noxious. Only we hope, that his occafionally travelling through the Country cannot, infect it very dan- gerouily. Moravian Bifhops are authorized by Law to live, and act as fuch, where they will in our Plantations. Popifh Bifhops refide here, and go about to exercife every Part of their Function, without Offence and without Obfer- vation. DhTenting Minifters refide here, and hold their Meetings for Ordinations, and what- ever Purpofes they think fit ; and thefe Afiem- blies give us no Umbrage. What we deiire with refpect to New England, is much lefs : that a Biihop may, not refide there, but refort thither from time to time, to officiate amongft thofe of our own Communion. His conftant Abode will be in whatever Province is willing to receive him, with his Majefty's Approbati- on : who will certainly, for Reafons of every Kind, fend fuch Perfons in this Character, as are 336 An ANSWER to are leaft likely to caufe Uneafmefs. Surely the Dodor and his Friends cannot thwart a Scheme of this Nature, and call themfelves Patrons of religious Liberty. It is poffible, though it is flrange, that when he wrote his Obfervations, he might mifunder- fland the Society's Intention, both in fending Miffionaries to New England and defiring Ame- rican Bimops. I hope it is now fufficiently cleared up; and if he is itill diflatisfied, I in- treat him to confider, for all Men ought, what Manner of Spirit be is of b . Pie hath very good Abilities, and a Zeal that would be highly commendable, if it were duly tempered with Charity. But he feerns to have naturally a moft vehement Spirit, and to have imbibed, perhaps in his early Days, equally vehement Prepoffef- fions againfl the very Name of Bimops, and every Thing connected with them. I am fen- lible that thefe Things plead in his Excufe : for they have often hurried Men, who on the whole meant well, not only into great unfairnefs of arguing, but far worfe Faults. And though I have made ufe of fome Freedom in fetting forth his Miitakes and Partialities, yet if fuch Treat- ment, as he hath given Mr. Apthorp, was de - b Luke ix. 55. figned -Dr. MAYHEW'J Obfervations. 337 figned for the benevolent End of fi swing him to kimfdf*, furely my Treatment of Kim will not be imputed to any unkinder Motive. If he amends upon Admonition, he will deferve much Refpect i if not, much Pity. But however he may take what I have writ- ten, I hope others, particularly the Diilenters, both Englijh and American, as many as happen to fee it, will confider it calmly: and neither indulge Fears without Foundation, nor affect Fears which they have not, in order to hinder their epifcopal Brethren from enjoying what they have a Right to. Our Inclination is to live in Friendlhip with all the Proteflant Churches. We affifl and protect thofe on the Continent of Europe as well as we are able. We mew our Regard to that of Scotland as often as we have an Opportunity, and believe the Members of it are fenfible that we do. To thofe who differ from us in this Part of the Kingdom, we nei- ther attempt nor wim any Injury. And we (hall gladly give Proofs to every Denomination of Chriftians in our Colonies, that we are Friends to a Toleration even of the mod Into- lerant, as far as it is fafe ; and willing that all Mankind mould poffefs all the Advantages, re e Pag. 14.5. Z ligious 338 An ANSWER, &c. ligious and civil, when they-can demand either in Law of Reafon. But with thofe, who ap- proach riearer to us in Purity of Faith, and Bro- therly Love, we are defirous to cultivate a freer Communication, palling over all former Dif- gufts, as we beg that they would. If we give them any feeming Caufe of Complaint, we hope they will fignify it in the mofl amicable Man- ner. If they publifh it, we hope they will preferve Fairnefs and Temper. If they fail in either, we muft bear it with Patience, but .be excufed from replying. If any Writers on our Side have been lefs cool, or lefs civil, than they onght and defigned to have been, we are forry for it, and exhort them to change their Stile, if they write again. For it is the Duty of all Men, how much foever they differ in Opinion, to agree in mutual good Will and kind Behaviour. A LET- A L E T T E R To the Right Honourable HORATIO WALPOLE, Efq; Written Jan. 9, 1750-1, CONCERNING BISHOPS IN AMERICA, Z 2 ADVERTISEMENT. 'THHE following Letter was found among the Papers of the late Archbifhop Seeker. It was written in Confequence of a Letter, dated May 9, 1750, from the late'Lord PFalpdc, to the late Dr. Sherlock, Bifhop of London; which was communicated by the latter to Bifhop Seeker, Jan. 2, 1750-1. It is now printed in Obedience to an Order left with it under his Grace's own Hand (dated May 25, 1759) in thefe Words : Let the Letter, written by me to Mr. Walpole, concerning Bifhops in America, le printed after my Death. THO. CANT:. L E T T E R TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HORATIO WALPOLE, Efq, St. James's, Wejlmlnjler^ Jan. 9, 1750-1. S I R, 1 Return You my humble Thanks for the Honpur you have done me, in communi- cating to me your Letter to the Bifhop of Londen. I have read it with all that Attention and Regard, which is fojuftly due to your fu- perior Abilities, and long Experience, and me- ritorious Zeal for our prefent happy Eilablifh- jnent, and the public Welfare. But ftill I can- pot fee the Scheme, to which it relates, in the fame Light that you do. And though, if eve^ he hath converfed with you on the Subject fince, he hath doubtlefs faid every Thing material by Way of Reply, which I can fuggeft, and much more : yet as he doth not kem to have laid any filing further before you in Writing, I beg Leave Z 3 to 342 A LETTER to the to trouble you with what hath occurred to me : which, as the Seflion is not yet begun, you may poffibly have fome Leifure to look upon. The Thing propofcd is, that two or three Perfons fhould be ordained Bifhops, and fent into our American Colonies, "tcradminifter Con- firmation, and give Deacons and Priefts Orders to proper Candidates, and exercife fuch Jurif- diclion over the Clergy of the Church of Eng- land in thofe Parts, as the late Bifhop of Lon- don's Commiflaries did, or fuch as it might be thought proper that any future Commiflaries. fhould, if this Deiign were not to take Place, The Queftions that arife on this Propofal, are: Is it a reafonable one in itfelf ? And if it be, Are there any fuch Dangers of its being ex- tended to introduce exorbitant Church Powers, or of its railing Uneafmefles Abroad or a.t Home, as may notwith {landing, at leaft for the prefent, be juft Objections againfl it ? The Reafonablenefs of the Propofal, abftrac~l- edly considered, you feem, Sir, to admit. And indeed it belongs to the very Nature of Epifco- pal Churches, to have Bifhops at proper Dif- tances, prefidjng over them. Nor was there ever before, I believe, in the Chriftian World, an Inflanceof fuch a Number of fuch Churches, or Right Hon. HORATIO WALPOLE, Eiq. 343 or a tenth Part of that Number, with noBifhop amongft them, or within fome thoufands of Miles from them. But the Confideration of the Epifcopal Acts which are requifite, will prove the Need of Epifcopal Refidence more fully. Confirmation is an Office of our Church, derived from the primitive Ages; and when ad- miniftered with due Care, a yery ufeful one. All our People in America fee the Appointment of it in their Prayer-books, immediately after their Catechifm. And if they are (denied it, unlefs they will come over to England for it, they are in Effect prohibited the Exercife of one Part of their Religion. Again, if they are to have no Ordinations there, they muft either fend Perfons hither to be ordained, or take fuch as come to them from hence. Sending their Sons to fo diftant a Country, and fo different a Climate, mufl be very inconvenient and difa- greeable : and taking the Small- pox here is faid to be peculiarly fatal to them. The Expence allo mud be grievous to Perfons of fmall For- tunes ; fuch as moft are, who breed up their Children for Orders : yet not fufficient to bringj" any Acceffion of Wealth to this Nation, that would be worth naming, were more of that Rank to come. But in Fact, very few of them Z 4 do. 344 A LETTER to the do. Therefore they muft be fupplied chiefly from hence. And not many in Proportion will go from hence, but Perfons of defperate For- tunes, low Qualifications, and bad or doubtful Characters : who cannot anfwer, as they ought, the End for which they are defigned. And it deferves Obfervation, that a great Part of them are Scotch. I need not fay what Chance there is that Epifcopal Clergymen of that Country may be difaffedted to the Government. Now if inftead of fuch, Natives of the Plantations were bred in their Colleges, with a View to Orders ; notwithstanding which, their young Men of Famion would flill come to England for polite Accomplimments ; this would afford convenient Opportunities to Parents of providing for fome of their Children handfomely, and Encouragement to the Inhabitants to build an4 endow Churches, to furnim Parfonage-houfes, and ftcck Glebes, which now run to Ruin for Want of it. And Clergymen whofe Families were known, would be more refpedted, and have a better Influence than Vagabond Stran- gers. As to the Matter of Difcipline and Ju- rifdidtion over the Clergy,, it would ftandju ft as it hath done hitherto, only with this Dif* ference, that the Exhortations and Directions if Right Hon. HORATIO WALPOLE, Efq, 345 of a Perfon inverted with the Epifcopal Cha- racter, would be more readily and carefully ob- ferved by the Parifh Minifters, than thofe are which proceed from their Equals : and Mifbe- haviours might thus be more effectually pre- vented, than they can afterwards be punifhed and rectified. Nor is this a Point of Confe- quence only to themfelves and their Hearers, but to the Public ; as the Behaviour of the Clergy in general is. And if by reforming them, and introducing better Order into the Churches of our Communion, more of the In- habitants mould come over to it, as they na- turally will, this would be a further public Be- nefit. For Members of the Church of England will think themfelves more connected with Eng- land, than others. And fuppofing them not to be Jacobites, their Acknowledgment of the King's Supremacy will incline them to be duti- fuller Subjects than the DiiTenters, who do not acknowledge it. But allowing the Eftablimment of Bifhops in America to be reafonab'e in itlelf, the fecond Queftion is, Whether the Danger of increafing Church Power by Means of fuch an Eftablim- ment, be not a furrlcient Objection againft it ? Now againft Things evidently right and ufeful, 6 no 346 A LETTER to the no Dangers ought to be pleaded, but fuch as are both very probable and great j and from confirming and ordaining, no Danger of this Kind, I prefume, is apprehended. Yet thefe are the only new Powers that will be exercifed, No other Jurifdiction is defired for the propofed Bishops than the preceding Commi{Taries have enjoyed ; and even that, on this Occafion, may be afcertained and limited more accurately, if it be requifite. But here it is aiked, How any Perfons can undertake to promife, that no ad- ditional Powers fhall hereafter be prapofed and prefTed on the Colonies, when Bifliops have once been fettled ? And ftric"tly fpeaking, jn-r deed, nothing of this Nature can ever be pro- mifed in any Cafe. But if the DiiTenters had been aiked, on their applying for a Toleration, how they could undertake to promife, that when that Point was once fettled, nothing fur- ther, nothing hurtful to the eftablifhed Church, fhould ever be propofed and preiTed on the Go- vernment by them, furely this would not havq been fufficient to defeat their Application. And yet what could they have anfwered ? Not more, if fo much, as can be anfwered in the prefent Cafe : that no fuch Thing is at all intended j and that though it were, there would be no Danger, Right Hon. HORATIO WALPOLE, Efq. 347 Danger, either of the Intention taking Effect, or caufing any Disturbance. But on the former of thefe AiTertions our Sincerity may be questioned. For it is argued, that Bifhops doubtlefs think the Powers, which they have in this Nation, to be ftridtly juft and reafonable ; and confequently muft be defirous of their taking Place in the Colonies. Now for my own Part, and I believe my Brethren in general are of the fame Mind, I have no Ima- gination, that Bimops are intitled to, or that it would be right to give them, every where, the fame Powers, and Privileges, that we happen, by the particular Conftitution of this Country, to poffefs here. Several Parts of that Conftitu- tion might perhaps full as well have been formed otherwifc. Whether our Share of it might or not, I have never fet myfelf to confider ; I hope, and am perfuaded, it is on the whole as harm- lefs and ufeful a Branch, as many others ; and I endeavour, fo far as I am concerned, to make it fo. But were I to live where Biihops were only on the fame Footing, on which it is now propofed they mould be in our Plantations, I mould no more attempt to raife them higher, than I fhould to overturn the eftablifhed Form of Government in any other Refpect. It may indeed 348 A LETTER to the indeed be prudent to fufpec! Clergymen, Mi- nifters of State, all Men, to fome Degree. But it cannot be prudent to refufe doing Things that are highly proper, on Account of little more than a Poffibility, that an improper Ufe of them may be hereafter attempted. Some Bifhops may be thought peculiarly fond of Church Power, and it concerns them when they are called upon, to defend themfelves if they can. But at leaft I hope we are not all ib fond of it, as to be aiming at that Point now, though we folemnly profefs we are not. Yet I believe there fcarce is, or ever was a Bimop of the Church of England, from the Revolution to this Day, that hath not defired the Eftablifhment of Bimops in our Colonies, Archbifliop 'Tennifon, who was furely no High- Churchman, left by his Will iooo/. towards it. And many more of the greateft Eminence, both dead and living, might be named, who were and are zealous for it : and yet have al- ways been applauded by one Party, and cen- fured by the other, for their Moderation. Or if Bifhops, as fuch, muft of Courfe be deemed partial, the Society for propagating the Gofpel confifts partly alfo of inferior Clergymen, partly too of Laymen. Now the laft cannot fo well be Right Hon. HORATIO WALPOLE, Efq. 34*) be fufpected of defigning to advance Eccleiiaf- tical Authority. Yet this whole Body of Men, almoft ever fince it was in Being, hath been making repeated Application for Bimops in America ; nor have the Lay Part of it ever re- fufed to concur in them. But though fome, or many of the Advocates for this Propofal, were inclined to ferve wrong Purpofes by it, is there any Likelihood of its effecting thofe Purpofes ? Some have appre- hended juft the contrary, that it will tend to the Depreflion of the Hierarchy ; as it will afford the Laity here an Example of Eng/i/h Bimops Abroad, with no other than fpiritual Powers : which may tempt them to think of reducing us at Home to the fame Condition. But I mould be very willing, for the Benefit of thofe of our Communion in the Colonies, to run a greater Rifque, than I conceive this to be. For the Fact is fo notorious, that all our temporal Powers and -/Privileges are merely Conceflions from the State ; and the Act of Parliament for the Suffragan Bimops, under which feverul were made in the laft Century, and others may now, exemplifies fo fully the Poflibility of Bimops without Peerages, and Confiftory Courts; that we need have no Fear of any new Difco- very 350 A LETTER to the very to our Prejudice, from appointing a few fuch Bifhops in America. But then the oppo- fite Fear, of their growing up to what we are, would it be ever fo great an Evil if it were to happen, feems as unlikely to happen, as moft Things. I do not wonder indeed, that Perfons who were in public Stations at the latter End of Queen Annes, and the Beginning of the late King's Reign, fhould have ftrong Impreffions remaining in their Minds of the Terrors of Ec- clefiaftical Influence, which was then fo grofsly abufed to fuch wicked Purpofes. But whoever attends to the prefent State of Things in this Refpedl:, mufl fee that there hath been a pro- digious Change within the laft thirty Years. Though too many both of the Clergy and the Laity are difaffeded to the Government on one Account or another ; yet of the former, even the lower Part are not near fo generally pofTefled of the wild High-Church Notions, as they were. Nor was a Time ever known, when the upper Part were fo univerfally free from them. And 1 yet it is the upper Part only, that can do the leaft towards fupporting any exorbitant Preten- fions of Bifliops in the Colonies. Then as to the Laity, I hope and believe the Adminiftra- tion and their Friends will always fhew Coun- tenance Right Hon. HORATIO WALPOLE, Efq. 3^1 tenance to the Clergy, as far as it is necefTary ; but there is vifibly no Danger of their giving them any Encouragement, that may be hurtful. Amongft the Oppofers of the Adminiftration," few, if any, are at all more prejudiced in their Favour. And that Regard, which the Bulk of the People had for Religion and the Teachers of it, is greatly diminished, and diminishing daily, to a Degree, which I wonder wife Men are not alarmed at. For it is as important, even in a political View, that they rtiould be able to do Good, as that they mould not be able to do Harm. Nor do I find, that Bigotry to the Church prevails amongft the Members of it in our Colonies ; or that there is any Chance of their making afterwards imprudent Additions to the Authority with which their Bimops will come to them at firft. On the contrary, one Plea againft the prefent Scheme is, that Bimops, even with the loweft Powers, will give them Jealoufy and Offence. Now thefe two oppofite Dangers cannot both be confiderable -, and I ap- prehend neither of them is : but furely the for- mer is the lefs of the two. The ^Bimop of London's CommirTaries, I believe, have gained no AccefTions to what was granted them origi- nally. And Bifhops will be Hill more narrowly watched 352 A LETTER to the watched by the Governors, by other Sefts, by the Laity, and even the Clergy, of their own Communion. Nor will they have a greater Dread of any Thing, if either fo good or fo difcreet Men are chofen, as I promife myfelf will, than of loiing all, by grafping at what doth not belong to them. Nor will their Pa- trons here attempt to defend them, in what they cannot but know will ruin them. As they will be appointed by the Crown, which, unlefs I miftake, the CommifTaries are not ; they will be fuch Perfons, as the Crown can beft confide in. And if it be thought neceffary, a Right of recalling them may be referved to the King. Whereas I believe, he hath not a Right of or- dering the Bifhop of London to recall his Com- muTaries. Upon the whole, if the prefent Difpofition of his Majefty's Minifters and Sub- jects in Relation to Eccleiiaftical Autkority con- tinues the fame, as in all Likelihood it will, there can be no Danger from Bifhops in Ame- rica. And if that Difpofition mould alter back to what it formerly hath been, which God for- bid, they will be eftablimed with greater Powers than are now defired for them. It ought to be confidered farther, that an Ad of the laft Seffion of Parliament, which pafled Right Hon. HORATIO WALPOLE, Efq. 353 pafTed without any oppofition from any Body, hath exprefly eftablifhed Moravian Bifhops in America -, who have much higher and ftricter Notions of Church Government and Difcipline, than we have. Why then mould there be fuch Fear of eftablifhing Bifhops of the Church of England ? If for Want of thefe, the Mora- vian Bifhops mould ordain fuch Minifters for our People as they thought proper; or mould they, by admin iftering Confirmation, or by the Reverence of their Epifcopal Character, be con- tinually gaining Converts from us - y it would be a very undeiirable Thing on feveral Ac- counts j particularly on this, that moft of them refufe taking Oaths, and bearing Arms, Be- fides, there have been Nonjuring Jacobite Bi- fhops in our Colonies, not very long fince, if there are none now. And Popifh ones alib, I apprehend, have Recourfe to them from Time to Time. At leaft the Bifhop of Quebec hath no fmall Influence in a very important hew Settlement of ours. May not then the Neglect of having Bifhops of our own, expofe us to far greater Dangers than the Appointment of them can : But ftill the Third Queftion remains, and is a very material one, Whether fuch an Apppint- A a meiit, 354 A LETTER to the mcnt, however harmlefs and ufeful it might be ctherwife, would not ftir up dangerous Unea- finefles, Abroad or at Home ? And here it is afked, if the Members of our Church in Ame- rica would like to have Biihops among them, why have they never petitioned for them ? Now furely their omitting it may well be afcribed, in Part to the Thoughtleflhefs of Mankind about their religious Concerns -, which hath been fo peculiarly great in thofe Countries, that fome of them did not petition for Help, when they had no one Ofike of Chriftianity adminiflered to them 5 and partly alfo to this, that probably too many of their Clergy think, they may both live more negligently j and have a better Chance for Preferment now, than if a Bimop were to infpedl them, and ordain Natives to be their Rivals, But the ehief Reafon, I doubt not, is, that the -Inhabitants of the Colonies, living at &ch a Diftance, and not knowing when an ^Application to the Government might be fea- fonable, and being affured, that the Bifliops here, efpecially the Bifhop of London, and the Society for propagating the Gofpel, would al- ways be attentive to this Point, have left it to Them* And They, to whom it is thus left, have received abundant Proofs, that very great * - Numbers Right Hon. HokATio WALPOLE, Efq. 355 Numbers of the Laity of the Church of Eng- land in thofe Countries, of higher as well as lower Rank, earneftly defire to have I^Bifliops fettled there, and think it would be a moft va- luable public Benefit. Nor have they found Caufe to imagine that any Oppofition would e made to it from that Quarter. Indeed of Courfe it mould be prefumed, and none but the very ftrongeft Evidence admitted to the contrary, that all Perfons defire to have within their Reach, the Means of exerciling their Religion compleatly : which thofe of our Communion in America., and they alone of all his Majefty's Subjects, have not. It is true, fome of them have provided againft enlarging the Jurifdi&ion of the CommhTaries : but none of them have exprefled any public Reluctance to the Appoint- ment of Bifhops. I have learned from fome Papers of Bimop Glbfon y that there was a De- fign in Charles the Second's Time, to place one in Virginia ; that Letters Patent for that Pur- pofe are ftill extant ; and that no other Reafgn appears, why the Defign failed, but that thfc whole Endowment was to have been out of the Cuftoms : whereas now it is not intended either to burthen the Crown, or tax the Subject. Nor can cither be done hereafter but by Confent of A a 2 b revive the Dif- tinction of High and Low among Churchmen, 2nd terrify or provoke the Diflentcrs. Now among ft the Clergy, I conceive it can make no Difpute : for every Man of Character amongft them, doth and muft wifh it Succefs. If in- deed it were to be brought upon the Carpet, and the Administration were to oppofe it, fome Clergymen might be tempted to fay indecent Things of them. But the prefent Queftion is not, whether this Affair ought to be attempted, if, after being fully weighed, it be difapproved by the Miniftry : that undoubtedly would be very wrong : but whether there be Reafon for them to.difapprove it. And certainly there is no Right Hon. KORATIO" WALPOLE, Efq. no Reafon to fear inflaming and exafperating the Clergy, by declaring for i: : on the contrary, fcarce any thing would pleafe them more uni- verfally. Nor I prefume, is the Danger from Pamphlets to be thought very great : for moil virulent ones are publimed daily both againft Church and State, which yet give the Govern^ ment no Terror at all. Contefts in Parliament indeed would be a Matter of more ferious Con- cern. But there feems no Neceffity that this Affair mould ever come into Parliament. For as the Law now rtands, Suffragan Bimops may be ordained with the King's Approbation : and the Bifhop of London may fend thofe, inftead of Prefbyters, for his Commiflaries : and they may confirm and ordain, as well as exercife the Jurifdiction which hath been ufual there. But even if the Scheme mould be brought into Par- liament, it can be oppofed only on thefe two Principles : that Epifcopal Power is a great Grievance in this Nation, and that it muft rife to an equal Height, wherever Bimops are : qf which two Proportions, plain Experience proves the former to be falfe ; and I hope I have proved the latter to be fo. Still fomd Members may be blinded by Ill-will to the Ecclefiaflical Part of our Conftitution. But A a 4 furely 3.6o A LETTER to the furely thefe are not very many. Befides, the Adminiftration will eafily quiet fuch of them as are their Friends. Then the Tories muft be for Bifhops, if it be only to preferve their own Credit. And the Remainder will probably find thcmfelves too inconfiderable to ftir. Therefore the only Danger left, is that of alarming and provoking -the Body of the Dif- fenters. Now a few bufy warm Men, are not the Body of the DuTenters. And though they may affed to fpeak in the Name of the Whole, yet the Whole will neither think it right nor prudent to ,do all that thefe Gentlemen are pleaied to intimate : feme of whom alfo, after arguing properly with them, have owned, that they had little or nothing to objed: againft ap- pointing Bifhops in Plantations of the Epifcopal Communion. Dr. Avery, if I am rightly in- formed, hath acknowledged this to the Arcb- bifhop, as Mr. Chandler hath to me* And in- V* ; . / - ' - t ' ' ' oeed there is no Modefty in faying, we who are not of the eftablimed Church, demand, as. a Alatter of ftrid Juftice, the full Exercife of our Religion here : but at the fame Time infift, (hat the King's Epifcopal Subjects in America* with whom, we have nothing at all to do, matt not, even in thofe Provinces, where they are the Right Hon. HORATIO WACPOLE, Efq, 361 the eftablifhed Church, have the full Exercife of theirs. Suppofe the Prejbyterians, or /- dependants in America thought as well of Con- firmation as we do, and had not amongft them, a proper Officer to adminifter it : would not fhey think it infufferable to be denied fuch a one, and put under a Neceffity of fending their Children hither for it, if they would have it ? Suppofing they were obliged only to fend their Candidates for the Miniftry, hither to be or- dained f would they have been patient under it as long as we have been ? Would they not have cried out loudly and incefTantly for Relief ? For my Part, I mould have thought them fo welj entitled to it, as to have been a moft hearty and zealous Advocate for them. It is not merely from my Attachment to the Church of Eng- land, that I am a Favourer of the Scheme in queftion : but from my Love of Religious Li- berty 5 which in this Point, the Members of the Church of England in our Colonies do not enjoy. And I cannot imagine, how the Dif- fenters can pretend to be Lovers of it, and wifh it to be with-held from their Fellow- Subjects. God forbid, that we mould ever be moved, by this or any other Provocation, to wifh it with- held ia ; any Inftance whatever from the Dif- fenters. 362 A LETTER to the Tenters. And I believe there never was a Time, when the Clergy of this Land were in fo mild a Difpofition towards them. Whatever they may plead therefore, it is not Fear that induces them to oppofe us on this Occafion j for they well know that we have neither Power nor Wim to opprefs them,- or their Brethren, in any Way. But it is a Wantonnefs of Spirit, which we have not deferved from them. It is an oflentatious Fondnefs of ufmg their Influ- ence with great Perfons, to grieve Us, without ferving themfelves. And inftead of being ftirred up by their Friends Abroad to what they do, their Friends Abroad have been flirred up by Them. Now this is a Sort of Behaviour which an Adminiftration had much better check by due Admonitions, than encourage its Growth : for how far it may grow, they cannot forefee. The Diflenters are fincere Well-wifhers to the Civil Part of our prefent happy Eftablifhment ; and they are to be efteemed and loved for it : but not to be gratified at the Expence of thofe, who fincerely wim well to both Parts. I am heartily forry, that all the Members of our Church are not loyal and dutiful Subjects to the King : but much the greater Part of them are; the Bi- {hops and upper Clergy -in particular : and furely their Right Hon. HORATIO WALPOLE, Efq. 363 their Defires merit as kind a Regard in this Cafe, as thofe of the DifTenters and their Rea- ders. We indeed