SERMON XXI. THE FATAL IMPOSTURE AND FORCE OF WORDS. ISAIAH V. 20. Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil. P. 334. [Vol. ii. Serm. xxix. p. 500. Serm. xxx. p. 519. Vol. iii. Serm. i.] Here a woe is denounced against those, not only in particular, who judicially pronounce the guilty innocent, and the innocent guilty; but, in general, who, by abusing men's minds with false notions, make evil pass for good, and good for evil, 334. And in the examination of this vile practice it will be necessary, I. To examine the nature of good and evil, what they are, and upon what they are founded, viz. Upon the conformity or unconformity to right reason, 336. Not upon the opinion, 337, or laws of men, ib.; because then, 1. The same action under the same circumstances might be both morally good and morally evil, 339. 2. The laws could neither be morally good nor evil, ib. 3. The same action might be in respect of the divine law, commanding it, morally good; and, of a human, forbidding it, morally evil, ib. But that the nature of good and evil is founded upon a jus naturale, antecedent to all jus positivum, may be exemplified in those two moral duties, towards God and towards one's neighbour, 340. II. To show the way how good and evil operate upon men's minds, viz. by their respective names or appellations, 341. 1 III. To show the mischief arising from the misapplication of names, 342. For since, 1. The generality of men are absolutely governed by words and names, 342. And, 2. Chiefly in matter of good and evil, 345; which are commonly taken upon trust, by reason of the frequent affinity between vice and virtue, 346; and of most men's inability to judge exactly of things, ib. Thence may be inferred the comprehensive mischief of this misapplication, by which man is either, 1. deceived, 348; or, 2. misrepresented, 349. Lastly, To assign several instances, wherein those mischievous effects do actually show themselves. Vol. ii. p. 500. I. In religion and church, 501; "such as calling, 1. The religion of the church of England, popery, 502; which calumny is confuted, from the carriage of the church of Rome towards the church of England, 503; and from the church of England's denying the chief articles of the church of Rome, 503; 2. Schismatics, true protestants, 507; against whom it is proved, that they and the papists are not such irreconcilable enemies as they pretend to be, 507. 3. The last subversion of the church, reformation, 510; which mistaken word turned the monarchy into an anarchy, 510; 4. The execution of the laws, persecution, 511; by which sophistry the great disturbers of our church pass for innocent, and the laws are made the only malefactors, 511; 5. Base compliance and half-conformity, moderation, 512, both in church governors, 513, and civil magistrates, 514. A terrible instance of pulpit-impostors seducing the minds of men, 517. II. In the civil government, 520, 522 (with an apology for a clergyman's treating upon this subject, 520); such as calling, 1. Monarchy, arbitrary power, 523; 2. The prince's friends, evil counsellors, 526; 3. The enemies both of prince and people, public spirits, 528; 4. Malicious and ambitious designs, liberty and property, and the rights of the subject, 531. Together with a discovery of the several fallacies couched under those words, 525, 527, 529, 532. The necessity of reflecting frequently upon the great long rebellion, 533. III. In private interests of particular persons, vol. iii. 3; such as calling, 1. Revenge, a sense of honour, 3; 2. Bodily abstinence with a demure affected countenance, piety and mortification, 6; 3. Unalterable malice, constancy, 7; 4. A temper of mind resolved not to cringe and fawn, pride, and morosity, and ill-nature, 8; and, on the contrary, flattery and easy simplicity, and good fellowship, good-nature, 10; 5. Pragmatical meddling with other men's matters, fitness for business, 11. Add to these, the calling covetousness, good husbandry, 12, prodigality, liberality, 13, justice, cruelty, and cowardice, mercy, 13. A general survey and recollection of all that has been said on this immense subject, 13. SERMON XXII. PREVENTION OF SIN AN INVALUABLE MERCY. 1 SAMUEL Xxv. 32, 33. And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent thee this day to meet me. And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, who hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with my own hand. P. 351. This is David's retractation of his revenge resolved upon an insolent wealthy rustic, who had most unthankfully rejected his request with railing at his person and messengers, 351. From which we may, I. Observe the greatness of sin-preventing mercy, 352. Which appears, 1. From the deplorable condition of the sinner, before that mercy prevents him, 352. 2. From the cause of that mercy, which is God's free grace, 355. 3. From the danger of sin unprevented; which will then be certainly committed; and, in such deliberate commission, there is a greater probability that it will not, than that it will be pardoned, 356; because every commission hardens the soul in that sin, and disposes the soul to proceed further, and it is not in the sinner's power to repent, 357. 4. From the advantages of the prevention of sin above those of the pardon of it, 358; which are the clearness of a man's condition, ib., and the satisfaction of his mind, 359. II. Make several useful applications, 360. As, 1. To learn how vastly greater the pleasure is upon the forbearance, than in the commission of sin, 360. 2. To find out the disposition of one's heart by this sure criterion, with what ecstasy he receives a spiritual blessing, 360. 3. To be content, and thankfully to acquiesce in any condition and under the severest passages of providence, 362; with relation to health, ib., reputation, ib., and wealth, 363. SERMONS XXIII. XXIV. AN ACCOUNT OF THE NATURE AND MEASURES OF CONSCIENCE. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have confidence towards God. P. 365, 383. It is of great moment and difficulty to be rationally satisfied about the estate of one's soul, 365; in which weighty concern we ought not to rely upon such uncertain rules, ib., as these: 1. The general esteem of the world, ib. 2. The judgment of any casuist, 366. 3. The absolution of any priest, 368. 4. The external profession even of a true religion, 369. But a man's own heart and conscience, above all other things, are able to give him confidence towards God, 370. In order to which we must know, I. How the heart or conscience ought to be informed, 371, viz. by right reason and scripture, 372, and endeavouring to employ the utmost of our ability, to get the clearest knowledge of our duty; and thus to come to that confidence, which, though it amounts not to an infallible demonstration, yet is a rational, well-grounded hope, ib. II. By what means we may get our hearts thus informed, 374, viz. 1. By a careful attention to the dictates of reason and natural morality, ib. 2. By a tender regard to every pious motion of God's Spirit, 375. 3. By a study of the revealed word of God, 377. 4. By keeping a frequent and impartial account with our conscience, 378. With this caution, lest either, on the one side, every doubting may overthrow our confidence; or, on the other, a bare silence of conscience raise it too much, 380. III. Whence the testimony of conscience is so authentic, 384, viz. 1. Because it is commissioned to this office by God himself, ib.: and there is examined the absurdity and impertinence, 386, the impudence and impiety of false pretences of conscience, 390; such particularly as those of schismatical dissenters, 389, who oppose the solemn usages of our church; the necessity of which is founded upon sound reason, ib. 2. Because it is quick-sighted, 393, tender and sensible, 394, exactly and severely impartial, 395. IV. Some particular instances, wherein this confidence suggested by conscience exerts itself, 396, viz. 1. In our addresses to God by prayer, ib. 2. At the time of some notable sharp trial, 397; as poverty, 398, calumny and disgrace, ib. 3. Above all others, at the time of death, 399. SERMON XXV. THE DOCTRINE OF MERIT STATED. JOB XXII. 2. Can a man be profitable to God? P. 404. It is an impossible thing for man to merit of God, 404. And although, I. Men are naturally prone to persuade themselves they can merit, 406; because, 1. They naturally place too high a value upon themselves and performances, 406; 2. They measure their apprehensions of God by what they observe of worldly princes, 407; yet, II. Such a persuasion is false and absurd, 408, because the conditions required in merit are wanting: viz. 1. That the action be not due, 408. But man lies under an indispensable obligation of duty to God, by the law of nature, as God's creature, 409, and servant, 410, and by God's positive law, 411. 2. That the action may add to the state of the person of whom it is to merit 411. But God is a perfect being, wanting no supply, 412; and man is an incon siderable creature, beholden for every thing to every part of the creation, ib. 3. That the action and reward may be of an equal value, 413; which cannot be in the best of our religious performances, 414; notwithstanding the popish distinction between merit of condignity and congruity, ib. 4. That the action be done by the man's sole power, without the help of him of whom he is to merit, 416. But God worketh in us not only to do, but also to will, ib. III. This persuasion hath been the foundation of great corruptions in religion, 417; viz., Pelagianism, ib., and popery, 419. But though we are not able to merit, yet, IV. This ought not to discourage our obedience, 419. Since, 1. A beggar may ask an alms, which he cannot claim as his due, 420. 2. God's immutable veracity and promise will oblige him to reward our sincere obedience, 420. SERMON XXVI. OF THE LIGHT WITHIN US. LUKE XI. 35. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. P. 422. The light within us, or right reason, is our conscience, whose duties are to inform and to oblige; which is capable of being turned into darkness; a very xvii considerable evil, and a great danger of falling into it, 422. The cause of this light's being darkened is, I. In general; every thing which either defiles the conscience, 426, or weakens it by putting a bias upon its judging faculty, 428. II. In particular; every kind and degree of sin considered, 1. In the act, 428. And thus every commission of any great sin darkens the conscience, 429. 2. In the habit, 430. And thus the repeated practice of sin puts out its light, ib. And thus every vicious affection perverts the 3. In the principle, 431. judging, and darkens, the discerning power of conscience, 431. Such as, 1. Sensuality, 432; by the false pleasures of lust, 433, of intemperance, 434. 2. Covetousness, 435. 3. Ambition or pride, 436; and many others besides, 438. Thence a man may learn what he is to avoid, that he may have a clear, impartial, and right judging conscience, 438. SERMON XXVII. OF LOVING OUR ENEMIES. MATTHEW V. 44. But I say unto you, Love your enemies. P. 440. The duty here enjoined by Christ is not opposed to the Mosaic law, but For the matter of all the to the doctrine of the scribes and pharisees, 440. commandments, except the fourth, is of natural, moral right, ib.; and there is no addition of any new precepts, but only of some particular instances of duty, 441; with an answer to some objections concerning the commands of loving God with all our heart, 442, and laying down our life for our brother, 443. Then it is proved, that Christ opposed not Moses' law as faulty or imperfect, but only the comments of the scribes and pharisees upon or rather against it, 444. Among the duties here enjoined by Christ, is to love our enemies, 445: by which, I. Negatively, 445, is not meant 1. A fair deportment and amicable language, 445. 2. Fair promises, 447. 3. A few kind offices, 448. But, II. Positively, 449, is meant, 1. A discharging the mind of all the leaven of malice, 449. 2. The doing all real offices of kindness that opportunity shall lay in the way, 450. 3. The praying for them, 451. All which are not inconsistent with a due care of defending and securing ourselves against them, 452. III. This love of enemies may be enforced by many arguments drawn from 1. Their condition; as they are joined with us in the community of the same nature, 453; or (as it may happen) of the same religion, ib., or as they may be capable, if not of being made friends, yet of being shamed and rendered inexcusable, 454. 2. The excellency of the duty itself, 454. 3. The great example of our Saviour, 455; and that of a king, upon the commemoration of whose nativity and return this sermon was preached, 456. Lastly, because this duty is so difficult, we ought to beg God's assistance against the opposition which flesh and blood will make to it, 456. SERMON XXVIII. FALSE FOUNDATIONS REMOVED, AND TRUE ONES LAID MATTHEW VII. 26, 27. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell and great was the fall of it. P. 458. Our Saviour teaches us not to build upon a deceitful bottom, in the great business of our eternal happiness, 459; but only upon practice and obedience : because, I. That is the best and surest foundation, 459; being, 1. The only thing that can mend our corrupt nature, 459. 2. The highest perfection of our nature, 460. 3. The main end of religion, 460; as the designs of it in this world are the honour of God, 461; and the advantage of society, ib. II. All other foundations are false, 462; such as 1. A naked unoperative faith, 462. 2. The goodness of the heart and honesty of intention, 463. 3. Party and singularity, 464; because the piety of no party can sanctify its proselytes, 465; and such an adhesion to a party carries with it much of spiritual pride in men, who naturally have a desire of preeminence, and a spirit of opposition to such as are not of their own way, ib. III. Such false foundations, upon trial, will be sure to fall, 466; which is shown from 1. The devil's force and opposition, 466; which is sudden and unexpected, ib.; furious and impetuous, 467; restless and importunate, ib. 2. The impotence and non-resistance of the soul, 468; which is frequently unprepared, weak, and inconstant, 468, 469. IV. The fall will be very great, 469; being scandalous and diffusive, ib.; hardly and very rarely recoverable, 470. Therefore no man must venture to build his salvation upon false and sinking grounds, 470; but only upon such terms as God will deal with him, viz., a perfect obedience, 471. SERMON XXIX. A TRUE STATE AND ACCOUNT OF THE PLEA OF A TENDER CONSCIENCE. 1 CORINTHIANS VIII. 12. But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. P. 473. The apostle treateth of a weak conscience in new converts from Judaism [in Rom. xiv.] and from heathenism [here] 473, in these words; towards the understanding of which we must know, I. What a weak conscience is, 475; not that which is improperly called tender, ib., but the weakness here spoken of is opposed to faith, 476; and implies, 1. The ignorance of some action's lawfulness, 476; not wilful, but such a one as is excusable, and the object of pity, ib., arising from the natural weakness of the understanding, or from the want of opportunity or means of knowledge, 477. 2. The suspicion of some action's unlawfulness, 478. 3. A religious abstinence from the use of that thing, of the unlawfulness whereof it is ignorant or suspicious, 478. II. How such a weak conscience is wounded, 479; viz. 1. By being grieved and robbed of its peace, 479. |