THE Author of this Prophecy was the first of the three Pro­phets, which God sent to the [Page 2]People of Israel after the Captivity; VOL. II. and this Prophecy contains several Messages from God, to the Princes, and Elders, and People of Israel, in which he reproves their slackness and negligence in the building of the Tem­ple, and encourageth them thereto, by the promise of his assistance, and tells them, that however in respect of the magnificence of the Building, and the rich Ornaments of it, it should be in­comparably short of Solomon's Tem­ple, (which some that were then alive had seen in its glory) yet in other respects, it should far excel it; for the time would come, that this second Temple should be graced with the Pre­sence of the Messias, which would be a greater Glory to it, than all the Riches of Solomon's Temple.

And this is fully exprest in the words which I have read unto you, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land: And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, [Page 3]saith the Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.

Now, that it is some very great thing which is here foretold and pro­mised, for the Honour of this second Temple, no Man can doubt, that con­siders in what a solemn manner it is here exprest; this great and glorious Title, the Lord of hosts, being no less than five several times used with­in the compass of these four Ver­ses; the like Instance whereto is not, perhaps, in the whole Bible: Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the hea­vens, and the earth, verse 6. And I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts, verse 7. The silver is mine and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts, ver. 8. And twice ver. 9. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts. So that by the solemn manner of ex­pressing of it, we may imagine, that it is some very great thing which is [Page 4]spoken of, and such as the like had never been before; and such was the incarnation and coming of the Messias.

I know that the Modern Jews will by no means have this Text to be un­derstood of the Messias, and not with­out cause; for he that is spoken of in the Text, was to come into the second Temple, which hath now been de­stroyed above 1600 Years ago; and they do not believe the Messias to be yet come; and therefore whatever shift they make, they must interpret this Text, of some other Person than the Messias: But then it is plain for what Reason they do so, it being evident from their own Talmud, that the Anci­ent Jews did understand of the Messi­as; but being harden'd in their Unbe­lief, they pervert all those Texts whereby they might be convinc'd, that Jesus our Blessed Saviour was the True Messias.

And indeed, whoever carefully con­siders the several Expressions and Cir­cumstances of this Prediction, cannot understand it of any other. To make this Evident, I shall explain the several [Page 5]Expressions in the Text, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Yet once, it is a little while. Yet a little while, so it is in the Hebrew. Yet once more, so the LXX render it, and so it is quoted from the LXX in the New Testament, Heb. 12.26. and this Sense the Hebrew word may like­wise bear, and our Translation of the Text takes them both in, Yet once, it is a little while.

If we take the Words in the first Sense, Yet a little while, they signifie, that God was then beginning those Changes in the World, which were to precede and make way for the coming of the Messias. This indeed was not till about Four Hundred Years after; but a great while before that time God began those Changes in the World, which were to prepare the way for his coming; and considering the long time which was past from the first promise made to Abraham, Four Hundred Years in comparison of that may seem but a little while. But I rather choose the latter Sense of this Phrase, Yet once more; because the Hebrew will bear it, and because it is so quoted in the New Testament; as if the Prophet had said, [Page 6]That God had before done a great thing in the World, and accompanied with great Miracles; viz. The giving of the Law by Moses, which was attended with great Commotions, both in Egypt, by bringing the People of Israel out from thence with a mighty hand, and by destroying the Nations before them, whose Land God gave them for a Possession; but now he would do one greater thing more, the sending of the Messias, and the planting of his Religion in the World; in order whereunto there should be much greater, and more uni­versal Commotions and Changes in the World, and more and greater Miracles wrought; Yet once more, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land, and I will shake all nations. From which Words the Apostle to the Hebrews argues the abolishing of the Jewish Dispensation, and the bringing in of another that should be unalterable, Heb. 12.27, And this Word, Yet once more, (says the A­postle) signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, that those things which cannot be shaken way remain. And this I shall have occasion to explain [Page 7]more fully in the following parts of this discourse.

Yet once more I will shake the heavens and the earth, &c. For the under­standing whereof, we are to consider, That the Hebrews have no one Word whereby to express the World, and there­fore they do it by an enumeration of the principal Parts of it. So Gen. 1. when Moses would express the Creation of the World, he says, In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And so St. Peter, when he would ex­press the Revolution of all things, af­ter the universal Conflagration of the World, calls it, a new heaven and a new earth, 2 Pet. 3.13. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth; that is, a new World, a quite other Frame and State of things, than that which we now see. And so the Prophet here in the Text to express the great Commo­tions and Changes that should be in the World before the coming of the Messias, says, that God will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; that is, he would cause great Revolutions in the World; [Page 8]there should be great Wars and Con­fusions, and the Empires of the World should pass from one Hand to another. And thus we find this very expression interpreted, ver. 21, 22. of this Chap­ter, I will shake the heavens and the earth, and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. And to shew that by shaking the heavens and the earth, is meant great Changes in the World, and as it were an universal Com­motion of it, he adds in the Text, by way of farther Explication, and I will shake all nations.

And then it follows, and the desire of all nations shall come. This we (as the ancient Jews also did) take to be a plain Character and Description of the Messias, he is the desire of all nations; he whom all Nations had reason to de­sire, because of those great Blessings and Benefits which he was to bring to the World. Thus Interpreters gene­rally understand these Words, and it is very true the Messias was so: But this does not seem to be the true impor­tance of this phrase; for the Hebrew Word signifies Expectation as well as [Page 9] Desire, and so I should rather choose to render it, the Expectation of all Nations shall come; which signifies, that about the time of the coming of the Messias, not only the Jews, but other Nations, should be in a general Expectation of some great Prince then to appear; which was most eminently accomplished in our Blessed Saviour, as I shall shew by and by.

And I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts, speaking of the Second Temple, which was then in building, which though it fell very much short of Solomon's, in point of State and Magnificence; yet by be­ing honoured with the Presence of the Messias, it should be much more Glori­ous than Solomon's Temple. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts; not that God wanted the command of Gold and Silver, to have made the Second Temple equal to Solomon's in outward Glory and Splendour; he could easily have made it so in that respect; and Josephus tells us, that not long before the time of our Saviour's coming, Herod had built and beautified it to that degree, that in [Page 10]some respects it excelled Solomon's; and of this some understand the next words, The glory of this latter house shall be great­er than of the former; namely, that this was accomplished in that Beauty and Magnificence which was added to it, when it was re-edified by Herod the Great: But however that be this, is certain, that it was much more Glorious in another respect, namely, that it entertained the Messias the great Expectation and Blessing of all Nations

And in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts. Some under­stand this, of that Universal Peace which was throughout the World, when our Saviour was born in the Reign of Augustus Caesar. Others with great probability interpret this of the Messias himself, who is called here by the name of Peace; and so some of the ancient Jews understood it; in this place will I give peace, that is, the Mes­sias. For the Hebrew Word signifies all kind of Happiness, and so it in­cludes all those Blessings and Benefits, that Happiness and Salvation which the Messias brought to the World. And this will appear very probable, if we [Page 11]consider, how frequently in Scripture this Title is given to the Messias. Isai. 9.6. he is called the Prince of peace; and Zach. 9.10. it is said of him, that he should speak peace to the nations; and the Apostle to the Hebrews, parallels him with Melchisedech in this Particu­lar, that he was King of Salem, that is, King of Peace; and which is very lit­tle different from this, he is frequently in Scripture called Salvation, which signifies the Happiness of being rescu­ed and delivered from all kind of Evil; as Peace signifies all kind of Good, Isai. 49.6. I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my Salvation to the end of the earth: And Luke 2.30. when Simeon had our Blessed Saviour in his Arms, when he was first brought into the Temple, he calls him the Salvation of God; Mine Eyes (saith he to God) have seen thy salvation; and John 4.22. Salvation is of the Jews, that is, the Messias was to be of that Nation. But which is more express, Christ is called our peace, Eph. 2.14. nay, he is expresly called peace, or the peace, Micah 5.5. and this man (speak­ing of the Messias) shall be the peace, that is, one of his Names or Titles shall be [Page 12] peace. So that I make little doubt, but that in this Expression in the Text, of giving peace, is meant, giving the Mes­sias; and that this is render'd as the Reason, why the Glory of the Second Temple should be greater than of the First, because in that place the Messias should appear, and remarkably shew himself. God could have given this Second Temple, if he had thought fit, as much outward Glory and Beauty as that of Solomon's Building; for silver and gold are his, and all the Riches of the World are at his Command; but he chose to put a far greater Honour upon it than that of Silver and Gold, and to make it much more Glorious in another respect, the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former; because in this place I will give the Messias the peace, and Happiness, and Salvation of Mankind, and incomparably the greatest Blessing that ever was given to the World.

The Words being thus explained, it will now be more easie to shew, how the several parts of this Prediction do agree to our Blessed Saviour, and to no other.

• I. That there should be great Chan­ges and Commotions in the World be­fore his coming; I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land, and I will shake all nations; and then he should come.
• II. That about the time of his com­ing, the World should be in a general Expectation of him; and the expectation of all nations shall come.
• III. That he should come during the continuance of the Second Temple; for it was his coming that should fill that House with Glory, and in that place the Messias, who is called Peace, is promised to be given; and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.
• IV. That this coming of the Messias should be the last dispensation of God for the Salvation of Men, and conse­quently should be perpetual and unal­terable; yet once more, and I will shake the heavens and the earth; yet once more, from whence the Apostle to the Hebrews argues, that the Gospel should be a perpetual and unalterable dispensation. [Page 14]Of these I shall speak severally, and as briefly as I can.

I. Here is a Prediction of great Changes and Commotions in the World, before the coming of the Messias; thus saith the Lord of hosts, I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land, and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; plainly signifying hereby, that before the com­ing of the Messias (who is here called the desire and expectation of all nations) there should be very great Commoti­ons and Changes in the World, that the Empire of the World should be overturned; for so I have told you, that this Expression of shaking the hea­vens and the earth is explained, verse 21. of this Chapter, I will shake the heavens and the earth, and will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. And this was fulfilled in a most remarkable manner, between the time of this Prophecy, and the coming of our Blessed Saviour, during which time, (though it was but four hundred Years) there happened great Commotions, and much more considerable Revolutions, in the great Kingdoms of the World, than had [Page 15]done in above two thousand Years be­fore, and in almost One thousand seven hundred Years since; so that it is no wonder, that the Prediction of these things is by God himself exprest in so very solemn a manner, as I observed before.

At the time of this Prophecy, the Em­pire of the World was newly transla­ted from the Assyrians to the Medes and Persians; and not long after, the Grecians under Alexander the Great quite overthrew the Persian Empire, and that by as sudden a Change as was ever perhaps made in the World, possessing themselves by so swift and speedy a Conquest of a great part of the then known World, as if to pass through it, and to conquer it, had been all one.

After the death of Alexander, the Empire of the Grecians was shared among his great Captains, whom the Romans by degrees conquered, besides a great many other Kingdoms which A­lexander never saw, and some of them perhaps had never heard of. At last the Empire of the World, in all its great­ness [Page 16]and Glory, was possest by Augustus, in whose time our Blessed Saviour was born.

So that here were mighty Commo­tions in the World, wonderful Chan­ges of Kingdoms and Empires, before the coming of the Messias; far greater, and of much larger extent, than those that, were in Egypt and Palestine, at the bringing of the Children of Israel out of Egypt, and the giving of the Law from Mount Sinai. And these did not only go before the coming of the Messias, but they made way for the more easie pro­pagating of his Doctrine and Religion; for the Grecians, and especially the Ro­mans, setled their Conquests in such a manner, as in a good measure to pro­pagate their Language among the Nati­ons which they conquered; and parti­cularly the Romans did make the Ways for Travel and Commerce much more easie and commodious than ever they were before, by employing their Armies, when they had no other Work, to make High-ways, for the con­venience of Passage from the Station of one Legion to another; the Bene­fit and effect whereof we in England [Page 17]enjoy to this day; (a Pattern to all Prin­ces and States that have necessary occa­sion for Armies, how to employ them;) And this very thing proved afterwards a mighty Advantage for the more easie and speedy spreading of Christianity in the World.

II. Another part of this Prophecy is, That about the time of the coming of the Messias, the World should be in a general expectation of him; and the Expectation of all Nations shall come: And I doubt not but this Character of the Messias is taken out of that famous Prophecy concerning him, Gen. 49.10. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, till Shiloh come, (and by Shiloh the an­cient Jews generally understood the Messias) and to him shall the gathering of the people be; or as it is render'd by the Septuagint, and several other Translati­ons, and he shall be the Expectation of the Nations. In allusion to which ancient Prophecy concerning him, he is here in the Text called, the Expectation of all Nations; and so by the Prophet Malachi, chap. 3. ver. 1. and the Lord whom ye ex­pect, or look for, shall suddenly come into his temple. Now this part of the Pre­diction [Page 18]in the Text, was most eminent­ly fulfilled in our Blessed Saviour. For about the time of his coming, the Jews were in a general expectation of him, as appears not only from that anci­ent and general Tradition of theirs, from the School of Elias, that at the end of the second two thousand years of the World, the Messias should come; (and our Blessed Saviour's coming did accordingly hap­pen at that time;) but likewise from that particular Computation of the Jewish Doctors, not long before our Saviour's coming, who, upon a solemn debate of the matter, did determine that the Messias would come within fif­ty Years. And this is farther confirm­ed, from the great Jealousie which He­rod had concerning a King of the Jews, that was expected to be born about that time; and from that remarkable Testimony in Josephus, who tells us, That the Jews rebelled against the Ro­mans, being encouraged thereto by a famous Prophecy in their Scriptures, that about that time a great Prince should be born among them, that should rule the World: And Josephus flattered Vespasian so far, as to make him believe that he was the Man; and thereupon perswaded him to de­stroy [Page 19]the Line of David, out of which, the Tradition was, that the Messias should spring; as if the Accomplish­ment of a Divine Prediction could be hinder'd by any Human endeavour.

And this was not only the generl Ex­pectation of the Jews about that time, but of a great Part of the World; as appears from those Two famous Testi­monies of Two of the most Eminent Roman Historians, Suetonius and Taci­tus. The words of Suetonius are these, Percrebuerat Oriente toto vetus & constans opinio, esse in fatis, ut Judaeâ profecti rerum potirentur: There was an ancient and general Opinion, famous throughout all the Eastern Parts, that the Fates had determined, that there should come out of Judea those that should govern the World; and he adds what I quoted before out of Josephus, Id Judaei ad se trehentes rebellarunt; that the Jews ta­king this to themselves, did thereupon rebel. Now it is very remarkable, that the very words of this Tradition, seem to be a verbal Translation of that Pro­phecy in Micah, That out of Judah should come the Governour: Ʋt Judpaeâ profecti reruni potirentur. The other [Page 20]Testimony is out of Tacitus; and his Words are these, ( lib. 21) Pluribus persuasio inerat antiquis Sacerdotum libris contineri, eo ipso tempore fore, ut valesce­ret Oriens; profectique Judaeâ rerum poti­rentur: A great many (says he) were pos­sessed with a Persuasion that it was contain­ed in the ancient Books of the Priests, that at that very time the East should prevail, and that they who should govern the World, were to come out of Judeâ. By the anci­ent Books of the Priests, he in all proba­bility means, the ancient Prophecies of Scripture; for the last Expression is the same with that of Suetonius taken out of the Prophet Micah; and the other, that the East should prevail, does plainly re­fer to that Title given to the Messias by the Prophet Zachary, chap. 6.12. where he is called, The Man whose name is [...], which signifies Oriens and Germen, both the East and a Branch; our Translation hath it, the Man whose name is the Branch; but it might as well be render'd, the Man whose name is the East. Thus you see this Chara­cter of our Saviour in this Prophecy most literally fulfilled, that he was the Expectation of all Nations. I pro­ceed to the

III. Circumstance of this Prediction, That he who is here foretold, should come during the continuance of this se­cond Temple; because it was his Pre­sence, that should fill that house with glory; and it was in that place that the Messias, who is called the Peace, is promised to be given; and in this place will I give Peace, saith the Lord of Hosts. And this is likewise most expresly fore­told by the Prophet Malachi, chap. 3.1. Behold, I will send my Messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord whom ye look for, shall suddenly come into his temple; even the Messenger of the Covenant, whom ye delight in, behold he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts: And accordingly Jesus our Blessed Savi­our came during the second Temple; he was presented there by his Parents, and owned by Simeon for the Messias; he Disputed there, and Taught frequen­tly there, and by his Presence filled that house with glory. For that the Son of God Taught publickly there, was a greater Honour to it, than all the Sil­ver and Gold of Solomon's Temple.

And not long after his death (accord­ing [Page 22]to his express Prediction) this se­cond Temple was destroyed to the Ground; so that not one stone of it was left upon another. And when some Hun­dred of Years after, it was attempted to be Rebuilt Three several times, the last whereof was by Julian the Apo­state, in opposition to Christianity, and to our Saviour's Prediction; Fire came out of the Foundation, and destroyed the Workmen; so that they desisted in great Terror, and durst never at­tempt it afterwards. And this not on­ly the Christian Writers of that Age in great numbers do testifie, but Ammi­anus Marcellinus (a Heathen Historian who lived in that time) does also give us a very particular Account of this me­morable matter. So that if by the Ex­pectation of the Nations be here meant the Messias, (as I have plainly shewn) then he is long since come, and was no other than Jesus our Blessed Saviour, who, according to this Prophecy, was to fill the second Temple with glory; which hath now been demolish'd above One thousand six hundred Years ago, and the Rebuilding whereof hath been so often and so remarkably hinder'd from Heaven. The Consideration of all [Page 23]which were sufficient to convince the Jews of their vain Expectation of a Messias yet to come; were they not so obstinately rooted and fixed in their In­fidelity. There remains now the

IV. And Last Circumstance of this Prophecy, viz. That the coming of the Messias was to be the last Dispensa­tion of God, for the Salvation of Men; and consequently was to be perpetual and unchangeable: Yet once more, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land: And I will shake all nations, and the Expectation of all nations shall come. Yet once more; from which Words, the Apostle to the Hebrews argues the Perpetuity of the Gospel, and that it was the Dispensati­on which should never be changed, Heb. 12.27. And this word, Yet once more, signifies, the removing of those things which are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. And then it follows, Where­fore we receiving a kingdom which can­not be moved, &c. It was usual with the Jews to describe the times of the Gospel, by the Kingdom of the Messias; and accordingly the Apostle here calls [Page 24]the Dispensation of the Gospel, a king­dom which cannot he moved: In oppositi­on to the Law, which was an imperfect and alterable Dispensation. For this is plainly the scope of the Apostle's reason­ing; namely, to convince the Jews, that they were now under a more gracious and perfect Dispensation than that of the Law, ver. 18. Ye are not come unto the mount, that might be touched, and that burned with fire; meaning Mount Sinai, which was a sensible literal Mountain, a mountain that might be touched, in opposition to the mystical and spiritual Mount Sion; by which the Dispensation of the Gospel is descri­bed: Which by the way prevents the Objection of its being called the Moun­tain that might be touch'd, when it was forbidden to be touch'd upon pain of Death; Ye are not come to the Mount that might be touched; that is, I am not now speaking of a literal and sensible Mountain, such as was Mount Sinai, from whence the Law was given; but of that Spiritual and Heavenly Dispen­sation of the Gospel, which was typified by Mount Sion and by Jerusalem; but ye are come to mount Sion, and unto the City of the living God, the heavenly Jeru­salem, [Page 25]and to Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant. And then he cautions them to take heed how they reject him that came from Heaven, to make this last Revelation of God to the World; which because of the clearness and per­fection of it, should never need to re­ceive any change, ver. 25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped not, who refused him that spake on earth, (viz. Moses, who delivered the Law from Mount Sinai) much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: whose voice then shook the earth, (alluding to the Earthquake at the giving of the Law) but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more, I shake not the earth only; but al­so heaven; that is, the whole World, in order to the coming of the Messias, and the planting of the Gospel in the World; and then he argues from the Words once more, that the former Dis­pensation should be removed, to make way for that which should perpetually remain.

And indeed there is no need of any farther. Revelation after this; nor of any change of that Religion which [Page 26]was brought from Heaven by the Son of God; because of the Perfection of it, and its fitness to Reform the World, and to recover Mankind out of their lapsed and degenerate Condition, and to bring them to Happiness; both by the Purity of its Doctrine, and the Power of its Arguments to work up­on the Minds of Men, by the clear discovery of the mighty Rewards and Punishments of another World.

And now the proper Inference from all this Discourse, is the very same with that which the Apostle makes, from the Consideration of the Perfecti­on and Excellency of this Revelation, which God had made to the World by his Son. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh: for how shall we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven? And at the 28th. Verse of that Chapter, Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God ac­ceptably, with reverence and godly fear; that is, Let us Live as becomes those to whom God hath made so clear and perfect a Revelation of his Will. We have all the Advantages of the Divine [Page 27]Revelation which the World ever had, and the last and most perfect that the World ever shall have: We have not only Moses and the Prophets, but that Doctrine which the Son of God came down from Heaven on purpose to de­clare to the World. God hath vouch­safed to us that clear and compleat Re­velation of his Will, which he denied to many Prophets and righteous men; who desired to see the things which we see, but could not see them; and to hear the things which we hear, but could not hear them. There were good Men in the World under those imperfect Revelati­ons which God made to them; but we have far greater Advantages, and more powerful Arguments to be Good than ever they had. And as we ought thankfully to acknowledge these blessed Advantages; so ought we likewise, with the greatest Care and Diligence, to improve them.

And now how does the serious Con­sideration of this Condemn all Impeni­tent Sinners under the Gospel, who will not be reclaimed from their Sins and perswaded to Goodness, by all that God can do; by the most plain Decla­ration [Page 28]of his Will to the World, by the most perfect Precepts and Directi­ons for a good Life; by the most en­couraging Promises to Obedience, and by the most severe Threatnings of an Eternal and Unutterable Ruin, in case of disobedience; by the wrath of God, revealed from heaven, against all ungodli­ness and unrighteousness of men; by the Terrors of the great day, and the Ven­geance of Eternal Fire; by the won­derful and amazing Condescension of the Son of God, appearing in our Na­ture; by his merciful undertaking for the Redemption of lost and sinful Man; by his cruel Sufferings for our Sins, and by the kindest Offers of Pardon and Reconciliation in his Blood, and by the glorious hopes of Eternal Life!

What could God have done more for us, than he hath done? What greater concernment could he shew for our Sal­vation, than to send his own son, his on­ly son, to seek and save us? And what greater demonstration could he give of his Love to us, than to give the Son of his Love to die for us? This is the last Effort that the Divine Mercy and Goodness will make upon Man­kind. [Page 29]So the Apostle tells us in the beginning of this Epistle, chap. 1.1. that God who at sundry times, and in di­vers manners, spake in times past unto the Fathers, by the Prophets, hath in these last days, spoken to us by his Son: And if we will not hear him, he will speak no more; after this it is not to be expected that he should make any farther At­tempts for our recovery, he can send no greater and dearer Person to us, than his own Son. If we despise him; whom will we Reverence? If we reject him, and the great Salvation which he brings and offers to us; we have all the reason in the World to believe that our case is desperate, and that we shall die in our sins. This was the Condem­nation of the Jews, that they did not re­ceive and believe on him whom God had sent. And if we who profess to believe on him, and to receive his Doctrine, be found disobedient to it, in our Lives, we have reason to fear, that our Condem­nation shall be far heavier than theirs: For since the appearance of the Son of God for the Salvation of men, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all un­godliness and unrighteousness of men, espe­cially against those who detain the truth [Page 30]of God in unrighteousness; that is, a­gainst those who entertain the Light of God's Truth in their Minds, but do not suffer it to have its proper Ef­fect and Influence upon their Hearts and Lives; and make that a Prisoner, which would make them free. So our Lord tells us, that the truth shall make us free; but if after we have received the knowledge of the truth, we are still the servants of sin; our Condemnation is much worse, than if the Son of God had never come: For the Christian Re­ligion hath done nothing; if it do not take men off from their Sins, and teach them to live well.

Especially at this time when we are celebrating the coming of the Son of God, to destroy the works of the Devil, we should take great heed, that we be not found guilty of any Impiety and Wick­edness; because this is directly contrary to the main Design of the grace of God, which brings Salvation, and hath appeared to all men, (and the appearance where­of we do at this time commemorate) for That teacheth men to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly and righteously and godlily in this present world: [Page 31]And we cannot gratifie the Devil more, than by shewing our selves more dili­gent than ordinary to uphold his Works, at this very time, when the Son of God was manifested on purpose to dissolve them: We cannot possibly choose a worse, a more improper Season to sin in, than when we are Celebrating the Birth of the Blessed Jesus, who came to save us from our sins. This is, as if a sick Man, for joy that a Famous Physician is come to his House, should run into all manner of Excess, and so do all he can to enflame his Disease, and make his case desperate. Not but that our inward Joy may lawfully be accompanied with all outward innocent Expressions of it: but we cannot be truly thankful, if we allow our selves at this time in any thing contrary to the Purity and Sobri­ety of the Gospel. It is matter of just and sad complaint, being of great scan­dal to our Saviour, and his holy Reli­gion, that such irregular and extrava­gant things are at this time commonly cone by many, who call themselves Christians; and done under a pretence of doing Honour to the Memory of Christ's Birth; as if, because the Son of God was at this time made Man, it [Page 32]were fit for Men to make themselves Beasts.

If we would honour him indeed, we must take care that our Joy do not de­generate into Sin and Sensuality, and that we do not express it by Lewdness and Luxury, by Intemperance and Ex­cess, by prodigal Gaming, and pro­fuse wasting of our Estates, as the manner of some is; as if we intended literally to requite our Saviour, who being rich, for our sakes became poor. This is a way of parting with houses and land, and becoming poor for his sake, for which he will never thank, nor reward us. This is not to commemorate the Coming of our Saviour; but to contra­dict it, and openly to declare that we will uphold the Works of the Devil, in despight of the Son of God, who came to destroy them. It is for all the World like that lewd and sensless piece of Loyalty, too much in fashion some Years ago, of being Drunk for the King. Good God! that ever it should pass for a piece of Religion among Christians, to run into all manner of excess for Twelve days together, in ho­nour of our Saviour! A greater Ag­gravation [Page 33]of Sin cannot easily be ima­gined, than to abuse the Memory of the greatest Blessing that ever was, Christ coming into the World to take away sin, into an opportunity of committing it; this is to represent the Son of God as a Patron of Sin and Licentiousness, and to treat him more contumeliously than the Jews did, who bowed the Knee to him and mocked him, and cal­led him King and spat upon him; and, under a pretence of rejoycing for his Birth, to crucifie to our selves afresh the Lord of life and glory; and to put him to an open shame.

I will conclude all with the Apostle's Exhortation, Rom. 13.12, 13, 14. Let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the Armour, of Light. Let us walk decently as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christy, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Now to our most gracious and mer­ciful God, the great Friend and Lover of Souls, who regarded us in our low [Page 34]and lost Condition, and cast an Eye of pity upon us, when we were in our Blood, and no other Eye pityed us, and when we had lost and ruin­ed our selves, was pleased in tender compassion to Mankind, to send his only begotten Son into the World, to seek and save us, and by the Purity of his Doctrine, and the Pattern of his Life, and the Sacrifice of his Death, to purchase Eternal Life for us, and to direct and lead us in the way to it: And to him also, the Bles­sed Saviour and Redeemer of Man­kind, who came down from Heaven, that he might carry us thither, and took Human Nature upon him, that we thereby might be made Parta­kers of a Divine Nature; and hum­bled himself to Death, even the Death of the Cross, that he might exalt us to Glory and Honour, and whilst we were bitter Enemies to him, gave such a Demonstration of his Love to us, as never any Man did to his best Friend: Ʋnto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb that was slain, to God, even our Father, and to our Lord Jesus Christ, the first begotten from the dead, and the Prince of the kings [Page 35]of the Earth, to him who hath loved us, Serm. II. and washed us from our sins in his own Blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glo­ry and honour, dominion and power, now and for ever. Amen.

THESE Words contain in them these four Propositions, three of them express, and the fourth of them sufficiently implyed in the Text.

• I. That there is one God.
  VOL. II.
• II. That there is one Mediator between God and men; Christ Jesus.
• III. That he gave himself a ransom for all.
• IV. That the Mediation or Inter­cession of Jesus Christ, is founded in the Redemption of Mankind. For this seems to be the Reason why it is added, that he gave himself a ransom for all, to signifie to us, that because he gave himself a ransom for all, therefore he interceeds for all. In virtue of that Sacrifice which he offered to God for the Salvation of Men, he offers up our Prayers to God; and therefore it is ac­ceptable to him, that we should pray for all men. This seems to be the true con­nexion of the Apostle's Discourse, and the force of his Reasoning, about our putting up publick Prayers for all men.

I have in a former Discourse handled the first of these. See a Ser­mon con­cerning the Unity of the Di­vine Nature, Printed in the year, 1693. I proceed now to the

II. That there is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. One Mediator, that is, But one; for the ex­pression is the very same concerning one God, and one Mediator; and there­fore if the Apostle when he says, there is one God, certainly means that there is but one God; it is equally cer­tain, that when he says, there is one Mediator between God and men, he means, there is but one Mediator, viz. Christ Jesus. He is the only Mediator between God and Men.

In the handling of this Argument, I shall proceed in this Method.

I 1. I shall endeavour to shew, That God hath appointed but one Mediator, or Advocate, or Intercessor in Heaven for us; in whose Name, and by whose Mediation and Intercession, we are to offer up our Prayers and Services to God.

II 2. That this is most agreeable to one main End and Design of the Christian Religion, and of our Saviour's coming into the World.

3. That it is likewise evident from the Nature and Reason of the thing it self, That there is but one Mediator and In­tercessor in Heaven for us, III to offer up our Prayers to God; and that there can be no more. And then,

VI 4. and Lastly, I shall endeavour to shew, how contrary to the Doctrine of the Christian Religion, concerning one Mediator and Intercessor in Heaven for us, the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of Rome in this matter is, in their Invocation of Angels, and the Blessed Virgin, and the Saints, and making use of their Mediation and In­tercession with God for Sinners; as like­wise how contrary it is to the Doctrine and Practice of the Primitive Christian Church: And then I shall answer their several Pretences for this Doctrine and Practice; and shew that this Practice is not only needless, but useless and un­profitable; and not only so, but very dangerous and impious.

I First, I shall endeavour to shew, That God hath appointed but one Mediator, or Advocate, or Intercessor in Heaven [Page 41]for us, in whose Name, and by whose Intercession we are to offer up all our Prayers and Services to God.

Besides that it is expresly said here in the Text, there is but one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, and that the Scripture no where mentions any other: I say, besides this, we are constantly directed to offer up our Prayers and Thanksgivings, and to perform all Acts of Worship in his Name, and no other; and with a Pro­mise, that the Prayers and Services, which we offer in his Name, will be graciously answered and accepted: John 14.13, 14. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do; that the Fa­ther may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. And Ch. 16.23, 24. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing: verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hither­to have ye asked nothing in my name; ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be be full. In that day; that is, when I have left the World, and am gone to my Father as he explains it at the 28th verse, In that day ye shall ask me no­thing; [Page 42]but whatsoever ye shall ask the Fa­ther in my name, he will give it you. That is, You shall not need to address your Prayers to me, but to my Father in my Name. And ver. 26, 27. At that day ye shall ask in my name; that is, from the time that I am ascended into Heaven, ye shall put up all your Prayers and Requests to God, in my Name; and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: for the Father, himself loveth you; that is, I need not tell you (though I shall certainly do it) that I will interceed with the Father for you; for he of him­self is kindly disposed and affected to­wards you, for my sake; The Father him­self loveth you, because ye have loved we.

St. Paul likewise commands Christi­ans to perform all Acts of Religious Worship in the Name of Christ; Col. 3.16, 17. Singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord, and whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. And this Precept of addressing all our Prayers and Thanksgivings to God, by Jesus Christ, as the only Mediator be­tween God and us, is the more re­markable, because it is given in op­position [Page 43]to the Worshipping of God by any other Mediators and Interces­sors in Heaven for us; and to that Su­perstition which had begun so early to prevail among some Christians at Calosse and Laodicea, of Worshipping God by the Mediation and Intercessi­on of Angels, against which he had cautioned in the former Chapter, Ver. 18, 19. Let no man beguile you of your re­ward in a voluntary humility, and wor­shipping of Angels, not holding the head. Intimating, that for Christians to ad­dress themselves to God, by any other Mediator, but Jesus Christ only, was a defection from Christ the Head, and High Priest of our Profession. And that this is the Apostle's meaning, Theodo­ret assures us, in his Comment upon this Place, where he tells us, That some who maintained an observance of the Law, together with the Gospel, asserted also, That Angels were to be wor­shipped; saying, That the Law was given by them. And this Custom, he tells us, remained a long time in Phrygia and Pisidia, and that upon this account it was, that the Synod of Laodicea in Phrygia (about the middle of the 4th Century) forbad Christians by a Law, [Page 44]to pray to Angels. And yet more ex­presly in his Comment upon those Words, Chap. 3. Ver. 17. Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. For because, (says he) they (meaning those of whom St. Paul warns the Colossians to beware) because they did command men to worship Angels, he enjoins the contrary; that they should adorn both their words and actions with the memory (or mention) of the name of Christ their Lord: And send ye up (saith he) thanksgiving to God and the Father by him, and not by the Angels. And then he makes mention of the Ca­non of the Synod of Laodicea, which, (says he) in pursuance of this Rule, and being desirous to cure that old Disease, made it a Law, that none should pray unto Angels, nor forsake the Lord Jesus Christ. It seems then that some Re­liques of that Impious Custom, of pray­ing to Angels, which Theodoret here calls, That old Disease, had continued from St. Paul's time, to the Council of Laodicea, which was the occasion of that severe Canon then made about that matter; the very Words whereof I will set down, because they are re­markable; [Page 45] viz. That Christians ought not to forsake the Church of God, and go away from it, and to invocate Angels, and to make Conventicles, all which are forbidden. If any therefore be found giv­ing himself to this secret Idolatry, let him be Anathema; because he hath forsaken our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God, and is gone over to Idolatry. What shall be said to them, who do not only secretly, and in their Private Devotions, but in the Publick Assemblies of Christians, and in the most Publick Offices of their Church, invocate Angels, and pray to them? So that it was praying to An­gels (or making use of them as Me­diators and Intercessors with God for us) which St Paul here reproves so se­verely in the Colossians, as a Defection from Christ and the Christian Religion.

And indeed, considering how fre­quently the Scripture speaks of Christ, as our only way to God, and by whom alone we have access to the throne of grace, we cannot doubt, but that God hath con­stituted him our only Mediator and In­tercessor, by whom we are to address all our Requests to God, John 14.6. [Page 46] Jesus there saith unto Thomas, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man com­eth to the Father but by me. I am the way, the truth, and the life; that is, the true and living way to the Father (which the Apostle calls a new and living way, Heb. 10.19, 20. Having therefore bold­nenss to enter into the holieft by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us.) No man com­eth to the Father but by me; that is, we can have no access to God by Prayer, or by any other Acts of Religious Wor­ship, but by him. So St. Paul tells us, Eph. 2.18. For through him (speaking of Christ) we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father. We both, that is, both Jews and Gentiles. Under the Law the Jews had access to God by their High Priest, who interceeded with God, and offered up Prayers in behalf of the People. The Gentiles, they addressed themselves to God by innumerable Mediators, by Angels, and the Souls of their departed Heroes, which were the Pagan Saints. Instead of all these, God hath appointed one Mediator and Intercessor in Heaven for us, Jesus the Son of God, and by him all mankind, [Page 47]both Jews and Gentiles, have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

And we have no need of any other, as the Apostle to the Hebrews reasons, Chap. 7.24, 25. But this person (speak­ing of Christ) because he continueth for ever, hath an unchangeable Priesthood, [...], a Priesthood which doth not pass from one to another, as the Priest­hood under the Law did, when upon the Death of one High Priest, another succeeded in his Place; but our High Priest under the Gospel, since he abides for ever, is able to save to the utmost all those that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us. So that Jesus Christ is an All-sufficient Mediator, and able to carry on and accomplish the Work of our Salvati­on from first to last: And as we do not find, that God hath appointed any other; so we are sure, that there needs no other, since he is able to save to the utmost all those that come to God by him, and that he lives for ever to make inter­cession for us.

II Secondly, I proceed now, in the Second place, to shew, That this Doctrine or Prin­ciple [Page 48]of one Mediator between God and men, is most agreeable to one main end and design of the Christian Religion, and of our Saviour's coming into the World, which was to destroy Idolatry out of the World; which St. John calls the works of the Devil, 1 John 3.8. For this pur­pose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy, [...], that he might dissolve or demolish the works of the De­vil; by which St. John does more espe­cially mean the idolatrous worship of the Heathen, which consisted in the mul­titude of their Gods, and the bloody and barbarous Rites and Sacrifices, whereby they Worshipped them; and likewise in the multitude of their Medi­ators between the Gods and Men, who were also esteemed by them an inferi­our sort of Deities. Both these kinds of Idolatry had strangely prevailed, and over-run the World, before the appearance of our Lord and Saviour, who came on purpose to deliver Man­kind from the horrible Superstition and Slavery of the Worship of false Gods, to pull down this Kingdom of the De­vil, and to demolish that Fabrick which he had been so long a rearing, and to beat him out of those strong [Page 49]holds, which he thought had been impregnable.

God indeed gave some check to these, many Ages before, and not long after their first appearance, by the Jewish Religion, which was on purpose intro­duced, and confirmed, and established by so many and such mighty Miracles, to preserve and keep alive in the World the primitive Tradition and Belief of the One true God; and likewise to be (as it were) some Shadow and rude Draught of that more perfect Dis­pensation of the Christian Religi­on, which by one Sacrifice once offered, and by one Mediator between God and men, was to put an end to the infinite Superstitions of the Heathen Worship, and all the bloody and barbarous Rites of it, and likewise to the Idolatry they were guilty of, in the Worship of their inferior Deities, whom they look'd upon as a middle sort of Pow­ers between the Gods and Men, and therefore addrest themselves to them, as Mediators between the Superior and Heavenly Gods, and Men here on Earth. This was plainly one of the great designs of the Christian Religion; [Page 50]and therefore it concerns Christians to understand it, and to be very care­ful, that they do not suffer themselves to be deluded by any specious Preten­ces whatsoever, to bring these things back again into the Christian Religi­on, for the ruin and extirpation where­of, it was purposely designed and intended.

And this seems plainly to be the meaning of that Caution, wherewith St. John concludes his Catholick or General Epistle, namely, That Chri­stians should be very careful, that they were not carryed back again into the Heathen Idolatry, by the confident Pretences of the Gnostick, Hereticks to higher Degrees of Knowledge and. Il­lumination, than other Christians had; that is, by their pretending to be the Infallible Church, and the only true and genuine Christians. For it is against this Sect, that this Epistle is plainer design­ed, which St. John thus concludes, Chap. 5. from Ver. 18. to the end; We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; meaning that he doth not commit the Sin unto death, which he had spoken of just before, viz. Aposta­cy [Page 51]from Christianity to the Heathen Idolatry, or that which was very like it) whosoever is born of God doth not com­mit this sin, but he that is begotten of God, keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not; that is, he preserveth himself from the Contagion of Idola­try, into which the Devil was so busie to seduce Mankind. And we know that we are of God; that is, do belong to the true God, and are Worshippers of him: And the whole world lieth in Wick­edness, [...], is in the power, or under the dominion of that wicked One; that is, the greatest part of Mankind was sunk into Idolatry, and the Worship of the Devil. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true. We know, that is, we Christians are better Taught by the Christian Religion, to acknowledge and worship the only true God: And we are in him that is true, in or by his Son Jesus Christ; that is, we Worship the only true God, by his Son Jesus Christ. And then he concludes, Little Children, keep your selves from Idols; Intimating hereby, that the Worshipping of any other, besides this [Page 52]only true God, and by any other Me­diator than Jesus Christ, is Idolatry.

There were indeed two very ancient and common Notions, both amongst Jews and Gentiles, of the Original whereof it is hard to give any certain account; only this is certain, that they did prevail very early, and did very generally possess Mankind; And they were these; First, That God was not to be appeased towards Sinners, meer­ly upon their Repentance, without the Death and Suffering of some other in their stead; and that God would ac­cept of this vicarious Punishment and Suffering, instead of the Death of the Sinner himself. And this seems to have given the Original to the Sacrifices of Living Creatures, to appease the Wrath of God towards Sinners, which in process of time, as the Worship of false Gods prevailed in the World, did pro­ceed to that Degree of Superstition and barbarous Inhumanity, that by the in­stigation of the Devil, Men offered up the Blood of their Children, and Sa­crificed their Sons and Daughters to their Idols and false Gods. Secondly, Another common Notion, which had [Page 53]likewise possest Mankind, was, That God was not to be immediately ap­proached by sinful Men; but that their Prayers were to be offered up to the Deity, by certain Mediators and Intercessors, that were to procure for them the Favour of the Gods, and the gracious Answer and Acceptance of their Prayers. And this was the Original of that other sort of Heathen Idolatry, which consisted in the Wor­ship of their Demons and Heroes, that is of Angels and Souls departed, viz. of such eminent Persons, as had been great Benefactors to Mankind, and for their worthy Deeds upon Earth were Canonized and translated into the num­ber of their Inferior Gods. By these, as the chief Courtiers and Favourites of Heaven, they address'd their Pray­ers and Supplications to the Superiour Gods.

Now with these Notions which had generally possess'd Mankind (how im­perfect soever) God was pleased to com­ply so far, as in the Frame of the Jewish Religion (which was designed for a Type of the more perfect Institution of the Christian Religion, and a Prepara­tion [Page 54]for it) I say, God was pleased to comply so far with these Notions, as to appoint Sacrifices to be slain and of­fered up for the Sinner; and likewise an High Priest, that once a year should enter into the Holy of Holies, with the Blood of Sacrifices that were offered up for the People, to make Expia­tion for them, and in vertue of that Blood, should interceed for the People, as the Apostle to the Hebrews does declare at large, And when God sent his Son in the fullness of time, he was pleased likewise, in the dispensation of the Go­spel, (that perfect institution which was never to be altered) to have so much regard to these common Notions, and Apprehensions of Mankind, as to pro­vide for the supply of those two great Wants, which they seem'd always to have laboured under, and concerning which they were at so great a loss, viz. an effectual expiatory Sacrifice for Sins upon Earth, and a powerful Me­diator and Intercessor with God in Heaven: And both these by the same Person, Jesus Christ, who appeared in the end of the World, to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself; and in the Merit and Vertue of that Sacrifice, appearing [Page 55]in Heaven in the Presence of God for us, is become a perpetual Advocate, and a most powerful Intercessor with God in Heaven for us. So that instead of the endless Sacrifices of the Jewish Religion, which were ineffectual to the real Expiation of Sin, and only Types and Shadows of the true expiatory Sacri­fice; and instead of the bloody and in­humane Sacrifices of the Heathen Ido­latry; the Son of God hath by one Sa­crifice for Sin once offered, perfected for ever them that are sanctified, and obtain­ed eternal Redemption for us. And in­stead of the Mediation of Angels, and the Souls of their departed Heroes, which the Heathen made use of to of­fer up their Prayers to the Gods; We have one Mediator between God and Men, appointed by God himself, Jesus the Son of God, who in our Nature is ascen­ded into Heaven, to appear in the presence of God for us. And who so fit to be our Patron and Advocate, as he who was our Sacrifice and Propitiation?

Thus the Method of our Redempti­on, as it was by the Wisdom of God admirably suited to the common Appre­hensions [Page 56]of Mankind, concerning the necessity of a Sacrifice to make Expia­tion of Sin, and of a Mediator to in­tercede with God for Sinners; so was it likewise excellently fitted, not only to put an end to the Jewish Sacrifices, but likewise to abolish the barbarous Sacrifices and Rites of the Heathen Idolatry, and to cashier that infinite number of Mediators and Intercessors, by whom they address'd their Prayers to the Deity; and instead of all this, to introduce a more reasonable and spi­ritual Worship, more agreeable to the Nature and Perfections of God, and the Reason of Mankind; which was one of the main and principal Designs of the Christian Religion: And there­fore to bring in any other Mediators, to intercede in Heaven for us (whe­ther Angels or Saints) and by them to offer up our Prayers to God, is di­rectly contrary to the Design of the Christian Religion.

III Thirdly, It is likewise evident from the Nature and Reason of the thing it self, that there is but one Mediator and Inter­cessor in Heaven, who offers up our Pray­ers to God, and that there can be [Page 57]no more. Because under the Gospel there being but one High Priest, and but one Sacrifice once offered for Sin, and Inter­cession for Sinners being founded in the Merit and Virtue of the Sacrifice, by which Expiation for Sin is made, there can be no other Mediator of Interces­sion, but he who hath made Expiation of Sin, by a Sacrifice offered to God for that purpose; and this Jesus Christ only hath done. He is both our High Priest, and our Sacrifice; and therefore he only, in the Merit and Virtue of that Sacrifice, which he offered up­on Earth, can intercede in Heaven for us, and offer up our Prayers to God. Others may pray to God for us; as our Brethren upon Earth do, and perhaps the Angels and Saints in Heaven; but none of these can offer up our Prayers to God, and procure the acceptance of them; for that can only be done in Virtue of a Sacrifice first offered, and by him that offered it; this being the peculiar Office and Qualification of a Mediator or Intercessor, properly so called.

It is the plain Design of the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, to prove [Page 58]that Christ is our only Mediator in Heaven, in Vertue of that Sacrifice for Sin, which he offered upon Earth; and that he alone appears in the Presence of God for us, to present our Requests to him, and obtain a gracious Answer of them; and he shews at large, how this was particularly typified by the Jewish High Priest, who upon the great day of Expiation, after the Sa­crifice was slain without, enter'd alone into the Holy of Holies, with the Blood of the Sacrifices, in Vertue whereof he made Intercession for the People. An­swerable to this, Jesus the High Priest of our Profession, offered himself a Sacri­fice for the Sins of Men, and in vertue of that Sacrifice is enter'd into the High Place not made with Hands, that is, into Heaven it self, there to appear in the Presence of God for us, where he lives for ever to make intercession for us, in Vertue of that Eternal Redemption, which he hath obtained for us, by the Price of his Blood, as the Apostle declares in several Chapters of that Epistle. So that this Intercession be­ing founded in the Merit of a Sacri­fice, which he alone offered, he is of [Page 59]necessity, the only Mediator between God and Men.

And for this Reason it is, that the Mediation and Intercession of Christ, is so frequently in Scripture mentioned together with the Expiation which he made for the Sins of Men, or, (which is the same,) with the price which he paid for the Redemption of Mankind; because the one is founded in the other, and depends upon it. So we find, 1 John 2.1, 2. If any Man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, and he is the Propitiation for our Sins; and not for ours only, but also for the Sins of the whole World. And here likewise in the Text, There is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a Ransom for all; therefore the only Me­diator between God and men; because he only gave himself a Ransom for all men. The Efficacy and Prevalency of his Mediation, being founded in the Merit and Vertue of the Ransom of his Blood.

And the force of these Texts, and the reasoning from them, is not to be avoided and turned off, [Page 60]by distinguishing between a Mediator of Redemption and of Intercession, and by saying, that it is true, that Christ is the only Mediator of Redemption, but there may be many Mediators of Inter­cession; For if the Force of his being Advocate or Intercessor be founded in the Virtue of his Ransom and Propitiation (as I have plainly shewn, to the Conviction of any that are not strongly prejudiced, and that will read and consider what the Scripture says in this matter without Preposses­sion,) then it is plain, that none can be a proper Mediator of Intercession, but he that paid the Price of our Redempti­on: So that the Mediator of our Re­demption, and our Mediator of intercession, must of necessity be one and the same Person; and none can appear in the Qua­lity of our Advocate with the Father, but he only who is the Propitiation for the sins of the whole World.

I should now have proceeded to

IV The Fourth thing I proposed in the handling of this Argument, namely, To shew how contrary to this Doctrine of [Page 61]the Christian Religion, concerning one only Mediator and Intercessor in Heaven for us, the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of Rome is in this matter; name­ly, in their Invocation of Angels, and the Blessed Virgin, and the Saints, and flying to their Help and making use of their Mediation and Intercession with God for Sinners: As likewise how con­trary all this is to the Doctrine and Pra­tice of the Christian Church, for se­veral of the first Ages of it. And then I should have answered their chief Pretences and Excuses for these things, and shew'd that this Practice of theirs is not only needless (being no where com­manded by God) but useless also, and unprofitable; and not only so, but very dangerous and impious, being contra­ry to the Christian Religion, and high­ly derogating from the Virtue and Merit of Christ's Sacrifice, and from the Honour of the only Mediator between God and Men. But of this another time.

IN these Words are four Propositi­ons; three exprest, and the fourth implied.

• I. That there is one God.
• II. That there is one Mediator between God and men; Christ Jesus.
• [Page 64]III. That he gave himself a ransom for all.
  VOL. II.
• IV. That the Mediation or Intercession of Jesus Christ, is founded in his Re­demption of Mankind: That because he gave himself a Ransome for all men, there­fore he, and he only, is qualified to in­tercede for all Men, in Vertue of that Sacrifice which he offer'd for the Sal­vation of all Mankind.

The Second of these I spake to the last time, and endeavour'd to shew,

1 1. That God hath appointed but one Mediator, or Advocate, or Intercessor in Heaven for us; by whose Mediation we are to offer up all our Prayers and Services to God.

2 2. That this Doctrine of one Media­tor is most agreeable to one main End and Design of the Christian Religion, and of our Saviour's coming into the World, which was, to destroy Idolatry.

3 3. That from the Nature and Reason of the thing ( viz. because Intercession for Sinners is founded in the Merit of that Sacrifice, by which Expiation of [Page 65]Sin is made) there can be no other Me­diator of Intercession, Serm. III. but he who hath made Expiation for Sin, by a Sacrifice offered to God for that purpose; and this Jesus Christ only hath done. Thus far I have gone: I proceed now to

4 The Fourth thing which I proposed in the handling of this Argument, name­ly, to shew how contrary to this Do­ctrine of the Christian Religion, con­cerning one only Mediator and Intercessor in Heaven for us, the Doctrine and the Practice of the Church of Rome is in this matter; namely, in their Invo­cation of Angels, and the Blessed Virgin, and the Saints, and flying to their help, and making use of their Mediation and Intercession with God for Sinners.

And that I may proceed more di­stinctly in this Argument, I shall han­dle it under these particular Heads.

First, I shall endeavour to shew, That the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of Rome in this matter, is contrary to the Doctrine of the Christi­an [Page 66]an Religion, concerning one only Me­diator and Intercessor in Heaven for us.

Secondly, That it is contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of the Christian Church, for several of the first Ages of it.

Thirdly, I shall endeavour to answer their chief Pretences and Excuses for this Doctrine and Practice.

Fourthly, to shew that this Doctrine and Practice of theirs is not only need­less, being no where commanded by God, but useless also, and unprofita­ble.

Fifthly, And not only so, but very dangerous and impious; because con­trary to the Christian Religion, and greatly derogating from the Vertue and Merit of Christ's Sacrafice, and from the Honour of the only Mediator between God and Men.

First, I shall endeavour to shew, that the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of Rome in this Matter, is [Page 67]contrary to the Doctrine of the Chri­stian Religion concerning one only Medi­ator and Intercessor in Heaven for us; namely in their Invocation of Angels, and the Blessed Virgin, and the Saints, and flying to their Help, and making use of their Mediation and Intercession with God for Sinners.

That Jesus Christ is our only Me­diator and Intercessor with God in Heaven, by whom we have access to God in any Action of Religious Worship, and that all our Prayers and Services are to be offered up to God only by him, and in his Name and Mediation, and no other, I have plainly shewed from Scripture, and proved it by an invincible Argument, taken likewise from Scripture; name­ly, because the Efficacy and Prevalen­cy of his Mediation and Intercession is founded in the Vertue and Merit of his Sacrifice; and that he is there­fore the only Mediator between God and Men, because he only gave him­self a Ransom for all; he is therefore our only Advocate with the Father, because he only is the propitiation for [Page 68]our Sins, and for the Sins of the whole World.

I have shewed likewise, that the Scripture excludes Angels from being our Mediators with God, from the main Scope and Design of the Epistle to the Colossians; and much more are the Saints departed excluded from this Office, be­ing inferior to the Angels, not only in the Dignity and Excellency of their Beings, but very probably in the Degree of their Knowledge.

In short, Prayer is a proper act of Religious Worship, and therefore pe­culiar to God alone; and we are com­manded to Worship the Lord our God, and to serve him only: And no where in Scripture are we directed to address our Prayers and Supplications and Thanksgivings to any but God alone, and only in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ. Our Blessed Saviour himself hath taught us, to put up all our Prayers to God our heavenly Fa­ther, Luke 11.2. when you pray, say, Our Father which art in Heaven. Which plainly shews, to whom all our Prayers are to be address'd; and unless we can [Page 69]call an Angel or the Blessed Virgin, or a Saint, Our Father, we can pray to none of them. And elsewhere he as plainly directs us, by whom we are to apply our selves to God, and in whose Name and Mediation we are to put up all our Requests to him, John 14.6. I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me: And then it follows, Ver. 13, 14. And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do; that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. Nothing is clear­er in the whole Bible, than one Media­tor between God and Men, Christ Jesus, and that he is our only Advocate and Intercessor with God in Heaven for us.

Secondly, I shall endeavour to shew, That the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of Rome in this matter, is con­trary to that of the Christian Church, for several of the first Ages of it.

As for the Ages of the Apostles, it hath been already proved out of their Writings. That it was not practised in the three first Ages, we have the [Page 70]Acknowledgment of Cardinal Perron, and others of their learned Writers; and they give a very remarkable Rea­son for it; namely, Because the Wor­ship and Invocation of Saints and An­gels, and addressing our Prayers to God by them, might have seem'd to have given Countenance to the Hea­then Idolatry. From whence I can­not forbear, by the way, to make these two Observations. 1. That the Invo­cation of Saints and Angels, and the Blessed Virgin, and addressing our selves to God by their Mediation, was not in those Primitive Ages esteemed a Duty of the Christian Religion; be­cause, if it had, it could not have been omitted for fear of the Scandal conse­quent upon it: And if it was not a Duty then, By what Authority or Law, can it be made so since? 2. That this Practice is very lyable to the Sus­picion of Idolatry; and surely every Christian cannot but think it fit; that the Church of Christ should, like a chast Spouse, not only be free from the Crime, but from all Suspicion of Idolatry.

And for the next Ages after the Apo­stles, nothing is plainer, than that both their Doctrine and Practice were contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of the present Church of Rome in this Matter. The most ancient Fathers of the Christian Church do constanly define Prayer, to be an address to God; and therefore it cannot be made to any but God only: And after the rise of Arianism, they argued for the Divinity of Christ, against the Arians, from our Praying to him; which Argument were of no force, if Prayers might be made to any but God; and this was in the beginning of the Fourth Age.

And we no where find any mention of those Distinctions, of Gods by Na­ture, and Gods by Participation (as Bel­larmin calls the Angels and Saints) or of a supream and inferior Religious Wor­ship; or of a Mediator of Redemption, and a Mediator of Intercession; which are so commonly made use of by the Church of Rome in this Contro­versie.

And, which is as considerable as any of the rest, the ancient Fathers were generally of Opinion, that the Saints were not admitted to the Beatifick Vision, till after the Day of Judg­ment; and this is acknowledged by the most Learned of the Church of Rome. But this very Opinion, takes away the Foundation of Praying to Saints; because the Church of Rome grounds it upon their Reigning with Christ in Heaven, and upon the Light and Knowledge which is communi­cated to them in the Beatifick Vision; and if so, then they who believed the Saints not yet to be admitted to this Vision, could have no Reason or Ground to pray to them.

And Lastly, The ancient Church prayed for Saints departed, and for the Blessed Virgin her self; and there­fore could not pray to them, as Inter­cessors for them in Heaven, for whom they themselves interceeded upon Earth. And therefore the Church of Rome, in complyance with the change which they have made in their Do­ctrine, have changed the Missal in that [Page 73]Point, and instead of praying for St. Leo (one of their Popes) as they were wont to do in their ancient Missal, in this form, Grant, O Lord, that this Obla­tion may be profitable to the Soul of thy Servant Leo; the Collect is now changed in the present Roman Missal into this Form, Grant, O Lord, that by the Intercession of Blessed Leo, this Offer­ing may be profitable to us. And (as the Gloss upon the Canon Law observes) this change was made in their Missal upon very good Reason; because ancient­ly they prayed for Leo, but now they pray to him; which is an ingenuous Ac­knowledgement, that both the Doctrine and Practice of their Church are plain­ly changed, from what they anciently were in this matter.

What the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome are in this mat­ter, all the World sees, and they them­selves are so ashamed of them, that of late all their endeavours have been, to represent them otherwise than in truth they are, and to obtrude upon us a new Popery, which they think themselves better able to defend than the old; which yet they have not shewn, that [Page 74]they are so well able to do; and therefore now, instead of defending the true Doctrines and Practices of their own Church, they would fain mince and disguise them, and change them into something that comes nearer to the Protestant Doctrine in those Points: As if they had no way to defend their own Doctrines, but by seeming to de­sert them, and by bringing them as near to ours as possibly they can.

But take them, as they have mollifi­ed them and par'd them, to render them more plausible and tenable; that which still remains of them, I mean the solemn Invocation of Saints and An­gels, as Mediators and Intercessors with God in Heaven for us, is plainly con­trary both to the Doctrine and Pra­ctice of the Primitive Ages of Christi­anity.

As for the Age of the Apostles, I have already shewn it; and the matter is as clear for several of the next fol­lowing Ages, as I shall briefly shew, from a few very plain Testimonies.

In the Age next to the Apostles, we have an Epistle of one of the Seven Churches, (I mean the Church of Smyr­na) in which, in Vindication of them­selves from that Calumny which was raised against them by the Jews, among the Heathen, That if they permitted the Christians to have the body of the mar­tyred Polycarp, they would leave Christ, to worship Polycarp; I say, in vindica­tion of themselves from this Calumny, they declare themselves thus, Not knowing (say they) that we can neither leave Christ, who suffered for the Salva­tion of the World of those that are saved, nor Worship any other; or, (as it is in the old Latin Translation) nor offer up the Supplication of Prayer to any other Person; for as for Jesus Christ, we adore him, as being the Son of God; but as for the Martyrs, we love them, as the Disciples and Imitators of the Lord. So that they plainly exclude the Saints from any sort of Religious Worship, of which Prayer or Invocation was always esteemed a very considerable part.

Ireneus likewise tells us, ( l. 2.) That the Church doth nothing (speaking of the Miracles which were wrought) by the Invocatin of Angels, nor by Inchantment, nor by any other wicked Arts; but by Prayers to the Lord who made all things, and by calling on the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here all invocation of An­gels, and by the same or greater Rea­son, of the Saints, is excluded. And Clemens Alexandrinus delivers it as the Doctrine of the Church; That since there is but one good God, therefore both we and the Angels pray to him, both for the giving, and the continuance of good things.

In the next Age, Origen is so full and express in this matter, that it is not possible for any Protestant to speak more positively and clearly, l. 8 cont. Celsum, where he does on set purpose declare and vindicate the Christian Doctrine and Practice in this matter; We worship (says he) the one only God, and his one only Son, and Word, and I­mage, with our utmost Supplications and Honours, bringing our Prayers to the God of all things, through his only begotten Son; [Page 77]And afterward, Away (says he) with Celsus his Counsel, that says, we must pray to Demons (or Angels) for we must pray only to God who is above all; we must pray to the only Begotten and first Born of every Creature, and we must beseech him to offer up our Prayers which we make to him, to his God and our God: and again, (speaking of Angels) As for the Favour of others (if that be to be regarded) we know, that Thousands of Thousands stand before him, and Ten Thousand times Ten Thou­sand minister unto him; these are our Bre­thren and Friends, who when they see us imitating their Piety towards God, work together to the Salvation of those who call upon God, and pray as they ought to do, that is, to God only; and ( l. 5.) where Celsus urges him with this, That the Scriptures call Angels Gods, he tells him, that the Scriptures do not call the Angels Gods, with any Design to require us to worship and adore them instead of God, who are Ministring Spirits, and bring Mes­sages, and Blessings down to us from God; for (says he) all Supplication, and Prayer, and Intercession, and giving of Thanks, must be sent up to God, who is above all, by the High Priest, who is above all An­gels, and is the living Word and God. [Page 46]And though Angels be only here menti­oned, yet by the same Reason, all other Creatures are excluded, from being the Objects of our Religious Worship and Invocation, or, Mediators of Intercession with God for us; because all Supplica­tion and Prayer, and Intercession, and Thanksgiving, must be sent up to God by our High-Priest, who is the living Word and God. Let us then also (as he goes on) make Supplication to the Word him­self, and Intercession, and giving of Thanks, and Prayer: But to Invocate Angels is not reasonable; since we do not comprehend the Knowledge of them, which is above us; and if we could comprehend the Knowledge of them, which is wonderful and secret, this very Knowledge which declares to us their Nature and Office, would not allow us to presume to pray to any other, but to the God who is Lord over all, and abun­dantly sufficient for all, by our Saviour the Son of God. Where he gives Two plain Reasons, why we ought to Pray only to God, and to offer up our Pray­ers only by the Mediation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and our Savi­our: First, Because he only is Lord over all, and therefore the Worship of Pray­er is to be given to him only. And then, [Page 79] Secondly, Because we have no need of any other Patron and Benefactor, or of any other Mediator and Advocate, he is abundantly sufficient for all, by our Savi­our the Son of God.

In the same Age Novatian, in his Book concerning the Trinity, makes use of this argument, to prove the Di­vinity of Christ; because he hears our Prayers, when we call upon him. If Christ (says he) be only a Man, how can he be present every where to those that call upon him? since this is not the Nature of Man, but of God, to be able to be present every where? If Christ be only a Man, why do we in our Prayers call upon him as Me­diator; since prayer to a Man is deemed ineffectual to help or save us? If Christ be only a Man, why do we put our hope in him; since Hope in Man is accursed in Scripture?

In the IVth. Century, the Apostolical Constitutions, under the Name of Clemens Romanus (but undoubtedly written in that Age) give us a pregnant negative Testimony in this matter; for though a great many of the publick Prayers are there set down at large, yet they [Page 46]are all directed to God alone, and not the least Intimation there of any Prayer made to the Angels, or Saints, or even to the Virgin Mary; nor of their Inter­cession or Aid; which now makes so great a part of the Publick Devotions of the Church of Rome.

Athanasius, in his Fourth Oration against the Arians, proves the Unity of the Father and the Son, from 1 Thes. 3.11. Now God himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. From whence he argues thus, One would not pray to receive any thing from the Father and the Angels, or from any other Creature; nor would one say, God and the Angels give thee this; but one would pray to receive any thing from the Father and the Son, because of their Ʋnity and Ʋniform Gift; for all things that are given by the Father, are given by the Son, and there is nothing which the Father doth not work by the Son; and then concludes, that it doth not belong to any, but to God alone, to Bless and grant Deliverances. This I take to be a very remarkable Testimony against the Church of Rome, who in their Publick Offices joyn the Blessed Vir­gin [Page 81]with God, and our Saviour, in the same Breath, and sometimes put her before her Son; Let Mary and her Son bless us; as it is in the Office of the Bles­sed Virgin; in direct contradiction to what I just now cited out of Athanasius: and nothing so common in their Mouths, as Jesu Maria, Jesus and Ma­ry; nothing more frequent in their most eminent Writers, than to joyn them together in their Doxologies and Thanksgivings. Glory to God, and the Blessed Virgin, and to Jesus Christ, says Gregory de Valentia. And Bellarmin him­self concludes his Disputations concern­ing the Worship of Saints; in these Words, Praise be to God, and to the Bles­sed Virgin Mother Mary; likewise to Je­sus Christ, the Eternal Son of the Eternal Father, be Praise and Glory. And in the very Roman Missal it self, they make confession of their Sins to God Almighty, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, to St. Michael the Archangel, and to all the Saints. And in their Absolution, they join together the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Merits of the Bles­sed Virgin, and of all the Saints, for the Remission of Sins. And is not this the [Page 82]very thing which Athanasius doth so se­verely condemn?

I have mentioned before the Coun­cil of Laodicea, which about the mid­dle of this Century condemns the Worship of Angels, and Praying to them, as down-right Idolatry: And towards the end of this Fourth Age, and in the beginning of the Fifth, when it is pretended that praying to Saints did begin (though it was rather by way of Apostrophe and Rhetorical Ad­dress, than of formal Invocation) there are express Testimonies against it of the most eminent Fathers of that time. I will instance but in Three, Epiphani­us, St. Chrysostom, and St. Augustine.

Epiphanius, in his Confutation of the Heresie of the Collyridians (which he calls the Heresie of the Women, be­cause they first began the Worship of the Virgin Mary) declares most expresly against the Worship of any Creature whatsoever; For neither (says he) is Eli­as to be worshipped, though he is reckoned among the living (meaning that he was taken up into Heaven, Body and Soul) nor John, nor any other of the Saints: [Page 83]And as for the Virgin Mary, he parti­cularly adds, that if God will not have us to worship the Angels, how much more would he not have us to worship her that was born of Anna? And concludes, let Mary be had in Honour; but let the Lord be worshipped.

St. Chrysostom, in a long Discourse, persuades Men to address their Prayers immediately to God, and not as we address our selves to great Men by their Officers and Favourites; and tells us, that there is no need of such In­tercessors with God, who is not so ready to grant our Petitions, when we entreat him by others, as when we pray to him our selves.

Lastly, St. Augustine, because the Scri­pture pronounces him accursed, that put­eth his trust in Man; from thence he argues, that therefore we ought not to ask of any other, but of our Lord God, either the Grace to do well, or the Re­ward of it. The contrary to which I am sure is done in several of the Pub­lick Prayers used in the Church of Rome. And, l. 12. de Civ. Dei, he expresly tells us, that the Names of the Martyrs were [Page 84]recited in their Prayers at the Altar; but they were not invocated by the Priest, who did celebrate Divine Service. And in the Third Council of Carthage (which was in St. Augustin's time) it is enjoined (Can. 33.) that all Prayers that were made at the Altar, should be directed to the Fa­ther. Which how it is observed in the Church of Rome, we all know.

To conclude this matter, it cannot be made appear, that there were any Prayers to Saints, in the Publick Offi­ces of the Church, till towards the end of the Eighth Century. For in the Year 754. the Invocation of Saints was condemned by a Council of 338 Bi­shops at Constantinople, as is acknow­ledged by the Second Council of Nice, which first establish'd this Superstition, in the Year 787; and this very Council was condemned Seven Years after, in a Council at Frankfort, and declared void, and to be no otherwise esteemed of, than the Council of Ariminum.

Thus you see, when this Doctrine and Practice, so contrary to the Do­ctrine and Practice of a great many of the first Ages of the Christian Church, [Page 85]was first established, namely, at the same time with the Worship of Images, and when the first Foundation of Tran­substantiation was laid; which as they began at the same time, so they are very fit to go together.

I should now have proceeded to the next thing which I propos'd, namely, to answer the chief Pretences which are made for this Doctrine and Practice. But of That in the following Discourse.

IN the Two former Discourses upon this Text, I have treated on the Second Proposition I laid down from the Words; viz. That there is but one Medi­ator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. In treating on this Proposition, I shewed,

First, That it is agreeable to Scrip­ture.

Secondly, VOL. II. That it is agreeable to one great End and Design of the Christian Religion, and of our Saviour's coming into the World, which was to destroy Idolatry out of it.

Thirdly, That from the Nature and Reason of the thing, there can be but one Mediator or Intercessor in Heaven with God for Sinners; and that he can be no other than Jesus Christ.

Fourthly, I shew'd how contrary to this Doctrine, the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of Rome is, in their In­vocation of Angels and the Blessed Vir­gin, and the Saints, and making use of their Mediation and Intercession with God for Sinners.

This I endeavoured to do, by shew­ing, 1st. How contrary this is to the Do­ctrine of the Scriptures. 2ly. How contra­ry to the Doctrine and Practice of the Church, for several of the first Ages of it. And thus far I have gone.

I proceed now in the 3d. Place, to answer the chief Pretences and Excu­ses [Page 89]which are made by those of the Church of Rome, Serm. IV. for this Doctrine and Practice.

As, 1. That they only say, that it is lawful to Pray to Angels and Saints; but do not enjoyn and require it. To this I answer Two things.

(1.) In saying that it is lawful to Pray to Saints and Angels (if they went no farther) they say, that which they can never make good; because Prayer is an Act of Religious Worship, and peculiar and proper to God only, and therefore cannot be given to any Creature, Angel, or Saint. This I have proved from Scripture, where our Sa­viour commands us, when we pray, to say, Our Father which art in Heaven; that is, to direct and address our Pray­ers to God only. And St. Paul likewise forbids the worshipping Angels by invo­cating of them, and making use of them as Mediators between God and us, in his Epistle to the Colossians: which Theodoret expresly interprets concerning the Invocation of Angels, and applying our selves to them, as Mediators and Intercessors with God [Page 90]in Heaven for us. And the Council of Laodicea declares this Practice to be Idolatry. Besides that the ancient Fa­thers of the Christian Church, for above Three Hundred Years, never spake of praying to any, but God only; and do expresly condemn the Invoca­tion of Angels, much more of the Saints, who are Inferior to them; and therefore they always define Prayer to be an Address to God, a Conversing and Discoursing with God; which would be a false Definition of Prayer, if it were lawful to pray to any but to God only. All which considered, one may justly wonder at the Confidence of some Men, who would have it taken for granted, without any Proof, that the Invocation of Saints and Angels is Lawful.

(2.) If it were true, that it is law­ful to pray to Angels and Saints; it is not true, that the Church of Rome does only declare it to be lawful, but does not require and enjoyn it; as some of their late Writers pretend.

With what Face can this be said, when there are so many Prayers to An­gels [Page 91]and Saints, and especially to the Blessed Virgin, in the Publick Offices of their Church, in which all are sup­posed to join, as much as in the Pray­ers which are put up to God by the Priest? 'Tis true indeed, the People understand neither; but they are pre­sent at both, and join in both alike; that is, as much as Men can be said to join in that which they do not under­stand; as that Church supposeth Peo­ple may do and receive great Edifi­cation also, by joining with the Priest, in a Service which they do not under­stand. But, how they can be edified by what they do not understand, I must confess my self as little able to under­stand, as they do their Prayers. But whether they understand them, or not, 'tis certain that if the People have any part in the Publick Prayers of the Church, they are bound to pray to Angels and Saints.

And if the Creed of Pope Pius IV. framed by Virtue of an Order of the Council of Trent, be of any Authori­ty with them; one of the Articles of it is, that I do firmly hold, that the Saints, which Reign together with Christ, are to be [Page 92]worshipped and invocated, and that they do offer up Prayers to God for us. And this Creed all the Governors of Ca­thedrals and Superior Churches, and all who hold any Dignity, or Benefice with Cure of Souls from them, are bound solemnly to make Profession of, and Swear to, and carefully to cause it to be Held and Taught, and Preached by all that are under their Charge; so that they are to Teach the People, that the Saints which reign together with Christ, are to be worshipped and prayed to. And therefore unless People are not bound to do that, which they are to be Taught it is their Duty to do, they are by Virtue of this Article, required to worship and pray to Saints. And if the Publicly Office of their Church be the Publick Worship; and Pope Pius his Creed, the Publick Faith of the Ro­mish Church, no Man can be either of the Faith, or in the Communion of that Church, who does not only hold it Lawful, but his Duty, to worship the Saints in Heaven, and to pray to them, and accordingly does join in the Wor­ship of them, and Prayers to them, as much as in any other part of Divine Service.

2. Another Pretence for this Doctrine and Practice, is, that the Saints in Hea­ven do pray for us; and what is this but to be Mediators and Intercessors with God for us? And if so, why may not we pray to them, to intercede with God for us? To this I answer four things.

(1.) We do not deny that the Saints in Heaven pray for us that are here up­on Earth, because they may do so for any thing we know; but that they do so, is more than can be proved, either by clear Testimony of Scripture, or by any convincing Argument from Rea­son, and therefore no Doctrine or Pra­ctice can be safely grounded upon it,

(2.) Tho' it were certain, that the Saints in Heaven do pray for us; yet they are not Mediators and Intercessors properly so called: For all Intercession strictly and properly so call'd, is in Vir­tue of a Sacrifice offered by him that in­tercedes; and therefore he only by whom Expiation of Sin is made upon Earth, can be properly an Intercessor with God in Heaven; but this, no Angel or Saint hath done, or can do.

And (as I have shew'd in some of the former Discourses) it is the plain scope of a great part of the Epistle to the He­brews to prove this very thing, that under the Gospel we have an High Priest that lives for ever, and appears in the Presence of God for us, in the Virtue of that Blood which he shed, and that Sacrifice which he offered upon the Cross for the Expiation of Sin: And that by this High Priest only we have Access with Freedom and Confidence to the Throne of Grace, and by him do offer up all our Prayers and Thanksgivings, and all other Acts of Religious Worship to God: And this the Apostle shews was typified in an imperfect Manner, by the Jewish High Priest under the Law, who was but one, and none but he only could enter into the Holy of Holies, with the Blood of the Sacrifices, that were slain and burnt without, by which Blood he made an Atonement, and Interceded for the People; and though every Priest might pray for the People, and the People for one ano­ther, which is a kind of Intercession; yet that peculiar kind of Intercession, which was performed by the High Priest, in the Holy of Holies, in virtue of the Sacrifice that was slain without, could not be [Page 95]made, but by the High Priest only. By all which was typified our High Priest under the Gospel who only hath made Ex­piation of Sin, by the Sacrifice of himself, and is enter'd into Heaven, to appear in the Presence of God for us, where he lives for ever, to make Intercession for us, in virtue of that Blood which was shed for the Expiation of Sin, and which can only be presented to God, by him that shed it. And this is properly Intercession, like that of the High Priest under the Law for the People of Israel; and this kind of Intercession can be made by none in Heaven for us, but only by the High Priest of our Profession, Jesus the Son of God, and by none else can we offer up our Prayers and Services to God, and consequently we cannot address our selves to any other, Angels or Saints, as Mediators with God for us.

(3.) Supposing it certain, that the Saints do pray for us; yet we may not address solemn Prayer to them to pray for us, because Prayer and solemn In­vocation is a part of that Religious Worship which is peculiar to God.

(4.) Supposing it not only certain that the Saints in Heaven do pray for us, but likewise that they might be pro­per Mediators and Intercessors with God for us; yet we ought not to pray to them, because they cannot hear us, as I shall have occassion to shew fully by and by.

3. Another of their Pretences or Ex­cuses for this Practice, is, that praying to Saints to pray for us, is no more than what we do to good Men upon Earth, when we desire them to pray for us. So the late Expounder of the Catholique Faith, namely the Bishop of Meaux, tells us, that they pray to the Saints in Heaven, in the same order of Brotherly so­ciety, with which we entreat our Brethren upon Earth to pray for us.

But that this is not a true Representa­tion either of their Doctrine or Practice in this matter, will appear by these fol­lowing Considerations.

(1.) That they pray to the Angels and Saints in Heaven, with the same solemn Circumstances of Religious Worship, that they pray to God him­self, [Page 97]in the same place, and in the same humble Posture, and in the same Reli­gious Offices and Services, in which they pray to God; which surely is ne­ver done by any to their Brethren upon Earth.

(2.) That in their Prayers and Thanks­givings, they joyn the Angels and the Blessed Virgin arid the Saints together with God and Christ, as if (to use their own Phrase) it were in the same order of Brotherly Society, and as if they were all equally the Objects of our Invocation and Praise; of which in my last Dis­course, I gave several plain Instances; but this also is never done to our Brethren upon Earth.

(3.) That in the Creed of Pope Pius IV. it is expresly said, that the Saints which reign together with Christ, are to be Worshipped and invocated; but this surely they will not allow to be done to our Brethren upon Earth. And the Council of Trent does expresly ground the Worship and Invocation of Saints, upon their reigning with Christ in Heaven; and therefore this Worship and Invocation of Saints must necessarily [Page 98]be something more, than according to the same order of brotherly Society, with which we entreat our Brethren upon Earth to pray for us: Otherwise the Reason given by the Council of their reigning with Christ in Heaven, would be frivolous; if the same thing may be done to our Brethren upon Earth.

(4.) In the Publick Offices of their Church, they do not only pray to the Saints to pray for them, but they direct their Prayers and Thanksgivings imme­diately to them, for all those Blessings and Benefits which they ask of God, and thank him for. Of which innumerable Examples might be given out of their Publick Offices; particularly in the Office of the Blessed Virgin, they pray to the An­gels thus; Deliver us we beseech you by your command from all our Sins.

And the words of the Decree of the Council of Trent [ ad eorum orati­ones, opem, auxiliumque confugere, to flee to their Prayers, aid, and help] unless we will make them a meer tautology, must of necessity signifie something more than begging of them to pray for us. And indeed those words of [Page 99]their aid and help, seem to be added one purpose to give countenance to those direct Prayers which are made to the Saints, for all Spiritual and Temporal Blessings, and which still remain with­out any Change in their Publick Offices; and unless we will understand them contrary to the plain and obvious Sense, of those Prayers, they must signifie some­thing more than Praying to the Saints to pray for us.

'Tis true indeed, that the Catechism which was framed by order of the Council of Trent, for the Explaining of their Doctrines, makes the difference between their Prayers to God, and to the Saints, to lie in this, that we say to God, Have mercy one us, or hear our Prayers; but to the Saints, Pray for us. But I have shewn before, that this is not the constant Form of Praying to Saints, but that frequently they make direct Addresses to them for their help and aid. And this the Compilers of the Catechism were sensible of, and there­fore they add, although it be Lawful in another manner to ask of the Saints them­selves, that they would have mercy on us; because they are very merciful. And is [Page 100]not God so too? And then where is the difference between their Prayers to God, and to the Saints? If it neither lie in the Matter of them, nor in the Form, nor in the Reason of them; if we pray to them for the same thing, and in the same Form, have mercy on us, and our Prayers to them be grounded upon the same Reason, that our Prayers to God are, namely because they are merci­ful; where then is the difference between them?

4. I will mention but one Pretence more, which is, that by Praying to the Saints in Heaven, they do not make them Gods; and therefore there can be no Suspicion or danger of Idolatry in­the case.

To this I shall answer Two things.

(1.) That praying to them in all places, and at all times, and for all sorts of Blessings, does suppose them to have the incommunicable Perfections of the Divine Nature imparted to them, or inherent in them, namely his Omni­potence, and Omniscience, and Immense Presence; and to whatever Being we a­scribe [Page 101]these Perefections, Serm. V. in so doing we make it God; for Prayer to God is no otherwise an acknowledgment of his Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Im­mense Presence, than as we do in all places, and at all times, pray to him for all things; and so they do to the Saints, and that not only with vocal but with mental Prayer, which the Council of Trent allows, and in so doing, necessari­ly supposeth them to know our hearts, directly contrary to the Reason which Solomon gives, why we should put up all our Prayers and Supplications to God, (1 Kings 3.39.) for thou, even thou, only knowest the hearts of all the Children of Men.

(2.) Bellarmine is so sensible of the dint of this Argument, that he is forced to acknowledge the Saints which reign with Christ in Heaven to be Gods by partici­pation, (that is, a sort of inferiour Gods, as the Heathen supposed their Mediators to be) and that therefore we may flie to their Aid and Help, as well as to their Intercession and Prayers. And is this also to pray to the Saints in Heaven, in the same Order of Brotherly Society, with which we entreat our Brethren upon Earth to pray for us? [Page 102]This methinks is great Familiarity, to treat Gods by Participation, just in the same manner as we do our Brethren upon Earth. Certainly either Bellarmine hath raised the Saints in Heaven too high, when he makes them Gods by par­ticipation; or the Bishop of Meaux hath sunk them too low, when he thinks they are to be treated and addrest to, in the same Rank of Brotherly Society, with mortal Men here upon Earth.

One cannot but think the Decree of the Council of Trent to be very ob­scure and ambiguous, when it can admit of Two so very different Expli­cations. If the infallible Judge of Contro­versies can speak no plainer; I think we had even best stick to the Bible, and hear what God says in his Word, and endeavour to understand it as well as we can.

I proceed now to the Fourth thing which I proposed, namely, to shew that this Practice of theirs, of Addres­sing our selves to Angels and Saints, and making use of their Mediation, to offer up our Prayers and Thanks­givings to God is not only Needless, [Page 103]being no where commanded by God; but Ʋseless also, and unprofitable.

They are so far from pretending, that it is commanded by God, that se­veral of their later Writers would fain make us believe that it is not en­joined by their Councils; but only declared to be lawful, or at most, but recommended as profitable. Nor is there any Example of praying to Saints, either in the Old or New Testament: Not in the Old, (as they of the Church of Rome confess) because the Saints were not then admitted into Heaven; nor in the New, for fear of scandalizing the Jews, and of making the Gentiles think they proposed new Gods, and new Medi­ators to them, instead of the old; which are the Reasons given by their own Writers.

And it is Needless likewise; because the Mediation of Jesus Christ alone is sufficient for us, and more than the In­tercession of Millions of Saints and Angels. He alone is able to save to the utmost all those that come to God by him, as the Apostle to the Hebrews speaks. Hath not he made a clear and full Pro­mise [Page 104]to us, that whatever we ask in his Name, shall be granted us? And have we any Reason to doubt, either of his In­clination and good will, or of his Power and Interest to do us good? What need then is there to sue for the Favour, or to take in the Assistance of any o­ther, even of those who are thought to be most powerful, and the chief Ministers and Favourites in that Hea­venly Court? After such an Assu­rance that my Business will be ef­fectually done there, by that great Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; why should I apply my self to St. Peter, though he be said to keep the Keys of Heaven; or to Michael the Arch-Angel, though he be the chief of the Ministring Spirits; or to the Blessed Virgin her self, not­withstanding those glorious Titles of the Queen of Heaven, and the Mother of Mercy, which they of the Church of Rome, are pleased to bestow upon her, and without her consent, and as may reasonably be presumed, against her will?

I will put a Case, which may help to render this matter a little more plain [Page 105]and sensible to us, so as every Man may be able to judge of it. Suppose a King should constitute his Son, the great Master of Requests; with this express Declaration and Assurance, that all Petitions that were addrest to him by his Son, should be graciously received and answered; in this case, though every Man might use his own Discretion, at his own Peril, and take what course he pleased, yet I should most certainly prefer all any Petitions to the King, in the way which he had so plainly directed, and should trouble never a Courtier of them all with my Business; for fear the King should think, that I did either distrust his Royal Word, or despise his Son, by my soliciting the Aid and Help of every little Courtier, after I had put my Petition into the Hands of this great Master of Requests.

And now I will not distrust any of your Understandings so far as to make the Application. I will only add, that it is an Eternal Rule of Truth, and which never fails in any Case, Frustra fit per plura, quod fieri potest per pau­ciora, it is in vain to attempt that by [Page 106]more Ways and Means, which may as well and as effectually be done by one; because this would be perfect loss of time and pains: And therefore they who would send us so far about, as to trou­ble all the Saints and Angels in Hea­ven with our Petitions, when they cannot deny but that our great Medi­ator is alone sufficient; do seem to me to send us upon a very sleeveless Er­rand: So that if with all their Skill in Fencing, they could defend this Practice from being Ʋnlawful, yet this one thing is a sufficient Objection in Reason against it, that it is perfectly Needless.

Or if we could imagine any need of this; all Addresses to them must be vain and unprofitable, if they do not know our Wants, and hear out Pray­ers that are put up to them; which St. Augustin thought they do not know and hear, Fatendum est (saith he, L. De Curâ pro mortuis) nescire quidem mortuos, quid hic agatur; it must be acknowledged, that the Dead are ignorant of what is done here. This was his Opinion; but we are certain that they cannot know our Wants, nor hear [Page 107]our Prayers at all Times and in all Places; unless they can either be pre­sent every where, which no Finite Be­ing can be; or else God be pleased in some Supernatural way to communi­cate to them the Knowledge of our Wants, and of the Prayers which we put up to them; which we can never know that he does, unless he have communicated to us, that he is plea­sed to do so, of which the Scripture no where gives us the least intimati­on.

But because they pretend, that the Scripture gives us some hints of this, I shall briefly examine what they say about this Matter.

I. That the Angels know our Condition here below, because they are said to rejoyce at the Conversion of a Sinner; and therefore the Saints do likewise know our Condition, because they shall be like the Angels. But this is not said of them till after the Re­surrection, when we shall have no Occasion to pray to them. Besides that it may well enough be suppo­sed, that God may reveal both to [Page 108]the Angels and Saints in Heaven, the Conversion of a Sinner, because it may contribute to the Increase of their Joy and Happiness: But will it hence follow, that God reveals to them all other Circumstances of our Conditi­on, our Dangers and Temptations and Troubles, our Sins and our Suffer­ings, the Knowledge whereof would no ways contribute to the Increase of their Happiness? And yet in order to their Intercession with God for us, their Knowledge of these things would be most beneficial to us.

II. Because the rich Man was con­cerned in Hell for the Salvation of his Relations on Earth, they argue that it is much more probable, that the Saints in Heaven are concerned for us, and are ready to pray for us, and therefore it is very credible, that some way or other, they have the Know­ledge of our Condition and Wants, though we cannot certainly tell what that particular way is.

To which I answer.

(1.) That it is a known Rule amongst [Page 109]all Divines, that no certain Argument can be drawn from the Circumstances of a Parable, but only from the main Scope and Intention of it; nor is it so likely that the wicked in Hell should have any share in that, which St. Paul tells us, is the great Vertue of the Saints in Heaven, I mean Charity; and if they have it not, then no Argu­ment can be drawn from it. Some of their Commentators think, that this Motion of the rich Man to Abra­ham concerning his Brethren, did not proceed from Charity to them, but to himself; lest his Torment and Pu­nishment should be increased by their coming to Hell, by the means of the ill Example which he had given them, when he was upon Earth: And Car­dinal Cajetan thinks that he was con­cerned for his Brethren out of Pride and Ambition, and because it would be for the Honour of his Family, to have some of them in that Glory (so far above any thing in this World) which he saw Abraham and Lazarus possest of. This is a Reason, which I confess I should not have thought on; and yet perhaps it might be likely enough to enter into the Mind [Page 110]of a Cardinal. And I cannot but ob­serve by the way, that this Petition or Request, which the rich Man in Hell made to Abraham, is the only Instance we meet with in Scripture, of any thing like a Prayer that was put up to any of the Saints in Heaven.

Well! But suppose that the rich Man in Hell had this Charity for his Brethren and we will easily agree, that the Saints in Heaven have much more Charity, not only for their Kindred, but for all Men here upon Earth; let us now con­sider the particular way and manner which the great Divines of the Church of Rome (I mean the School-men, who cannot be content to be ignorant of any thing) do assign of the Knowledge which the Saints in Heaven have of the Condition and Wants of men here below.

They tell us that they know all our Prayers and Wants in the Glass of the Deity, or Trinity; which Metaphor of the Glass of the Deity, or Trinity, if it have any meaning, it must be this, that the Saints in Heaven beholding the Face of God or the Divine Essence, in [Page 111]which the Knowledge of all things is contained, they may in that Glass see all things that God knows: But then they spoil all this fine Speculation a­gain, by telling us, that this Glass does not necessarily represent to them all that Knowledge which is in the Divine Mind; but that it is a kind of volun­tary Glass, in which the Saints are only permitted to see so much as God pleaseth; but how much that is, they cannot tell us. Which amounts to no more than this; that the Saints in Hea­ven know as much of our Condition here upon Earth, as God is pleased to reveal to them: And if this be all, it is as good a Reason why we should pray to good men in the East or West-Indies, to pray for us and help us, be­cause they also know as much of our Necessities and Prayers, as God thinks fit to reveal to them.

But if the Saints must have a Re­velation from God of our Prayers, be­fore that they know that we pray to them; then the shortest and surest way both, is to pray to God, and not to them; or however (as Bellarmine con­fesseth) it were very fit to pray to [Page 112]God, before every Prayer we make to the Saints, that he would be plea­sed to reveal that Prayer to them, that upon this Signal and Notice given them by God, they may betake them­selves to pray to God for us. But un­less it were very clear from Scripture, that God had appointed this Method, it is in Reason such a way about, as no Man would take that could help it: And it seems to me to as little purpose; for why should not a Man think God as ready to grant him all his other Requests, without the Medi­ation and Intercession of Saints, as this one Request of revealing our Prayers and Wants to them? And if this way be not thought so convenient, I know but one more, and that is, to pray to the Saints to go to God, and beg of him, that he would be pleased to re­veal to them our Spplications and Wants, that they may know what to pray to him for in our behalf; which is just such a wise course, as if a Man should write a Letter to his Friend that cannot read, and in a Postscript desire him, that as soon as he hath re­ceived it, he would carry it to one that can read, and entreat him to read [Page 113]it to him. Serm. VI. So that which way soever we put the Case, what course soever we take in this Matter, it will be so far from seeming Reasonable, that we shall have much ado, and must handle the business very tenderly, to hinder it from appearing very Ridiculous.

Thus I have examined their chief Pretences from Scripture, for the Countenancing this Doctrine and Practice, and have shewn how little, or rather nothing at all is there to be found for it; and That alone is Rea­son enough against it, though there were nothing in Scripture against it, that there is nothing in Scripture for it: But I have already produced clear Proof out of the New Testament against it. And because they think the least shew and probability from Scripture, a good Argument on their side, I will offer them a probable Argument out of the Old Testament, upon which though I will lay no absolute stress, yet I believe it would puzzle them, upon their Principles, to give a clear An­swer to it; and it is from 2 Kings 2.9. where Elijah, just before he was ta­ken up into Heaven, says to Elisha, Ask [Page 114]what I shall do for thee, before I be ta­ken away from thee; thereby intimating (as one would think) that then was the last Opportunity of asking any thing of him: But if Elijah had un­derstood the Matter right (as the Church of Rome does now) he should rather have directed him, to have pray'd to him when he was in Hea­ven, where he would have a more powerful Interest, and be in a better Capacity to do him a Kindness. For the Reason the Church of Rome gives, why they did not pray to the Saints under the Old Testament (namely be­cause they were not then admitted into Heaven) will not hold in the Case of Elijah, who was taken up into Heaven Body and Soul, and con­sequently in as good Circumstances to be prayed to, as any of the Saints and Martyrs that have gone to Hea­ven since.

I should now have proceeded, in the Fifth and last place, to have shewen, That this Practice is not only Need­less and Ʋseless, but very Dangerous and Impious; because contrary to the Christian Religion, and greatly dero­gating [Page 115]from the Merit and Virtue of Christ's Sacrifice, and from the Ho­nour of the only Mediator between God and Men, Christ Jesus. And indeed, how can we apply our selves to a­ny other Mediators and Intercessors with God in Heaven for us, without a gross and apparent Contempt of the High Priest of our Profession, Jesus the Son of God? As if we either distrusted his Kindness and Affection, or his Pow­er and Interest in Heaven, to obtain at God's hand all those Blessings which we stand in need of. The Apostle to the Hebrews tells us expresly, that he is able to save to the utmost all those that come to God by him; that is, who ad­dress their Prayers and Supplications to God in his Name and Mediation. But if we will chuse other Mediators for our selves, of whom we are not sure that they can either hear or help us, we may fall short of that Salvation, which the Apostle tells us we are secure of by the Mediation of Jesus Christ; for he is able, &c.

But this hath been shewn so abun­dantly in the former part of this Dis­course, and is so clearly consequent [Page 116]from the whole, that I shall here con­clude my Discourse upon the Second Proposition I laid down from the words of my Text, viz. That there is but one Mediator between God and Men, the Man Christ Jesus.

As to the Third Proposition contain­ed in the Text, viz. That this one Me­diator, Jesus Christ, gave himself a Ran­som for all, I have treated on that Sub­ject particularly, on another A Ser­mon con­cerning the Sacrifice and Satis­faction of Christ. Printed in the year, 1693. Occa­sion.

And as to the Fourth and last Propo­sition, viz. That the Mediation or Inter­cession of Jesus Christ is founded in his Redemption of Mankind; and because he gave himself a Ransom for all, therefore He and He only is qualified to Intercede for all men, in vertue of that Sacrifice which he offered for the Salvation of Man­kind, I judge nothing more needful to be added, to what has fallen in con­cerning that Subject, in my handling the Second Proposition, in this and the two former Sermons.

IN these Words you have these Two great Points of Christian Do­ctrine.

I. Our Saviour's Ascension into Hea­ven, [Page 118]and Exaltation at the right hand of God; VOL. II. he was received up into Heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

II. The Effect or Consequence of his Ascension and Exaltation, which was the general and effectual Publication of the Gospel; they went forth, and preach­ed every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs follow­ing. And both these are very proper for this Day; but I shall at this time handle the latter Point, namely, the Ef­fect op Consequence of our Saviour's Ascension into Heaven, and Exaltation at the right hand of God; they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following.

And these Words contain two things in them.

• I. The general Publication of the Gospel, by the Apostles; they went forth and preached every where.
• II. The Reason of the great Effi­cacy and Success of it; namely, the Divine and Miraculous Power, which [Page 119]accompanied the Preaching of it;
  Serm. V.
  the Lord wrought with them, and confirmed the Word with signs following.

I. The general Publication of the Gospel by the Apostles; they went forth, and Preached every where. And indeed the Industry of the Apostles, and the other Disciples, in publishing the Go­spel, was almost incredible. What Pains did they take? what Hazards did they run? what Difficulties and Discourage­ments did they contend withal in this work? and yet their Success was greater than their Industry, and be­yond all Humane Expectation: As will appear, if we consider these Five things.

• 1. The vast Spreading of the Gospel in so short a space.
• 2. The wonderful Power and Efficacy of it, upon the Lives and Manners of Men.
• 3. The Weakness and Meanness of the Instruments, that were imployed in this great Work.
• [Page 120]4. The powerful Opposition that was raised against it.
• 5. The great Discouragements to the Embracing the Profession of it. I shall speak briefly to each of these.

1. The vast Spreading of the Gospel in so short a space. This is represented, Rev. 14.6. by an Angel flying through the midst of Heaven, and preaching the Everlasting Gospel to every nation, and kin­dred, and tongue, and people. No soon­er was the Doctrine of the Christian Religion publish'd, and made known to the World, but it was readily em­braced by great numbers, almost in all places where it came. And indeed so it was foretold, in the Prophecies of the Old Testament. Gen. 49.10. That when Shiloh (that is the Messias) should come, to him should the gathering of the people be: And Isa. 2.2. That in the last days the mountains of the house of the Lord should be establisht in the top of the mountain, and be exalted above the hills, and that all nations should flow unto it. Isa. 60.8. the Prophet speak­ing of Mens ready submission to the [Page 121]Gospel, and the great number of those that should come in upon the Preaching of it, they are said, to flie as a Cloud, and as the Doves to the windows.

So quick and strange a Progress did this new Doctrine and Religion make in the World, that in the space of about 30 Years, after our Saviour's Death, it was not only diffused through the greatest part of the Roman Em­pire, but had reached as far as Par­thia and India. In which we see our Saviour's Prediction fully verified, that before the Destruction of Jerusalem, the Gospel should be Preached in all the World, Math. 24.14. This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all Nations, and then shall the end come. But this is not all: Men were not only brought in to the Profession of the Gospel; but,

2. This Doctrine had likewise a wonderful Power and Efficacy upon the Lives and Manners of Men. The ge­nerality of those that entertained the Gospel, were obedient to it in word and deed, as the Apostle tells us, concerning the Gentiles that were converted to [Page 122] Christianity, Rom. 15.18. Upon the change of their Religion, followed al­so the change of their Manners, and of their former course of Life. They that took upon them the Profession of Chri­stianity, did thenceforth not walk as other Gentiles did, in the lusts of the flesh, and according to the vicious course of the world; but did put off, concerning their former conversation, the old man, which was corrupt, according to deceitful lusts; and were renewed in the spirit of their mind, and did put on the new man, which after God was created in righteousness and true holiness. So strange an Effect had the Gospel upon the Lives of the gene­rality of the Professors of it, that I re­member Tertullian, in his Apology to the Roman Emperor and Senate, chal­lengeth them to instance in any one, that bore the Title of Christian, that was condemned as a Thief, or a Mur­derer, or a Sacrilegious Person, or that was guilty of any of those gross Enor­mities, for which so many Pagans were every day made Examples of Publick Justice, and Punisht and Executed a­mong them.

And this certainly was a very admi­rable [Page 123]and hapy Effect, which the Go­spel had upon Men, to work so great and sudden a Change in the Lives of those who entertained this Doctrine, to take them quite off from those vicious Practices, which they had been brought up in and accustomed to; to change their Spirits, and the temper of their Minds; and of lewd and dishonest, to make them sober and just, and holy in all manner of Conversation; of proud and fierce, contentious and passionate, malicious and revengeful, to make them humble and meek, kind and tender­hearted, peaceable and charitable.

And that the Primitive Christians were generally good Men, and of vir­tuous Lives, is credible, because their Religion did teach and oblige them to be such; which tho' it be not effectual now, to make all the Professors of▪ it such, as it requires they should be; yet it was a very forcible Argument then, in the Circumstances in which the Pri­mitive Christians were: For Christia­nity was a hated and persecuted Profes­sion: No Man could then have any in­ducement to embrace it, unless he were resolved to practise it, and live accord­ing [Page 124]to the Rules of it; for it offered Men no Rewards and Advantages in this World; but on the contrary threatned Men with the greatest Temporal Incon­veniences and Sufferings; and it promi­sed no Happiness to Men in the other World upon any other terms, than of denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and of living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.

And besides this Consideration, we have the best Testimony in the World of their Unblameable Lives; viz. the Testimony of their profest Enemies, who did not persecute them for any personal Crimes, which they charged particular Persons withal, but only for their Religion, acknowledging them otherwise to be very innocent and good People. Particulary Pliny, in his Let­ter to Trajan the Emperor (who had given him in Charge, to make particu­lar Enquiry concerning the Christians) gives this honourable Report of them, That there was no fault to be found in them, besides their obstinate refusal to Sa­crifice to the Gods; that at their Religi­ous Meetings it was an essential part of their Worship to oblige themselves by a [Page 125]solemn Sacrament, against Murder, and Theft, and Adultery, and all manner of Wickedness and Vice. No Christian Hi­storian could have given a better Cha­racter of them, than this Heathen Wri­ter does. But,

3. The Success of the Gospel will ap­pear, yet more strange, if we consider the Weakness and Meanness of the Instru­ments that were employed in this great Work. A company of plain and illi­terate Men, most of them destitute of the advantages of Education, went forth upon this great Design, weak and unarmed, unassisted by any worldy in­terest, having no Secular Force and Pow­er on their side, to give countenance and authority to them; and this not only at their first setting out, but they remained under these Disadvantages for three Ages together.

The first Publishers of the Christian Religion offered Violence to no Man, did not go about to compel any by Force to entertain the Doctrine which they Preached, and to list themselves of their number; they were not attended with Legions of armed Men, to dis­pose [Page 126]Men for the reception of their Doctrine, by Plunder and Free-Quar­ter, by Violence and Tortures; this Modern Method of Conversion was not then thought of; nor did they go about to tempt and allure Men to their Way, by the Promises of Temporal Rewards, and by the Hopes of Riches and Honours; nor did they use any ar­tificial insinuations of Wit and Elo­quence, to gain upon the Minds of Men, and steal their Doctrines into them; but delivered themselves with the greatest plainness and simplicity; and without any studied Ornaments of Speech, or fine Arts of Perswasion, declared plainly to them, the Doctrine and Miracles, the Life, and Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, pro­mising Life and Immortality to them that did believe and obey his Doctrine, and threatning Eternal Wo and Mi­sery in another World, to the despisers of it.

And yet these contemptible Instru­ments, notwithstanding all these dis­advantages, did their work effectual­ly, and, by the Power of God going along with them, gained numbers [Page 127]every day to their Religion, and in a short space, drew the world after them.

Nor did they only win over the Common People, but also several Per­sons considerable for their Dignity, and Eminent for their Learning, who afterwards became zealous Assertors of Christianity, and were not ashamed to be Instructed in the Saving Know­ledge of the Gospel, by such mean and unlearned Persons as the Apostles were; for they saw something in them more Divine, and which carried with it a greater Power and Perswasion, than Humane Learning and Elo­quence.

4. We will consider the mighty Op­position that was raised against the Gospel. At its first appearance it could not be otherwise, but that it must meet with a great deal of difficulty and opposition, from the Lusts and Vices of Men, which it did so plainly and so severely declare against, and likewise from the Prejudices of Men that had been brought up in a contra­ry Religion; no Prejudice being so strong, as that which is founded in [Page 128]Education; and of all Prejudices of Education, none so obstinate and hard to be removed, as those about Religi­on, yea, tho' they be never so absurd and unreasonable. Hath a Nation chang­ed their Gods, which yet are no Gods? Men are very hardly brought off from the Religion which they have been brought up in, how little Ground and Reason soever there be for it; the being trained up in it, and having a reverence for it implanted in them in their tender Years, supplies all other defects.

Had Men been free and indifferent in Religion, when Christianity first ap­peared in the World, and had they not had their Minds prepossest with other apprehensions of God and Religion, and been inured to Rites and Supersti­tions of a quite different Nature from the Christian Religion; or had they at that time been weary of the Super­stitions of their Idolatrous Worship, and been enquiring after a better way of Religion; then indeed the Christian Religion had appeared with great advantage, and would in all proba­bility have been entertained with a [Page 129]readiness of Mind proportionable to the Reasonableness of it. But this was not the Case: When the Doctrine of the Gospel was first Publisht in the World, the whole World, both Jews and Gentiles, were violently prejudiced against it, and fixt in their several Religions.

The Jews indeed in former times had been very prone to relinquish the Worship of the True God, and to fall into the Heathen Idolatry: But after God had Punisht them severely for that Sin, by a long Captivity, they conti­nued ever after, very strict and firm to the Worship of the True God; and never were they more tenacious of their Religion and Law, than at that very time when our Saviour appear­ed in the World: And though He was foretold in their Law, and most par­ticularly described, in the authentick Books of their Religion, the Prophets of the Old Testament; yet by reason of certain groundless Traditions, which they had received from the Interpre­ters of their Law, That their Messias was to be a great Temporal Prince, they conceived an invincible Prejudice [Page 130]against our Saviour, upon account of the Mean Circumstances in which he ap­peared; and upon this Prejudice they rejected him, and put him to death, and persecuted his Followers: And though their Religion was much nearer to the Christian, than any of the Hea­then Idolatries; yet upon this account, of our Saviour's Mean Appearance, they were much more averse to the Enter­tainment of it, than the grossest Ido­laters among the Nations.

Not but that their Prejudice also was very great; the common People being strongly addicted to the Ido­latry and Superstitions of their several Countries; and the Wiser, and more Learned (whom they call'd their Phi­losophers) were so puft up, with a con­ceit of their own Knowledge and Eloquence, that they despised the rude­ness and simplicity of the Apostles, and look'd upon their Doctrine of a Crucified Saviour, as ridiculous, and the Story of his Resurrection from the dead, as absurd and impossible. So St. Paul tells us, that the Cross of Christ was to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness.

But besides the Opposition which the Gospel met withal, from the Lusts and Prejudices of Men, the Powers of the World did likewise strongly combine against it. Among the Jews, the Chief Priests and Rulers did, with all their force and malice, endeavour to stifle it in the birth, and to suppress it in its first rise; and several of the Ro­man Emperors, who were then the great Governors of the World, en­gaged all their Authority, and their whole Strength, for the extirpation of it, and raised such a storm of Perse­cution against it, as swept away great­er numbers of Mankind, than any Fa­mine or Plague or War that ever was in the Roman Empire: And yet this Re­ligion bore up against all this Opposition, and make its way through all the Re­sistance, that the Lusts and Prejudices of Men, armed with the Power and Authority of the whole World, could make against it. And this brings me to the

5. and last Consideration I men­tioned, the great discouragement that [Page 132]was given to the Entrance of this Re­ligion.

There was nothing left to invite and engage Men to it, but the Con­sideration of another World; for all the Evils of this World threatned eve­ry one that took the Profession of Christianity upon him. Whoever was known to be a Christian, was liable to Reproach and Ruin, to cruel Mock­ings and Scourgings, to Banishment, or Imprisonment and Confiscation of Estate; but these were slight and to­lerable Evils, in comparison of others that were commonly inflicted upon them; they were condemned to the Mines, and to the Lions, and all ima­ginable Cruelties were exercised upon them; the most exquisite Torments that could be devised, and Death in all its fearful shapes was presented to them, to deter Men from embra­cing this Religion, and to tempt them to quit it: And yet they persisted in the Profession of their Religion, and for the sake of it, did not only take joyfully the spoiling of their goods, but the most barbarous usage of their Per­sons, and demeaned themselves not only [Page 133]with Patience and Courage, but with Exultation and Triumph, under those Tortures which no Man can hear or read of, without horror: And they did not only bear up thus manfully, for one brunt; but when these vio­lent Persecutions were renewed and repeated upon them, Christianity sup­ported it self under all these daunt­ing Discouragements for almost Three hundred Years, and held out, till the very Malice of their Persecutors was out of breath, and their Cruelty had tired it self.

Nay it did not only support it self, under all these Oppositions, but grew and prospered, and the Blood of Martyrs became the Seed of the Church, and Chri­stians sprang up faster, than any Per­secution could mow them down: For Men by Degrees became curious to enquire into the Cause of such Suffer­ings, and the Reason of so much Con­stancy and Patience under them; and upon enquiry were satisfied, and be­came Christians themselves; and ma­ny times their very Persecutors were ready to Sacrifice their Lives the next Day, for that very Cause, for which [Page 134]but the Day before, they had put others to Death.

And it cannot here be reasonably Objected, that Christians yielded up themselves to all these Sufferings, up­on the same Account that some brave Spirits among the Heathen, laid down their Lives for their Country; name­ly, out of a desire of Fame, and to perpetuate their Names in After-ages; this, I say, cannot reasonably be said in this Case; because these Sufferers, were not the great and ambitious Spi­rits, the Flower and Select Part of Mankind, but the Common People, and many of them of the tenderer Sex and Age, who have usually a greater Sense of Pain than of Glory; and yet so were they animated by their Religion, and Transported beyond themselves, as not only to submit, but many times to offer themselves to those Sufferings, by declaring them­selves to be Christians, when no Man accused them, and when they knew they should die, for making that Pro­fession; so that it is harder to justifie their forwardness to Suffer, than the sincerity of their Sufferings. Besides, [Page 135]that nothing could be more foolish and unreasonable, than for Men to hope to get a Name by Suffering in a Crowd, and to be particularly re­membred to Posterity, when they dyed in such multitudes, that no Man knew the Names of the greatest part of the Sufferers.

You see then how strongly the Go­spel prevailed, how soon this new Re­ligion over-ran the World, how sud­denly it subdued the Spirits, and chang­ed the Manners of Men; and by what mean and despicable Instruments, to all humane appearance, this great Work was done; and how in despite of all Opposition and Discouragements, it was carried on. Can any one of the false Religions of the World pretend to have been propagated and establisht in such a manner, meerly by their own force, and the Evidence and Power of Truth upon the Minds of Men; and to have born up and sustained them­selves so long under such fierce Assaults, as Christanity hath done?

As for the Religion of Mahomet, it is famously known to have been plant­ed [Page 136]by force at first, and to hav [...] been maintained in the World, by the same violent means. So that great Impostor openly declares, that he came not to plant his Religion by Miracles, but the Sword.

And as for the Idolatries of the Heathen, they came in upon the World by insensible degrees, and did not oppose the Corruptions of Men, but grew out of them; and being suited to the vicious Temper and Disposition of Mankind, they easily gained upon their Ignorance and Su­perstition, by Custom and Example. They were just such a Corruption of Natural Religion, in such times of darkness and ignorance, and by such in­sensible steps, as there hath been since, of the Christian Religion in some Parts of the World, which we all know. But no sooner did the Light of the Gospel shine out upon the World, but the Idolatry and Superstition of the Heathen fell before it, like Da­gon before the Ark of God; and tho' it had the Power of the World, and Countenance of Authority on its side, yet it was not able to maintain its [Page 137]ground; and no sooner was that Prop taken away, which was the only sup­port of it, but it presently sunk and vanisht; it was not driven out of the World by Violence and Persecution, but upon the breaking in of so great a Light, it silently withdrew, as being ashamed of it self: And when after­wards the Emperor Julian endeavoured to retrieve it, by his Wit and Au­thority, and used all imaginable Arts and Stratagems, to suppress and extin­guish Christianity, he was able to effect neither; for the Christian Religion kept its ground, and Paganism, after it had made a little Blaze, died with him.

Now to what Cause shall we ascribe this wonderful Success, and Prevalency of the Gospel in the World? There can but these Two be imagined; the Excellency of the Christian Religion, and the Power and Presence of the Divine Spirit accompanying it.

1. The Excellency of the Christian Religion; which both in respect of the goodness of its Precepts, and the assurance of its Rewards, hath plain­ly [Page 138]the advantage of any Religion, that ever yet appeared in the World. And this is a great Advantage indeed: But by this alone it could never have been able to have broken through all that mighty Opposition and Resistance, which was made against it; and therefore that it might be able to encounter this with Success,

2. God was pleased to accompany the first Preaching of it, with a mighty and sensible Presence and Power of his Spirit. And this brings me to the

Second Part of the Text, the Reason of the wonderful Efficacy and Success, which the Apostles had, in the Preaching of the Gospel; the Lord wrought with them, and confirmed the Word with signs following. Which words express to us that Miraculous Power of the Holy Ghost, which accompanied the first Preaching of the Gospel; by which I do not intend to exclude the inward Operation of God's Holy Spirit upon the Minds of Men secretly moving and inclining those to whom the Go­spel was Preached, to embrace and entertain it; which the Scripture else­where [Page 139]speaks frequently of, and may possibly be intended in the first of these Expressions, the Lord working with them; and the latter may only be meant of the Miraculous Gifts of the Spirit, with regard to which, God is said to confirm the Word with signs following, or accompanying it. But I rather think they are both intend­ed to express the same thing, and that the latter is only added by way of explication of the former, to shew more particularly, how the Lord wrought with them; namely, by gi­ving Confirmation to their Doctrine, by those miraculous Gifts and Pow­ers of the Spirit, which they were endowed withal; the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following; that is, with those Miracles, which accompanied the first Preaching of the Gospel. For these words do plain­ly refer to the Promise of the Spirit at the 17th verse; and these signs shall follow them that believe; which is the Reason why they are here call'd signs following; that is, Miracles which accompanied the Word that was Preached.

And that this is the full meaning [Page 140]of this Text, will appear by compa­ring it with one or two more, Rom. 15.18, 19. where St. Paul speaking of the things which Christ had wrought by him, to make the Gentiles obedient to the Gospel, he says, they were done through mighty signs and wonders, by the Power of the Spirit of God; which is the same with that which is said here in the Text, of the Lord's working with the Apostles, and confirming the Word, with signs following. So likewise, Heb. 2.3, 4. the Apostle there tells us, that the Gospel which was first spoken by the Lord, was confirmed by them that heard him, God also bearing them wit­ness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost. So that the great Confirmation, which is said here to be given to the Gospel, was by the Miraculous Gifts of the Spirit, which were poured forth upon the Apostles and Primitive Christians.

In speaking of which, I shall briefly do these Two things.

• I. Give an account of the Nature of these Gifts, and of the Ʋse and [Page 141] End to which they served: And then shew in the
• II. Place, how the Gospel was Con­firmed by them.

I. For the Nature of these Gifts, and the Ʋse and End to which they were designed.

They are those Miraculous Pow­ers which by the descent of the Ho­ly Ghost upon the day of Pentecost, the Apostles were endowed withall, to qualifie them to Publish the Go­spel, with more speed and success. Such was the Gift of speaking divers Languages, and the Gift of Interpre­ting things spoken in divers Langua­ges; (And these Two Gifts were not necessarily united in the same Per­son, for the Apostle tells us, that some had the one, and some the others;) the Gift of Prophecy and fore­telling things to come, which was always a sign of a Person Divinely Inspired; the Miraculous Powers of Healing Diseases, of Raising the Dead, and of Casting out Devils; a Power of inflicting Corporal Diseases, and [Page 142]Punishments, upon scandalous and ob­stinate Christians, who would not sub­mit to the Apostles Authority and Go­vernment; which is in Scripture call'd, a delivering up to Satan, for the destruction, or tormenting of the Body, that the Soul may be saved; nay, in some cases, this Power extended to the inflicting of Death it self, as in the case of Ananias and Saphira.

Not that all these Miraculous Pow­ers, were given to every one of the Apostles, or that they could exercise them at all times; some were bestow­ed upon one, and some upon another, according to God's good pleasure, and as was most expedient for the Ʋse and Benefit of the Church, and most subservient to those Ends for which God gave them; only we find that all the Apostles had the Gift of Tongues; and that the Power of Ca­sting out Devils, in the name of Christ, was common to every Christian, and continued in the Church for a long time after the other Gifts were cea­sed; as Tertul. Arnob. and Min. Fe­lix do testifie, even of their own times.

But, II. I shall briefly shew how the Gospel was Confirmed by these Mira­culous Gifts.

Now besides the particular Ʋses and Ends of those Miraculous Gifts (as the Gift of Tongues, did evident­ly serve for the more speedy Planting and Propagating of the Christian Reli­gion in the World; and the Power of inflicting Corporeal Punishments, in a Miraculous manner, upon Scanda­lous and Disobedient Christians, did maintain the Power and Authority of the Apostles, and was instead of an ordinary Magistratical Power, which Christians were destitute of, whilst the Roman Empire continued Heathen;) I say, besides the particular Ends and Ʋses of all these Miraculous Gifts, they did all in general, as they were Mira­cles, serve for the Confirmation of the Gospel.

The Apostles delivered the Do­ctrine of Christ, and were Witnesses of his Resurrection from the dead, as the great Miracle, whereby his Do­ctrine was confirmed; now there was [Page 144]all the Reason in the World to believe them, whom God was pleased to give such a Testimony from Heaven; for who could make any doubt of the Truth of Their Testimony, con­cerning the Resurrection of Christ who were enabled to raise others from the dead, and by many other wonderful things which they did, gave such clear Testimony, that God was with them?

Never had any Religion fewer worldly Advantages to recommend it, and so little temporal Countenance and Assistance to carry it on; but what it wanted from Men, it had from God; for he gave witness to it with signs and wonders, and divers Miracles, and Gifts of the Holy Ghost. God seems on pur­pose to have stript it of all Secular Ad­vantages, that the Christian Religion might be perfectly free from all suspi­tion of Worldly Interest and Design, and that it might not owe its Establish­ment in the World, to the Wisdom and Contrivance of Men, but to the Arm and Power of God.

The Inferences I shall at present [Page 145]make from this Discourse shall be these.

I. To give us Satisfaction of the Truth and Divinity of the Doctrine of the Christian Religion, which hath had so eminent a Confirmation given to it from Heaven, and did at its first setting out so strangely prevail in the World, against all Humane Proba­bility; not by might, nor by power; but by the spirit of the Lord.

No man can well suppose a Religion in Circumstances of greater Disadvan­tage, and upon all Humane Accounts, more unlikely to sustain and bear up it self, than the Christian Religion was. The first Appearance of it was so mean, and its Beginnings so small, that no Man but would have thought it would presently have come to nothing; and no other account can be given of the strange Success and Prevalency of it, but that it was of God, and therefore it could not be overthrown.

II. This Discourse may likewise satisfie us of the Reason why this Mi­raculous Power, which accompanied [Page 146]the Gospel at first, is now ceased; be­cause there is not the like Reason and Necessity for it, which there was at first.

It was highly Necessary then, to introduce the Christian Religion into the World, and to be a sensible Evi­dence to Men of the Divinity of that new Doctrine, which was Preached to them: but now that the Gospel is generally entertained, there is not the same Reason, why this Miracu­lous Power should still be continued. Acquisito fine, cessant media ad finem, when the End is once obtained, the Means cease; and the Wise God, who is never wanting in what is Necessary, does not use to be lavish in that which is Superfluous. Now that the Christian Religion hath got firm foot­ing in the World; God leaves it to be propagated and advanced, by its own Rational Force upon the Minds of Men: now that the Prejudices of Education in a Contrary Religion are removed, and the Powers of the World are reconciled to Christianity; there is no need of such violent and extra­ordinary Means for the continuance [Page 147]of it: now that it stands upon equal Advantages with other Religions; God hath left it to be carried on, in more humane and ordinary ways, and such as are more level and accommodate to the Nature of Man.

That Miracles are long since ceased, is acknowledged by the Fathers, who lived an Age or two after the ceasing of them; particularly by St. Chrysostome, who gives the same Reason for it, which I have just now assigned. But the Church of Rome would still bear us in hand, that this Miraculous Pow­er does still continue in their Church, and according to Bellarmine, must al­ways continue; because he makes it an inseparable Property and Mark of the True Church.

But we pretend to no such Power, nor have we any Reason so to do; because all the Doctrines of our Re­ligion, are the Ancient Doctrines of Christianity, delivered by our Saviour, and by his Apostles publisht to the World; and these are sufficiently con­firmed already, by the Miracles which our Saviour and his Apostles wrought [Page 148]in the Primitive Times of Christianity. But the Church of Rome hath great Occasion and Need of New Miracles, to confirm their New Doctrines; and therefore as they have Reason, they usually apply them to the Confirmation of their New Doctrines; some to con­firm Purgatory, and to give counte­nance to Indulgences; others to encou­rage the Worship of the Blessed Virgin, and the Saints; others to confirm that which all the Miracles in the World are not sufficient to confirm, I mean the Doctrine of Transubstantiation; which, because it overthrows the cer­tainty of Sense, is in the Nature of it peculiarly incapable of being confirmed by a Miracle.

III. and Lastly, The Consideration of what hath been said does justly upbraid us, that this Religion, which was so powerful at first, and hath such Characters of Divinity upon it, com­ing down to us confirmed by so many Miracles, should yet have so little Ef­fect upon most of us who call our selves Christians.

We have all the Advantages of the [Page 149]Christian Religion, having been edu­cated and brought up in it; and yet it hath less Effect upon us, than it had upon those whose Minds were pre­judiced, and whose Manners were de­praved, by the Principles of a false Religion: for those who were reduced from Paganism to Christianity, did on the sudden become better Men, and were more Holy and Virtuous in their Lives; than the greatest part of us, who have been instructed and trained up all our lives in the Doctrine of Christianity.

The true Reason of which is, that many of us are Christians, upon the same account, that they were at first Heathens; because it was the Religion of their Country, and they were born and bred up in it: but Christianity was the Re­ligion of their Choice, and there were no Motives to perswade them to the Pro­fession of that Religion, but what were as powerful to oblige them to the Pra­ctice of it. Let us also be Christians, not only by Custom, but by Choice; and then we shall live according to our Religion.

He that takes up a Religion, for any other Reason, than to obey and practice it, does not choose a Religi­on, but only counterfeits the Choice of it. We have beyond Comparison the best and most reasonable Religion in the World, a Religion that hath the greatest Evidence of its Truth, that contains the best Precepts, and gives men the greatest Assurance of a future Happiness, and directs them to the surest Way of attaining it: Now the better our Religion is, the worse are we, if we be not made good by it. The Philosophy of the Hea­then, made some virtuous; and there were many eminent Saints under the Imperfection of the Jewish Institution. What Degrees then of Holiness and Virtue may be expected from us, upon whom the Glorious Light of the Go­spel shineth so brightly?

I will conclude all, with the Words of the Apostle, Heb. 2.1, 2, 3, 4. There­fore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast, [Page 151]and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward: How shall we escape; if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was con­firmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers mira­cles, and gifts of the holy Ghost, accord­ing to his own will?

THis is spoken of Good Angels, whose Existence, as well as that of Evil Spirits, the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testa­ment, do every where take for grant­ed, no less than they do the Being of God, and the Immortality of the Soul. And well they may, since [Page 154]they are all founded upon the gene­ral Consent of all Ages, VOL. II. derived down to us from the first Spring and Ori­ginal of Mankind; of which general Consent and Tradition, it is one of the hardest things in the World, to assign any good Reason, if the Things themselves were not true. There­fore I shall not go about to force my way into this Argument concerning the Existence of Spirits, and Beings distinct from Matter, by dint of dis­pute, (which perhaps would neither be so proper, nor so profitable for this Assembly) but shall take the thing as I find it received by a general Con­sent of Mankind. And so the Books of Divine Revelation do: Nor was there Reason to proceed in any other method, than to suppose these things, and take them for granted, as gene­rally assented to by Mankind, with­out either asserting them for new Dis­coveries, or attempting to prove what was so universally believed. The Scrip­tures indeed have more particularly de­clared the Nature of these Spirits, as al­so their Order and Employment; as in the words which I have read to you, where the Office and Employment of [Page 155]Good Angels is more particularly disco­vered; Serm. VI. Are they not all (says the Text) ministring Spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

The Author of this Epistle to the Hebrews having had occasion, in com­paring the two Dispensations of the Law and the Gospel, to speak of the An­gels, by whose Ministry the Law was given, did not think fit to entertain those to whom he wrote, with any nice and curious Speculations (for School Divinity was not then in fashi­on) about the Nature and Order of Angels; but tells us, what it concerns us more to know, namely, what their Office and Employment is in regard to us. Concerning their Nature, he only tell us, that they are Spirits; as to their Office and Employment, he says in general, that they are Mini­string Spirits, that is, that they stand before God to attend upon him, rea­dy to receive his Commands, and to execute his Pleasure; more particular­ly, that they are upon occasion ap­pointed and sent forth by God to mini­ster on the behalf, and to do good Offi­ces for them that shall be heirs of salvation. [Page 156]Which last words are a description of pious and good Men, such as had sin­cerely embraced the Christian Religi­on, and were thereby become the Chil­dren of God, and Heirs of Eternal Sal­vation. So that these words are a brief Summary of the Doctrine of Good Angels, and of what the Scripture has thought fit to reveal to us concerning them: Which may be referred to these Three Heads.

First, Their Nature; Are they not Spirits?

Secondly, Their general Office and Employment; Are they not Ministring Spirits?

Thirdly, Their special Office and Em­ployment, in regard to good Men; they are sent forth to minister for them (that is, in their behalf, and for their benefit) who shall be heirs of salvation.

And this is as much as is necessary for us to know concerning them; and all this is very agreeable to the general Apprehension of Mankind; but the Scripture hath very much cleared and confirmed to us, that which was more [Page 157]obscure and less certain before. I shall briefly explain and illustrate these Three Heads, and then draw some useful In­ferences from the whole.

First, For their Nature; they are Spirits. This is universally agreed by all that acknowledge such an Order of Beings, that they are Spirits: But whe­ther they are pure Spirits, devested of Matter, and all kind of corporeal Ve­hicle (as the Philosophers term it) hath been a great Controversie, but I think of no great Moment and Conse­quence. Not only the ancient Philo­sophers, but some of the ancient Chri­stian Fathers, did believe Angels to be cloathed with some kind of Bodies, consisting of the purest and finest Mat­ter; which they call Aetherial. And this Opinion seems to be grounded up­on a pious Belief, that it is the pecu­liar Excellency and Prerogative of the Divine Nature, to be a pure and sim­ple Spirit, wholly separate from Mat­ter: But the more current Opinion of the Christian Church (especially of later times) hath been, that Angels are mere and pure Spirits, without any thing that is Material and Corporeal [Page 158]belonging to them; but yet so, that they have a Power to assume thin and airy Bodies, and can when they please appear in Humane Shape, as they are frequently in Scripture said to have done. And this seems most agreeable to the Scripture Account of them; tho' I think it is no necessary Article of Faith, either to believe that they are cloathed with some kind of Bodies, or that they are wholly devested of Matter.

But however this be, they are de­scribed in Scripture to be endowed with great Excellencies and Perfections; they are said to excell in strength, Psal. 103.20. and in Knowledge and Wisdom. Hence are those Expressions of being as an An­gel of God, to discern good and bad. 2 Sam. 14.17. Wise, according to the wisdom of an Angel, v. 20. To be of great Activity and Swiftness in their Motions; hence it is that they are represented in Scripture, as full of wings: and to excel in purity and holiness; hence is that Title given them in Scripture, of the Holy Angels. This is the Summ of what the Scripture hath in several places delivered to us, concerning the Nature and Properties of good Angels; and beyond this, all our [Page 159]Kowledge of them is mere Conjecture and Uncertainty; and the nice Specu­lations concerning them, idle and wan­ton Curiosities. Indeed the Scripture gives sufficient intimation of several Ranks and Orders among them, by call­ing Michael an Archangel, and Chief Prince, and by distingushing them by the names of Principalities, and Powers, and Thrones, and Dominions: But what the difference of these Names im­port, though some have attempted to explain, yet I do not find that they have discovered any thing to us, besides their own Ignorance and Arogance, in pretending to be wise above what is writ­ten; intruding into those things which they have not seen, being vainly puft up in their fleshly minds; as the Apostle censures some in his time.

Secondly, We have here their gene­ral Office and Employment; they are ministring Spirits; they are (as I may say) domestick Servants, and constant Attendants upon that great and glori­ous King, whose Throne is in the Hea­vens, and whose Kingdom ruleth over all; they stand continually before him, to behold his face, expecting his Commands, and [Page 160]in a constant readiness to do his Will. For tho' the Omnipotence of God, and his perfect Power of acting be such, that he can do all things immediately by himself, whatever he pleaseth in Hea­ven and in Earth; can govern the World, and steer the Affairs of it, and turn them which way he thinks best, by the least nod and beck of his Will, without any Instruments or Ministers of his Pleasure; yet his Wisdom and Goodness has thought fit to honour his Creatures, especially this higher and more perfect Rank of Beings, with his Commands, and to make them, ac­cording to their several Degrees and Capacities, the ordinary Ministers of his Affairs, in the Rule and Govern­ment of this inferiour World; and this not for his own ease (for to Infinite Power nothing can be difficult or troublesom) but for their hap­piness; and he therefore employs them in his Work and Service, that they may be capable of his Favour and Re­wards.

And that the Angels of God are the great Ministers of his Providence here in the World, hath not only been the [Page 161]constant Tradition of all Ages; but is very frequently and plainly asserted in Scripture. In the Old Testament we often read that God employed his Angels to be the Messengers of his Will and Pleasure to Men; and to carry good Tidings and comfortable News to them upon several Occasi­ons: As to Abraham, to foretel the miraculous Birth of his Son Isaac; and afterwards to rescue him from being sacrificed: To Jacob, when he was so afraid of his Brother Esau: To Manoah and his Wife, to foretel the Birth of Sampson, the great Deliverer of Israel from the Philistines: And upon that great Occasion of bringing the Peo­ple of Israel out of Egypt, and conduct­ing them through the Wilderness, he sent a great and mighty Angel (called the Angel of his Presence) to go before them, and guide them in their way: And the Apostle tells us, that the Law was delivered to them upon Mount Sinai by the Disposition of An­gels.

On the other hand, God frequent­ly made them the Messengers of his Wrath, and Instruments of his Ven­geance. [Page 162]Thus he sent them to fore­tel, and to execute that terrible De­struction upon Sodom and Gomorrah. And he sent a Destroying Angel to brandish his Sword in a visible man­ner over Jerusalem, and to smite them with the Pestilence, for David's Sin in Numbring the People. And by the Ministry of an Angel he slew in the Camp of the Assyrians in one Night, an Hundred and eighty five thousand. And Acts 12.23. it is said, that the Angel of the Lord smote Herod, for receiving the blasphemous Acclamations of the People.

Nay, the Angels shall be the In­struments and Executioners of God's Vengeance upon the Wicked, at the Judgment of the great Day. So the Judge himself tells us, Matth. 13.49, 50. So shall it be at the End of the World; the Angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall he wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

And that particular Angels do pre­side over Empires and Kingdoms, and sway the weighty Affairs of them; and [Page 163]by a secret and invisible Hand manage and bring about great Changes and Re­volutions, both Jews and Christians have collected with great Probability and Consent from Daniel 10. where there is mention made of the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia withstanding the Angel that was sent to Daniel, and of Michael a Chief Prince assisting him. And of this Ministry of Angels, in the Government of Kingdoms, Cle­mens Alexandrinus speaks, as of a thing out of all Controversie. I pro­ceed to the

Third Thing, which I principally intended, and seems to be chiefly de­signed in the Text; and this is the special Office and Employment of good Angels, in regard to good Men; and for this the Apostle expresly tells us, that they are sent forth to minister for them (that is, in their behalf, and for their benefit), who shall be heirs of Salvation. In which Words there are Three things very considerable for our Instruction and Comfort.

• 1. Their particular Designation and Appointment for this Employment, [Page 164]exprest in these Words, sent forth, [...], as if they were particu­larly Commissioned and Appointed by God for this very End. God himself doth superintend all Affairs, and by his particular Designation and Command, the Angels do fulfil his Word, and exe­cute the Pleasure of his good Will to­wards us. Hence it is so frequently said in Scripture, that God sent his An­gel to such or such a Person, for such or such Purposes.
• 2. You have here the general End of their Employment; for good Men; they are sent forth on our Behalf, and for our Benefit; to take Care of us and protect us, to succour and comfort, to direct and assist, to rescue and deli­ver us.
• 3. Here is the more special End of their Employment, in regard to good Men, intended in those words; for them who shall be heirs of Salvation; Hereby signifying, that the Angels are employed about good Men, with Re­gard more particularly to their Eter­nal Happiness, and for the Conduct­ing and furthering of the great Af­fair [Page 165]of their Everlasting Salvation. This certainly is our greatest Concernment; and therefore they have a more particu­lar Charge and Care of us in Regard to this.

It was a common Opinion among the Heathen, and a constant and firmly be­lieved Tradition among the Jews, (the Sadducees only excepted, who did not believe there was Angels or Spirits) that every Man (at least every good Man) had a Guardian Angel appointed him by God, to take a special Care of him and his Concernments, both Spiritual and Temporal; to guard him from Dangers, to direct and prosper him in his Way, and to comfort and deliver him in his Affliction and Distress. And therefore we find among the Jewish Prayers, used by them at this day, a particular Prayer, wherein they request of God, to Com­mand the Angels who have the Care of Hu­mane Affairs, to help and assist, to pre­serve and deliver them. But especially they believed Good Angels, in their Attendance upon Good Men, to be ve­ry active and diligent to incline them to good, and to encourage them therein, by holy Motions and Suggestions, by [Page 166]secret Comforts and Assistances, and by opposing Evil Spirits, and defending us against their Assaults, and by coun­termining their malicious Designs and Attempts upon us. And accordingly we find, that the best Men among the Jews did stedfastly believe, if not the particular Guardianship of Angels, and that every Good Man had his particular Angel assigned to him by God, to take the particular Charge of him; yet the common Ministry of Good Angels, about Good Men; and their more especial care of particular Persons, upon parti­cular and great Occasions, to protect them from Temporal Evils, and to promote and prosper their Temporal Affairs and Concernments.

Of this Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, and the Friend of God, was most firmly perswaded (at least in Matters of great Moment and Con­cernment to us) as appears by his Dis­course with his Steward, when he was sending him to treat of a Match for his Son, Gen. 24.40. The Lord (says he) before whom I walk, will send his Angel with thee, and prosper thy way. And David the Man after God's own heart, does [Page 167]more than once declare his confident Belief of the watchful Care and Mini­stry of Angels about good Men. Psal. 34. and 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth about them that fear him, and delivereth them. And Psalm. 91.11, 12. speak­ing of the good Man, who putteth his Trust and Confidence in God, he tells him for his Comfort and Security, that the holy Angels hare a particular charge of him, to preserve him from all the Mis­chiefs and Dangers to which he is ex­posed; he shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways; they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

So that according to the Perswasi­on of those two excellent Persons, and of greatest Renown for Piety in all the Old Testament, very much of the Safety and the Success of good Men, even in their Temporal Concernments, is to be ascrib'd to the vigilant Care and Protection of good Angels. And tho' this be seldom visible and sensible to us, yet we have great Reason, upon so great Testimonies, to assent to the truth of it. And there is no Reason I think to doubt, but that God's Care [Page 168]extends now to Christians, as well as it did to the Jews; and that the Angels have as much Kindness for us, as they had for the Jews; and there is no Rea­son to think, that the Angels are now either dead or idle.

Our Saviour tells us, that they can­not dye; and our Reason tells us that a pure Spirit is an active Principle; and the Scripture represents Angels as all flame and wings. Evil Spirits are believed by Christians to be as active now, to all purposes of harm and mischief, as ever: And why should any Man imagine, that Good Spirits are not as intent and busie to do good? The Apostle (I am sure) tells us in the Text, that the Angels in common, (all of them) do employ their Service about us, and wait to do good Offices to us; are they not all (says he) ministring Spirits, sent forth to minister for them that shall be heirs of Salvation?

And our Saviour, Matth. 18.10. seems to approve and confirm the Tradition of the Jews, concerning par­ticular Guardian Angels belonging to every one that believed in him; that is, to every Christian; Take heed (says [Page 169]he) that ye despise not one of these lit­tle ones; for I say unto you, that in Heaven, their Angels always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven. And this seems likewise to have been a received Opinion among the first Christians; for we find, Acts 12.15. that when Peter was miraculously re­leased out of Prison by an Angel, and came to the House where the Christi­ans were assembled to pray for him, and one told them, that Peter was at the door, they said it was his Angel; think­ing that he himself was fast in Pri­son: For which saying there could be no Reason, had there not been a current Opinion among them of Guar­dian Angels.

And because the Providence of God is more peculiarly concerned, in conduct­ing Men to Eternal Happiness; it is ve­ry credible, that God should more espe­cially Ordain the Ministry of Angels a­bout good Men, for the furtherance of their Salvation. And so the Apostle tells us in the Text; are they not all ministring Spirits, sent forth to minister for them; that shall be heirs of salvation? Nay our Saviour, in that remarkable [Page 170]place I mentioned before, Matt. 18.10. seems to intimate, that Angels of a higher Rank and Quality, are assigned Guardians and Guides to those that believed on him; but I say unto you, that in Heaven, their Angels do always behold the face of my Father, which is in Heaven: An Allusion to the man­ner of earthly Kings, upon whom not all the Servants, but the Chief of their Nobility do more immediate­ly attend, and stand continually in their Presence; for to behold the face of the King, and to stand in his Presence, are Phrases used in Scripture to sig­nifie immediate Attendance upon his Per­son. So that by this manner of Ex­pression, our Saviour doth most sig­nificantly intimate, in what Esteem good Men are with God, whose Care and Protection he commits to the Chief of the Angels, to those who are nearest to him, and in highest Favour and Honour with him; as if he had said, their Angels are not of the ordinary Rank, but such as are admitted to a more immediate Attendance upon the great King and Governour of the World.

And no doubt it is for no mean End, that such high and glorious Spi­rits are employ'd about us; it is chief­ly for the furtherance of our Salvati­on; for the purchasing whereof, the Son of God himself ( whom all the Angels of Heaven worship) came down from Hea­ven, and appeared and suffered in our Nature, that we may one day be made like to the Angels, and dwell where they are, and may continually behold the face of our Father which is in Heaven, as they do. And in order to this End, it is very probable, that Good Angels are ready to do good Offices, just contrary to those of Evil Spirits; that is, to employ their best Diligence and endeavour for the Salvation of Men; and that they are very sedulous and officious to restrain and pull them back from Sin, and to excite and solicite them to that which is Good; and, in a Word, to do all they can to help forward the Repentance and Conversion of Sinners. And this may reasonably be collected from that Pas­sage of our Saviour, Luke 15.10. where he tells us, That there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God, over one [Page 172]Sinner that repenteth. And if they be so glad of the Repentance of a Sinner; we may easily imagine how forward they are, to further and promote so good a Work. And when Sinners are brought to Repentance; we have no Reason to doubt, but that the Angels are as ready to assist their Progress in Goodness.

It hath been a general, and I think not ill-grounded Opinion, both of the Jews and Heathens, that good Angels are more especially present with us, and observant of us, and assistant to us, in the performance of all Acts of Religion; that they are particularly present at our Prayers; and there­fore the Jews speak of a particular Angel for this purpose, whom they call the Angel of Prayer; that they observe our Vows, and our breach or performance of them. So Solomon seems to intimate, Eccles. 5.4, 6. When thou vowest a Vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou hast vowed. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; that is, do not intangle thy Life with a rash Vow, which the frailty of Hu­mane [Page 173]Nature may make thee afterwards to break; neither say thou before the Angel, that it was an errour; that is, do not in the Presence of the Angel who attends upon thee, and observes thee, betray thine own error and rashness. This I take to be the meaning of this difficult passage, Let not thy mouth cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the Angel that it was an errour.

But the Angels are yet more par­ticularly present in the Places and at the Times of God's Publick Wor­ship. The placing of the Cheru­bims in the Holy of Holies, seems to signifie the Presence of the Angels in our most Religious Addresses to God. And Plutarch says, That the Angels are the Overseers of Divine Service. And therefore we ought to behave our selves with all Modesty, Reverence, and Decency in the Wor­ship of God, out of regard to the Angels, who are there present, and observe our Carriage and Behaviour. And to this the Apostle plainly hath respect in that place, which by Inter­preters hath been thought so diffi­cult, 1 Corinth. 11.10. where he says, [Page 174] That, for this Cause, in the Assem­blies of Christians for the Wor­ship of God, the Woman ought to have a Vail upon her head, in token of sub­jection to her Husband, because of the Angels; that is, to be decently and modestly Attired in the Church, be­cause of the presence of the holy Angels; before whom we should compose our selves to the greatest ex­ternal Gravity and Reverence, which the Angels behold and observe, but cannot penetrate into the inward De­votion of our Minds, which God on­ly can do; and therefore with re­gard to him who sees our Hearts, we should more particularly compose our Minds, to the greatest Sincerity and Seriousness our Devotion. Which I would to God we would all duly consider, all the while we are exer­cised in the Worship of God, who chiefly regards our Hearts. But we ought likewise to be very careful of our external Behaviour, with a par­ticular regard to the Angels, who are present there, to see and observe the outward Decency and Reverence of our Carriage and Deportment: Of which we are very careful in the Pre­sence [Page 175]even of an Earthly Prince when he either speaks to us, or we make any Address to him. And surely much more ought we to be so, when we are in the immediate Presence of God, and of his holy Angels, every one of whom is a much greater Prince, and of greater Power, than any of the Princes of this World. But how little is this considered, (I speak to our shame) and by how few among us!

And as Angels are helpful to good Men, in working out their Salvation, throughout the course of their Lives; so at the Hour of Death, they stand by them, to comfort them and assist them in that needful and dismal time, in that last and great Conflict of frail Mortality with Death and the Pow­ers of Darkness; to receive their ex­piring Spirits into their Charge, and to conduct them safely into the Man­sions of the Blessed. And to this pur­pose also the Jews had a Tradition; that the Angels wait upon good Men at their Death, to convey their Souls into Paradise: Which is very much countenanc'd by our Saviour, in the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Luke 16.22. where it is said, that [Page 176]when Lazarus died, he was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom.

Nay, that the Angels have some Charge and Care of the Bodies of good Men after death, may not improbably be gathered from that Passage m St. Jude, v. 9. where Michael the Archangel is said to have contended with the Devil, about the Body of Moses. What the ground of this Controversie betwixt them was, may be most probably explain'd, by a passage, Deut. 34.6. where it is said, that God took particular care (probably by an Angel) concerning the burying so Moses in a certain Valley; and it is added, but no man knoweth of his Sepulchre unto this day. The Devil it seems had a fair Prospect of laying a Foundation for Ido­latry, in the Worship of Moses after his death; if he could have gotten the dis­posal of his Body, to have buried it in some known and publick place. And no doubt, it would hare gratified him not a little, to have made him, who was so declared an Enemy to Idolatry all his life, an occasion of it, after his death. But this God thought fit to pre­vent, in pity to the People of Israel, whom he saw upon all occasion so prone [Page 177]to Idolatry; and for that Reason com­mitted it to the Charge of Michael the Archangel, to bury his Body se­cretly; and this was the thing which Michael the Archangel contended with the Devil about.

But before I pass from this, I can­not but take notice of one memorable Circumstance in this Contest, men­tioned likewise by St. Jude, in these words, yet Michael the Archangel, when contending with the Devil, he disputed about the Body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation. His Duty restrain'd him from it, and probably his Descretion too: As he durst not offend God, in doing a thing so much beneath the Dignity and Perfection of his Nature; so he could not but think, that the Devil would have been too hard for him at railing; a thing to which as the An­gels have no disposition, so I believe that they have no talent, no faculty at it. The cool Consideration whereof should make all Men, especially those who call themselves Divines, and especi­ally in Controversies about Religion, ashamed and afraid of this manner of [Page 178]disputing; since Michael the Archangel, even when he disputed with the Devil, durst not bring against him a railing accusation.

But to proceed. This we are sure of, that the Angels shall be the great Mini­sters and Instruments of the Resurrecti­on of our Bodies, and the reunion of them to our Souls. For so our Blessed Saviour has told us, Matt. 24.30, 31. That when the Son of man shall come in the clouds of Heaven, with power and great glory; he shall send his Angels to gather the Elect, from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other.

Thus I have as briefly as I could, and so far as the Scripture hath gone be­fore us, to give us light in this matter, endeavoured to shew the se­veral Ways wherein good Angels do Minister in behalf of t hem who shall be Heirs of Salvation. All that now remains, is to draw some Inferences from this discourse, and so I shall con­clude.

First, what hath been said upon this Argument, and so abundantly proved from Scripture, may serve to [Page 179]establish us in the Belief of this Truth, and to awaken us to a due Conside­ration of it. That the Angels are invisible to us, and that we are sel­dom sensible of their Presence, and the good Offices they do us, is no sufficient Reason against the Truth and Reality, of the Thing; if by other Ar­guments we are convinced of it. For by the same Reason we may almost as well call in Question the Existance of God, and of our own Souls; neither of which do fall under the notice of our Senses; and yet by other Arguments we are sufficiently convinc'd of them both. So in this case, the general Consent and Tradition of Mankind, concerning the Existence of Angels, and their Mini­stry about us, especially being confirm­ed to us, by clear and express Testi­mony of holy Scripture, ought to be abundant Evidence to us; when we consider that so general a Consent must have a proportionable Cause; which can be no other, but a general Tradition grounded at first upon Re­velation, and derived down to all succeeding Ages, from the first Spring and Original of Mankind; and since confirmed by manifold Revelations of [Page 180]God, both in the Old and New Testa­ment.

But yet I am sensible, that all this is no Conviction to the perverse and contentious. Men will not believe even the Evidence of Sense it self, when they are strongly prepossess'd and prejudiced to the contrary: For do we not see great numbers of Men, even so many as have the face to call themselves the Catholick Church, that can make a shift, when they have a mind, either to believe or disbelieve things contrary to the plainest Evidence of their Senses? All that I shall say further about this matter, is, that this Doctrine of Angels is not a peculiar Doctrine ei­ther of the Jewish or Christian Religion, but the general Doctrine of all Religions that ever were; and therefore cannot be objected against by any but the Atheists.

And yet after all, I know not whence it comes to pass, that this great Truth, which is so comfortable to Mankind, is so very little consi­dered by us. Perhaps the Corrup­tion of so great a part of the Chri­stian [Page 181]Church, in the point of the Wor­ship of Angels, may have run us so far into the other extream, as scarcely to acknowledge any Benefit we receive by them. But surely we may believe they do us good, without any Obligation to pray to them; and may own them as the Ministers of God's Providence, with­out making them the Objects of our Worship.

I confess it seems to me a very odd thing, that the Power of the Devil, and his Influence upon Men, and the particular Vigilancy and Acti­vity of Evil Spirits to tempt us to Sin, should be so readily owned, and so sensibly talkt of among Chri­stians; and yet the Assistance of good Angels should be so little taken notice of, and considered by us. The Scripture speaks plainly of both, and the Reasons for believing both are equal: For God forbid but that good Angels should be as officious and forward to do us good, as the De­vil and his Angels are malicious and busie to do us Mischief. And indeed it would be very hard with Man­kind, if we had not as much Reason [Page 182]to Hope for the Assistance and Prote­ction of good Spirits, as we have cause to Fear the Malice and Fury of the bad. Good Angels are certainly as Powerful, and have as strong a Propension and Inclination to do good, as the Devil has to do harm; and the Number of good Angels is pro­bably much greater, than of Evil Spirits. The biggest Number that are used in Scripture, are applied to good Angels. Dan. 7.10. it is said of the Angels about God's Throne, that thousand thousands ministred unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. And Revelations 5.11. the number of them is said to be, ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. And the Apostle to the He­brews, ch. 12.22. calls them an innume­rable company of Angels.

What then should be the Reason, that Men should be so apt to own the Snares and Temptations, which the Devil lays before us, in all our ways; but take so little notice of the Attendance and good Offices, done to us by good Spirits? I can imagine but these Two Reasons, and I am [Page 183]sorry I can find no better; That we are more mindful of Injuries than of Benefits: and are glad to take in o­thers for the excuse of our Faults; but are loth any should come in for a share in the Good that is done by us. And yet methinks it should be a very comfortable Consideration to us, against the Enmity and Cunning of the Devil and his Angels; that the Holy Angels of God are as Intent and Industrious to do us good, and to help forward our Salvation, as Evil Spirits can be to work our ruin, and de­stroy us.

Secondly, We should with great thankfulness acknowledge the great Goodness of God to us, who takes such Care of us, as to appoint his An­gels, and to give them particular Com­mission and Charge concerning us, to protect and assist us in all our ways, and especially to promote the great Concernment of our Eternal Happi­ness: And that not only some parti­cular and inferiour Spirits, but the Chief Ministers of this great King of the World, those that stand in his Presence, and behold his face; and [Page 184]not a few of these, but the whole Order of them are imployed about us. So the Apostle seems to say, by the Question which he puts in the Text, Are they not all ministring Spirits, sent forth to minister? That is, all, at one time or other. And though they be principally appointed to minister to us in order to our Salvation; yet we have no Reason to doubt, but God imploys them many times for our Temporal Safety, and makes use of them more especially in those great Revolutions, in which his Cause and Religion are more immediatly con­cern'd.

In such a Case, it is not at all in­credible, that God should give his Angels a particular Charge, concern­ing those that fight his Battels; to pitch about their Camps, and secret­ly to assist them against their Ene­mies, and to ward off, and put by many dangerous blows and thrusts, which are made at them; and won­derfully to preserve them, when the Instruments of death fly about them, and do execution on every side of them. To what can we ascribe such [Page 185]and so many remarkable Deliveran­ces of a Person upon whom so much depends; but either to the immediate hand of God, or to the Ministry of Angels? And where God is provided so abundantly, with such powerful Beings and Ministers of his Will; though they may be invisible to us, yet there is great Reason to believe, that he very seldom works without them.

And now what an astonishing Re­gard is this, which the great God is pleased to have for the Sons of Men, that he should make the whole Cre­ation serviceable to us; not only the visible Creation, for the support of our Bodies, and the diversion of our Minds; but even the noblest of all his Creatures, the great and glorious Inhabitants of the invisible World, mightily surpassing us mortal Men, in the simplicity and purity of their Nature, in the quickness and large­ness of their Understandings, and in their Power and Vigour of Act­ing; I say, that God should give these excellent and glorious Beings the Charge over us, and send them forth to Minister to us, for the Safeguard [Page 186]of our Persons, for the success of our Affairs, and for the Security and Fur­therance of our eternal Salvation! Lord, what is man that thou art thus mind­ful of him; that when thou madest him lower than the Angels, thou should­est yet make the Angels to minister unto him!

Thirdly, If the Angels have par­ticular Charge of good Men, we should take heed how we despise, or be any way injurious to them: For how despicable so ever they may appear to us, they are certainly ve­ry dear to God; since he deems them so considerable, is to employ his Chief Ministers about them, and to commit the Charge of them to those, who by their Office do more imme­diately attend upon himself. This is our Saviour's own Argument, Matth. 18. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, their Angels do continually behold the face of your Father, which is in Heaven. With how much Contempt soever we may look upon a poor good Man; he hath Friends and Patrons of a [Page 187]higher sort, than any of the Princes of this World.

Fourthly, If God appointed An­gels to be Ministring Spirits on our behalf; we may thence very reason­ably conclude, that God did not in­tend, that we should worship them. This seems to be a clear Consequence, if the Reasoning of the Angel in the Revelation be good; where he forbids St. John to worship him; because he was his fellow servant. Yea the Consequence seems to be yet stronger from the Text; that if they be not only Fellow Servants but do in some sort mini­ster unto us; then we are not to wor­ship them.

And yet this Practice is openly avow­ed in the Church of Rome; though it be reproved so very severely by the A­postle, as an Apostacy from Christiani­ty, Colos. 2.18, 19. Let no man (says he) deceive you, in a voluntary humility, and worshipping of Angels; not holding the head; as if it were a Renouncing of Christ, out of a pretended Hu­mility, to make use of other Media­tors besides him to the Father. And [Page 188]notwithstanding also that the Angel in the Revelation does so vehement­ly forbid it, [...], by no means, upon no terms do it; and he forbids it for such a Reason, as makes it for ever unlawful; namely, that we ought not to worship those, who serve and worship God together, with us; Do it not, says the Angel, I am thy fel­low Servant; worship thou God. In which words, he plainly directs us to the sole and proper Object of our Wor­ship.

Bellarmine, the great Champion of the Popish Cause, never used more gross and apparent shuffling, than in Answer to this Text. He says first, why are we reproved for doing what St. John did? To which the Answer is very easie; because St. John himself was reproved by an Angel, for doing what he did. And now that his Question is answered, one might methinks ask him a cross Question or two. Why do the Church of Rome presume to do that, which an Angel does so ex­presly forbid to be done? Or was it fit for St. John to worship one, who (according to Bellarmine) was so ig­norant [Page 189]in the Doctrine of the Catho­lick Church, as to reprove him for doing his Duty? As is evident from his Second crafty Answer to this Text, That St. John did well to give due Worship to the Angel: And yet it is plain from this Text, that the Angel did not think the Worship which St. John gave to him, to be his due.

It is very hard to imagine, but that a Man of Bellarmine's Understanding, did intend to give up the Cause, in his Answers to this Text: But if he was in earnest, then the Matter is brought to this plain and short issue; Whether it be fitter for us to believe a Cardinal of Rome, or an Angel of God?

Lastly, We should imitate the holy Angel, by endeavouring to serve God as they do, in ministring to the Good of others. Whilst we are in the Bo­dy, in this state of infirmity and im­perfection; tho' we cannot serve God with the same Activity and Vi­gour that the blessed Angels do, yet we may in the same Sincerity, and with the same true Pleasure and Delight.

And we should learn also of them, to condescend to the meanest Servi­ces, for the good of others. If the An­gels, who are no ways allied to us, and do so much excel us, in the Dig­nity and Perfection of their Nature, (for tho' David says, that God made man little lower than the Angels; his meaning is, that he made him next below the Angels in the Rank of Beings; but yet very distant from them in Perfection) I say if those glorious Creatures, who are the Chief of the Ways and Works of God, do not think much to humble themselves to be Ministers on our behalf; shall we be so proud, as to think much to stoop to the lowest Offices, to serve one another?

You see, my Brethren, what is the constant Work and Employment of the Blessed Spirits above; to do good to Men, especially in order to their Eternal Happiness; and this is the highest degree of Charity, and Charity is the highest Perfection of Men and An­gels: So that to employ our selves, with all our Minds, and with all our Might, [Page 191]to help forward the Salvation of others, is to be Good Angels (I had almost said to be a kind of Gods) to Men.

I hope that we all of us do hope one day to be like the Angels, in the Purity and Perfection of their Nature. So our Saviour has told us, that at the Resurrection, we shall be like the An­gels: Now as they are the Patterns of our Hope and Happiness; so let us make them the Examples, of our Duty and Obedience; according as our Saviour hath taught us to pray, that God's will may be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven; that is, that we may serve; God, and do his Will here on Earth, (so far as the Infirmity of our Nature and of our present state will admit) with the same Readiness and Diligence, with the same Chear­fulness and Zeal, that the holy and Blessed Angels do in Heaven. And let us aspire continually in our minds, after that Blessed Time, when we shall be free from Sin and Sorrow, from Affliction and Pain, from Dis­eases and Deaths; when we shall serve God without Distraction, and do his Will without weariness, and shall [Page 192] be for ever with the Lord, amidst an innu­merable company of Angels, and the Spirits of just men made perfect.

Finally, Let us bless God, as for all the visible Effects of his merciful Pro­vidence towards us, so likewise for the invisible Aids and Protection of his holy Angels; many times pro­bably vouchsafed to us, when we are but little aware of it. But above all, let us, bless him for his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made a little lower than the Angels, that is, a Mor­tal Man; that by the Suffering of death for our sakes, he might be cloathed with glory and honour, according to the working of that mighty power which God wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all Prin­cipalities and Powers, and Might, and Dominion, and every Name that is na­med, not only in this World, but also in that which is to come. To him O Father, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all Honour and Glory, Dominion and Power, both now and for ever. Amen.

AS the Desire and Hope of Im­mortality, which is implanted in Humane Nature, is some Evi­dence of the Thing; so likewise that Natural Desire which is in Men, to have a Good Name perpetuated, and to be remembred, and mention­ed [Page 194]with honour, VOL. II. when they are dead and gone, is a sign, that there is in Humane Nature some Presage of a Life after Death; in which they hope, among other Rewards of well-doing, to meet with this also, to be well spoken of to Posterity: And tho probably we should not know the Good that is said of us, when we are dead, yet it is an encouragement to Virtue, to be secured of it before­hand; and to find by Experience, that they who have done their part well in this life, go off with Ap­plause; and that the Memory of their Good Actions is preserved and trans­mited to Posterity.

And among the many Advantages of Piety and Virtue, this is not al­together inconsiderable, that it re­flects an Honour upon our Memory after death; which is a thing much more valuable, than to have our Bo­dies preserved from Putrifaction: For that I think is the meaning of So­lomon, when he prefers a Good Name before precious Oyntment, Eccl. 7.1. A good name is better than precious Oyntment. This they used in Embalm­ing [Page 195]of dead Bodies, Serm. VII. to preserve them from noisomness and corruption: but a Good Name preserves a Man's Memo­ry, and makes it grateful to Posterity; which is a far greater Benefit, than that of a precious Oyntment which serves on­ly to keep a dead Body from stench and rottenness.

I shall briefly explain the Words, and then consider the matter contain­ed in them; the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. By the righte­ous is probably here meant the good man in general; for tho' Justice and Righteousness, are in Scripture fre­quently used for that particular Vir­tue, whereby a Man is disposed to render to every Man his own; which is known by the name of Justice; yet it is less frequently, and perhaps in this place, used in a larger Sense, so as to comprehend all Piety and Virtue. For so the righteous man is de­scribed at the beginning of this Psalm, Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his Command­ments: And he is opposed to the wick­ed man, v. 10. the wicked shall see it, and be grieved; that is, he shall be [Page 196]troubled to see the Prosperity of the righteous; the manifold Blessings of his life, and the Good Name he shall leave behind him at his death; which is the meaning of his being in ever­lasting remembrance; that is, long af­ter he is dead, perhaps for many Ages, he shall be well spoken of, and his Name mentioned with honour, and his Good Deeds recorded and remembred to all Posterity.

So that the sense of the words a­mounts to this, That eminently good men, do commonly leave a Good Name behind them, and transmit a grateful Me­mory of themselves to after Ages. I say commonly, for so we are to understand these kind of sayings; not that they are strictly, and universally true, with­out exception; but usually, and for the most part. It is possible, that a Good Man may soon be forgotten, by the Malice of Men; or through the par­tiality and iniquity of the Age, may have his Name blemisht after death, and be mis-represented to Posterity: but for the most part it is otherwise; and tho' the World be very wicked, yet it seldom deals so hardly and unjustly [Page 197]with Men of eminent Goodness and Virtue, as to defraud them of their due Praise and Commendation after death. It very frequently happens otherwise to Good Men, whilst they are alive; nay they are then very seldom so justly treated, as to be ge­nerally esteemed and well spoken of, and to be allowed their due Praise and Reputation: But after death, their Good Name is generally secured and vindicated, and Posterity does them that right, which perhaps the Age wherein they lived denyed to them. Therefore in the Prosecution of this Argument, I shall enquire into these Two things.

First, Whence it comes to pass, that Good Men are very often de­frauded of their just Praise and Reputation, whilst they are alive? And,

Secondly, What Security they have of a Good Name after death?

First, Whence it comes to pass, that Good Men are so frequently defrau­ded of their just Praise and Reputa­tion, [Page 198]while they are alive? And to give our selves full satisfaction in this matter, Two things are fit to be enqui­red into.

• 1. From what Cause this pro­ceeds?
• 2. For what Reason the Providence of God doth often permit it?

(1.) From what Cause it proceeds, that good Men have so often the hard Fate to be ill spoken of, and to be severely censur'd, and to have their worth much detracted from, while they are alive?

And this proceeds partly from Good Men themselves; and partly from o­thers.

1. Good Men themselves, are ma­ny times the cause of it. For the best Men are imperfect; and present and visible Imperfections do very much lessen, and abate the Reputation of a Man's Goodness. It cannot be other­wise, but that the lustre of a great Piety and Virtue should be somewhat [Page 199]obscured, by that mixture of Humane Frailty, which does necessarily attend this state of Imperfection: And though a Man by great Care and Conside­ration, by great Vigilancy and Pains with himself, be arrived to that de­gree and pitch of Goodness, as to have but a very few visible Failings, and those small, in comparison; yet when these come to be scann'd and commented upon, by Envy or Ill-will, they will be strangely inflamed and magnified, and made much greater, and more than in truth they are. But there are few Per­sons in the World, of that excellent Goodness, but besides the common and more pardonable Frailties of Humani­ty, they do now and then discover something, which might perhaps just­ly deserve a severe Censure, if some a­mends were not made for it, by many and great Virtues.

Very good Men are subject to con­siderable Imprudences, and sudden Passions; and especially to an affected Severity and Moroseness of Carriage; which is very disgustful, and apt to beget dislike. And they are the more incident to these kind of Imperfecti­ons; [Page 200]because out of a just hatred of the vicious Customs and Practices of the World, and to keep out of the way of Temptation, they think it safest to retire from the World as much as they can; being loth to venture themselves, more than needs, in so infectious an Air. By this means, their Spirits are apt to be a little sow­er, and they must necessarily be ig­norant of many points of Civility, and good Humour; which are great Ornaments of Virtue, though not of the Essence of it.

Now two or three Faults in a Good Man, if an Uncharitable Man have but the handling and managing of them, may easily cast a considerable Ble­mish upon his Reputation; because the better the Man is, so much the more conspicuous are his Faults; as Spots are soonest discovered, and most taken notice of, in a pure and white Garment. Besides that, in mat­ters of Censure, Mankind do much encline to the harder side; and but very few Persons are so charitable and equal, as to construe things to the best sense, and to consider a Man all [Page 201]together; and fairly to set the Good that is in him, against his Faults and Imperfections. But,

2. Though Good Men many times contribute too much, to the lessening of their own Reputation, with those among whom they live; yet the prin­cipal Cause of their Suffering in this kind, is not from themselves, but o­thers; and that upon these Three Ac­counts.

1. From the Hatred and Opposi­tion of Bad Men to Holiness and Virtue; and these are commonly the greatest number, and make the loud­est cry. They are declared Enemies to Goodness; and then how can it be expected, they should have any great Kindness for Good Men? They want Virtue themselves; and therefore they think themselves upbraided by the Good Qualities of others.

This Enmity of Wicked Men a­gainst the Righteous, and the true Reason of it, is very well exprest, in the Wisdom of Solomon, ch. 2. v. 12. Let us (say they) lie in wait for the [Page 202]Righteous; because he is not for our turn, and is clean contrary to our doings; he upbraideth us with our offending the Law, and he objecteth to our Infamy, the sins of our youth; he was made to reprove our Thoughts, therefore he is grievous unto us, even to behold; for his life is not like other men, he is quite of ano­ther fashion; we are esteemed of him as reprobate Silver, he abstaineth from our ways, as from filthiness. This is that which filleth the Minds of wicked Men with Malice against the Righte­ous; and Malice will easily invent ways to blast any Man's Reputation. Good Men do sometimes, as it is their duty, reprove those that are bad; or if they do it not in Word, yet they upbraid them in their Actions, and contrary course of life; and both these are grievous and provoking to them. Not but that Wicked Men are many times in their Consciences convinced of the real Goodness of those whom they speak against; but they will not own it, least in so doing they should con­demn themselves.

2. Another Cause of this, is the Envy of those, who perhaps have some [Page 203]degree of Goodness themselves. For great Virtue is apt to raise Envy in those who fall short of it; and this makes those who are but imperfectly Good, to detract from the Eminent Worth of others; because they are sensible, they are out-shined by them, and that it occasions a disadvantagi­ous Comparison, and makes their De­fects taken notice of.

They can endure a Man that is mo­derately Good, and keeps pace with his Neighbours: But if he endeavour to outstrip them, they presently com­bine against him, and take all opor­tunities to undermine his Reputation; and will be very glad, either to find a blot in his Escutcheon, or to fix one there.

3. There is something in the very Presence and Nearness of Goodness and Virtue, which is apt to lessen it.

In matters of Sense, the nearer the Object is, the bigger it appears; and the farther distant it is from us, the less it seems to be: But here it is quite otherwise; Men are not so apt [Page 204]to value Present Worth, when yet they will reverence it mightily at a Di­stance.

I know not whence it comes to pass, but so we certainly find it; that Men are more sensible of the Goodness and Excellency of any thing, under the want of it, than while they enjoy it; and do usually value it more when it is gone, than they did whilst it was present with them. Whilst we live with Good Men, and converse with them every day, we take but lit­tle notice of them; but no sooner are they departed, but we admire them, and every Man's Mouth is open to celebrate their Good Qualities. Per­haps Familiarity, and Acquaintance, and Conversation does insensibly beget something of Contempt; but what­ever the Reason of it be, we find the Thing most certainly true in Ex­perience.

(2.) Let us consider in the next place, for what Reasons the Provi­dence of God permits it thus to be? I shall mention but these Two.

1. To keep Good Men humble, and, as the expression is in Job, to hide pride from Men.

God's Providence, in the disposal and ordering of things in this World, seems rather to consult our Safety, than our Satisfaction; and the Security of our Virtue, than the full Reward of it. Now if Good Men should always meet with that clear Esteem and Re­putation, which their Goodness de­serves, they would be in great dan­ger of being puft up with a proud Conceit of themselves; and Pride is e­nough to supplant the greatest Virtue in the World; such a dead fly, as this, were sufficient to spoil a Box of the most precious Oyntment. For Man is an ambiti­ous Creature, and vain above all things; so vain, as not only to be covetous of Praise, but even patient of Flattery; and the best of Men lie too open, on this blind side of Humane Nature; and therefore God, who knows our frame, and how apt Dust and Ashes are to be proud, hath in his wise and merciful Providence so disposed things, that good Men are seldom exposed [Page 206]to the full force of so strong a Tempta­tion. And for this Reason, he lets loose envious and malicious Tongues, to detract from Good Men, for a check to the Vanity of Humane Nature, and to keep their Virtue safe, under the protection of Humility.

And this is the way likewise to se­cure the Reputation which they have, and which otherwise would be in dan­ger of being lost: For he that is once proud of the Esteem he hath got, takes the readiest way to fall into Con­tempt; and certainly it is better of the two, that our Reputation should suffer a little, by the Malice of others; than be ruin'd by our own Pride and Vanity.

God does not envy Good Men, the Reputation of their Goodness and Virtue; but he knows the weakness of Humane Nature, and will not suf­fer it to be tempted, above what it is able. When Good Men are grown up to Perfection, and able to bear it, as they will be when they come to Heaven, their Good Name shall be fully vindicated, and they shall have [Page 207]Praise, not only from Men, but from Angels, and from God himself.

2. This life is not the proper Sea­son of Reward, but of Work and Ser­vice.

In this life, God is pleased to give some present encouragement to Piety and Virtue, but reserves the main of our Recompence, to be bestowed upon us at the end of our Work. When our Course is finished, then, and not before, we must expect our Crown; when our Accounts are cast up, and stated, and it appears what improvement we have made of our Talents, then will come, the Euge bone serve, Well done good and faithful Servant. In the mean time, Good Men must be content with such a portion of Esteem, as an envious and ill-natured World will afford them.

And thus I have done with the First thing I proposed to enquire in­to; Whence it comes to pass, that Good Men are frequently defrauded of their due Praise and Reputation, while alive? I proceed to the [Page 208] Second Enquiry, namely, What Se­curity Good Men have of a Good Name after Death?

And the true Account of this is to be given, partly from the Providence of God, and partly from the Nature of the Thing.

(1.) From the Providence of God; which is concerned herein, upon a twofold account.

• 1. In respect of the Equity of it.
• 2. In regard of the Example of it.

1. In respect of the Equity of it. God, who will not be behind-hand with any Man, concerns himself, to secure to Good Men the proper Reward of their Piety and Virtue. Now Praise is one of the most proper Recom­pences of good and virtuous Actions; this Good Men seldom meet with in this life, without a great deal of al­lay and abatement; and therefore the Providence of God hath so ordered [Page 209]thing, that it should come in the pro­perest Season, when our Work is done, and when we are out of the Danger of the Temptation of it.

2. In regard of the Example of it. It is a great Argument to Virtue, and an encouragement to Men, to act their Part well, to see Good Men ap­plauded, when they go off the Stage. Every Man that hath any spark of Generosity in him, is desirous of Fame; and tho' Men care not how soon it comes, yet they will be glad to have it after Death, rather than not at all. Piety and Virtue would be but very melancholy and uncomfortable things; if they should always be so unfortunate, as never to meet with due Esteem and Approbation: but when Men are assured, that they shall have this Re­ward, one time or other, and observe it to be so in experience; this is a great Spur and Encouragement to do virtuously: And a great Mind, that hath a just sense of Reputation and a good Name, will be content to lay in for it beforehand; and pati­ently to wait the time, which God [Page 210]knows fittest for the bestowing of it.

(2.) The other part of the Ac­count of this Truth, is to be given from the Nature of the Thing: Because Death removes and takes away the chief Obstacle of a Good Man's Re­putation. For then his Defects are out of sight, and Men are contented that his Imperfections should be bu­ried in his Grave with him. Death hath put him out of the reach of Ma­lice and Envy, his Worth and Ex­cellency does now no longer stand in other mens light; his great Vir­tues are at a distance, and not so apt to be brought into Comparison, to the prejudice and disadvantage of the living; mortui non mordent; The Ex­ample of the dead, is not so cutting a reproof to the Vice of the living; the Good Man is removed out of the way, and his Example, how bright so­ever, is not so scorching and trouble­som at a distance; and therefore Men are generally contented, to give him his due Character.

Besides, that there is a certain Ci­vility [Page 211]in Humane Nature, which will not suffer Men to wrong the dead, and to deny them the just commen­dation of their worth. Even the Scribes and Pharisees, (as bad a sort of Men as we can well imagine) though they were just like their Fathers in per­secuting and slaying the Prophets, while they were alive; yet had they a mighty Veneration for their Piety and Virtue, after they were dead, and thought no Honour too great to be done to them. They would be at the Charge of raising Monuments to the Memory of those Good Men, whom their Fathers had slain; and whom they would certainly have u­sed in the very same manner, had they either lived in the days of those Prophets, or those Prophets had lived in their days, as our Saviour plainly told them.

All that now remains is, to draw some Inferences from what hath been said, by way of Application; and they shall be these Three.

• 1. To vindicate the Honour and [Page 212]Respect which the Christian Church, for many Ages, hath paid to the Me­mory of the first Teachers and Martyrs of our Religion.
• 2. To encourage us to Piety and Goodness, from this Consideration; that the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
• 3. That when we pretend to honour the Memory of Good Men, we would be careful to imitate their Holiness and Virtue.

1. To vindicate the Honour, which the Christian Church hath for many Ages done to the first Teachers and Mar­tyrs of our Religion; I mean more es­pecially to the Holy Apostles of our Lord and Saviour; to whose Honour, the Christian Church hath thought fit to set apart Solemn Times, for the Com­memoration of their Piety and Suffer­ing, and to stir up others to the imita­tion of them.

This certainly can with no good colour, either from Scripture or Rea­son, [Page 213]be pretended to be unlawful; and when David here says, the righte­ous shall be in everlasting remembrance; he cannot certainly be thought to exclude the most solemn Way of commemorating their Piety and Vir­tue.

I do not pretend, this Custom can be derived from the very first Ages of Christianity; but surely it is suf­ficient, for the lawfulness of it, that it is no where forbidden; nay it is rather required here in the Text; the best way to preserve the Memory of Good Men, being thus to commemo­rate them. And it may be of great Use to us, if it be not our own fault; the setting before our eyes, the holy lives of Excellent Men, being in its own nature apt to excite us to the Imi­tation of them.

Besides that I could tell you, that though this cannot be proved so an­cient, as some vainly pretend; yet it is of great Antiquity in the Church, and did begin in some of the best Ages of Christianity. Memoriae Mar­tyrum, [Page 214]the Meetings of Christians at the Tombs of the Martyrs was practised long before the degeneracy of the Western Church; and the Christians were wont at those Meetings, solemnly to comme­morate the Faith and Constancy of those Good Men, and to encourage themselves from their Examples.

I know very well, that this did in time degenerate into gross Super­stition, which afterward gave colour and occasion to that gross and Idola­trous Practice in the Church of Rome, of Worshipping Saints. But this Abuse is no sufficient Reason for us, to give over the Celebrating of the Me­mory of such holy Men, as the Apo­stles and Martyrs of Christ were; and propounding them to our selves for our Patterns. We may still lawfully give them their due Honour; tho' the Church of Rome hath so over-done it, as to rob God of his.

2. Let this Consideration, that the righteous shall be in everlasting remem­brance, be an encouragement to us, to Piety and Goodness. This to a [Page 215]generous Nature, that is sensible of Honour and Reputation, is no small Reward and Encouragement. Before the Happiness of Heaven was clearly revealed, and life and immortality brought to light, by the Gospel, one of the great­est Motives to worthy and virtuous Deeds, was the earnest desire which Men had of leaving a Good Name behind them, and of Perpetuating the Fame and Glory of their Actions to af­ter Ages. Upon this ground, chiefly, many of the Bravest Spirits, among the Heathen, were animated to Virtue, and, with the hazard of their lives, to do great and glorious Exploits for their Country.

And certainly, it is an Argument of a great Mind, to be moved by this Consideration; and a sign of a low and base Spirit, to neglect it. He that hath no regard to his Fame, is lost to all purposes of Virtue and Good­ness; when a Man is once come to this, not to care what others say of him, the next step is, to have no care what himself does. Quod conscientia est apud Deum, id fama est apud homines, what [Page 216]Conscience is in respect of God, that is Fame in respect of Men. Next to a good Conscience, a clear Reputation ought to be to every Man the dearest thing in the World. Men have gene­rally a great value for Riches; and yet the Scripture pronounceth him the happier Man, that leaves a Good Name, than him that leaves a great Estate be­hind him, Prov. 22.1. A good name is rather to be chosen, than great riches.

If then we have any regard to a Good Name; the best way to se­cure it to our selves, is by the ho­ly and virtuous Actions of a good Life. Do well, and thou shalt be well spoken of; if not now, yet by those who shall come after; the surest way to glory, and honour, and immorta­lity, is by a patient continuance in well-doing. God hath engaged his pro­mise to us to this purpose, 1 Sam. 2.30. Them that honour me, I will honour; and they that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed. The name of the wicked shall rot, says Solomon, Prov. 10.7. But God doth usually take a particular care, so preserve and vindicate their Memo­ry, [Page 217]who are careful to keep his Cove­nant, and remember his Commandments to do them.

3dly, and lastly, When ever we pre­tend to do honour to the Memory of Good Men, let us charge our selves with a strict Imitation of their Holiness and Virtue. The greatest honour we can do to God, or Good Men, is to endeavour to be like them; to express their Virtues, and represent them to the World in our lives. Upon these Days, we should propound to our selves, as our Patterns, all those holy and excellent Persons, who have gone before us; the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour, and all those blessed Saints and Martyrs, who were faithful to the death, and have received a crown of life and immortality.

We should represent to our selves the Piety of their Actions, and the Patience and Constancy of their Suf­ferings, that we may imitate their Virtues, and be followers of them, who through faith and patience, have inheri­ted the promises; and seeing we are com­past [Page 218]about with such a cloud of witnesses, we should lay aside every weight, and run with patience the race which is set before us.

Let us imagine all those great Ex­amples of Piety and Virtue, standing about us in a throng, and fixing their Eyes upon us. How ought we to de­mean our selves in such a Presence, and under the eye of such Witnesses! and how should we be ashamed to do any thing, that is unworthy of such excellent Patterns, and blush to look upon our own lives, when we remember theirs! Good God! at what a distance do the greatest part of Chri­stians follow those Examples! and while we honour them with our lips, how unlike are we to them in our lives!

Why do we thus reproach our selves with these glorious Patterns? Let us ei­ther resolve to imitate their Virtues, or to make no mention of their Names; for while we celebrate the Examples of Saints and Holy Men, and yet contra­dict [Page 219]them in our lives, we either mock them, or upbraid our selves.

Now the God of Peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

THE great Scope and Design of this Epistle, is to per­swade the Jews, who were newly [Page 222]converted to Christianity, VOL. II. to continue stedfast in the Profession of it, not­withstanding all the Sufferings and Persecutions it was attended withall; and to encourage them hereto, among many other Arguments which the A­postle makes use of, he doth several times, in this Epistle, propound to them the Examples and Patterns of Saints and Holy Men, that were gone before them; especially those of their own Nation, who in their re­spective Ages had given remarkable Testimony of their Faith in God, and constant Adherence to the Truth. Ch. 6.11, 12. And we desire, that every one of you do shew the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope, unto the end: that ye be not slothful; but followers of them, who through faith and patience in­herit the promises. And, Ch. 11. he gives a Catalogue of the Eminent Heroes and Saints of the Old Testament, who by Faith had done such Wonders, and given such Testimony of their Pa­tience and Constancy, in doing and suffering the Will of God; from whence he infers, Ch. 12.1. that we ought to take Pattern and Heart from such Examples, to persevere in [Page 223]our Christian course; Serm. VIII. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of Martyrs, or Witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us; especially since they had greater Examples than these, nearer to them, and more fresh in Memory; the great Example of our Lord, the Founder of our Religion; and of the first Teachers of Christianity, the Dis­ciples and Apostles of our Lord and Saviour. The Example of our Lord himself, the Captain and Rewarder of our Faith, v. 2. of that 12th Ch. Looking unto Jesus the author and fini­sher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, despising the shame; v. 3. For consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners a­against himself, lest ye be wearied, and faint in your minds. This indeed is the great Pattern of Christians, and in re­gard of the great Perfection of it, sur­passeth all other Patterns, and seems to make them useless; as having in it the Perfection of the Divinity, not in its full brightness, (which would be apt to dazle rather than direct us) but [Page 224]allayed and shadowed with the Infirmi­ties of Humane Nature; and for that Reason, more accommodate and fami­liar to us, than the Divine Perfections abstractedly considered.

But yet because our Blessed Saviour was God as well as Man, and clear of all stain of sin, (for tho' he was cloathed with the Infirmities, yet he was free from the Corruption of Hu­mane Nature) therefore the Examples of meer Men, liable to sin as we are, may in many respects be more suitable and accomodate, to encourage us to the imitation of those Virtues, which are attainable by us, in this state of Imperfection; for which Reason the Apostle hath thought fit likewise to propose to us, the highest Examples of that kind, the first Teachers of our Reli­gion; for of these he seems to speak here in the Text, namely those Apo­stles, or Apostolical Men, by whom they had been instructed in the Faith of Christ, but who were now depar­ted this life; it being very probable, that the Apostle here speaks of such as were dead, when he says, Remem­ber them, which have the rule over you, [Page 225](or, those that have been your Guides) who have spoken to you the word of God, whose Faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

I say this is very probable, because he minds them to remember them, which supposeth them to be absent; but especially, because he minds them, to consider the end of their conversation; by which surely he means the Blessed State of those Good Men after Death; which is elsewhere called, the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls, 1 Pet. 1.9. So likewise, Rom. 6.22. this is said to be the End of a holy Life; ye have your fruit unto holiness and the End, everlasting life. And it very much favours this Interpretation, that the Apostle afterwards speaks of the living Guides, and Governours of the Church, v. 17. Obey them which have the rule over you, and submit your selves; for they watch for your souls.

So that it is highly probable, that the Apostle here speaks of such Guides, and Governours of the Church, as had once been over them, but were now departed this Life; and therefore he [Page 226]might with more freedom and less en­vy, recommend their Example to them, and bid them call to mind their Faith, and exemplary Conversation among them, and propose it for a Pattern to themselves, considering the happy End of it, viz. The Blessed State they were now in, and the Glorious Reward they were made Partakers of, in ano­ther Life.

In the Words thus explained, you have,

I. A Duty enjoyned; which is, to propose to our selves, for our Imita­tion, the Examples of Good Men, that have gone before us; especially the primitive Patterns of Christianity, and the first Teachers of our Religion. Re­member them which have been your Guides, and have spoken to you the Word of God, whose Faith follow.

II. The Motive or Encouragement to it, from the Consideration of the Reward of it; Considering the End of their Conversation.

I. The Duty enjoyned; which is, [Page 227]to propose to our selves, for our Imi­tation, the Example of Good Men, that have gone before us; especially the Primitive Patterns of Christianity, and first Teachers of our Religion. Re­member them that have had the rule o­ver you, that have been your Guides, and have spoken to you the word of God, whose Faith follow. In which Words, the Apostle bids them call to mind their first Guides and Instructors in Christi­anity, whom they had known, and heard, and conversed with in this World, but who were now rested from their labours, and were receiving the Reward of them; to remember the Doctrines they heard from them, and the Virtues they had seen in them; and to embrace the one, and imitate the other.

Thus We cannot remember the Pri­mitive Teachers, and Patterns of Christianity, the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour; became we did not per­sonally know them, and converse with them, living at the distance of ma­ny Ages from their time: But we may do that which is equivalent, and a kind of Remembrance of them; we may [Page 228]commemorate their Faith, and the Virtue and Holiness of their Lives; and what we hear and read of them, we may propose for Patterns to our selves, and copy them out in our Lives and Actions: And this is our Duty, and the same in substance with theirs, who had the happiness to know, and con­verse with those excellent Persons, to hear them Preach, and to see the Rules and Precepts of that Holy Doctrine, which they Taught, exemplified in their Lives.

In the handling of this Argument, I shall do these Three things.

First, Shew why amongst all the Examples of Good Men, we should more especially propose to our Imitati­on, the Primitive Teachers, and Pat­terns of our Religion.

Secondly, Wherein we should Imi­tate them. The Apostle expresseth it in one Word, in their Faith; whose Faith follow.

Thirdly, The Encouragement to this, from the Consideration of the happy [Page 229]State they are in, and the glorious Reward they are made Partakers of; Considering the End of their Conversa­tion.

First, I shall endeavour to shew, why among all the Examples of Good Men, we should more especially pro­pose to our Imitation, the Primitive Teachers and Patterns of our Reli­gion, I mean, the holy Apostles of our Lord and Saviour, whose Faith, we should endeavour to follow; and to Imi­tate the holiness and virtue of their Conversation. For These certainly come nearest to that most Perfect, and Excellent Pattern of all Goodness, our Blessed Saviour, and are the fairest Transcripts of that unblemisht Origi­nal. Hence it is that St. Paul so frequently exhorts Christians to Imi­tate his Example, and the Examples of the other Apostles; it being rea­sonable to presume, that They came nearest to the Pattern of our Lord. 1 Cor. 11.1. Be ye followers of me, e­ven as I also am of Christ, Phil. 3.17. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so, as ye have [Page 230]us for an Ensample. For our Conversation is in Heaven.

And this is reasonable, that the first in every kind should be the Rule and Pattern of the rest, and of all that fol­low after; because it is likely to be most perfect. In process of Time, the best Institutions are apt to decline, and by insensible degrees to swerve, and de­part from the Perfection of their first state; and therefore it is a good Rule, to preserve things from corruption and degeneracy, often to look back to the first Institution, and by that to correct those Imperfections and Errors, which will almost unavoidably creep in with Time.

If we would preserve that Purity of Faith and Manners, which our Religi­on requires, we should have frequent recourse to the Primitive Teachers and Patterns of Christianity, and endeavour to bring our Belief and Lives to as near a Conformity with theirs, as is pos­sible. Who so likely to deliver the Faith and Doctrine of Christ pure, and uncorrupted, as the Primitive Teachers of it, who received it from [Page 231]our Lord himself; and were, by an extraordinary assistance of the Holy Spirit, secured from Error and Mistake in the delivery of it? And who so likely to bring their Lives and Con­versations to an exact Conformity with this holy Doctrine, as they, who were so throughly Instructed in it by the best Master, and shewn the Practice of it in the most per­fect Example of all Holiness and Vir­tue? Great Reason there is therefore, why all Christians should follow their Faith, and make their Coversation more especially the Patterns of their Lives.

The want of a due regard to these Fountains of Christian Doctrine, and the first and best Patterns of Christi­an Practice, hath been the great Cause of that foul degeneracy of the Ro­mish Church, both in the Doctrine and Practice of Christianity. They do not follow the Faith of the Apo­stles, the first Fathers and Teachers of Christianity; but of the Fathers of the Council of Lateran, and Trent. Thus have they forsaken the Fountain of li­ving waters, the Holy Scriptures, and [Page 232]have hewn to themselves broken Cisterns, that will hold no water; the Doctrines and Traditions of Men. Nay, they have stopt up this Fountain of living waters from the People, and forbid them to come to it; and forced them to drink of those impure and pud­led Streams, which they let out to them; and instead of the Lives of the holy Apostles, and those eminent Gra­ces and Virtues which shined forth in them, they represent to them the Patterns of new Saints; some of which neither they nor their Fathers knew, and indeed never were in being; as St. Almanach, and St. Synoris, and seve­ral others; many of them so far from being Saints, that they may be reck­oned among the worst of Men; (for instance, our Countryman Thomas a Becket, who for Pride and Rebellion may almost vye with Lucifer himself; and yet this ill Man, and worst of Subjects, was Canonized to that height, as for Two hundred Years together, to engross the Worship of these West­ern Parts of the World, and to im­poverish the Shrines of all other Saints, even of the Blessed Virgin her self;) o­thers, such Ideots, or hot-headed Fa­naticks, [Page 233]that he that reads their Lives, would take them to be Fools and Mad­men, rather than Saints, (as Francis, and Dominick, and Ignatius Loyola, and several others of the same stamp;) and many the very best of them, so disgui­sed by their Legends, that instead of the substantial Virtues of a Good Life, their story is made up of false and fan­tastical Miracles, and ridiculous Freaks of Superstition.

All which considered, there is great Reason, why we should have recourse to the Primitive Patterns of Faith and Holiness, and be followers of them, who we are sure were followers of Christ. I pro­ceed to the

Second Thing I proposed, namely, wherein we should imitate these Pat­terns. And the Apostle expresseth it in one word, in their Faith, Whose faith fol­low. And the word Faith is frequently in the New Testament used so largely, as to comprehend the whole Condition of the Gospel; a firm Belief of the Do­ctrine of it, and the Fruit and Effect of this Belief, in a good Conversation. And that Faith here in the Text, takes in a holy Life, is evident from what [Page 234]follows, Whose faith follow, considering the end of their Conversation; from whence it is evident, that the Apostle speaks of such a Faith, as shews forth it self in a good Conversation.

So that we may very well suppose the Apostle here to recommend the Primitive Faith to our imitation, in these Four respects.

• 1. In regard of the Sincerity and Pu­rity of it.
• 2. In regard of the Firmness and Stability of it.
• 3. Of their Constancy and Perseve­rance in it.
• 4. Of the Efficacy and Fruitfulness of it, in a good Conversation. All these may be collected from the Expressions and Circumstances of the Text.

1. We are to imitate these Primi­tive Patterns, in the Sincerity and Purity of their Faith; I mean, that the Faith which we profess, be the sincere Do­ctrine of Christianity, and the pure [Page 235]Word of God, free from all mixture of Humane Additions and Inventions, and not made up, as the Faith of the Pharisees was among the Jews, and theirs of the Church of Rome is at this day, of the Word of God, and the Doctrines and Traditions of Men; not like the Creed of Pope Pius the IV. (which is now the Standard of the Roman Faith) consisting of the 12 Old Aricles of the Christian Faith, deli­vered to us by Christ and his Apo­stles, and as many new ones, coined and stampt by their later Councils. This is not to follow the Faith of the Apostles, and first Patterns of Chri­stianity, the Faith once delivered to the Saints, as St. Jude calls it. This is to have our Faith stand upon the Autho­rity of Men, and not on the Word of God; whereas we are to follow the Faith of the first Guides of the Christian Church, who spake unto them the Word of God, as the Apostle expresly charg­eth here in the Text.

2. We are to imitate them, in the Stability and Firmness of our Faith, and not suffer our selves to be shaken, and removed from it, by every wind of new [Page 236]Doctrine; the Faith of Christ being un­changeable, as Christ himself. And that by following the Faith of the Pri­mitive Guides and Teachers of Chri­stianity, the Apostle here means, that we should be stedfast and unmoveable in it, is plain from what follows imme­diately after the Text; Whose faith fol­low, considering the End of their Conver­sation. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Be not carryed about with divers and strange doctrines: for it is a good thing, that the heart be establisht with grace, that is, in the Do­ctrine of the Gospel, which is frequent­ly called the grace of God.

3. We are to imitate them, in the Constancy and Perseverance of their Faith; and that, notwithstanding all the Discountenance and Opposition, the Persecution and Suffering, which attend the Profession of this Faith; which the Apostle sufficiently intimates in this Epistle, to have been the Con­dition of those Christians, to whom he wrote; and therefore he proposeth so many Examples to them, of con­stant and patient Suffering for God and his Truth; and it is probable e­nough, [Page 237]that the Apostle here recom­mends the Example of those, who were the Primitive Martyrs, as well as Tea­chers of Christianity. He had before proposed to them the living Examples of those, who were under actual Per­secution and Sufferings for the Gospel, v. 3. Remember those that are in bonds, and those that suffer adversity; and here in the 7. v. he seems to propose the Pattern of those, who had laid down their Lives and dyed for the Faith; Re­member those who have been your Guides, and have spoken to you the Word of God, whose Faith follow, considering the End of their Conversation, [...], which may be rendr'd, the last act of their Lives, the manner of their going out of the World, perhaps by Martyrdom; as if had said, Imi­tate them in their Constancy and Per­severance in the Faith, even to the last, in laying down their Lives for it. And thus we should be ready to do, if God calls us to it. However, it is certain, the Aopstle meant their Constancy and Perseverance in the Faith, to the last, and their dying in, if not for the Faith of Christ. And this is necessary, if we expect the Crown of Life, and hope for [Page 238]the same happy End, which they had; for none but they that continue to the end, shall be saved.

4. We should imitate them, in the efficacy and fruitfulness of their Faith, in the Practice and Virtues of a good Life. Whose faith follow, considering the end of their Conversation, that is, their Perseve­rance in a holy Course to the end. And these must never be separated; a sound Faith, and a good Life. Without this, our Faith is barren and dead, as St. James tells us, ch. 2. v. 17. Our Knowledge and Belief of the Christian Doctrine, must manifest it self in a good Conversation. Who is a wise man (says the same St. James, ch. 3. v. 13.) Who is a wise man; and endowed with knowledge amongst you? Let him shew-out of a good conversation his works. This is a faithful saying, saith St. Paul to Titus, ch. 3. v. 8. and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they who have believed in God, be careful to maintain good works.

And herein the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour were eminent Ex­amples. They lived as they Taught, and Practised the Doctrine which they [Page 239]Preached. So St. Paul strictly chargeth Timothy, 1 Tim. 4.12. Be thou an ex­ample of the Believers, in word, in conver­sation, in charity, in faith, in purity. And our Saviour tells us, that hereby chiefly false Prophets and Teachers might be known from the true Apostles of Christ, Matth. 7.20. By their fruits ye shall know them. And indeed we do not follow the faith of those Excellent Persons, if we do not abound in all the fruits of righte­ousness, which, by Jesus Christ, are to the praise and glory of God. I come now to the

Third and Last Thing I Proposed, viz. the Encouragement to this, from the Consideration of the happy state of those Persons, who are proposed to us for Patterns, and the glorious Reward which they are made Partakers of in an­other World. Considering the end of their Conversation [...], their egress, or departure out of this Life, into a Blessed and Glorious State, where they have received the Crown and Re­ward of their Faith and Patience, and Pious Conversation in this World; or else, (which comes much to one,) considering the conclusion of their Lives, [Page 240]with what Patience and Comfort they left the World, and with what joy­ful Assurance of the happy Conditi­on they were going to, and were to continue in for ever.

And this is a great encouragement to Constancy and Perseverance in Faith and Holiness, to see with what Chear­fulness and Comfort good Men die, and with what a firm and steady Per­swasion of the Happiness they are entring upon. For who would not be glad to leave the World, in that Calmness and Serenity of Mind, and comfortable Assurance of a Blessed E­ternity? Bad Men wish this, and are ready to say with Balaam, Let me die the death of the Righteous, and let my last end be like his. But if we would have the Comfort of such a Death, we must live such Lives, and imitate the Faith and good Conversation of those, whom we desire to resemble in the manner of their Death, and to go into the same Happy State that they are in after Death. If we do not make their Lives our Pattern; we must not expect to be conform­able to to them, in the happy Manner [Page 241]of their Death. When we hear of the Death of an eminent good Man, we do not doubt but he is happy; and are confident, that he will meet with the Reward of his Piety and Good­ness in another World. If we believe this of him; let us endeavour to be like him; that we may attain the same Happiness, which we believe him to be possest of, and, as the Apostle ex­horts, ch. 6.12. Let us not be sloth­ful; but followers of them, who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises. Let us shew the same Diligence that they did; that we may have the same full Assurance of Hope unto the End, which they had.

The Inference from this Discourse, which I have made upon this Argu­ment, is, to shew what Use we ought to make of these excellent Examples, which are set before us, of the first Founders and Teachers of our Reli­gion, and what is the proper Honour and Respect, which we ought to pay to their Memory: Not Invocation and Adoration; but a zealous Imitation of their Faith, and good Conversation. The greatest Honour we can do them, [Page 242]the most acceptable to God, the most grateful to them, and the most be­neficial to our selves, is to endeavour to be like them: Not to make any Images, and Likeness of them, to fall down before them, and worship them; but to Form the Image of their Faith and Virtues upon our Hearts and Lives: Not to Pray to them; but to Praise God for such bright and glorious Examples, and to endeavour with all our Might to imitate their Faith, and Patience, and Piety, and Humility, and Meekness, and Chari­ty, and all those other Virtues which were so resplendent in them. And this is to remember the Founders of our Religion as we ought, to follow their Faith, and to consider the end of their Con­versation.

Had the Christian Religion requi­red, or intended any such thing, as of latter Times hath been practised in the World; it had been as easy for the Apostle to have said, Remember them that have been your Guids, and have spoken to you the Word of God, to erect Images to them, and to worship them with due Veneration, and to pray to them [Page 243]and make use of their Intercession. But no such thing is said, or the least In­timation given of it, either in this Text, or any other in the whole Bible; but very much to the contrary.

Their Example indeed is frequent­ly recommended to us, for our Imi­tation and Encouragement; and for this Reason, the Providence of God hath taken particular Care, that the Memory of the Apostles, and so ma­ny primitive Christians and Martyrs, should be transmitted to Posterity; that Christians in all succeeding A­ges might propound these Patterns to themselves, and have perpetually be­fore their Eyes the Piety and Virtue of their Lives, and their patient and constant Sufferings for the Truth; that when God shall please to call us to the like Tryal, we may not be weari­ed and faint in our Minds; but being compassed about with such a Cloud of Witnesses, having so many Examples in our Eye of those, who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises, and do now as it were look down from their happy State upon us here below, who are combating with manifold [Page 244]Temptations, to see how we behave and acquit our selves in our Christian Course, we may take encouragement to our selves, from such Examples, and such Spectators, to run with Patience the Race which is set before us.

I know indeed that other Use than this hath been, and is at this Day made of the Memory of the Saints and Martyrs of former Ages, very disho­nourable to God, and very grievous to them, if they be sensible of what is done here below; I mean to Wor­ship them, and to Pray to them, and (to the great Disparagement of the powerful Intercession of our great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God) to make them the Mediators and Intercessors in Heaven with God for us. Of this the Scripture hath no where given us the least intimation; but hath expres­ly commanded the contrary, to worship the Lord our God, and him only to serve; and to pray to him alone, in the name of Jesus Christ, who is the only Mediator betwixt God and Man. Nor are there any Footsteps of any such Practice, in the primitive Church, for the first Three Hundred Years; as is [Page 245]acknowledged by our most Learned Ad­versaries of the Church of Romer

The Scripture no where propounds the Saints to us, for Objects of our Wor­ship; but for the Patterns of our lives. This is the greatest Respect and Veneration, that we can, or ought to pay to them; and whatever is beyond this, is a Ʋo­luntary Humility, injurious to God and our Blessed Saviour, and most cer­tainly displeasing to those, whom we pretend to Honour; if they know how Men play the fool about them here be­low.

Let us then endeavour to be like them, in the Holy and Virtuous Acti­ons of their Lives, in their constant Patience and Suffering for the Truth; if God shall call us thereto. And we may be like them, if we do but sin­cerely endeavour it, and pray to God for his Grace and Assistance to that end. For these Examples were not left for our Admiration only; but for our Imitation. We frequently read the Lives of the Apostles and first Found­ers of our Religion: But I know not how it comes to pass, we choose ra­ther [Page 246]lazily to admire them, than, vi­gorously to follow them; as if the Piety of the first Christians were Mi­raculous, and not at all intended for the Imitation of succeeding Ages; as if Heaven and Earth, God and Men, and all things were alter'd, since that time; as if Christianity were then in its Youthful Age and Vigour, but is since decayed, and grown old, and hath quite lost its Power and Virtue. And indeed the generality of Chri­stians live at such a faint and care­less rate, as to make the World be­lieve, that either all the Stories of the Primitive Christians are Fables; or else, that the Force of Christianity is strange­ly abated, and that the Holy Spirit of God hath forsaken the Earth, and is retired to the Father. But Truth ne­ver grows old, and those Laws of Goodness and Righteousness, which are contained in the Gospel, are still as reasonable, and apt to gain upon the Minds of Men, as ever. God is the same he was, and our Blessed Sa­viour is still at the Right Hand of God, Interceding powerfully for Sinners, for mercy and grace to help in time of need. The Promises and Threatnings, [Page 247]of the Gospel, are still as true and powerful as ever; and the holy Spi­rit of God is still in the World, and effectually works in them that be­lieve.

Let us not then deceive our selves in this matter. The Primitive Christians were Men like our selves, subject to the same Passions that we are, and compassed about with the same Infirmities; so that altho' that extraordinary Spirit and Power of Miracles, which God endow­ed them withal, for the first planting and propagating of the Gospel in the World, be now ceased; yet the sancti­fying Power and Virtue of God's Ho­ly Spirit, does still accompany the Go­spel, and is ready to assist us in every good work.

In a word: We have all that is ne­cessary to work the same Graces and Vir­tues in us, which were in them; and if we be not slothful, and wanting to our selves, we may follow their faith, and at last attain the end of it, even the Salva­tion of our Souls.

Let us then, from an idle admiring [Page 248]of those excellent Patterns, proceed to a vigorous imitation of them, and be so far from being discouraged by the Excellency of them, as to make even that Matter and Ground of encourage­ment to our selves; according to that of Tertullian, Admonetur omnis aet as fieri posse, quod aliquando factum est; all Ages to the end of the World may he convinced, that what hath been done, is possible to be done. There have been such Holy and Excellent Persons in the World; and therefore it is possible for Men to be such.

Let us not then be slothful, but follow­ers of them, who through Faith and Pati­ence inherit the Promises. Since we are compast about with such a Cloud of Wit­nesses; let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with Patience the Race which is set be­fore us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith, who for the Joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, and despised the Shame, and is now set down at the right hand of God.

IN the beginning of this Chapter, St. Paul encourageth Timothy to continue steadfast in the Professi­on of the Gospel, notwithstanding the [Page 250]Sufferings which attended it; VOL. II. Verse 1. Thou therefore my Son, be strong in the grace which is in Christ Jesus; and Verse 3. Thou therefore endure hardship, as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ. And to ani­mate him in his Resolution, he quotes a Saying, which it seems was well known and firmly believed among Christians; a Saying on the one hand full of Encouragement to those who with Patience and Constancy Suffer­ed for their Religion; and on the other hand, full of Terrour to those who for fear of Suffering denyed it.

It is a faithful saying. This is a Pre­face used by this Apostle, to intro­duce some remarkable Sentence, of more than ordinary weight and con­cernment; 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all accep­tation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save Sinners; and chap. 4.8, 9. Godliness is profitable unto all things, hav­ing a promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all accepta­tion, Titus 3.8. This is a faithful say­ing, and these things I will that thou affirm [Page 251]constantly, Serm. IX. that they which have believed in God, might be careful to maintain good works. And here in the Text, the same Preface is used to signify the Importance of the saying he was about to mention; It is a faithful saying; If we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: If we deny him, he will deny us.

The First Two Sentences are Mat­ter of Encouragement to those who Suffer with Christ, and for him, and are the very same in Sense. If we be dead with him, that is, if we lay down our lives for the Testimony of the Truth, as he did; we shall also live with him, that is, we shall in like man­ner be made Partakers of Immortali­ty, as he is: If we suffer or endure as he did, we shall also reign with him in Glory.

The other Sentence is Matter of Terrour to those who deny him and his Truth. If we deny him, he also will deny us; to which is subjoyned another Saying much to the same Sense; if we believe not, [...], if we be unfaith­ful; [Page 252]yet he remaineth faithful, he cannot deny himself; that is, he will be as good as his word, and make good that Solemn Threatning which he hath de­nounced against those, who shall for fear of Suffering deny him, and his Truth.

The Words being thus explained, I shall begin with the First Part of this remarkable Saying; If we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. This it seems, was a noted Saying a­mong Christians; and whether they had it by Tradition of our Saviour, or whether it was in familiar use among the Apostles, as a very proper and pow­erful Argument to keep Christians sted­fast to their Religion, I cannot deter­mine. It is certain, that Sayings to this Sense are very frequent, especially in the Epistles of St. Paul. Rom. 6.5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death; we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection; and Verse 8. Now if we be dead with Christ; we believe that we shall also live with him. 2 Cor. 4.10. Always bearing about in the body, the dying of our Lord Jesus; [Page 253]that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body; and Verse 18. For we which live, are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake; that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh; and Rom. 8.17. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Phil. 3.10, 11. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suf­ferings, being made comfortable unto his death: If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 1. Pet. 4.12, 13. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as tho' some strange thing happened un­to you; but rejoyce, in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

You see that the Sense of this Say­ing was in frequent use among the Apostles, as a powerful Argument to Encourage Christians to Constancy in their Religion, notwithstanding the Dangers and Sufferings which attended it. This is a faithful saying: If we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.

And the Force of this Argument will best appear, by taking into considera­tion these Two things;

• I. What Virtue there is in a firm Belief and Persuasion of a Blessed Im­mortality in another World, to sup­port and bear up Mens Spirits, un­der the greatest Sufferings for Righte­ousness sake; and even to animate them, if God shall call them to it, to lay down their Lives for their Re­ligion.
• II. How it may be made out to be reasonable, for Men to Embrace and Voluntarily to submit to Present and Grievous Sufferings, in Hopes of a Fu­ture Happiness and Reward; concerning which we have not, nor perhaps are ca­pable of having the same degree of Cer­tainty and Assurance which we have of the Evils and Sufferings of this pre­sent Life.

I. What Virtue there is in a firm Belief and Persuasion of a blessed Im­mortality in another World, to sup­port and bear up Mens Spirits, un­der [Page 255]the greatest Sufferings for Righte­ousness sake; and even to animate them, if God should call them to it, to lay down their Lives for their Re­ligion.

If Men do firmly believe that they shall change this Temporal and Misera­ble Life, for an Endless State of Hap­piness and Glory, and that they shall meet with a Reward of their Suffer­ings infinitely beyond the proportion of them, both in the Weight and Du­ration of it; this must needs turn the Scales on that side, on which there is the greatest Weight: And there is a suf­ficient ground for a firm Belief of this. For if any thing can certainly be con­cluded from the Providence of God, this may, That Good Men shall be happy one time or other: And be­cause they are very often great Suffer­ers in this Life; that there is another State remains for them after this Life, wherein they shall meet with a full Re­ward of all their Sufferings for Righte­ousness sake.

But besides the Reasonableness of this, from the consideration of God's [Page 256]Providence; we have now a clear and express Revelation of it; life and immortality being brought to light by the Gospel. This St. John tells us is the great Promise of the Gospel, 1 John 2.25. This is the promise which he hath promised us; even eternal life. And this Promise, our Saviour most expresly makes to those who Suffer for him, Mat. 5.10, 11, 12. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Bles­sed are ye, when men shall revile you and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falslly for my sake. Rejoyce, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven. Mark 10.29. Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or fa­ther, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the Gospel's; but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time, with persecutions, (that is, so far as a State of Persecution would admit) and in the world to come eternal life.

And if such a Perswasion be firm­ly fixt in our Minds; the Faith of an­other World, and the assured Hope of [Page 257]Eternal Life and Happiness, must needs have a mighty force and Efficacy up­on the Minds of Sober and Con­siderate Men; because there is no pro­portion between Suffering for a little while, and being Unspeakably and Etternally happy. So St. Paul tells us, he calculated the matter, Rom. 8.18. I reckon (says he) that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be re­vealed in us. The vast disproportion, between the Sufferings of a few Days, and the Joys and Glory of Eternity, when it is once firmly believed by us, will weigh down all the Evils and Calamities, of this World, and give us Courage and Constancy un­der them. For why should we faint; if we believe, that our light affliction, which is but for a moment, will work for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of Glory? As the same St. Paul assures us, 2 Cor. 4.17. If our Minds be but throughly possest with the hopes of a Resurrection to a Better and Happier Life; this will make Death, attended even with Extremity of Terror, to be tolerable; as we read of some, in that long Catalogue of [Page 258]Saints and Martyrs, Heb. 11.35. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection. It would make a Man to rejoyce in the Ruin and Dissolution of this earthly ta­bernacle, to be assured, that when it is dissolved, we shall have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens, as the same Apostle assures us, 2 Cor. 5.1. Thus you see what Virtue there is in the firm Belief and Persua­sion of a better Life, to bear up Mens Spirits under those Sufferings and Tor­ments which may seem unsupportable to Humane Nature.

And so indeed they would be, with­out an extraordinary Grace and Assi­stance of God, to enable them to bear those Sufferings, which his Providence permits them to be exercised withal. But of this extraordinary Grace, we are assured, not only from the considera­tion of the Attributes and Providence of God; but likewise from the ex­press Promises and Declarations of his Word.

The Attributes of God and his Provi­dence, give us good Grounds to believe [Page 259]that he who loves Goodness and Righ­teousness, and hath a Peculiar Favour and Regard for good Men, will ne­ver suffer his Faithful Friends and Ser­vants, to be brought into that Distress for Righteousness sake, that they shall not be able to endure those Evils and Afflictions which befal them upon that Account: And if in the Course of his Providence, any thing happen to them that is above the ordinary Constancy and Patience of Humane Nature to bear, that in such a Case, God will ex­traordinarily interpose, and give them Strength and Patience, Support and Comfort, proportionable to the Evils and Sufferings that are upon them; and that he will either lighten their Burden, or add to their Strength; he will either mitigate their Pain, or in­crease their Patience; either he will check and restrain the Effect of Natu­ral Causes; as in the Case of the Three Children, that were in the fiery Fur­nace; and of Daniel, who was cast in­to the Den of Lions; or else, (which comes to the same Issue,) if he will suffer Causes to have their Natural Course, he will afford Supernatural Comforts to ballance the Fury and Ex­tremity [Page 260]of them. This is very credible, from the meer consideration of God's Goodness, and of the Particular Care and Favour of his Providence towards Good Men.

But besides this, we have the Ex­press Promise and Declaration of God's Word, to this Purpose, which puts us out of all doubt concerning that which we had good Reason to hope and expect before. 1 Cor. 10.13. St. Paul there tells the Christians at Co­rinth, that tho' they had met with some Troubles, yet they had not been Tryed with the Extremity of Suffering: But when that should hap­pen, they had no cause to doubt, but God would enable them to bear it. There hath no Temptation taken you, but such as is common to man; that is, you have not yet been exercised with any Trial, but what is Humane; what the ordinary Strength and Resolution of Humane Nature is able to bear: But in case it should come to extream Suffering, and that they must either comply with the Heathen Idolatry, or endure Extremity of Torments; they had the Promise of God's Help, [Page 261]to support them in that Case. God is faithful, says he, who will not suffer you to be tempted, above that you are able to bear; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it; And then it follows, where­fore my dearly beloved, flee from Idolatry; that is, let no Suffering that you are Tempted withal, make you guilty of this Sin. And 1 Pet. 4.14. The Presence of God's Spirit, in a very glorious man­ner, for our Support and Comfort, is promised to those who Suffer for him. If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you.

And this consideration, of God's Strength to support us under Suffer­ings, makes the other, of the Reward of them, a Perfect and Compleat En­couragement; which it could not be without it. For if upon the whole matter, the present Sufferings of Good Men were intolerable, and Humane Nature were not Divinely assisted to bear them: How great soever the Fu­ture Reward promised to them should be; they that lay under them would be forced to consult their own present [Page 262]Ease and Deliverance. I proceed to the

II. Thing I proposed to consider, namely, How it may be made out to be Reasonable to Embrace and Volun­tarily to submit to present and grievous Sufferings, in Hopes of future Happi­ness and Reward; concerning which we have not, nor perhaps are capable of having the same degree of Certainty and Assurance, which we have of the Evils and Sufferings of this present Life.

Now granting that we have not the same Degree of Certainty concern­ing our future Happiness, that we have of our present Sufferings which we feel, or see just ready to come up­on us; yet Prudence making it neces­sary for Men to run this hazard, does justifie the Reasonableness of it. This I take to be a known and rul'd Case in the common Affairs of Life, and in Matters of Temporal Concern­ment; and Men Act upon this Prin­ciple every Day. The Husbandman parts with his Corn, and casts it in­to the Earth, in confidence that it will spring up again, and at the time [Page 263]of Harvest bring him in a considerable return and advantage. He parts with a Certainty, in hope only of a great future Benefit: And tho' he have no Demonstration, for the Infallible Suc­cess of his Labour and Hazard; yet he Acts very Reasonably: Because if he does not take this course, he runs a greater and more certain Hazard, of perishing by Famine at last, when his present Stock is spent. The Case of the Merchant is the same, who parts with a Present Estate, in hopes of a Future Improvement; which yet is not so certain, as what he parts withal.

And if this be Reasonable in these Cases; then the Hazard which Men run, upon much greater Assurance, than either the Husbandman or the Mer­chant have, is much more Reasonable. When we part with this Life in hopes of one infinitely better; that is, in sure and certain hope of a Resurrection to eter­nal life; and when we submit to Present Sufferings to avoid an Eternity of Mi­sery, which is much more to be dread­ed than Temporal Want; this is Rea­sonable: because here is a much greater [Page 264]Advantage in view, and a more pres­sing Necessity in the Case; nothing being so desirable to one that must live for ever as to be Happy for ever; and nothing to be avoided by him with so much Care, as everlasting Misery and Ruin. And for our security of obtain­ing the one, and escaping the o­ther, we have the promise of God, who cannot lye; which is all the Certainty and Security that Things Future and In­visible are capable of.

Nay, I will go lower. If God had made no express Promise and Decla­ration of a Future Happiness and Re­ward, to those that serve him and suf­fer for him: Yet if any Man out of a sincere Love to God, and awful Re­gard to his Laws, endure Trouble and Affliction, if there be a God and Provi­dence this is Assurance enough to us, that our Services and Sufferings shall one time or other be Considered and Rewarded. For as sure as any Man is, that there is a God, and that his Pro­vidence regards the Actions of Men; so sure are we, that no Man shall finally be a loser, by any thing that he doth or suffers for him.

So that the Matter is now brought to this plain Issue; That if it be Rea­sonable to Believe there is a God, and that his Providence Regards and Con­siders the Actions of Men; it is also Reasonable to endure Present Sufferings, in Hope of a Future Reward; and there is certainly enough in this Case, to govern and determine a Prudent Man, that is in any good measure Per­suaded of another Life after this, and hath any tolerable Consideration of and regard to his Eternal Interest.

Indeed, if we were sure, that there were no Life after this; if we had no expectation of a Happiness or Mi­sery beyond this World; the wisest thing that any Man could do, would be to enjoy as much of the present Contentments and Satisfactions of this World, as he could fairly come at. For if there be no resurrection to another life; the Apostle allows the Reasoning of the Epicure to be very good, Let us eat and drink, for, to morrow we dye. But on the other hand, if it be true that we are designed for Immortality, and that another State remains for us [Page 266]after this Life, wherein we shall be Unspeakably Happy, or intolerably and Eternally Miserable, according as we have behaved our selves in this World; it is then evidently Reason­able, that Men should take the great­est Care of the longest Duration, and be content to bear, and dispense with some Present Trouble and Inconve­nience, for a Felicity that will have no end; and be willing to Labour and take Pains, and deny our present Ease and Comfort for a little while, that we may be Happy for ever. This is reckoned Prudence in the Account of this World, for a Man to part with a Present. Possession and Enjoyment, for a much greater Advantage in Re­version: But surely the disproportion between Time and Eternity, is so vast; that did Men but firmly believe that they shall live for ever, nothing in this World could reasonably be thought too good to part withal, or too grievous to suffer, for the obtaining of a Blessed Immortality.

In the Virtue of this Belief and Per­suasion, the Primitive Christians were Fortified, against all that the Malice [Page 267]and Cruelty of the World could do against them; and they thought they made a very wise Bargain, if thorugh many tribulations they might at last en­ter into the Kingdom of God; because they believed, that the Joys of Hea­ven would abundantly Recompence all their Sorrows and Sufferings upon Earth. And so confident were they of this, that they looked upon it as a special Favour and Regard of God to them, to call them to Suffer for his Name. So St. Paul speaks of it, Phil. 1.29. Ʋnto you it is given, on the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him; but also to suffer for his sake. Yea, they accounted them happy, who upon this account were miserable in this World. So St. James expresly pronounceth of them, Jam. 1.12. Bles­sed is the man that endureth temptation; (meaning the Temptation of Persecuti­on and Suffering) for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. And this consideration was that, which kept up their Spirits from sinking un­der the weight of their greatest Suf­ferings. So St. Paul tells us, 2 Cor. 4.14, 16. Knowing that he which rais­ed [Page 268]up the Lord Jesus, shall raise up us also by Jesus. For which cause we faint not; but tho' our outward man perish: yet our inward man is renewed day by day. The Sufferings of their Bodies, did but help to raise and fortifie their Spi­rits: Nay, so far were they from faint­ing under those Afflictions; that they rejoyced and gloried in them. So the same Apostle tells us, Rom. 5.2, 3. that in the midst of their Sufferings, they rejoyced in hope of the Glory of God; and that they gloried in tribulations, as being the way to be made Partakers of that Glory: And Heb. 10.34. That they took joyfully the spoiling of their goods; knowing in themselves, that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance. And for this Reason, St. James, Chap. 1.2. exhorts Christians to account it all joy, when they fell into divers temptations; (that is, various kinds of Sufferings) because of the manifold Advantages which from thence would redound to them.

Now what was it that Inspired them to all this Courage and Chear­fulness; but the Belief of a mighty Reward, far beyond the Proportion [Page 269]of all their Sufferings, and a firm Per­suasion that they should be vast Gain­ers by them at the last? This Con­sideration St. Paul urgeth with great force, 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. Our light afflicti­on, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: whilst we look not at the things which are seen; but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen, are temporal; but the things which are not seen, are eternal. If we would compare things, justly, and attentively regard and consider the invisible Glories of another World, as well as the things which are seen; we should easily per­ceive, that he who suffers for God and Religion, does not renounce Happiness; but puts it out to Interest, upon terms of the greatest advantage.

I shall now speak briefly to the

Second Part of this remarkable Saying in the Text; If we deny him, he also will deny us, To which is subjoined in the words following, if we believe not; [...], if we deal unfaithfully with him; yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself; that is, he will be con­stant to his Word, and make good [Page 270] that solemn Threatning which he hath denounced against those, who for fear of Suffering shall deny him and his Truth before Men, Matt. 10.33. Who­soever (faith our Lord there) shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven, Mark 8.38. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulte­rous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the Holy Angels. This is a Terrible Threatning, to be disowned by Christ at the Day of Judgment, in the presence of God and his Holy Angels; And this Threatning will certainly be made good; and tho' we may renounce him, and break our faith with him; yet he re­mains faithful, who hath threatned, and cannot deny himself.

This is matter of great Terror, and seriously to be thought upon by those who are tempted to deny Christ and his Truth, either by the hope of worldly Advantage, or the fear of tem­poral Sufferings. What worldly Ad­vantage can we propose to our selves, by quitting our Religion, which can [Page 271]be thought an equal Price, for the loss of our immortal Souls, and of the Hap­piness of all Eternity? Suppose the whole World were offered us in consi­deration; yet what is a man profited; if he should gain the whole world, and lose his own Soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul? as our Saviour Reasons, Matt. 16.26.

And on the other hand, if the fear of Temporal Suffering be such a Ter­ror to Men, as to shake their Con­stancy in Religion, and to tempt them to renounce it; the fear of Eternal Torments ought to be much more Powerful, to keep them stedfast to their Religion, and to deter them from the denial of it. If Fear will move us; then in all Reason, that which is most Terrible, ought to prevail most with us, and the greatest Danger should be most dreaded by us, according to our Saviour's most Friendly and Rea­sonable Advice, Luke 12.4, 5. I say unto you, my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear. Fear him, who after he hath killed, hath [Page 272]power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear him. If there can be no doubt, which of them is most to be dreaded; there can be no doubt, what we are to do, in case of such a Temptation.

I shall now draw some Inferences from this Discourse by way of Applica­tion.

First, If this be a faithful saying, that if we be dead with Christ, we shall also live with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with him; but if we deny him, he will also deny us. The Belief of it ought to have a mighty influence upon us, to make us stedfast and unmoveable in the Profes­sion and Practice of our Holy Religion. This Inference the Apostle makes from the Doctrine of a Blessed Resurrection, 1 Cor. 15.58. Therefore my beloved bre­thren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; for as much as you know, that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. If any thing will fix Men in the Profession of their Reli­gion, and make them serious in the Pra­ctice of it; the Belief of a Glorious Resurrection, and of the Reward which God will then give to his [Page 273]Faithful Servants, must needs have a very powerful Influence upon them to this purpose. Upon the same ground, the Apostle to the Hebrews exhorts them to hold fast the Profession of their Faith, without wavering; because he is faithful that hath promised. If we be constant in the Profession and Practice of our Holy Religion; God will be faithful to the Promise which he hath made of Eternal Life, to those who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality.

If under the dark and imperfect Dispensation of the Law, Good Men shewed so much Courage and Con­stancy, for God and Religion, as we read in that long Catalogue of He­roes, Heb. 11. How much more should Christians, whose Faith is supported much more strongly than theirs was, by a much clearer Evidence of ano­ther Life, and a Blessed Immortality, than they had; by more express Pro­mises of Divine Comfort and Assistance under Sufferings, than were made to them; and by the most Divine and Encouraging Example, of the great­est Patience under the greatest Suffer­ings, [Page 274]that the World ever had, in the Death and Passion of the Son of God, who for the Joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, and despised the Shame, and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God! When we consider this Glorious Example of Suffering, and the Glorious Reward of it; how can we be weary and faint in our minds! If the Saints and Apostles of the Old Testament did such great things, by Virtue of a Faith, which relyed chief­ly upon the Attributes and Providence of God; what should not we do, who have the Security of God's express Pro­mise, for our Comfort and Encourage­ment! We certainly have much greater Reason to take up our Cross more chearfully, and to bear it more pati­ently, than they did.

Secondly, We should always be Pre­pared in the Resolution of our Minds, to Suffer for the Testimony of God's Truth and a good Conscience, if it should please God at any time to call us to it. This our Saviour hath made a necessary Condition of his Reli­gion, and a Qualification of a true Disciple. If any man will be my disciple; [Page 275]let him take up his Cross and follow me. so that we are to reckon upon it, and to prepare for it; that if it comes, we may not be surprized, as if some strange thing had happened to us; and may not be unresolved what to do in such a case. And God knows, when we may be called to it: However it is wise, to forecast it in our Minds, and to be always in a Preparation and Readiness to entertain the worst that may happen; that if it come, we may be able to stand out in an evil day; and if it does not come, God will accept the Resolution of our Minds, and re­ward it according to the Sincerity of it. He that knows what we would have done, will consider it, as if we had done it.

Thirdly, The less we are called to suf­fer for God, the more we should think our selves obliged to do for him; the less God is pleased to exercise our Patience, we should abound so much the more, in the active Virtues of a good Life; and our Obedience to God, should be so much the more chearful, and we more fruitful in every good work. If there be no need of sealing the Truth [Page 276]with our Blood; we should be sure to adorn and recommend it by our Lives.

Fourthly and Lastly, If the hopes of Immortality will bear Men up under the extremity of Suffering and Tor­ments, and give Men Courage and Resolution against all the Terrours of the World; they ought much more to make us victorious over the Temp­tations and Allurements of it. For cer­tainly it is in Reason much easier to foregoe Pleasure, than to endure Pain; to refuse or lay down a good Place, for the Testimony of a good Consci­ence, than to lay down our lives upon that Account. And in vain does any Man pretend that he will be a Martyr for his Religion; when he will not rule an Appetite, nor restrain a Lust, nor subdue a Passion, nor cross his Covetous­ness and Ambition, for the sake of it, and in hope of that eternal life, which God that cannot lye, hath promised. He that refuseth to do the less, is not like to do the greater. It is very improbable, that a Man will die for his Religion; when he cannot be persuaded to live according to it. So that by this we may [Page 277]try the Sincerity of our Resolution con­cerning Martyrdom. For what Profes­sion soever Men make, he that will not deny himself the Pleasures of Sin, and the Advantages of this World, for Christ; when it comes to the push, will never have the Heart to take up his Cross and follow him. He that cannot take up a Resolution to live a Saint, hath a Demonstration within himself, that he is never like to dye a Martyr.

I Will not trouble you with any nice Dispute about the Author of this Book of the Revelation, or the Authority [Page 280]of it; VOL. II. tho' both these were sometimes controverted; because it is now ma­ny Ages since this Book was received into the Canon of the Scriptures, as of Divine Authority, and as written by St. John. Nor shall I at this time enquire into the particular meaning of the seve­ral Visions and Predictions contained in it. It is confessedly in several parts of it, a very obscure Book; and there needs no other Argument to satisfie us that it is so, than that so many Learned and Inquisitive Persons, have given such different Interpretations of seve­ral remarkable Passages in it; as par­ticularly concerning the slaying of the Two Witnesses, and the number of the Beast.

The words which I have read to you, tho' there be some difficulty about the Interpretation of some particular Ex­pressions in them; yet in the general Sense and Intendment of them, they are very plain, being a Solemn Decla­ration of the Blessed State of Good Men after this Life.

And that we may take the more notice of them, they are brought in [Page 281]with a great deal of Solemn Prepara­tion and Address, Serm. X. as it were on pur­pose to bespeak our attention to them: I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth. And for the greater Confirmation of them, the special Testimony of the Spirit, is added to the voice from Heaven, de­claring the Reason, why they that die in the Lord, are Pronounced to be in so happy a Condition: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

In the handling of these Words, I shall First inquire into the particular Sense and Meaning of them.

Secondly, Prosecute the general In­tendment of them; which I told you is to declare to us, the Blessed Estate of those that die in the Lord, (that is) of Saints and Good Men, after they are departed this Life.

First, I shall enquire into the particu­lar Sense and Meaning of the Words. To the clearing of which, nothing will [Page 282]conduce more, than to consider the Occasion of them, which was briefly this. In the Visions of this and the foregoing Chapter, is represented to St. John, the great Straits that the Chri­stians, the true Worshipers of the True God, should be reduced to. On the one hand, they are Threatned with Death; or if they be suffered to live, they are interdicted all Commerce with Humane Society, Chap. 13.15. And he had power to cause, that as many as would not worship the Image of the Beast, should be killed: And Verse 17. That no man may buy or sell, save he that had the Mark of the Beast. And on the other hand, they that do Worship the Beast, are Threatned with Damnation, Chap. 14.9, 10. If any man do wor­ship the Beast, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone. So that whenever this should happen, it would be a time of great Trial to the sincere Christians, being threatned with Extream Persecution on the one hand, and Eternal Damnation on the other; and therefore it is added in the 12 Verse, Here is the Patience of the Saints: Here are they that keep the com­mandments [Page 283]of God, and the faith of Je­sus. This is represented in St. John's Visions, as the last and extremest Per­secution of the true Worshipers of God, and which should preceed the final Downfall of Babylon. And when this should happen, then he tells us, the Patience of the Saints would be tried to purpose, and then it would be seen, who are faithful to God, and constant to his Truth; and upon this immedi­ately follows the Voice from Heaven in the Text; And I heard a voice from hea­ven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from hence­forth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

The main Difficulty of the words depends upon the word [...], from henceforth; which Interpreters do vari­ously refer to several parts of the Text. Some by changing the Accent, and reading it [...], would change the signification of the word into omninò; omninò beati sunt, they are altogether blessed, very happy, who die in the Lord. But this is altogether destitute of the Countenance and Warrant of any ancient Copy. [Page 284]We will then suppose that the word is [...], and to be rendered as we Trans­late it, from henceforth, from this time. All the Difficulty, is to what part of the Text we are to refer it. Some refer it to the word Blessed; Blessed from hence­forth are the dead which die in the Lord: As if from this time, and not before, the Souls of Good Men were, imme­diately after Death, admitted into Hea­ven; which, many of the Ancient Fa­thers thought, the Souls of Good Men who died before the coming of Christ, were not. But then this Blessedness ought to have been dated, not from the time of St. John's Vision, but of Christ's Ascension; according to that of St. Ambrose, in the Hymn called Te De­um; When thou hadst overcome the sharp­ness of death, thou didst open the King­dom of Heaven to all Believers.

Others refer it to dying in the Lord; Blessed are the dead, that from henceforth die in the Lord. But this hath no pe­culiar Emphasis in it; because they were blessed, that died in the Lord, before that time.

Others refer it to the words follow­ing, concerning the Testimony of the Spirit; yea, from henceforth saith the Spi­rit. All these Varieties agree in this Sense in general; That some special Blessedness is Promised and Declared to those who should die after that time: But what that is in Particular, is not easie to make out.

But the most plain and simple Inter­pretation, and that which seems to be most suitable to the Occasion of these words, is this; that the word [...], from henceforth, is to be referred to the whole Sentence, thus; from henceforth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; as if St. John had said, considering the Extremity and cruel Circumstances of this last and severe Persecution, we may from that time forward reckon those, who are already dead, (supposing that they died in the Lord) to be very happy; in that they did not live to see and suf­fer those things, which will then befall the faithful Servants of God, when the Devil shall come, having great wrath, be­cause he knoweth he hath but a short time. Much in the same Sense as Solomon, when [Page 286] he considered the oppressions that were done under the Sun, says, Eccl. 4.2. That he praised the dead, which were already dead; more than the living, which were yet alive; that is, considering the Op­pressions, which were so frequent in the World; he reckoned those happier that were out of it, than those who still lived in it.

And as this is very agreeable to the Scope of what goes before; so it suits very well with what follows after, as the Reason, why those Persons are de­clared to be so happy; yea, saith the Spi­rit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them; that is, that they may be at an end of their Troubles and Sufferings; and may not be tryed beyond their Strength and Patience, un­der that Terrible Persecution which will Reign at that time; and likewise that they may receive the Reward of all the Good they have done, and the Evils they have suffered in this World; in the very same sense, that the righteous are said to be taken away from the evil to come, Esai. 57.1, 2. The righteous is taken away from the evil to come, he shall enter into peace: They shall rest in their beds, [Page 287]each one walking in his uprightness; that is, enjoying the comfort of his Integri­ty and Sincerity towards God.

And now the main Difficulty being over, we shall need to trouble our selves the less about the other Expressions in the Text: Yet there are Two which I shall a little explain to you.

1. What is here meant by dying in the Lord. And this sort of Phrase, in the Lord, in Christ, and in the name of Christ, is used in Scripture very various­ly. In general it signifies, the doing or suffering any thing, with relation to Christ, and upon his account; and so to die in the Lord, doth most frequently signifie, to die in the Faith of Christ, and the Profession of the Christian Religion. Sometimes it signifies to die for his Cause, and to bear Testimony to his Truth, which is there­fore called Martyrdom, as St. Paul is said to be [...], Eph. 4.1. A Pri­soner in the Lord; that is, for his Cause. So likewise, St. Peter; If ye be reproached [...], in the name of Christ; happy are ye: And 'tis probable, that the expression, 1 Cor. 15.18. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ, is to be [Page 288]stood, of those that died for his Cause; be­cause it follows immediately, if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable; that is, consider­ing how much Christians Suffered for him in this Life, they were in a most miserable Condition, if there were no­thing to be expected beyond it; but especially, if we consider the parallel Phrase, 1 Thess. 4.14. So them also that sleep in Jesus, [...], for Jesus sake; that is, them that have suffered Martyr­dom for him, will God bring with him. And in this sense, many understand the Phrase in the Text, as spoken of Mar­tyrs; Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord; that is, for his Cause. And tho' I think the Phrase may well enough be understood more generally, yet I shall not reject this Sense: Because it is not unsuitable to the Scope and Occasion of the words. For considering that last and extreme Persecution which he had de­scribed; it was not altogether impro­per to pronounce those happy, that had Suffered Martyrdom already, and were taken away from those dreadful Calamities, which in these last days of Antichrist were to fall upon the faithful Servants of Christ.

The other Expression is the last in the Text, And their works do follow them So we render the word [...], which yet does most properly signifie to accom­pany, or go along with one; and so in­deed the Expression will rather be more Emphatical, they rest from their labours, and their works accompany them. But whe­ther the word be rendred, to follow, or to accompany, the difference is not very material.

Thus you see what the particular sense and meaning of the words pro­bably is, to declare the happy Estate of those Saints or Martyrs, who were already dead, in and for the Faith of Christ, and should not live to see those cruel and fear­ful Sufferings, which should afterwards come upon the Christians. But then this is grounded upon that general Truth, that they are happy that dye in the Lord. And this is that which I intend now to prosecute, abstracting from the Parti­cular occasion, upon which these words were spoken; which brings me to the

Second thing I propounded, and chiefly [Page 290]designed to handle upon the occasion of this day; namely, the happy Estate of Good Men after they are departed out of this Life. And in speaking to this, I shall confine my self to Two Particulars, which the Text mentions, as the Rea­sons and Grounds, why they that dye in the Lord, are declared to be in so Blessed a Condition; yea, saith the Spi­rit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

• 1. Good Men, when they are de­parted this Life, are freed from all the Labours and Pains they were exercised with in this World: That they may rest from their labours.
• 2. They reap the Comfort and Re­ward of all the Good which they have done in this World: And their works do follow them, or rather, go alo [...] with them, to receive the Reward which God hath promised to them, who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality.

1. Those who die in the Lord, are freed from the Evils and Miseries of this Life. And this is so great a Felicity [Page 291]that some, (and those who think them­selves no small Philosophers) have placed the chief Happiness of Man in freedom from Pain and Trouble. But tho' Happiness do not consist in this a­lone; yet it cannot be denied to be a great part of it: For tho' some have been so phantastically obstinate, as, against the Reason and Common Sense of Man­kind, to maintain this Paradox, that a wise Man may be as happy upon the Rack, or in Phalaris his Bull, as in the greatest ease and freedom from Pain that can be imagined; Yet Nature cries shame of this Hypocrisie; and there are none of those wise Men they speak of, were ever such Fools as to try the Experiment, and to shew by their Actions, that it was indifferent to them, whether they lay'd themselves down upon their Beds every Night, or were stretcht upon a Rack; which yet ought to have been indiffer­ent to them, had they believed them­selves, and really esteemed that, which others account Pain, to be as Happy a Condition, as that which is commonly called Ease.

But we need not trouble our selves to confute so stupid a Principle, which [Page 292]is confuted by Nature, and by every Man's Sense and Experience. I think we may take it for granted, that Free­dom from Misery is a very considera­ble part of Happiness; otherwise Hea­ven and Hell, if we consider only the Torment of it, would be all one. But certainly it is no small endearment of Religion, to the common Sense of Man­kind, that it promiseth to us in the next Life, a Freedom from all the Evils and Troubles of this. And by this the Happiness of Heaven is frequently described to us in Scripture, Esai. 57.2. speaking of the righteous Man; he shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds. 2 Thess. 1.7. where the Apostle speaking of the Reward of those, who should Suffer Persecution for Religion, It is a righteous thing with God, (says he) to recompense to you, who are troubled, Rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels. And the Apostle to the He­brews, frequently describes the Hap­piness of Christians by entring into rest. And Rev. 21.4. the State of the New Jerusalem is set forth to us, by Deli­verance from those Troubles and Sor­rows, which Men are subject to in this [Page 293]World; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the for­mer things are past away.

Thus it is with us in this World, we are liable to Sorrow and Pain, and Death: But when we are once got to Heaven, none of these things shall approach us. The former things are pass'd away, that is, the Evils we formerly endured, are past and over, and shall never return to afflict us any more.

And is not this a great Comfort, when we are Labouring under the Evils of this Life, and Conflicting sore­ly with the Miseries of it; that we shall one Day be past all these, and find a safe Refuge and Retreat from all these Storms and Tempests: When we are Loaded with Afflictions, and even tired with the Burden of them, and ready to faint and sink under it; to think that there remains a rest for us, into which we shall shortly enter? How can it choose but be a mighty Consolation to us, whilst we are in this vale of tears and troubles, to be assured [Page 294]that the Time is coming, when God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes, and there shall be no more sorrow nor crying?

There are none of us, but are ob­noxious to any of the Evils of this Life; we feel some of them, and we fear more: Our outward Condition, it may be, is uncomfortable, we are poor and persecuted; we are destitute of Friends, or have many Enemies; we are despoil­ed of many of those Comforts and En­joyments which we once had: Our Bodies perhaps are in Pain, or our Spi­rits troubled; or though we have no real Cause of outward Trouble, yet our Souls are ill Lodg'd, in the dark Dun­geon of a Body; over-power'd with a Melancholy Humour, which keeps out all Light and Comfort from our Minds.

And is it no reviving to us, to think of that Happy Hour, when we shall find a Remedy and Redress of all these Evils at once? Of that blessed Place, where we shall take Sanctuary, from all those Afflictions and Troubles which pursued us in this World? Where Sorrow and Misery, and Death are perfect [Page 295]Strangers, and into which nothing that can render Men in the least unhappy, can ever enter? Where our Souls shall be in perfect rest and contentment, and our Bodies after a while shall be restor­ed and reunited to our Souls; not to Cloud and Clog them as they do here, but so happily changed, and refined to such a Perfection, that they shall be so far from giving any disturbance to our Minds, that they shall mightily add to their Pleasure and Happiness?

And when we are once Landed in those Blessed Regions, what a Comfort will it be to us, to stand on the Shore, and look back upon those rough and dangerous Seas, which we have escaped? How pleasant to consider the manifold Evils and Calamities which we are freed from, and for ever secured against? To remember our past Labours and Suf­ferings, and to be able to defie all those Temptations, which were wont to as­sault us in this World, with so much violence, and with too much success?

And this is the Condition of the Bles­sed Spirits above. They find a perfect cessation of all Afflictions and Troubles, [Page 296] they rest from their labours. But this is not all: For.

2. They are not only freed from all the Evils and Sufferings they were ex­ercised withal in this World; but they shall receive a plentiful Reward of all the Good they have done in it; their works do accompany them. When Pious Souls go out of this World, they do not only leave all the Evils of the World behind them; but they carry along with them all the Good they have done, to reap there the Comfort and Reward of it. Just as on the other hand, Wicked Men, when they die, leave all the good things of this World, all the Pleasures and Enjoyments be­hind them; but the Guilt and Remorse of their wicked Lives accompany them, and stick close to them, to Torment them there, and that there they may be Tormented for them.

Thus the Scriptures represent to us the different Condition of Good and Bad Men, Esai. 3.10, 11. Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Wo unto the wicked, it shall be ill with [Page 297]him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. Which is many times true in this World; but however that hap­pen, will most certainly and remark­ably be made good in the other. And this is most Emphatically exprest to us, in the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16.25. where the Rich Man Petitions Abraham for some Ease, and Abraham returns him this Answer; Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things, and likewise La­zarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. What a Change was here! How Comfortable to the one, and how Dismal to the other! La­zarus found rest from all his Labours and Sufferings, and his Piety and Patience accompanied him into the other World, and conveyed him into Abraham's Bo­som. Whereas the Rich Man was part­ed from all his good things, and the Guilt of his Sins went along with him, and lodged him in the place of Tor­ments.

But my Text confines me to the bright side of this Prospect; The con­sideration of that Glorious Recompence which Good Men shall receive, for the [Page 298]Good Works which they have done in this World. Indeed the Text doth not expresly say, that their works shall be rewarded; but that they shall go along with them, and that they are blessed up­on this Account; and this implies that they shall receive a sure Reward. For as the Apostle Reasons, God is not unrighte­ous to forget our Work and Labour of Love. Verily there is a Reward for the righteous, as sure as there is a God that judgeth in the Earth.

But how Great and Glorious that shall be, I am not in any measure able to declare to you. It may suffice, that the Scripture hath assured us in gene­ral, that God is the Rewarder of Good Men, and that he will make them Hap­py, not according to what can now enter into our narrow Thoughts, but according to the exceeding greatness of his Power and Goodness. If we are to re­ceive our Reward from God; we need not doubt, but it will be very large, and such as is every way worthy of him to bestow. For he is a great King, and of great Goodness; and we may safely refer our selves to him, in confi­dence that he will consider us, not ac­cording [Page 299]to the Meanness of our Service, but according to the Vastness of his Treasures, and the Infinite Bounty of his Mind. If he hath promised to make us Happy, tho' he have not particular­ly declared to us, wherein this Happi­ness shall consist; yet we may trust him that made us, to find out ways to make us happy; and may believe, that he who made us without our Knowledge or desire, is able to make us Happy be­yond them both.

Only for the greater Encouragement of our Holiness and Obedience, tho' he hath promised to Reward every Good Man, far beyond the Proporti­on of any Good he hath or can do; yet he hath declared, that these Re­wards shall be proportionably greater or less, according to the degree of every Man's Piety and Virtue. So our Savi­our tell us, that they who are persecuted for righteousness sake, great shall be their reward in heaven, Matt. 5.12. That there will be a difference between the Re­ward of a righteous Man, and a Pro­phet; that is, of one who is more publickly and eminently useful for the Salvation of others. And among those who are Teach­ers [Page 300]of others, they that are more indu­strious, and consequently more likely to be successful in this Work, shall have a more Glorious Reward; as we are told by the Angel, Dan. 12.3. And they that be Wise, (or as it is in the Margin rendred, they that be Teachers) shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever. So likewise we find in the Parable of the Talents, that he that improv'd his Talent to Ten, was made Ruler over Ten Cities. And St. Paul, 2 Cor. 9.6. speaking of the Degrees of Mens Charity and Liberality towards the Poor, says expresly, He that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly; but he that soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully; which by Proportion of Reason may be extended to the Exercise of all other Graces and Virtues. 1 Cor. 15.41, 42. The Apostle there represents the different Degrees of Glory, which Good Men shall be invested with at the Resurrection, by the different Glory and Splendor of the Heavenly Lumi­naries. There is one glory of the Sun, another of the Moon, and another glory of the Stars; for one Star differeth from ano­ther Star in glory: So also is the Resur­rection [Page 301]of the dead. So that the more any Man suffers for God, and the more Patiently he Suffers, the more Holily and Virtuously, the more Charitably and Usefully he lives in this World; the more good Works will accompany him into the next, and the Greater and more Glorious Reward he may hope to receive there; which as the Apo­stle Reasons (in the Conclusion of that Chapter, concerning the Doctrine of the Resurrection) ought to be a mighty Encouragement to every one of us, not only to be stedfast and unmoveable (that is, fix'd and resolute in the Profession and Practice of our Religion) but abound­ing likewise in the work of the Lord; for­asmuch as we know, that our labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Every Degree of Diligence and In­dustry, in the Work and Service of God, will most certainly one day turn to a happy Account. Having therefore such Promises, dearly Beloved, let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. The more perfectly holy we are here on Earth; the more perfectly happy we shall be in Heaven, and continue so to all Eternity.

I have now done with the Two Rea­sons, which are here given in the Text, of the Happiness that Good Men, such as die in the Lord, shall be made Parta­takers of in another Life; because they rest from their labours, and their works ac­company them; they are freed from all the Evils which they suffer'd, and shall receive the Reward of all the Good they have done in this Life.

I should now have proceeded to make some Inferences from this Discourse; But those I will reserve for another Discourse on this Subject.

All that I shall add at present, as the Application of what I have already said, is, That this should stir us up to a care­ful and zealous Imitation of those Bles­sed Persons described in the Text, who are dead in the Lord, and are at rest from their Labours, and whose works do accom­pany them. Let us Imitate them, in their Faith and Patience, in their Piety and Good Works, and in their Constancy to God, and his Truth, which was dear­er to them than their Lives.

Thus their Virtues and Sufferings are described in the Visions of this Book, Chap. 13.10. Here is the Patience and the Faith of the Saints; and Chap. 14.12. Here is the Patience of the Saints: Here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and the Faith of Jesus; and Chap. 12.11. And they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of their Te­stimony; and they loved not their Lives unto the Death.

In this Way, and by these Steps, all the Saints and Martyrs of all Ages, have ascended up to Heaven, and attained to that Blessed State, which they are now Possessed of, after all the Evils which they Suffered in this World. They are now at rest from their labours, and all the good Works which they have done, are gon along with them, and they are now, and shall for ever be, receiving the Com­fort and Reward of them. And if we tread in their Steps, by a zealous Imi­tation of the Piety and Holiness of their Lives, and of the Constancy and Pa­tience of their Sufferings; we shall one Day be Translated into their Blessed Society, and made Partakers with them [Page 304]of the same Glorious Reward. If we have our Fruit unto Holiness; our end shall be everlasting life. If we be faith­ful unto death; we shall receive a Crown of Life.

Let us then, as the Apostle to the Hebrews exhorts, Chap. 6.11, 12. Every one of us shew the same Diligence, to the full assurance of hope, unto the end: and let us not be slothful; but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Now the God of Peace, who brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant, make you Perfect in every good word and work, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight.

IN my Explication of these Words I told you, that they are in the general Sense and Meaning of them, a solemn Declaration of the Blessed Estate of Good Men after this Life; but deliver'd upon a Special Occasion, [Page 306]as is signified by that expression, VOL. II. from henceforth; that is, from the time of that Vision, in which was represented to St. John, the last and extremest Persecution of the faithful Servants of Christ, and which should precede the fatal downfal of Babylon; from that time, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; that is, consi­dering the Extremity, and the cruel Cir­cumstances of this last and severest Perse­cution, we may, from that time forward, reckon those who are already dead (sup­posing that they died in the Lord,) to be very Happy; in that they do not live to see and suffer those grievous things, which then will befall the Faithful Ser­vants of God.

In my former Discourse, I consider'd the Words according to the general in­tention of them, abstracting from the particular occasion, upon which they were spoken, endeavouring to set forth the Happy Estate of Good Men after this life, from the Two Reasons and Grounds mention'd in the Text, namely, because they rest from their labours, and because their works do follow, or accompany and go along with them; which two parti­culars [Page 307]constitute the Happiness of the fu­ture State. Serm. XI

That which farther remains, and to which I now proceed, is to make some Inferences from what I have said upon this Subject. And in doing this, I shall have an Eye on the special occasion of the Words, as well as on their general intention. And the Inferences shall be these following:

First, If those that die in the Lord are at rest from their Labours and Pains; then this Text concludes directly against the feigned Purgatory of the Church of Rome, which supposeth a great num­ber of those that die in the Lord, and have obtain'd Eternal Redemption by him from Hell, not to pass immediately in­to Happiness; but to be detain'd in the Suburbs of Hell, in great Pain and Torment, till their Souls be Purged, and the Debt of Temporary Punish­ment, to which they are liable, be some way or other paid off and discharge­ed.

Secondly, Here is a mighty encourage­ment to Piety and Virtue, to consi­der, [Page 308]that all the good we do in this World, will accompany us into the other.

Thirdly, It is a great encouragement to Patience under the Sufferings and Persecutions, which attend Good Men in this World; that how heavy and grievous soever they are at present, they will end with this Life, and we shall then rest from all our labours.

Fourthly, The consideration of the ex­treme Sufferings of Christians in the last Times, and which perhaps are not far from us, should render us very indiffe­rent to Life, and all the enjoyments of it, so as even to esteem it a particular Grace and Favour of God, to be taken away from the Evil to come, and by Death to pre­vent (if he sees it good) those extremi­ties of Sufferings, which seem to be hastning upon the World.

I I. If those that die in the Lord are at rest from all their labours and pains; then this Text concludes directly against the feigned Purgatory of the Church of Rome, which supposeth a great num­ber, yea the far greatest part of those that die in the Lord, and have obtain'd [Page 309]Eternal Redemption by him from Hell, not to pass immediately into Happi­ness, but to be detain'd somewhere (they are not certain where, but most probably in the Suburbs of Hell) in great Pain and Torment, equal in de­gree to that of Hell, and differing on­ly in Duration; I say, to be detained there, till their Souls be purged from the Defilements they have contracted in this World, and the Debt of Tem­porary Punishments, to which they are liable, be some way or other paid off and discharged.

They suppose indeed some very few Holy Men to be so Perfect at their de­parture out of this Life, that they do immediately, and without any stop, pass into Heaven, because they need no Purgation; and those likewise who Suffer Martyrdom, because they Dis­charge their Debt of Temporary Pu­nishments here: But the generality of Christians who die in the Lord, they sup­pose so imperfect, as to stand in need of being Purged by Fire, and according­ly that they are detained a longer or shorter time, as their Debt of Tempo­rary Punishments is greater or less.

And indeed they have a very Consi­derable and Substantial Reason, to ex­empt as few as possibly they can from going to Purgatory; because the more they put in fear of going thither, the Market of Indulgences riseth the higher, and the Profit thence accruing to the Popes Coffers; and the more and great­er Legacies will be left to the Priests, to hire their saying of Masses, for the delivery of Souls out of the Place of Torments: For tho' the Prayers of Friends and Relations will contribute something to this; yet nothing does the Business so Effectually, as the Masses and Prayers of Priests to that end.

But how is it then that St. John says, that those that die in the Lord are happy, because they rest from their labours; If so be, the far greatest part of those who die in the Lord, are so far from resting from their labours, that they en­ter into far greater Pains and Tor­ments, than ever they endured in this World? And therefore Bellarmine, that their Doctrine of Purgatory may re­ceve no prejudice from this Text, would have from henceforth, in the Text, [Page 311]to be dated from the day of Judg­ment; when he supposeth the Pains of Purgatory will be at an end. But why, from henceforth, should take date from the day of Judgment, he can give no Reason, but only to save Purgatory from being Condemned by this Text. For St. John plainly speaks of the Happi­ness of those that should die after that time, (whatever it be) which he there describes; but that time cannot be the day of Judgment, because none shall die after that time. Just thus Estius (one of their most Learned Commentators) deals with another Text, which by the generality of their Writers is urged as a plain proof of Purgatory; he shall be saved, yet so as by fire: Upon which he says, it is sufficient that there is nothing in this Text against Purgatory. Sufficient, for what? Not to prove Purgatory, as they generally pretend from this Text; but to save it harmless from it; as if we had pretended that this Text makes a­gainst it.

But there are others that make a­gainst it with a Witness. Not only the perpetual Silence of Scripture about it, when there are so many far occasions of speaking of it; as in the Parable of the rich [Page 312]man and Lazarus, where the future State is so particularly described, and yet no mention made, nor the least intimation given of this Third State: But besides the Silence of Scripture about it, there are several Passages utterly inconsistent with it; as namely, St. Paul's Discourse in the beginning of the Fifth Chapter of the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, where he plainly declares the Assurance he had, that all sincere Christians, so soon as they quit the Body, do pass into Happiness: For we know, (says he) that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved; we have a build­ing of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. The plain mean­ing of which is, that so soon as we quit the One, we shall pass into the Other. And this Consideration, he tells us, made Christians weary of this World, and willing to die; Ver. 2. For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house, which is from heaven; and Ver. 4. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened. But had Christians believed, that the greatest part of them, when they left the Body, were to go into Purgatory, to be terribly Tormented there; they [Page 313]would not have been in such haste to die; but would have protracted the time as long as they could, and have contentedly born the burden of this earthly Tabernacle, rather than to quit it, for a Condition a Thousand times more intolerable. But St. Paul expresly says, that Christians knew the contrary, and that as soon as ever they went out of the Body, they should be happy, and with the Lord; and that this gave them courage against the Fears of Death; Ver. 6. Therefore we are always confident, [...], bono igitur animo sumus; Therefore we are always of good courage, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord; and Ver. 8. we are of good courage I say, and willing rather to be absent from the bo­dy, and present with the Lord. The plain Sense of which is, that Christians were willing rather to die than to live; be­cause they knew, that so soon as they left the Body and departed this Life, they should be present with the Lord. But now if the Doctrine of Purgatory be true, this whole Reasoning of St. Paul, proceeds upon a gross Mistake; and therefore I am certain it is not true: And so does the voice from Heaven here [Page 314]in the Text; Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, that they may rest from their labours: For there is no Reason to restrain this general expression, that die in the Lord, only to the Martyrs; for tho' they are certainly included, and prehaps Primarily intended in it; yet this Phrase comprehends all those who die in the faith of Christ, and is most frequently so used in the New Testa­ment.

But let this suffice to have been spoken of this matter; especially since Bishop Fisher, and several of their own Learned Writers, do so frankly ac­knowledge, that their Doctrine of Pur­gatory hath no sufficient Ground in Scripture. Other Reasons I grant they have for it, which make them very loth to quit it; it is a very Profitable Doctrine, and therefore they have tak­en care to have it more abundantly confirm'd, by Apparitions of Souls from the dead, than any other Do­ctrine whatsoever. In short, how little soever they can say for it; it is in vain to go about to persuade them to part with it. Demetrius the Silver Smith argued as well as he could for [Page 315]his Goddess Diana, from the universal con­sent of the World in the Worship of her; the great Goddess Diana, whom all Asia, and the World Worshipeth. But his trusty Argument to his Workmen was, Sirs ye know that by this Craft we have our Wealth, and this our Craft is in danger to be set at nought.

II. Here is a mighty encouragement to Piety and Virtue, to consider that all the good we do in this World will ac­company us into the other. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; for their works accompany them.

When we come to die, we can call nothing our own but the Good Works which by the Grace of God we have been enabled to do in this Life. These will stick by us, and bear us company into the other World, when we shall be stript of all other things, and forc'd to part from them, whether we will or no. Our Riches and our Honours, our Sensual Pleasures and Delights will, all take their leave of us, when we leave this World; nay, many times they do not accompany us so far as the Grave, but leave us very unkindly [Page 316]and unseasonably, when we have the greatest need and use of them.

There is one way indeed, whereby we may secure our Riches, and make sure Friends to our selves of them; by laying them out in Charity. By this means we may send them before us, and consign them over to another World, to make way for our recep­tion there. So our Lord assures us, Luke 12.33. that by giving Alms we provide our selves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the Heavens which faileth not; and Luke 16.9. that by this way we may make to our selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness; that when we fail, they may recieve us into everlasting habitations. The Mammon of unrighteousness, What is that? It is what the Scripture elsewhere calls deceitful riches; because in other ways, in which Men commonly lay them out, they turn to no certain ac­count, but one way or other do deceive and frustrate our Expectation: but by disposing of them in Charity, to the re­lief of the Poor and Persecuted, we make sure Friends of them, and consign the Effects of them to our certain Benefit and Advantage in another World.

And as Charity, so likewise all o­ther Graces and Virtues are that good part which cannot be taken away from us. All the good Actions that we do in this Life, will go with us to the Grave, and bear us company into the other World, and will stand by us, when we come to appear before our Judge, and through the Merits of our Blessed Saviour will procure for us, at the Hands of a Gracious and Merciful God, a most Ample and Eternal Re­ward.

And what an encouragement is this to Holiness and Virtue, to consider that it will be all our own another day, and turn to our unspeakable advan­tage at our great Account! To be assur­ed, that whoever serves God faithfully, lays up so much Treasure for himself, which he may take along with him into the other World; and does pro­vide for himself lasting Comforts and faithful Companions, which will ne­ver leave him nor forsake him; a Hap­piness large as his Desires, and Durable and Immortal as his Soul!

Let us then do all the good that possibly we can, whilst we have opportunity: Let us serve God industriously, and with all our Might, knowing that no good Action that we do shall be lost and fall to the ground, that no Grace and Virtue that we Practise in this Life, nor any Degree of them, shall lose their Reward. If we faithfully improve the Talents, which are committed to us, to our Masters advantage; when he comes to call us to an Account, and finds that we have done so, we shall not fail to receive both his Approba­tion and Reward. And what a Com­fort will it be to any one of us, to hear those Blessed words from the Mouth of our Lord; Well done thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful in a little, I will make thee ruler over much; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord! We shall not need to plead our Services to him, and put him in Mind of them: Our Judge himself will ce­lebrate our good Deeds upon the The­atre of the World, and commemorate them to our advantage; and interpret every good Office we have done, to any of his Poor and Afflicted Mem­bers, [Page 319]as if it had been a Kindness im­mediatly done to himself. So our Lord represents the Proceedings of the great Judge and King of the World, in the great day of Recompence, Mat. 25.34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked and ye cloathed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee in any of these circumstances; hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in pri­son and ministred unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you. In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my Brethren, ye have done it unto me. Who would not be ambitious and glad to serve such a Prince, who will so benignly Inte­pret, and so bountifully Reward the least Service we do to him!

III. The Consideration of this should likewise be a great Argument [Page 320]and Support to our Patience, under all those Evils and Sufferings and Per­secutions, which many times attend Good Men in this World. They are for the present perhaps very heavy and grievous: But there is a time short­ly coming, when we shall be at ease, and perfectly freed from them; when we shall find rest from our labours and sufferings; when we shall enter into peace, and rest in our beds, every one walking in his uprightness; that is, reaping the Comfort, and enjoying the Reward of his Sincerity towards God, and constant Suffering for his Cause and Truth. And therefore it was well said of a Good Man, Blessed be God that we are to die; because to Good Men, that is a certain Remedy of all the Evils of this Life, and will unquestionably put an end to them. The Grave is a place of Rest, and discharge from all Trouble, as Job elegantly describes it, Chap. 3.17, 18, 19. There the Wicked cease from troubling: there the weary be at rest. There the prisoners rest together, they hear not the voice of the oppressour. The small and the great are there, and the Servant is free from his Master.

So soon as we enter into the other World, we are secure against the Pur­suit and Danger of all those Evils which Afflicted us in this World; and nothing will remain, but the joyful re­membrance of our Sufferings, and the plentiful Reward of our Constancy and Patience under them. And the more our Tribulations and Persecutions have abounded, the greater will our Com­fort and Happiness then be, which (saith St. Paul) is a manifest token, a clear de­monstration, of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be accounted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer; seeing it is a righteous thing with God, to recompence to you who are troubled, Rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels, 2 Thess. 1.5, 6, 7.

IV. The Consideration of the ex­tream Sufferings, which are to fall upon the faithful Servants of Christ in the last times, and which seem now to be begun in the World, should make us very contented to leave this World, and glad of any fair Oportunity and Excuse, to take our leave of it, and to [Page 322]be out of the reach and danger of those violent and more than humane Temptati­ons, with which our Faith and Con­stancy may be assailed: Nay, to esteem it a particular Grace and Favour of God to us, to be taken away from the Evil to come, and to prevent (if God sees it good) those Extremities of Suf­ferings which are coming upon the World.

These seem now to be begun in some part of it: They in our Neighbour Nation have a bitter Cup put into their hands; a Cup of Astonishment to all those that hear of it. Whether this be that last and extream Persecu­tion spoken of here by St. John, I shall not pretend positively to deter­mine. It is plainly distinguish'd in the Visions, froth that under the first Beast, described Rev. 13. from Verse the first, to Verse 11. And Chap. 17. there is a description of the Beast upon which the woman sitteth, on whose forehead is a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great: And this Beast is there said to have seven heads and ten horns, which are thus explained by St. John, Chap. 17.9, 10. And here is the Mind which hath [Page 323]Wisdom; the seven Heads are seven Moun­tains upon which the Woman sitteth; and there are seven Kings, that is, (as is ge­nerally agreed by Interpreters) a succes­sion of seven Governments: And Verse 12, 13, 14. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten Kings, which have received no Kingdoms as yet; but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast; and shall make war with the Lamb. And Verse 18. And the woman which thou sawest, is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth.

So that this Beast is plainly the Ro­man Empire; and the Woman that sitteth upon her, is the great City standing up­on seven mountains, which reigneth over the Kings of the earth; which can be no other than Rome, as is agreed by Interpreters on all sides. Bellarmine ( l. 2. c. 2. de Rom. Pontif.) confesseth that St. John in the Revelations every where calleth Rome, Babylon, as Tertulli­an (saith he) hath noted, and as is plain from Chap. 17. where Babylon is said to be seated on seven mountains, and to have dominion over the Kings of the [Page 324]earth: There being no other City than Rome, which in the time of St. John had dominion over the Kings of the earth; and that Rome was built upon seven hills is famous. Thus much Bellarmine acknowledged, constrained by the Force of Truth; and for another small Reason; namely, because St. Peter writes his first Epistle from Babylon, by which if Rome be not meant, they have no Proof from Scripture, that St. Peter was ever there.

Indeed they of the Church of Rome would have it to be only Rome Pagan. But that cannot be; because this Beast, after his last head was wounded to death, and his deadly wound was healed, had power given him to continue two and forty Months, or (as it is elsewhere exprest,) 1260 days; that is, in the Prophetick Style, so many Years; and likewise be­cause it was not to begin till the Ten Kingdoms, into which the Roman Em­pire upon its dissolution was divided, were set up; which was not till after the Western Empire was Overthrown and Destroyed by the Goths and Van­dals. And Lastly, because this is that Rome or Babylon, which should finally [Page 325] be destroyed, and cast as a Milstone into the bottom of the Sea, never to rise again; which is yet to come. And of this Beast it is said, that he should make War with the Saints, and overcome them, Chap. 13. Ver. 7. that is, that he should raise a long and great Persecution against them, which should try their Faith and Patience; Ver. 10. Here is the Patience, and the Faith of the Saints. The Beast then with Ten Horns, must be Rome, gover­ning the Ten Kingdoms, into which the Romam Empire was broken; and this can be nothing else, but Rome Papal, to which the Ten Kings are said to give their Power, and to which they were in a most Servile manner subject for several Ages, as is plain from Histo­ry.

And to confirm this, it is very ob­servable, that the Ancient Fathers ge­nerally agree, that that which hindered the revealing of the Wicked One, (spoken of by St. Paul, 2 Thess. 2.7, 8.) was the Roman Empire; and that being remo­ved, the Man of Sin or Antichrist was to succeed in its room. I shall pro­duce a few Testimonies to this pur­pose, but very remarkable ones. Ter­tulllian [Page 326]expounding what St. Paul means, by him that with-holdeth or let­eth, hath these words, Quis, nisi Roma­nus Status, &c? Who is that, but the Ro­man State, which being broken into Ten Kings, shall bring on Antichrist? And then the Wicked one shall be revealed. And in his Apology he gives this Rea­son, why the Christians should pray for the Roman Emperours, and the whole State of the Empire; because the greatest mischief hanging over the World, is hinder'd by the continuance of it. St. Chrysostom speaking of that which hin­ders the revelation of the Man of Sin; this (says he) can be no other, than the Roman Empire: for as long as that stands, he dares not shew himself; but upon the vacancy or ceasing of that, he shall assume to himself both the Power of God and Man. St. Austin, in his Book de Civit. Dei, no Man (says he) doubts, but that the Successour to the Roman Emperour in Rome shall be the Man of Sin; and we know who hath Succeeded him.

But now after this, another Beast is represented coming out of the Earth; not succeeding in the place of the first Beast, but appearing during his continuance, [Page 327]Ver. 12. and he hath these remarka­ble Characters, by which he may be known.

1. He is said to have but two horns; by which, according to the Interpreta­tion of the ten horns, signifying the ten Kingdoms, into which the Roman Em­pire after its dissolution should be di­vided, we are in all Reason to under­stand two of those Kingdoms, of which this Beast, whoever he be, shall be Pos­sest.

2. He is said to be like a Lamb, but [...] speak like a Dragon; that is, to pre­tend and make a shew of great Lenity and Mildness, in his Proceedings; but that really he shall be very cruel. It shall be pretended, that he does all without Violence, and without Arms; but he shall speak as a Dragon, that is, in Truth shall exercise great Force and Cruelty; either alluding to the Cruelty of the Dragon, literally so called; or perhaps prophetically pointing at a particular sort of Armed Souldiers, called by that name of Dragons, or, as we ac­cording to the French Pronunciation call them, Dragoons.

3. He shall arise during the continu­ance of the first Beast, and engage in his Cause; but the first Beast shall on­ly stand by and look on, Ver. 12. and he exerciseth all the Power of the first Beast, before him, and causeth the earth and them that dwell therein, to Worship the Beast, whose deadly wound was healed; plainly declaring, that this Persecution should not immediately arise from the first Beast, which is said to come out of the Sea, which in this Prophecy denotes the State Ecclesiastical; but from the se­cond Beast, which comes out of the Earth, and denotes the Temporal Power. But yet all this ought to be acted in the sight of the first Beast, and in his be­half, to compel Men to worship him.

4. That he shall be remarkable for causing Fire to come down from Hea­ven to Earth, in a wonderful manner, to the great Terrour and Amazement of Men; Ver. 13. And he doth great wonders; so that he maketh fire to come down from heaven on the earth, in the sight of men.

5. That he should interdict all those, who would not Worship the Beast, all Commerce with Humane Society, the Exercise of Civil Trades and Professi­ons; Ver. 17. And he causeth, that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark of the Beast.

6. and Lastly, (which seems to be the most Peculiar and Characteristical Note of all the rest,) that his Number should be 666, that is, (as most of the Ancients understand it,) that the Nu­meral Letters of a certain Word or Name, should, being computed, amount to that Number. And it is expresly said to be the Number of a Man. Ver. 18. Let him that hath understanding count the Num­ber of the Beast; for it is the Num­ber of a Man. And in the Verse be­fore, it is said to be the Number of his Name.

Now to whom all these Charact­ers do agree, and especially the last, concerning the Number of his Name, I shall not presume to conjecture; much less positively to determine, whether he be now in being; because [Page 330]it is said to require a particular Wisdom and Understanding to find it out. Here is Wisdom; let him that hath Ʋnder­standing count the number of the Beact. However the Event, when the thing is fully accomplisht, will clearly discover it. Thus much is certain, that this ex­tream Persecution, whenever it shall be, will forerun the Final Destruction of Babylon, which will not then be far off. And concerning this it is that St. John speaks, Ch. 14.12. when he says, Here is the Patience of the Saints, here are they that keep the Commandments of God, and the Faith of Jesus. And then he imme­diately adds, as it is in the Text, And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their la­bours; and their works do accompany them. Thus much may suffice to have been spoken on this Text.

THE latter part of this Chapter is a very sharp, but just In­vective, made by our Saviour [Page 332]against the Hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharisees, VOL. II. of which he gives many instances; and this among the rest for one, that they pretended a great Ho­nour and Respect for the Righteous Men, and Prophets of former Ages, whom their Fathers had Persecuted and Slain; but yet were of the very same Spirit and Temper, and as ready to Persecute Good Men, as their Fa­thers were. They raised indeed stately Monuments to the Memory of those Saints and Martyrs, and adorned them with great Art and Cost, and it is likely made a great Shew of Esteem and Vene­ration for them: But all this while they were of the same disposition with their Fathers, and bare the same implacable Hatred and Malice against the Prophets and Righteous Men who then lived among them, (yea against that great Prophet, whom God had sent into the World, Jesus the Son of God,) which their Fathers did against the Good Men of their Times. And tho' they disclaim­ed the Wickedness and Cruelty of their Fathers, with never so much Zeal and Vehemency; yet for all that, they were ready to do the same things. Now this was so gross and odious a piece of [Page 333]Hypocrisie in them, Serm. XII. that our Saviour doth with great Reason denounce so severe a Wo against them: Wo unto you; for ye build the Sepulchres of the Prophets, and your Fathers killed them: Truly ye bear Witness, that ye allow the deeds of youe Fathers; For they indeed killed them, and ye build their Sepulchres. And then it follows; Therefore also said the Wisdom of God, I will send them Prophets and Apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: That the blood of all the Prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; from the blood of Abel, to the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the Altar and the Temple.

There are considerable Difficulties in both these Passages. As to the former, Wo unto you; for ye build the Sepulchres of the Prophets, and your Fathers killed them. Truly ye bear Witness, that ye al­low the deeds of your Fathers: For they in­deed killed them, and ye build their Sepul­chres. The force of this Reasoning; is at first sight not easie to be discern'd; and therefore Expositors have gone se­veral ways to explain it.

Some comparing this with the paral­lel Place in St. Matthew's Gospel (Ch. 23.29.) will not have our Saviour to mean, that by building the Sepulchres of the Pro­phets they express'd their approbation of their Fathers killing them. They did indeed testifie by their usage of the Righteous Men that liv'd amongst them­selves, that they were of the very same Temper and Spirit, which their Fathers had been of; and that they would have done just as their Fathers did, if they had been in the same Circumstances with their Fathers; So that they were Witnesses to themselves (as it is in St. Matthew) that they were the Children of them which killed the Prophets;They own'd themselves their Children by De­scent, and their Actions Witnessed that they were their Children also in Resem­blance; nay, (as it is there farther inti­mated) they seem'd resolv'd to fill up the Measure of their Fathers: tho' all this while they pretended not to approve their Fathers Behaviour; and there­fore whilst they were building the Tombs of the Prophets, and garnishing the Sepul­chres of the Righteous, they said, if we had been in the days of our Fathers, we would [Page 325]not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets. And the Interpre­ters that go this way do accordingly render these words of St. Luke; not as they are in our Translation, ye bear Witness that ye allow the deeds of your Fa­thers: But, ye bear Witness, and ye allow (or, are well pleas'd with) the deeds of your Fathers; that is, ye own that they were your Fathers, who did these things; and tho' ye do not in words allow what they did, yet your inward Tempers and Dispositions (whether you know it or no) are the very same with theirs, which you too plainly testifie by your Actions; so that when you build the Sepulchres of the Prophets, you only expose the Deceitfulness and Hypocrsie of your Hearts, your Pretences and your Actions directly contradicting each other. Thus some Expositors give the Sense of this Passage.

But Others think, that our Saviour intended somewhat more, in St. Luke, namely, to retort upon them the Ho­nour which they seem'd to do to the Prophets, in building their Sepulchres, as an Argument that they rejoyced in their Death; seeing they were so well con­tent [Page 336]to be at the Charge of a Monu­ment for them; like Herod, who when he had Murdered Aristobulus, made a Magnificent Funeral for him; or as the Roman Historians say of Caracalla, tho' he hated all Good Men, whilst they were alive, yet he would pretend to Honour them, when they were dead. This Some think our Saviour intended in these Words, Truly ye bear Witness, that ye allow the deeds of your Fathers: For they indeed killed them, and ye build their Sepulchers; As if he had said, Here­by ye testifie, that ye allow and like very well what your Fathers did to the Prophets. According to which lat­ter Exposition, there seems to be more Force and greater Sharpness in our Sa­viour's Reproof; as not only charging them with their ill usage of the Righte­ous Men of their own Times; but more­over making them, by their building the Tombs, and garnishing the Sepulchres of the Antient Prophets, to become as it were Accessories to the Murder of them.

But leaving this Digression, I now proceed to that which I primarily in­tended, namely, First, to explain the fol­lowing Words, which I have chosen [Page 337]as my present Subject, and then to make some Observations upon them,

Therefore also said the Wisdom of God, I will send them Prophets and Apostles, and some of them they shall slay and perse­cute; that the blood of all the Prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this Generation; from the blood of Abel, to the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the Al­tar and the Temple: Verily I say unto you, it shall be required of this Generation.

There are Three considerable Difficul­ties in the Words, which I shall endea­vour to explain to you.

• I. What is here meant by the Wis­dom of God.
• II. Who this Zacharias was, here mention'd by our Saviour; from the blood of Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the Altar and the Temple.
• III. In what Sense, and with what Reason and Justice it is here threatned, that the blood of all the Prophets and righ­teous [Page 338]men, shed from the foundation of the world, should be required of that Genera­tion.

I. What is here meant by the Wisdom of God. Therefore also said the Wisdom of God, I will send them Prophets and Apo­stles, &c. In St. Matthew our Saviour speaks this in his own Name, wherefore behold, I send unto you Prophets: For which Reason Some think, that by the Wisdom of God, our Saviour here design­ed himself; as if he had said, therefore I, who am the Wisdom of God, declare un­to you. But this is not very probable, our Saviour no where else in the Gospel speaking of himself in any such Style; tho' St. Paul calls him the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God. Others think that our Saviour here refers to some Prophecy of the Old Testament, to this purpose; therefore the Wisdom of God hath said, that is, the Holy Spirit of Wisdom, which Inspired the Prophets in the Old Testament. But this Con­ceit is utterly without ground; for we find no such Passage, nor any thing to that Sense, in any of the Prophets of the Old Testament.

But the most plain and simple Inter­pretation is this, therefore hath the Wis­dom of God said, that is, the most Wise God hath determined to send among you such Messengers and Holy Men, and I foresee that ye will thus abuse them, and thereby bring Wrath and Destructi­on upon your selves. And whereas our Saviour says in St. Matthew, behold I send unto you Prophets; it is very probable, he speaks in God's Name, and that it is to be understood, behold, says God, I send unto you. And this Phrase of the Wisdom of God, for the most Wise God, is very agreeable to other Forms of Speech, which we meet with in the Jewish Writers; as, Dicit norma judicii, the Rule of Judgment says, that is, the most Just and Righteous God; which serves very well to explain the Phrase in the Text, Therefore saith the Wisdom of God, I will send them Prophets and Apostles.

By Apostles is here meant, all sorts of Divine Messengers: For so St. Matthew ex­presseth it, I send unto you Prophets, and wise men, and Scribes; that is, several Ho­ly and Excellent Men, endowed with all sorts of Divine Gifts; Prophets, and wise [Page 340]men, and Scribes, which were the most glorious and admired Titles among the Jews.

And some of them they shall slay and per­secute. St. Matthew expresseth it more particularly, some of them ye shall kill and crucifie; as it was afterwards ful­filled in the two James's, and Stephen, who were slain by them, and in Simon the Son of Cleophas, and before him in Jesus the Son of God, who were Cru­cified; and some of them ye shall scourge in your Synagogues, as we read they did to Peter and John; and persecute them from City to City, as they did Paul and Barnabas. The sending of these Mes­sengers of God among the Jews, and this ill usage of them, the All-wise and All-knowing God had determined and foreseen.

II. Who this Zacharias was, here mentioned by our Saviour. And there are so many of them, (no less than Four of this Name) to whom it may with some probability be applyed, but espe­cially to Two of them, that it is very hard to determine which of them our Saviour means. Three Zacharias's are [Page 341]mention'd in Scripture, and one more in the History of Josephus.

There was Zacharias the Father of John the Baptist; but whose Son he was, we do not read; and tho' of his Death the Scripture is silent, yet there are two Traditions about it; one that he was slain by Herod's Officers, because he would not tell where his Son, John the Baptist was, when Herod sent for him. But the Credit of this relies upon very doubtful Authors. The other is mention­ed by several of the Fathers, and the substance of it is briefly this; that there being a Place in the Temple, where the Virgins by themselves used to Pray, the Virgin Mary coming to that Place to pray among the Virgins, was forbid­den, because she had had a Child; and that Zacharias for maintaining her Vir­ginity, was set upon and killed between the Temple and the Altar. But this Tra­dition is rejected by St. Jerome; and I doubt there is little ground for it.

Zacharias, one of the lesser Prophets, was the Son of Barachias, which agrees so far with St. Matthew's description of him: But there is no mention in Scrip­ture [Page 342]that he was slain; nor could he well be in the Temple, which was but building in his Time; tho' the Author of the Targum says, that Zacharias the Son of Ido, was slain by the Jews in the house of the Lord's Sanctuary, on the Day of the Propitiation; because he admonisht them not to do Evil before the Lord. Now Zacharias the Son of Barachias, was the Grand-Son of Ido; but yet, I think, this was only lapse of Memory, and that he means Zachary in the Chronicles, who was slain by Joash.

And He is the Third Zacharias I men­tion'd, 2 Chron. 24.21. who as he was reproving the People for transgressing the Commandment of the Lord, was stoned with stones at the Comandment of the King, in the court of the house of the Lord. And this our Saviour seems more particu­larly to reflect upon, immediately af­ter the Text; O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that stonest the Prophets, &c. Now this one would think was certainly the Person intended by our Saviour, and fit to be mentioned with Abel, whose blood is said to have cried to the Lord. For of Zacharias it is likewise said, that when he died, he said, the Lord look upon [Page 343]it, and require it. And Derusius cites a Jewish Writer, speaking thus by way of complaint against the Jewish Na­tion; because in the midst of thee fell the Priests of the Lord, and his Prophets, and because before the Holy Temple in the midst of thee, was slain the Godly and Righte­ous Prophet Zacharias, who lay unburied, nor did the Earth cover his blood, but to this day it goes up and speaks in the midst of thee. So that none could have been more fit to have been joyn'd with Abel in this respect.

But as probable as this looks, there are Two very great Objections against it. One is, that St. Matthew calls the Zacharias spoken of by our Saviour, the Son of Barachias; whereas this Zacha­rias slain by Joash, was the Son of Je­hoiada: And tho' it be very conside­rable, which St. Jerome observes, that in the Hebrew, or Nazarene Gospel, it is Zacharias the Son of Jehoiada; yet it is hard to rely upon that, against all the Greek Copies. But a more diffi­cult Objection, in my opinion, is, that our Saviour seems to design to men­tion the Two Extreams, the First and Last Righteous Man that was shin, [Page 344]and between them two comprehended the Good Men of all Ages, that were Persecuted and Slain; and if so, then that Zacharias in the Chronicles, who was slain so long before, can by no means be the Person.

There is yet a Fourth Zacharias, men­tion'd by Josephus, Lib. 4. the Son of Baruch (which is probably enough the the same Name with Barachias,) who was the last remarkable Good Man that was slain, immediately before the Siege of Jerusalem; and that as Josephus tells us, in the midst of the Temple; which agrees with our Saviour's description of it, between the Altar and the Temple; not the Altar of Incense, but of Burnt Offer­ings, which was in the outward Court, before the ascent to the Temple. So that Grotius thinks this was the Man intended by our Saviour, yet so that he does both allude to the History of the former Za­charias, and foretell the Death of this. And there is but one Objection against this; that our Saviour speaks of this as already past, whom you have slain; where­as this Zacharias was not slain till after our Saviour's Death. But I think that a satisfactory Answer may be given to this [Page 345]( viz. that our Saviour foretelling those future Persecutions, which should fill up the Measure of their Sins, and bring final Destruction upon them, he speaks of this as already past; because before that Destruction should come upon them, it would be true, they had slain him: So that speaking of the Vengeance coming upon them, well might he say, that upon them should come the blood of all the righteous men, from Abel to Zacharias, whom they had slain, &c.

III. The Third Difficulty remains, III. and that is, in what Sense, and with what Reason and Justice it is here threatned, that the blood of all the Prophets and Righ­teous Men, shed from the foundation of the World, should be required of that Generati­on. Some understand this more strict­ly; they should be charged with it, and formally punisht for it, because in imitating their cruel Predecessors, they should be guilty of all their Cruel­ty. But there is no necessity of this: All that our Saviour seems to intend, is this, that their Punishment in the Destructi­on of Jerusalem, should be so horrible, as if God had once for all Arraigned them of all the Righteous Blood that ever [Page 346]had been shed in the World, and brought the Punishment of it upon them; tho' in Truth the Punishment did not exceed the desert of their own Sins. And if this be the meaning of it, there is nothing Harsh and Unrea­sonable in it. And thus I have ex­plain'd, as well as I can, the several Difficulties in the Text. I shall make Two or Three Observations from the main Scope and Design of it, and so con­clude.

I. That it hath been the Lot of Ho­ly and Righteous Men, in most Ages of the World, to meet with very bad usage, to be Persecuted and Slain. The Devil began this Work early. When there were but Three Men in all the World, and Two of them Brethren; the one slew the other, because he was more righteous, and served God better than he did. And this trade hath continued, and been practised more or less, in most Ages and Generations of the World, as might be deduced through the Hi­story of the Old and New Testament, and of most Ages since: though the rod of the wicked hath not always abode upon the back of the righteous, lest at last Piety [Page 347]should be quite discouraged, and the faithful fail from among the Children of men. The People and the Church of God have had many Intervals of Peace and Prosperity; and sometimes for a long continuance, the favour and coun­tenance of Authority, and the Powers of the World, and the Laws of Nati­ons on their side.

But yet there is a continual enmity between the Seed of the Woman, and the Serpent, between the Righteous and the Wicked, between those that serve God, and those that serve him not; because their ways are contrary one to another, and quite of another fashion, their Princi­ples and Practices do contradict and clash with one another; the Virtues of good Men are a continual upbraid­ing of the bad, a living reproof and reproach to them; so that it is no won­der, that evil Men do so violently hate and persecute the good, and do by all means endeavour to remove out of the way those who are so opposite and of­fensive to them.

II. We may observe likewise hence, [Page 348]how great a Sin they are guilty of, who persecute the Righteous, and how ter­rible a Vengeance from God waits on them. Particular Examples of this have been in all Ages: But as the guilt of this Sin never went higher, than at this time foretold by our Saviour, when God sent to the Jews such Pro­phets, and Wise-men, and Scribes, and such a Number of them, as never up­on any occasion were sent unto the World, and they used them in that bloody and barbarous manner; no won­der, if the Vengeance that came upon them was such as never had been be­fore; and if, after they had filled up the measure of their Sins, by crucify­ing the Lord Jesus, and persecuting his Apostles, and stoning and killing all the Prophets that were sent unto them, the wrath of God came upon them to the utmost, and such a terrible Destruction from the Lord, as never befel any Peo­ple; insomuch that our Saviour, upon the foresight and mention of it, Forty Years before it happen'd, could not but weep over them, and express himself in those compassionate Words, O Jeru­salem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the Pro: [Page 349]phets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thee, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings; but ye would not! Behold your house is left unto you desolate.

III. From this whole Passage of our Saviour, which I have been explaining to you, we may learn, how vain it is for Men to pretend to Honour the dead Saints, when they Persecute the living. This was the great Hypocrisie of the Scribes and Pharisees among the Jews in our Saviour's time; and is at this Day of the Rulers and Governor's of the Roman Church among us Christi­ans; Nay, they exceed the Scribes and Pharisees, not only in their Veneration of the ancient Saints and righteous Men, but also, if it be possible, in their malice and cruelty towards the living. For they not only build costly Monu­ments to their Memory, which was the utmost the Scribes and Pharisees did, but they honour them with Shrines and rich Offerings, with Prayers and Vows to them, more frequent than to Almighty God himself, and our Blessed Saviour: But then they hate and per­secute [Page 350] the living, with as great vio­lence and cruelty, as ever was used by any part of Mankind towards one ano­ther. 'Tis true they do it under the Notion of Heresie; and so did the Scribes and Pharisees too, as St. Paul witnesseth, After the way which ye call Heresie, so worship I the God of my Fa­thers, believing all things that are writ­ten in the Law and in the Prophets. So they call us Hereticks; tho' we receive and believe all that is written in the Holy Scriptures, only rejecting their Additions, whereby they would make the Commandment of God of none effect. And as Rome is parallel with Jerusalem in many other respects; so especially in the bloody Persecution of righteous Men: And as Jerusalem is charged by our Saviour with the blood of all the Pro­phets and righteous men of all Ages; so St. John in the Revelation says of Rome, that in her was found the blood of Prophets, and of Saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth, ch. 18.24. Which is no less true of Rome Christian, than of Rome Pagan. In all the Churches and Religions in the World, and perhaps in Rome Pagan her self, hath not [Page 351]so much innocent Blood been shed, as in Rome Christian and Catholick, and that under a pretence of Religion: And no doubt there is a Day a coming, when she shall be called to a heavy Account for these things, when the Heavens shall rejoyce over her, and the Holy Angels and Prophets, because God hath avenged them on her.

THere is nothing more common­ly cryed up, than Zeal in Reli­gion; and yet there is nothing in which Men do more frequently and fatally mistake and miscarry, and in the Expressions and Effects whereof Men [Page 354]ought to govern themselves with more Care and Caution. VOL. II. To speak the truth, Zeal is as all other Passions are, in its own Nature indifferent, and of it self neither Good nor Bad; but ac­cording to the Object and Degree of it: for Zeal is nothing else, but an earnest Concernment for, or against something, and a violent Pursuit and Prosecution of it. For if it be applied to a right Object, so as we be earnestly concerned for things that are unquestionably Good, and against: things that are unquestion­ably Evil; and in a due Degree; that is, if the Expression of it be Propor­tionable to the less or greater Good or Evil of things; then it is a commendable Quality or Virtue: But if it be wrong placed, and we be earnestly concerned for that which is Evil, and against that which is Good, or about things which are of an indifferent, or doubtful Nature, as to the Good and Evil of them; or if we notoriously ex­ceed in the Degree of it, being more zealously concerned about things, than they deserve, and zealously concerned about lesser things, to the prejudice of greater; in any of these Cases, it is so for from being a Virtue, that it is [Page 355]a Vice, Serm. XIII. of a most pernicious and mis­chievous consequence, and many times hath as bad Effects, as can proceed from the worst Principle or Disposition of Mind.

It is sometimes used in a good Sense; but it is, when it is applyed to the best things, in which the Honour of God, and the Salvation of Men is concern'd, to the great and unquestionable Duties of Religion. As Zeal for the Honour of God, and the Place of his Publick Wor­ship, in opposition to Profaneness, John 2.17. The Zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. For an earnest desire of those Gifts, whereby we are to Edifie the Church, 1 Cor. 12.31. But covet ear­nestly the best gifts, so we render the words; be zealous of the best gifts, so it is in the Greek. For a Forwardness and Readiness to relieve the Necessities of the Saints, 2 Cor. 9.2. I know the for­wardness of your minds, and your zeal hath provok'd very many. And to the same pur­pose is that Expression, Tit. 2.14. Zea­lous of good works. And then for a Zeal for the Salvation of Mens Souls, 2 Cor. 11.2. I am zealous of you with a godly zeal.

But the word is much more fre­quently in Scripture used in a bad Sense, for a malicious and furious Rage, a­gainst the Professors of Christianity, Acts 5.17, 18. Then the high Priest, and they that were with him, were filled with indignation, (the word is Zeal) and laid their hands on the Apostles, and put them in prison. And, Chap. 13.45. it is said, the Jews were fill'd with Zeal, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. And, Chap. 17.5. The Jews which believed not, moved with Zeal, gathered a company, and set all the City in an uproar.

'Tis frequently reckoned amongst the works of the flesh, and mentioned in the company of the greatest Vices and Crimes; Wrath, Contention, Division, Sedition, Murthers, Tumults, Confu­sions. Rom. 13.13. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in Chambering and wan­tonness, not in strife and zeal. 1 Cor. 3.3. Whereas there is among you zeal, and strife, and divisions; are ye not carnal? 2 Cor. 12.20. Lest there be debates, zeal, wrath, strife. Gal. 5.19, 20, 21. The works of the flesh are manifest, among [Page 357]which the Apostle reckons hatred, vari­ance, zeal, wrath, strife, seditions, here­sies, envyings, murthers. St. James calls it a bitter zeal. Jam. 3.14, 15, 16. But if ye have bitter zeal and strife in your hearts; glory not, and lye not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above; but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where zeal and strife is, there is con­fusion and every evil work. By which it appears that zeal most frequently goes under a bad Name and Character in Scripture; zeal, I mean, in matters of Religion; for of that most of the Texts I have mentioned speak; and this is that which St. Paul means, here in the Text, by a zeal of God, that is, a zeal about Religion, and divine things. I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God; but not according to knowlede.

In which words, the Apostle being desirous to say the best he could of his Countrymen, the Jews, he commends the good meaning of their zeal, and blames the ill conduct of it, I bear them record, [...], I give this testimony on their behalf, that they have a zeal of God, that is, that by all this fierceness against [Page 358]the Christian Religion, they intend the honour of God, and think they do him service: but yet this Zeal is greatly to be condemned; because it is a mistaken and misguided zeal, not at all directed as it should be; they have a zeal of God; but not according to knowledge.

From which words I shall take into consideration these Three things.

• I. What are the Qualifications and Properties of a Zeal according to know­ledge.
• II. By what Marks and Characters, we may know that zeal, which here, and elsewhere in Scripture is con­demned, as not being according to know­ledge.
• III. How far the doing of any thing, out of a zeal for God, doth mitigate and extenuate the Evil of it. For when the Apostle here testifies con­cerning the Jews, that they had a zeal of God; he speaks this in favour of them, and by way of mitigation of their Faults. When I have handled these [Page 359] Three Particulars, I shall apply my Dis­course to the present Occasion of this day.

I. What are the Qualifications and Properties of a zeal according to know­ledge. I shall mention these Three.

• 1. That our Zeal be right, in re­spect of its Object.
• 2. That the Measure and Degree of it be proportioned to the Good or Evil of things, about which it is con­versant.
• 3. That we pursue it by lawful ways and means.

1. That our Zeal be right, in re­spect of its Object; I mean, that those things which we are zealous for, be certainly and considerably Good; and that those things which we are zea­lous against, be certainly and conside­rably Evil. A mistake in any of these quite marrs our Zeal, and spoils the Virtue of it: And tho' it be never so much intended for God, it is not at all [Page 360]pleasing and acceptable to him; be­cause it is a blind and ignorant and mistaken Zeal: And the hotter, the worse; it is not an heavenly fire, that comes down from above; but it is like the fire of Hell, Heat without Light. If we mistake Good and Evil, and be zealously concerned, against that which is Good, or for that which is Evil; the greater our Zeal is, the greater is our Fault; and instead of doing God and Religion Service and Credit, we do the greatest Mischief and Dis­honour we can to them both: Or if the thing about which our Zeal is conver­sant, be of a doubtful and uncertain nature; this is not properly an Ob­ject of Zeal. Men should never be earnest for or against any thing, but upon clear and certain Grounds, that what we contend so earnestly for, is undoubtedly Good; and that which we are so violent against, is undoubtedly Evil: If it be not, we are zealous for we know not what, and that I am sure, is a zeal not according to knowledge.

And if the thing be certainly Good or Evil, which we are so concerned about; [Page 361]it must also be considerably so: other­wise it will not warrant our being zea­lous about it. All Truth is Good, and all Error Bad; but there are many Truths so inconsiderable, and which have so small an influence upon Practice, that they do not deserve our Zeal and earnest Contention about them; and so likewise are there many Errors, and Mistakes, of so slight and inconsidera­rable a Nature, that it were better Men should be let alone in them, than provok'd to Quarrel and Contend about them.

Thus that great Heat that was in the Christian Church, about the Time of observing Easter, was, in my Opinion, a Zeal not according to knowledge. They were on both sides agreed in the main, which was to celebrate the Memory of our Saviour's Resurrection: But there were different Customs about the Time, which was a matter of no such consideration, as to deserve so much Heat and Zeal about it, especi­ally considering the uncharitable, and mischievous Consequences of that diffe­rence.

2. That our Zeal may be accord­ing to knowledge, the Measure and De­gree of it must be proportioned to the Good or Evil of things, about which it is conversant. That is an ignorant Zeal, which is conversant about lesser things, and unconcerned for greater. Such was the Zeal of the Scribes and Pharises, who were mightily concerned about external and lesser Matters; but took little or no care of inward Purity, and real and substantial Goodness; they were very careful, not to eat with un­washt hands, and to make clean the outside of the cup and platter; but then they were full of extortion, and all unrighteousness: they pay'd tythe of mint, and anise, and cumin; but omitted the weightier things, judgment, mercy, and fidelity; or, as St. Luke expres­seth it, they past over Judgment and the love of God.

A zealous strictness about external Rites and Matters of difference, where there is a visible neglect of the substan­tial Duties of Religion, and the great Virtues of a good life, is either a gross Ignorance of the true Nature of Re­ligion, [Page 363]or a fulsome Hypocrisie. And so likewise is a loud and zealous out­cry against Rites and Ceremonies, and the Imposition of indifferent things in Religion, when Men can release them­selves from the Obligation of Natural and Moral Duties, and pass over mer­cy, and justice, and charity.

3. A Zeal that is is according to know­ledge, must be pursued and prosecuted by Lawful and Warantable Means. No Zeal for God and his Glory, for his true Church and Religion; will justifie the doing of that which is morally and in it self evil. Will ye speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for him? We do not know what belongs to the Honour of God and Religion, if we think to promote his Glory, by means so disho­nourable and offensive to him. The A­postle pronounceth it a Damnable Sin, for any to charge this Doctrine upon Christianity, that evil may be done for a good end, and to promote the glory of God, Rom. 3.8. As we he slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say, let us do evil that good may come; whose damnati­on is just.

And yet nothing is more frequent, than for a Man, out of a Zeal for God and Religion, to over-look the Evil and Unlawfulness of the Means they use, for the advancing so good an End. This is that which hath sanctified those refi­ned Arts of Lying and Perjury, by E­quivocation, and Mental Reservation; those seditious ways of disturbing the Peace of Kingdoms, by Treason and Rebellion, by the Excommunicating, and Disposing of Princes, upon pre, tence of Heresie; of Extirpating those, whom they please to call Hereticks, by Inquisitions, and Croisado's, and Massa­cres; and this, not only in the opinion of private Persons, but in the judgment of Popes, and of General Councils. I proceed in the

II. Place to shew by what Marks and Characters we may know the con­trary Zeal, that which is not according to knowledge, which is condemned here in the Text, and very frequently in other Places of Scripture: And tho' this may be sufficiently known by the con­trary Marks and Properties (which I shall but briefly mention) yet to dis­cover [Page 365]it more fully, I shall add One or Two more very gross and sensible signs and instances of it.

1. It is a zeal without knowledge, that is mistaken in the proper Object of it, that calls good evil, and evil good; a Zeal for gross Errors and Superstitions, plainly contrary either to the revelati­on of God's Word, or the light of Rea­son, or to common Sense; any or all of these cannot be a zeal according to knowledge. A Zeal for the Worship of Images, for praying to Saints and An­gels, contrary to the plain Law and Word of God; a Zeal for the sacrile­gious depriving of the People of half the Sacrament, contrary to our Savi­our's plain Institution, and the ac­knowledged Practice of the Catholick Church, for a thousand years; a Zeal for that most absurd of all Doctrines that, ever was taught in any Religion, I mean the Dostrine of Transubstantiation, not only without any sufficient Autho­rity from Scripture (as is acknowledg­ed by several of the most learned of the Roman Church) but contrary to Reason, and in defiance of the Sense of [Page 366]all Mankind; a Zeal for these, and ma­ny more like gross Errors and Practices, cannot possibly be a zeal according to knowledge.

2. That is a zeal without knowledge, the degree whereof is manifestly dis­proportion'd to the Good or Evil of things about which it is conversant; when there is in Men a greater and fiercer Zeal for the Externals of Reli­gion; than for the Vital and Essential Parts of it: for the Traditions of men; than for the Commandments of God: for Bodily Severities; than for the Mortifi­cation of our Lusts: for the Means of Religion; than for the End of it: a greater zeal against the Omission and Neglect of some senseless and superstiti­ous Practices; than against the Practice of the grossest Immoralities: and against the Denyers of the Doctrines of Tran­substantiation, and of the Pope's Infalli­bility, an equal, if not a greater zeal (I am sure a more severe Prosecution) than against those who deny our Saviour to be the true Messias, and the Son of God: This certainly is not a zeal according te knowledge. Nor,

3. That which is prosecuted by un­lawful and unwarrantable Means. That cannot be a zeal of God according to know­ledge, which warrants the doing of Evil, that Good may come; the violating of Truth and Faith, and of the Peace of Humane Society, for the Cause of the Catholick Church; and breaking the eternal and immutable Laws of God, for the advancing of his Glory. Nor,

4. An uncharitable Zeal, which is an Enemy to Peace and Order, and thinks it self sufficiently warranted to separate from the Communion of Chri­stians, and to break the Peace of the Church, upon every scruple, and upon every fancy and conceit of unlawful Im­positions, tho' in the most indifferent things; nay upon this single Point, be­cause a thing which they acknowledge lawful, and indifferent in it self, is in the worship of God enjoyned by Authority; The most un­reasonable Principle that I think ever was avowed among Christians; not to do a thing, which otherwise they might do, only because it is enjoyned; and to fancy, that an indifferent thing be­comes [Page 368]comes presently unlawful, because it is commanded by lawful Authority; and that it is a Sin to do any thing, in the Worship of God, which is not left to their Liberty, whether they will do it or not. This is not only a Zeal without knowledge; but contrary to common Sense. Nor,

5. A Furious and Cruel Zeal, which St. James calls a bitter, or a wrathful Zeal, and which tends to confusion and every evil work, which is blind with its own rage, and makes Men, as St. Paul says of himself, when he persecut­ed the Christians, exceedingly mad against all that differ from them, and stand in the way of their fierce and outragious Zeal.

6. And lastly, A Zeal for ignorance, is most certainly not a zeal according to knowledge; and this is a Zeal peculiar to the Church of Rome, by such strict Laws to forbid People the use of the Holy Scriptures in a known Tongue; nay not so much as to allow them to understand what they do in the Ser­vice of God; to require them to be [Page 369]present at their Publick Prayers, and to joyn with them in them, without letting them know the meaning of them; to pretend to teach them, by reading Lessons to them in an unknown Tongue; and all this under pretence of increasing their Devotion; as if the less Men understand of the Service of God, the more they would be affected with it, and edified by it.

And yet there is nothing in which the Church of Rome hath been more zealously concerned, than to keep the People in ignorance: Nothing they hive opposed with more obstinacy, a­gainst the repeated application of Prin­ces, and People, at the beginning of the Reformation; than to allow the People the use of the Scriptures, in their publick Prayers, in an unknown Tongue. And their obstinacy in this Point, was not without Reason; nothing being more certain, than that if the People were once brought to understand the Scriptures, they would soon quit their Religion, which in so many things is so directly contrary to the word of God. The

III. And last thing remains to be spoken to, viz. How far the doing of things, out of a Zeal for God, doth Mitigate and Extenuate the Evil of them. For when the Apostle here testi­fies, concerning the Jews, that they had a zeal of God, he speaks this in favour of them, and by way of mitigation of their fault. I bear them record; I who was once acted by this ignorant and furious zeal, which now possesseth them, and persecuted the Christians in the same outragious manner, as they still continue to do, and all this with a very good Conscience, as I thought, and out of a zeal for God, and the true Religion. So he tells us, Acts 26.9. I verily thought with my self, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. So that his zeal was sincere, and with a real inten­tion to do Service to God and Reli­gion; and yet for all that was very faulty and sinful, and, if he had per­sisted in it, Damnable; so that his confidence, that he was in the right, and the Sincerity of his zeal in acting according to the perswasion of his Con­science, [Page 371]did not alter the Nature of the actions he did out of this zeal, and make them less wicked in themselves; tho' it was some mitigation of the fault of the Person, and render'd him more capable of the Mercy of God, by Re­pentance, than if he had done contra­ry to his Conscience, and the clear con­victions of his own Mind.

And therefore the best way to un­derstand the great Evil and Wicked­ness of this furious and blind Zeal, will be, to consider the account which St. Paul, after his Conversion, gives of his own doings, and what load he lays upon himself, notwithstanding the Sin­cerity of his Zeal, and that he acted ac­cording to his Conscience. Acts viii and ix. you have the History at large of his outrageous doings, how he made havock of the Church, entering into every house, and haling men and women to Prison; how he breathed out threatnings and slaugh­ter against the disciples of the Lord. Acts 22.4. I persecuted, says he, this way un­to the death, binding and delivering into Prisons both men and women. And Ch. 26.10, 11. Many of the Saints did I shut up [Page 372]in Prison, and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them; and I pu­nished them often in every Synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even to strange Cities. Gal. 1.13, 14. Ye have heard, says he, of my conversati­on in times past, in the Jews Religion; how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God, and wasted it, being exceed­ingly zealous of the traditions of my fa­thers. 1 Tim. 1.13. Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecuter, and inju­rious. So that he chargeth himself with the guilt of Blasphemy and Mur­der, and a most furious and outrage­ous Persecution of Good Men; for which elsewhere he pronounceth him­self the chief of Sinners. From whence it evidently appears, that Men may do the most Wicked and Damnable Sins, out of a zeal for God.

And this was the case of many of the Jews, as our Saviour foretold, that the time should come, when they should kill men, thinking they did God good Service. But yet for all this, the Apostles of our Lord make no scruple, to charge them with [Page 373]downright Murder. Acts 2.23. speaking of their putting our Saviour to death, whom ye by wicked hands have crucified and slain. And Acts 7.52. The just One, of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.

Yet notwithstanding their Sin was of this high Nature in it self; yet it was some mitigation of the fault of the Per­sons, that they did these things out of an ignorant zeal, and rendred them more capable of the Mercy of God, upon their repentance. And upon this ac­count our Saviour interceded with God for Mercy for them; Father for­give them, for they know not what they do. St. Peter also pleads the same in mitigation of their fault, Acts 3.17. And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your ru­lers. And St. Paul tells us, that he found mercy, upon his repentance, on this ac­count, 1 Tim. 1.13. But I obtained mer­cy, because I did it ignorantly, and in unbelief. But still, for all this, wicked things done out of Conscience and Zeal for God, are Damnable, and will prove so, without repentance.

I shall now draw some Inferences from this Discourse, by way of Ap­plication.

1. If it be so necessary, that our Zeal be directed by knowledge; this shews us how dangerous a thing Zeal is in the weak and ignorant sort of People. Zeal is an Edg-Tool, which Children in understanding should not meddle withal; and yet it most fre­quently possesseth the weakest Minds; and commonly by how much the less knowing People are, by so much the more zealous they are: And in the Church of Rome, where Knowledge is professedly discouraged, and sup­prest in the common People, Zeal is mightily countenanced and cherish'd. And they make great use of it; for this blind and furious Zeal, is that which inspires diem to do such Cruel and Barbarous things, as were hardly ever acted among the Heathen. Zeal is on­ly fit for wise Men; but it is chiefly in Fashion among Fools,

Nay it is dangerous in the hands of wise Men, and to be govern'd and kept in with a strict Rein; otherwise it will transport them to the doing of Undue and Irregular things. Moses, one of the wisest and best of Men, and most likely to govern and manage his Zeal as he ought, and to keep aloof from all Excess and Extrava­gance, being the meekest Man upon Earth, yet he was so surprised, upon a sud­den occasion, that in a fit of zeal, he let fall the Two Tables of the Law, which he had but just received from God, and dasht them in pieces. A true Emblem of an ungoverned zeal, in the transport whereof even Good Men are apt to forget the Laws of God, and let them fall out of their Hands, and to break all the Obligations of Natu­ral and Moral Duties.

2. From hence we plainly see, that Men may do the worst and wickedest things, out of a Zeal for God and Re­ligion. Thus it was among the Jews, who engrost Salvation to themselves, and denyed the possibility of it to all [Page 376]the world besides; and the Church of Rome have taken Copy by them, as in an arrogant conceit of themselves, so in the blindness, and fury, and uncha­ritableness of their Zeal towards all, who refuse to submit to their Authori­ty and Directions.

And as the Teachers and Rulers of the Jewish Church did of old, so do the Church of Rome now; They take away the Key of Knowledge from the People, and will neither enter into the kingdom of Heaven themselves, nor suffer those that would, to enter in. They Brand for Hereticks those who make the Holy Scriptures the Rule of their Faith, and Worship; as St. Paul tells us the Jews did in his Time, Acts 24.14. After the way which they call Heresie, so worship I the God of my Fathers, believ­ing all things which are written in the Law, and the Prophets. They Establish the Merit of their own Righteousness, not submitting to the Righteousness of God, by the Faith of Jesus Christ. So St. Paul tells us the Jews did, in the Verse immediately after the Text; For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, [Page 377]and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted them­selves unto the righteousness of God. And as the Jews Anathematiz'd and Ex­communicated the first Christians, and Persecuted them to the Death, as our Saviour foretold, That the time would come, when they should put them out of their Synagogues, yea and kill them, thinking they did God good service; so the Church of Rome hath, for many Ages, used the sincere Professors of the same Religion, Persecuting them, first with Excommunication, and then with Fire and Faggot; and with all the violence and fury in the world en­deavouring the utter extirpation and ruine of them, by bloody Croisado's and a barbarous Inquisition, by trea­cherous Massacres, and all sorts of hellish Plots and Machinations; witness the monstrous Design of this day, ne­ver to be remembred or mentioned without horror, To have destroyed at one blow, and have swallowed up in one com­mon ruine, our King, and Prince, and Nobles, and the Represent ative Body of the whole Nation; witness the bloody Mas­sacre of Ireland, and all their wicked [Page 378]Designs and Practices, continued to this very day.

3. And lastly, That zeal for God and Religion, does not alter the Nature of Actions done upon that account. Per­secution and Murder of the sincere Professors of Religion, are Damnable Sins; and no zeal for God and Religion can excuse them, or take away the guilt of them; zeal for God will justifie no Action that we do, unless there be di­scretion to justifie our zeal.

There is nothing oftner misleads Men, than a misguided Zeal; it is an ignis fatuus, a false fire, which often leads Men into Boggs and Precipices; it appears in the Night, in dark and ignorant and weak minds, and offers it self a guide to those who have lost their way; it is one of the most un­governable Passions of Human Na­ture, and therefore requires great know­ledge and judgment to manage it, and keep it within bounds. It is like fire, a good Servant, but a bad Master; if it once get head, it consumes and de­vours all before it, and the great dan­ger [Page 379]and mischief of it is, that it is most commonly found where it should not be, and possesses those most, who are least fit to govern it; and most frequent­ly employed about what it should not be; and ten to one but it is either mis­taken in the Object, or in the Measure and Degree of it; and even when it is a Vir­tue, it is a nice and dangerous one; for the wisest Men are apt to mingle their own Passions and Interests with their Zeal for God and Religion. So that it is not enough that Men are acted by a zeal for God, and do sincerely follow the dictates of their Consciences; but they must be careful to inform their Consciences, and not suffer themselves to be violently transported and hurried on by their own Passions and Preju­dice, and by a blind and furious zeal without knowledge.

But what then? Would we have Men not follow their own Consciences, or act contrary to them? No, by no means: For tho' Conscience be not our Rule; yet it is our immediate Guide; and he does ill, who does act against his Conscience. But Men must be care­ful [Page 380]how they settle their Practical Judgment of things, and conclude things to be Lawful or Unlawful, Du­ties or Sins, without Reason and good Ground.

God hath given us Understandings, to try and examine things, and the light of his Word to direct us in this tryal; and if we will judge rashly, and suffer our selves to be hurried by Prejudice or Passion, the Errours of our Judgment become Faults of our Lives: For God expects from us that we should weigh and consider what we do; and when he hath afforded us light enough to discern betwixt Good and Evil, that we should carefully follow the directi­on of it; that we should be suspicious of our selves, when our Zeal carries us to do things that are furious and cruel, false and treacherous, and have a hor­rid appearance even to the light of Na­ture; we should question that zeal which is so contrary to Christian Good­ness and Meekness, to Peace and Cha­rity, and which tends to Confusion and every Evil Work.

I will conclude all with that excel­lent Passage of St. James, which will shew us how little regard is to be had to many Mens Pretences of Zeal for Religion, Jam. 3.13. Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge amongst you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter zeal and strife in your hearts; glory not, and lye not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above; but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where zeal and strife is; there is confusion, and every evil work. But the wisdom which is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easie to be entreated; full of mercy and good fruits; without par­tiality, and without hypocrisie: And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

THESE words were spoken by our Blessed Saviour, when he was about to leave the World; at the thoughts whereof, finding his Dis­ciples [Page 384]to be exceedingly troubled, VOL. II. he comforts them by the Consideration of the great Benefit and Advantage which from thence would accrue to them; he tells them that he was going to Hea­ven to interceed for them, and to make way for their admission there; and withall promiseth, that his Father would send the Holy Ghost, who should abundantly supply the want of his Pre­sence with them: but he tells them at the same time, that they should meet with very ill Entertainment and Usage from the World: but so had He, Ch. 15.18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me, before it hated you; and why should they expect to be better treated than He was? v. 20. Remem­ber the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than the Lord; if they have persecuted me, they will also per­secute you.

And at the beginning of this Chap­ter he tells them, that he did on pur­pose forewarn them of these things, to prepare their Minds beforehand, and to arm them against the worst that might happen; v. 1. These things have I [Page 385]I have spoken to you, Serm. XIV. that ye should not be offended. And then he declares more particularly, how far the Rage and Malice of Men should proceed against them, and in what kind they should suffer: They shall put you out of the Syna­gogues: Yea the time cometh, that whoso­ever killeth you will think that he doth God service.

So that our Saviour here fortells Two sorts of Persecution, which his Disciples should be Exercised withal, Excommu­nication; they shall put you out of their Synagogues: And Excision; Yea the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will thinks that he doth God service. And these perhaps were but several Kinds and Degrees of Excomunication; for the clearer understanding whereof, it will be requisite, briefly to explain the Three Degrees of Excommunication among the Jews.

The First call'd Niddui, is that which our Saviour here means, by putting out of the Synagogue; and which he elsewhere expresseth by [...], or separation. Luke 6.22. [Page 386] Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate yon from their company. And the Effect of this Excommunication was to exclude Men from the Communion of the Church and People of God, and from his Ser­vice; which was a great disgrace; be­cause, after this Sentence, none of the Jews were to converse with them, but to look upon them as Heathens and Pub­licans.

The Second Degree of this Cen­sure was called Cherem; which includ­ed the first, but extended farther, to the Confiscation of Goods into the Sacred Treasury, and devoting them to God; after which there was no Re­demption of them. And of this we find express mention, Ezra, 10.7, 8. where it is said, That they made Proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem, unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Je­rusalem; and that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the Counsel of the Princes and Elders, all his substance should be devoted, and himself [Page 387]separated from the congregation of those that had been carriied away.

The Third Degree ws Shammatha, when the Rebellious and Contumacious Person was Anathematiz'd and Devo­ted, and, as some conceive, according to the Law ( Levit. 27.29.) was to be put to death; tho' other very konwing Men in the Jewish Learning think it amounted, to no more, than a final Sentence, whereby they were left to the Judgment of God, by some remark­able Judgment of his to be cut off from the Congregation of Israel.

Of the First and Last of these De­grees of Excomunication, our Savi­our seems here to speak; but whether in both Instances in the Text, he alludes in the one to the lowest, and in the o­ther to the highst Degree of Excom­munication among the Jews, is not so certain. To the First he plainly does, when he says, they shall put you out of the Synagogues: And then he adds, that they should proceed much higher a­gainst them, even to put them to death; the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you [Page 388]will think that he doth God service; that is, they should not only think it Lawful to kill them, but look upon it as a Duty, as a high Act of Religion, as an ac­ceptable Piece of Worship, and a Sa­crifice well-pleasing to God. For so in­deed the word does not only import, but most properly signifie, whosoever killeth you shall think, [...], that he offers a Sacrifice to God; for so the word [...] is sometimes used for a Sacrifice; but being joyned with [...] seems necessarily to be determined to that Sense.

From the words thus explained, I shall make these following Observati­ons, very proper for our Consideration upon the Occasion of this day.

• 1. That the best of Men may be separated and excluded from the Com­munion of those who may assume to themselves to be the true and the on­ly true Church; yea and suffer under the Notion of very Bad and Criminal Persons. This our Saviour here fore­told of his Apostles, some of the best [Page 389]Men that ever lived: They shall put you out of their Synagogues.
• 2. That they who are thus Ex­communicated, by the pretended true Church, may nevertheless be real Mem­bers of the true Church of Christ. Tho' the Apostles were thus dealt withall by the Jewish Church; they did not cease for all that to be Members of the true Church of God.
• 3. That from uncharitable Censures Men do easily and almost naturally proceed to Cruel Actions. After they had put the Disciples of our Lord out of their Synagoguse, and thereby con­cluded them to be Hereticks and Re­probates, they presently proceed to kill them, as not worthy to live. They shall put you out of their Synagogues; and when they have done that, they will soon after think it a thing not only fit, but Pious and Meritorious, to put you to death; the time will come, that they will think it a good service to God, to kill you.
• [Page 390]4. That Men may do the Vilest things, and the most Wicked, not on­ly under a grave pretence of Religion, but out of a real opinion and perswasion that they do Religiously. Murder is certainly one of the greatest and most crying Sins; and yet our Saviour fore­tells, that the Jews should put his Dis­ciples to death, being verily per­swaded that in so doing they offered a most acceptable Sacrifice to God: Yea the time shall come, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offers a Sacri­sice to God.
• 5. That such Actions are never the less horribly Impious and Wicked, notwithstanding the good Mind with which, and the Good End for which they are done. The Jews were not excused from the guilt of Persecution and Murder, for all they thought they did well in killing the Disciples of our Lord.
• 6. I observe that the Corruption of the best tilings is the worst. Reli­gion is the highest Accomplishment [Page 391]and Perfection of Humane Nature; and Zeal for God and his Truth an excellent Quality, and highly accep­table to God: And yet nothing is more Barbarous, and spurs Men on to more horrible Impieties, than a blind Zeal for God, and false and mistaken Principles in the matter of Religion; as is plain from the Instances here be­fore us in the Text. I shall speak as briefly as I can to these Observati­ons.

1. That the best of Men may be se­parated and excluded from the Commu­nion of those, who may assume to be the true and only true Church, and that, under the Notion of very Bad and Criminal Persons. This our Sa­viour foretells in the Text should be the Fate of his Apostles, some of the best and holiest Persons that ever lived; they shall put you out of the Syna­gogues.

And what the Jews did in the be­ginning of Christianity, to the A­postles of our Lord and Saviour, hath been too frequently practised since, [Page 392]by some of the Professors of Christi­anity toward one another; and ve­ry Good Men have in several Ages fallen under the Censure of Excommu­nication, and been separated from the External Communion of the Church, and branded with the odious Names of Hereticks and Apostates, by those who have arrogated to themselves to be the only Orthodox and true Church, and have gotten the external Power and Management of Religion into their hands; witness the Case of Atha­nasius and others, in the Reign and Prevalency of Arianism; and the ill Treatment, that not only particular Persons, Eminent for their Learning and Piety, but whole Churches have met with in this kind, from that haughty and uncharitable Church, which makes nothing of thundering out this most fearful Sentence of Ex­communication, against Persons, and Churches much better and more Chri­stian than her self, and against all that will not submit to her pretended Infalli­bility, and usurped Authority over the Souls and Consciences of Men.

But it is our great Comfort, that the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord and Master were thus used, by a Church that made the same Pretences that they do, and upon Grounds every whit as plausible, as I could clearly shew, if I were minded to persue and make out this Comparison.

2. They who are thus Excommu­nicated, by the pretended only true Church, may nevertheless be true Mem­bers of the Church of Christ. Tho' the Apostles were thus dealt withall by the Jewish Church; they did not cease for all this to be real Members of the true Church of God. For it is not calling Hereticks first, that proves them that do so to be no Hereticks, or ac­quits them from the same or greater Crimes, than those which they are so forward to charge upon other Men; nor will God condemn all those who are Excommunicated by Men, and de­ny Salvation to every one, whom they shall please to separate from their So­ciety, and to call by some odious name. Men may be put out of the Syna­gogue, and yet receiv'd into Heaven; [Page 394]for the Judgment of God is not accord­ing to the uncharitable Censures of Men; but according to Truth and Right.

The Sentence of Excommunication is certainly very dreadful, where it is du­ly inflicted; and next to the Judgment of God, Men ought to be afraid of justly incurring the danger of this Cen­sure; and it ought to be upon very plain and evident grounds, that Men either separate themselves, or endan­ger their being cut off from the Com­munion of the Church they live in: But when it once comes to this, that a Church is infected with gross Errors and Corruptions, plainly contrary to the Word of God, especially if that Church will impose her Errors upon all that are of her Communion; then those who refuse to comply, do not se­pavate themselves, but are cut off; do not depart, but are driven out of the Com­munion of that Church; and Separati­on in that case is as innocent and free from the guilt of Schism, as the Cause of it is; for the terms of Communion are become such, that those who are [Page 395]convinced of those Errors and Corrup­tions can have no Salvation, if they continue in that Communion, and then I am sure their Salvation will not be endangered by leaving it, or being Ex­communicated out of it; for that would be the hardest case in the World, that Men should be Damned for continu­ing in the Communion of such a Church, and damned likewise for being cast out of it.

Therefore no Man ought to be terrifi­ed, because of the boldness and pre­sumption of those, who with so much Confidence, and so little Charity, damn all that are not of their Communion; for we see plainly from the Text, that Men may be in the right and surest way to Salvation, and yet be Excommu­nicated by those who call themselves the true Church, and will not allow Sal­vation to any, but those of their own Communion. The Disciples of our Lord and Saviour were certainly ve­ry good Men, and in a safe way of Salvation, tho' they were Excommu­nicated, and put out of the Synagogue, [Page 396]by the chief Priests and the Rulers of the Jewish Church. I proceed to the

3. Observation, which was this, that from uncharitable Censures, Men do by an easie step, and almost naturally proceed to Cruel Actions. After the Jews had put the Disciples of our Lord out of their Synagogues, and thereby concluded them to be Hereticks and Reprobates; no wonder they should proceed to kill those, whom they thought not worthy to live; they shall put you out of their Synagogues, (says our Saviour) and when they have done that, they will soon think it a thing not on­ly fit and reasonable, but Pious and Meritorious, and a good Piece of Ser­vice done to God, to put you to death. Uncharitableness naturally draws on Cruelty, and hardens Humane Na­ture towards those, of whom we have once conceived so hard an opinion, that they are Enemies to God and his Truth.

And this hath been the source of the most barbarous Cruelties that have been in the world; witness the severity of the Heathen Perfection of the Chri­stians, [Page 397]which justified it self by the Un­charitable Opinion which they had con­ceived of them, that they were despi­sers of Religion and the Gods, and con­sequently Atheists; that they were per­tinacious and obstinate in their Opinions, that is, in the Modern Stile, they were Hereticks. And the like uncharitable conceit among Christians hath been thought a sufficient ground (even in the judgment of the Infallible Chair) for the justification of several bloody Massacres, and the cruel Proceedings of the Inqui­sition against Persons suspected of Here­sie; for after Men are once Sentenced to Eternal Damnation, it seems a small thing, to torment and destroy their Bodies.

4. Men may do the vilest and most wicked things, not only under a grave Pretence of Religion, but out of a real Opinion and Perswasion of Mind, that they do Religiously. Murder is cer­tainly one of the greatest and most crying Sins; and yet our Saviour fore­tels, that the Jews should put his Disci­ples to Death, being verily perswaded that in so doing they should offer a most [Page 398]acceptable Sacrifice to God; yea the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offers a Sacrifice to God.

Not but that the great Duties and Virtues of Religion are very plain and easy to be understood; and so are the contrray Sins and Vices: But then they are only plain to a teachable, and honest, and well-disposed mind; to those who receive the word with meekness, and are not blinded with wrath and fu­rious Zeal; to those that receive the truth into an honest heart, and entertain it in the love of it; they are plain to the humble and meek; for the humble God will guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his ways; such as these God sel­dom suffers to fall into fatal mistakes about their Sin, or Duty, so as to call good evil, and evil good; to call light dark­ness, and darkness light; to think Un­charitableness a Virtue, and downright Murder a great Duty.

But if Men will give up themselves to be swayed by self-Love and self-Conceit, to be governed by any base or corrupt Interest, to be blinded by [Page 399]Prejudice, and intoxicated by Pride, to be transported and hurried away by violent and furious Passions; no wonder if they mistake, the Nature; and con­found the Differences of things, in the plainest and most palpable cases; no wonder if God give up Persons of such corrupt minds to strong delusions, to be­lieve lies. It ought not to be strange to us, if such Men bring their Understand­ings to their Wills and Interests, and bend their Judgments to their Preju­dices, make them to stoop to their Pride, and blindly to follow their Passi­ons, which way soever they lead them; for God usually leaves such persons to themselves, as run away from him, and is not concerned to secure those from splitting upon the most dangerous Rocks, who will stear their Course by no Compass, but commit themselves to the wind and tide of their own Lusts and Passions.

In these Cases Men may take the wrong Way; and yet believe them­selves to be in the right: they may oppose the Truth, and persecute the Professors of it, and be guilty of the [Page 400]blackest Crimes, and the most horrid Impieties, Malice and Hatred, Blasphe­my and Murder; and yet all the while be verily perswaded, that they are serv­ing God, and Sacrificing to him.

Of this we have a plain, and full instance, in the Scribes and Pharisees, the chief Priests and Rulers among the Jews, who because they sought the Ho­nour of Men, and not that which was from God, and loved the Praise of Men, more than the Praise of God; because they were prejudiced against the Mean­ness of our Saviour's Birth and Condi­tion, and had upon false Grounds (tho' as they thought upon the Infallibili­ty of Tradition, and of Scripture in­terpreted by Tradition) entertain'd quite other Notion of the Messias, from what he really was to be; because they were proud, and thought them selves too wise to learn of him; and because his Doctrine of Humility, and self-Denyal, did thwart their Interest, and bring down their Authority and Credit among the People; therefore they set themselves against him with all their Might, opposing his Doctrine, [Page 401]and blasting his Reputation, and per­secuting him to the Death; and all this while did bear up themselves with a conceit of the Antiquity and Privi­ledges of their Church, and their pro­found Knowledge in the Law of God, and a great External shew of Piety and Devotion, and an arrogant Pre­tence and Usurpation of being the only Church and People of God in the World: And by virtue of these Ad­vantages, they thought they might do any thing; and that whosoever oppo­sed the Authority of so ancient and good a Church, must needs be very bad Men, and deserve to be proceeded against in the severest manner. As if any pre­tence of Piety could give a Priviledge to do wickedly, and by how much the Wiser and Holier any Man took himself to be, he might do so much the worse things.

There is another remarkable Instance of this in St. Paul, who out of a blind and furious Zeal, for the Tradi­tions of his Fathers, Persecuted the true Church of God, by Imprisonment and Death, and all manner of Cruelties; [Page 402]and all this while he verily thought that he was in the right, and that he ought to do all these things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And if God had not in a miraculous manner checkt him in his course, and changed his Mind, he would have spent his whole life in that course of Persecution and Cru­elty, and would (with Pope Paul the IV. upon his Death-Bed) have recom­mended the Inquisition (or if he could have thought of any thing more se­vere) to the chief Priests and Rulers of the Jewish Church.

I will not trouble you with nearer Instances; tho' the Jewish Church is not the only Church in the World, that hath countenanced the Destructi­on and Extirpation of those who dif­fered from them, as a piece of very ac­ceptable Service to God, and meritori­ous of the Pardon of their Sins.

5. I observe that such Actions as these are never the less horribly Wicked and Impious, notwithstanding the good Mind with which, and the good End for which they are done. The Jews [Page 403]were not excused from the guilt of Persecution and Murder, for all they thought they did well, in killing the Disciples of our Lord.

For to make an Action good and ac­ceptable to God, the goodness of all Causes, and of all Circumstances, must concur; and any one defect in any of these, does vitiate the whole Action, and spoil the goodness of it. We must do it with a good Mind, being verily perswaded that what we do is good and acceptable to God; in which sense St. Paul saith, that whatever is not of Faith is Sin; and we must do it for a good End, for the Honour of God, and the Service of Religion, and the Benefit and Edification of Men. But there is one thing wanting yet, which is often forgotten, but is mainly considerable, viz. what we do with a Good Mind, and to a Good End, must be Good and Lawful in it self, commanded or al­lowed, or at least not forbidden by God: If it be; what good Cir­cumstances soever may belong to the Action, the whole Action is stark naught; because the very Matter and [Page 404]Substance of it is Evil, and Unlawful, and Damnable, tho' done for never so good an End. So St. Paul tells us, that they who said they might do evil, that good might come, their damnation was just. He tells us indeed, that some would have charged this Doctrine upon the Christians, and particularly upon him­self; but he rejects it, with the greatest detestation; and (which is not unwor­thy of our observation) in his Epistle to the Roman Church; as if the Spirit of God, to whom all Times are pre­sent, had particularly directed him to give this Caution to that Church, that in future Ages they might be warned against so Pernicious a Principle, and all wicked Practices that are conse­quent upon it.

And we find that St. Paul, after his Conversion, did think it no sufficient Plea and Excuse for himself, and his Persecution of the Christian Profession, that what he did was out of Zeal for God and his true Religion, as he was verily perswaded; but, notwithstanding that, acknowledged himself a Murder­er, and one of the greatest Sinners; for [Page 405]which, without the great Mercy of God, he had perisht everlastingly.

6. And lastly, I observe that the Cor­ruption of the best things is the worst. Religion is certainly the highest Ac­complishment and Perfection of Hu­mane Nature; and Zeal for God and his Truth an excellent Quality, and highly acceptable to God: and yet no­thing is more barbarous, and spurs Men on to more horrid Impieties, than a blind zeal for God, and false and mis­taken Principles in the matter of Re­ligion.

Our Saviour compares the Christi­an Religion, and the Ministers and Pro­fessors of it, to Salt and Light, The most useful and delightful things in the World. Religion enlightens the minds of Men, and directs them in the way, wherein we should go; it seasons the Spirits and Manners of Men, and pre­serves them from being Putrified and Corrupted: but if the Salt lose its savour, if that which should season other things, be tainted it self; it is thenceforth the most insipid and offensive thing in the [Page 406]World, good for nothing, but to be cast upon the Dunghil: if the light that is in us be darkness; how great is that dark­ness?

Mistakes and false Principles are no where so pernicious, and of such mis­chievous Consequence, as in Religion. A blind and misguided Zeal in Religi­on is enough to spoil the best Nature and Disposition in the World. St. Paul (for ought appears) was of himself of a very kind and compassionate Nature; and yet what a Fury did his mistaken Zeal make him! It is hardly credible how madly he laid about him, but that he himself gives us the account of it, Acts 26.9, 10, 11. I verily thought with my self (says he) that I ought to do ma­ny things, contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth; which thing I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the Saints I shut up in Prison, having received authority from the Chief Priests. And when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them; and I punished them oft in every Synagogue, and compel'd them to blaspheme, and be­ing exceedingly mad against them, I per­secuted them, even to strange Cities.

I might descend lower, and give In­stances both of former and later times, of Emperours and Princes, both Hea­then and Christian, that of themselves were mild and gentle; and yet through a mistaken Zeal, and the instigation of their Chief Priests, have been car­ried to Cruel and Bloody things. And indeed nothing gives so keen an edg, even to the mildest Tempers, as an er­roneous and wild zeal for God and Re­ligion; it is like Quick-Silver in the back of a Sword, that is not very sharp of it self, which gives a mighty force and weight to its blow, and makes it to cut terribly.

And it is very sad to consider, that the zealous Prosecution of Mistakes in Religion, hath produced sadder and more barbarous Effects in the World, and more frequently, than the ordinary Corruptions and Degeneracy of Na­tural light is apt to do; as the decay of the richest and most generous Wines makes the sowerest Vineger; so that the Pasquil or Libel against Pope Ʋr­ban the VIII. upon occasion of his [Page 408]taking off the Brazen Roof of the Old Capitol (which had held out so many Ages, and that notwithstanding Rome had been so often sackt by Barbarous Nations) and his selling it to inrich his Family [ quod non fecerant Barbari, fece­runt Barberini] may, with changing the Name and Occasion, be applyed to a great many others; that they have been guilty of those Cruelties against Christi­ans, upon account of difference in Re­ligion, which the most Barbarous Na­tions never exorcised upon one ano­ther.

I have done with the Observations and the Text; and shall I now need to make any Application of what hath been said, to the Occasion of this day? The thing applys it self; since the horrid Design of this Day was undertaken and carried on upon the same Pretences and Princi­ples, upon which the Jews persecuted the Disciples of our Lord, and much in the same Method; for they first thunder'd out an Excommunication a­gainst them, and then took it for grant­ed, that it would be an acceptable Sacri­fice to God, to destroy them.

I will not go about to aggravate the Comspiracy of this Day, it is past my skill; nor will I extend the blame and guilt of it any farther than the plain Evi­dence and Reason of the thing does enforce. It is a thing so scandalous to Humane Nature, and so great a Refle­ction upon any Church and Religion, to be accessory to the contriving or coun­tenancing of any such Design, that I am very well contented, that it should be confined to as narrow a compass as may be, and none esteemed guilty of it, but those that were openly in it, or have since endeavour'd to excuse it. All that we desire of others, is, that they would declare their hearty detestation of such abominable Practices, and be as good as their word; and that they would not account it a service and sa­crifice to God, to destroy all that cannot be of their Mind.

So that the Inference from all this Discourse, in short, shall be this, that Men should take great care to inform their Consciences aright, and to govern them by the plain Rules of Good and [Page 408]Evil, the Law of God written upon our hearts, and revealed in his Word, which forbids such Practices as I have been speaking of, as clearly as the Sun shines at Noonday; and that we would always be afraid to do a bad thing, tho' gilded over with never so glorious Colours, and specious Pretences of zeal for God and his Truth. For a Man may do a thing with an honest Mind, and for a religious End, and be Com­missioned and Countenanced (as St. Paul was) by them who take themselves to be the only true Church in the World; and yet at last prove to have been all the while a Blasphemer, and a Murderer, and the greatest of Sinners; for none of these Pretences are sufficient to warrant and sanctifie a wicked action: Before this can be done, the immutable nature of Good and Evil must be changed.

I will conclude all with that gentle Reproof of our Blessed Saviour to his Disciples, when their Zeal for him had transported them to make that cruel Request to him, that he would (as Elias had done upon a like occasion) call for fire from heaven to destroy the [Page 411]Samaritans: Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of; for the Son of man came not to destroy mens lives, but to save them; hereby declaring to us the true Spirit and [...]per of Christianity, and that they [...] contrary to it, are ig­norant [...] [...]ature of the Christian Religion: Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of; for the Son of man came not to destroy mens lives, but to save them.

I Need not tell any here, that this Day is appointed by Authority for an Anniversary Solemnity, in a [Page 414]grateful Commemoration of the great Mercy of God to these Nations, VOL. II. in putting an end to the intestine Wars and Confusions of many Years, in re­storing to us our own ancient Govern­ment and Laws, and in bringing home, as upon this Day, the rightful Heir of these Kingdoms, to the Crown and Throne of his Fathers: And tho' the Glory of this Day hath been not a little sullied and obscured by many things which have happened since that Time, fitter now to be buried in Si­lence and Oblivion, than to be men­tion'd and raked up; yet it hath pleased God, in scattering those black Clouds, which not long since hung over us, to restore this Day to its first Lustre and brightness; so that we may now with great joy look back upon it, as design­ed by the wise Providence of God, to make way for the Happiness which we now enjoy under their present Maje­sties, by whom, under God, we have been delivered from that terrible and imminent Danger which threatned our Religion and Laws, and the very Con­stitution it self of our ancient Govern­ment. And to this Occasion, no kind [Page 415]of Argument can be more proper and suitable, Serm. XV. than that which the Text affords to our Consideration, in this Injunction of St. Paul to Timothy, to take care that in the Publick Worship of God, Supplications and Thanksgivings be put up to God, for Kings, and all that are in authority. I exhort therefore, &c.

In which Words there are Four things considerable.

First, The Duty here enjoyn'd, which is Prayer; expressed to us in several Words, which seem to denote the se­veral kinds or parts of Prayer; I ex­hort therefore, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men: For Kings, and for all that are in authority, &c. Some of these words are of a very near signification; and yet there seems some difference betwixt them, most probably this:

1. By [...], which we render Supplications, is probably meant that part or kind of Prayer, wherein we supplicate God for the Pardon of our [Page 416]Sins, and for the averting and removing of Evils, whether Temporal or Spiri­tual, from our selves or others.

2. By [...], which we render Prayers, seems to be meant Petitions for Blessings and good things from God; and these are most properly call'd Prayers.

3. By [...], seems to be parti­cularly meant Pleadings and Intercessi­ons on the behalf of others.

4. By [...], is certainly intend­ed Praises and Thanksgivings to God, for his Blessings and Goodness to our selves and others. This seems to be the difference between them, which whether it be exactly so or not, is not very material, since these are unquesti­onably the several kinds or parts of Prayer. And these several sorts of Pray­er, St. Chrysostom, in his Comment upon this Text, tells us were Publickly used in his Time, in the daily Service of the Church; ‘this (says he) all Communi­cants do know is done every day, Morning and Evening; how that we [Page 417]pray for all the World, for Kings, and for all that are in authority.’

Secondly, For whom we are to pray: In general, for all men. Our Prayers are one of the greatest and best Expres­sions of our Charity, and therefore ought to be as large and extensive as our Charity is. We are bound in com­mon Charity to love all Men, and to wish well to them; but our bare Wishes signifie nothing, unless we direct them to God, who is able to confer upon them the Blessings and Good Things which we wish to them.

And this is a Charity which God hath put into every Man's Power, and which the poorest Man in the World, as well as the richest, is capable of ex­ercising at all times, and upon all oc­casions: For the Ear of God if open to the Prayers of the poor, as well as of the rich, and they are every whit as preva­lent with him; nay, the Scripture seems to say, that God hath a more particular regard to the Prayers of the poor. So that we may be liberal and bountiful in our Prayers to those, to whom we are able to give nothing else; and when [Page 418]our Hands cannot reach to relieve them, we may pour out our Hearts to God for them; we may pray for their Spiri­tual and Temporal good, and we may praise God for the good which befalls them, tho' it was out of our power to be any ways instrumental to procure it for them.

Thirdly, For whom we are more espe­cially, and in the first place, to pray; viz. for those who have the greatest and most publick influence of all others, upon the peace and happiness of Man­kind, for Kings, and for all that are in authority; that is, for the Supreme Ma­gistrate, and for all inferior Magistrates, who derive their Power and Authority from the Supreme.

Government is necessary to the wel­fare of Mankind; because it is the great Band of Humane Society, the Guard of its Peace, and the Security of every Man's Person and Property; and therefore we are concerned as much as is possible, both to pray for our Go­vernours, and to bless God for them; because without them we should be in a most wretched Condition. Mankind [Page 419]would be unavoidably miserable with­out Government; Humane Society would presently disband, and all things would run into confusion. It is a remarkable Saying of one of the Jewish Masters, Pray for the happiness of the Kingdom or Government; for if it were not for the fear of that, Men would devour one ano­ther alive. And Josephus tells us, that when the Jews were made subject to the Ro­mans (tho' it was by Conquest) twice a day they offered up Sacrifices for the life and safety of the Emperour. And this was very agreeable to what God had com­manded that People by his Prophet, in a much like case, when the Jews were Conquered by the King of Babylon, and carried away Captives, Jer. 29.7. Seek the peace of the City whither I have caused you to be carried away Captives, and pray unto the Lord for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. And surely the Reason is much stronger, why we should pray for our natural Princes and Governours. I come now to the

Fourth and Last Thing Considered in the Text, and which I principally design to speak to, namely, the Rea­son or Argument which the Apostle [Page 420]uses, to engage us to pray for our Prin­ces, and for all that are in Authority, that we may live a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty. The mani­fold Benefits and Advantages which re­dound to us from our Governors, is a sufficient Argument why we should pray to God for them, and Praise him likewise for so great a Blessing, and that in the first place; I exhort therefore, first of all (saith the Apostle,) &c. Now the Apostle here in the Text expresseth Two great Advantages of Government, which upon the Matter do comprehend all the rest.

• 1. That by Government we are Se­cured in our Civil Rights and Interests, in the quiet and peaceable Possession of what is our own.
• 2. That we may thereby be protected in the free Practice and Exercise of Re­ligion and Virtue.

These are the Two greatest and most desirable Things to Man; and neither of these can be had without Govern­ment. I shall briefly consider these Two particulars, and then endeavour [Page 421]to shew, what Obligation the Conside­ration of them lays upon us, both to Pray to God in the behalf of our Princes and Governours, and likewise to Praise God for them: And then I shall conclude all with a brief Application of this whole Discourse to the Solemn Occasion of this Day.

First, I shall begin with the Benefits and Advantages of Government men­tion'd in the Text, namely, these Two.

1. That by it we are secured in our Ci­vil Rights and Interests, in the quiet and peaceable Possession of what is our own.

Without Government there could be no such thing as Property in any thing beyond our own Persons; for nothing but Law can make Property, and Laws are the Effect of Government and Au­thority: Nay, without Government, we have no security of our Persons and Lives, much less of any thing that belongs to us, and is at present in our Possession. Were we not protected by Laws (which are the Effect of Govern­ment) we could have no safety, no quiet enjoyment of any thing; but eve­ry [Page 422]Man must be perpetually upon his guard against all the World, and ex­posed to continual Violence and Inju­ries from those, who are too many, and too strong for him; so that all our quiet and security from Fear and Danger, from the Fraud and Oppression of those who are more Crafty and Powerful than our selves, from endless Confusi­ons and Distractions, and from a State of perpetual Feud and War with all Mankind, is entirely due and owing to Civil Government.

And this alone is so unspeakable a Benefit, that without it, Men, of all Creatures, would be the most Misera­ble; because all that Wit and Sagacity, all that Cunning and Contrivance, which Mankind hath above the Bruit Creatures, would but enable them to do so much the more Mischief to one another, and to devise and find out more Powerful and Effectual Means and Instruments to harm and destroy one another.

In short, that we live, and that we live well, in any tolerable Condition either of Safety or Plenty, and that [Page 423]we are able to call any thing our own for one Day, or for one Hour; that we are not in perpetual Terrour and Ap­prehension of mortal Dangers, and that we are at any time free from the Inva­sion of what we at present possess, by the fraud and force of others, is solely the Effect of this great Blessing, and Divine Appointment of Government, to preserve the peace of Humane So­ciety, and by wise and wholsome Laws, to tye up Mens Hands from mutual Injuries and Violence. Upon this all the Comfort and all the Security of Humane Laws does depend. From hence it comes to pass, that (as the Scripture expresseth it) We may sit down every man under his own Vine, and under his own Fig-tree, and that there shall be none to make us afraid. So that if Secu­rity is necessary to the Comfort and Happiness of Mankind; then Govern­ment is so too: For without this, the Societies of Men would presently dis­solve and fall in pieces, and all things would run into Confusion and Disor­der.

2. Another great Benefit which may reasonably be expected from Go­vernment [Page 424](tho' it does always so hap­pen) is, that Men are protected by it, in the free Exercise and Practice of Re­ligion and Virtue. Therefore we should pray for Kings, and for all that are in au­thority, (says the Apostle) that we may lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godli­ness and honesty; that is, in the Practice of Piety and Devotion towards God; of Sobriety and Temperance in regard to our selves; and of Justice and Cha­rity toward all Men.

It's true indeed, (and so the Apo­stles and first Christians found it by ex­perience) that the Edg and Authority of Laws may be, and sometimes is turned upon the true Religion, and the sincere Professors of it: But even then, tho' Good Men may receive great harms and injuries from Perse­cuting Princes and Governors; (as the Primitive Christians did from several of the Roman Emperors) yet then it so happens, that Good Men have some con­siderable Benefit and Protection from the Civil Government and Laws, be­ing for the most part preserved from the fury and rage of the Multitude; so that tho' particular Persons under­go [Page 425]the Tryal of Cruel Sufferings, yet much greater Numbers do escape and are preserved.

And which is very considerable in this Matter, against several of the main and essential Parts of Religion, there never was any Humane Laws made; as against the inward Love, Honour, and Reverence of Almighty God, and the Worshipping him in our Hearts, and in Secret; of this Part of Religion, Humane Laws can take no cognizance: Nay, farther yet, against Humility and Meekness, against Modesty and Pati­ence, against Temperance and Chasti­ty, against Peaceableness and obedience to Government, against Justice and Gratitude, against Charity and For­giveness of Injuries, against these and such like Virtues, the Apostle has told us, there is no Law. Against the Pra­ctice of these (without some of which Government could not possibly subsist) no Perfection was ever raised, no not by the worst of Governors: On the contrary, in the Practice of these Vir­tues, Good Men have been in all Ages and Times protected by Law.

'Tis true indeed, that Good Men have many times been grievously Per­fected by the Civil Government and Authority, for the external Profession of revealed Religion; which was the case of the Christians at that Time, when the Apostle commanded them to pray for Kings, and for all that were in Au­thority; that under their protection, they might lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty. St. Paul knew ve­ry well, when he gave this injunction to them, that Supplications and prayers be made for Kings, and for all that are in authority, that the Powers of the World did not at that Time favour Christi­anity: But he knew likewise, that Go­vernment was necessary to the Happi­ness of Mankind, and that Christians, even in that State of Perfection, did enjoy many considerable Benefits and Advantages by it, so that they were not perpetually exposed to popular Rage and Cruelty, and the Violence of Wicked and Ʋnreasonable Men; Which would not only have hindred the pro­gress of Christianity, but would in a short time have endangered the ex­tinguishing of it: Besides that by the [Page 427]favour and protection of Government, the Christians had many considerable Intervals of Peace and Ease, which gave Christianity a breathing time, and op­portunity to recover it self; and tho' the Secular Authority did for a long time discountenance Christianity, and keep it under Hatches; that was but an accidental effect and abuse of Go­vernment, and Obedience was still due, and Prayers for it so much the more ne­cessary, yea and Thanksgivings to God for it very reasonable, upon account of the common Benefits and Advantages of it to Humane Society.

Besides that Christians did hope and believe, that the Civil Government might in time be gained, to give its countenance and assistance to Christi­anity, and that Kings and Princes might become nursing Fathers to the Church, as was expresly foretold by the Prophets, and afterwards in God's due time was remarkably accomplisht. In the mean time, Christians were patiently to O­bey and Suffer in expectation of those Glorious Rewards in another World, which were promised to their Faith and Patience; and to pray for the Pow­ers [Page 428]that Persecuted them, that they al­so might be brought to the acknowledg­ment of the Truth, and might use that Power which God had committed to them, for the protection of Truth and Innocency, and for the Continuance and Support of the true Religion; which, blessed be God, was afterwards the Case of Christianity, for several Ages. I proceed in the

Second Place, to shew what Obligati­on the Consideration of the mighty Be­nefits and Advantages of Government lays upon us, both to pray to God on the behalf of Princes and Gover­nors, and likewise to praise God for them.

Because in their Welfare and Pro­sperity the Publick Peace and Happi­ness doth chiefly consist, and in the Publick Good consists the Good of particular Persons; and above all, the Piety and Goodness of Princes and Ma­gistrates (especially those who are in highest Place of Authority) have a ge­neral good influence upon the Man­ners of Men, both for the discounte­nancing of Wickedness and Vice, and [Page 429]for the encouragement of Religion and Virtue, which are the main Pillars and Foundation of publick Peace and Pro­sperity. A King sitting in the Throne of Judgment, (saith Solomon, Prov. 20.8.) scattereth away all evil with his eyes. The Pattern of a Religious and good Prince is a living Law to his Subjects, and more than the Example of Ten thousand others, to Mould and Fashion the Manners of the People to a Confor­mity to it.

Besides that there is (as one expres­seth) a kind of Moral Connexion and Communication of Evil and of Guilt betwixt Princes and People, so that they are many times mutually Reward­ed for the Virtues and good Actions, and Punished for the Sins and Faults of one another. Of which proceedings of the Divine Justice towards the Peo­ple of Israel, there are many remark­able instances in Scripture, where God Rewarded the Piety of Good Princes, with great Blessings upon their People, and Punisht the Personal Faults of their Kings with publick Judgments upon the whole Nation. So that in Truth, it is the greatest Kindness and Chari­ty [Page 430]to our selves, to pray for our Prin­ces and Governors; because our wel­fare is involved in theirs, and we suffer not only in all the Misfortunes and Ca­lamities which befal them, but many times upon account of their Personal Faults and Miscarriages. Quicquid de­lirant Reges, plectuntur Achivi, the Ex­travagances of Princes are punisht in the Misfortunes of their Subjects. Thus David, (otherwise a very good King,) sinned in Numbring the People, and the Plague fell upon them; he was Punisht in the Calamity of his People. And this was in no wise unjust, be­cause there are always Sins enough in any Nation to deserve Punishment, and God may take what occasion he pleases, to send his Judgments upon them that deserve them; for Princes and People make but one Civil and Political Body, and what part of it soever is punished, the other suffers. And this is the true Ground and Reason of the Communi­cation of Punishments betwixt Princes and People.

Another Consideration which should engage us to pray for those that are in authority, is, that we reap the great [Page 431]Benefit of their Care, and Pains, and Vi­gilancy for us, under their shadow we are safe. Our Innocency and our Rights are protected by their Power and Laws, and by the just Punishments which they inflict upon evil-doers, and upon those who go about to violate our Rights in any kind; so that we ought to pray and to praise God for them, as our great Benefactors, and the chief In­struments of our Security and Wel­fare; and therefore not only in Duty, but in Justice and Gratitude, we are bound to wish all good to them, and to intercede with God for them, for the Peace and Prosperity of their Go­vernment, and to bless God on their behalf: Yea, we ought to do this out of love to our selves; because their good and prosperity is ours, their Good­ness and Righteousness, their Personal Piety and Virtues extend to us, and have a Mighty Influence upon us, to excite and encourage us to follow their good Example, and to go and do likewise.

And we ought likewise to do this out of Charity and Compassion to our Princes and Governours, whose Con­dition [Page 432]is in truth rather to be pityed than envied, and whose high Place and Dignity is much more to be dread­ed than desired by a wise Man, con­sidering how heavy a Burden they sustain, what Dangers they are con­tinually exposed to, what Cares and Troubles and Censures they daily un­dergo, for our Safety and Ease. So that whatever Ambitious and Incon­siderate Men may think, wise Men do certainly know and find by experience, that to discharge with care and faith­fulness all the Parts of a good Go­vernor, is a very difficult and trou­blesome Province. Inferiour Magi­strates find care and trouble enough, in that small share and part of it which they sustain; and if so, then certainly the Care and Concernment of the whole, must needs be a heavy Burden indeed; and what Abilities are sufficient for it, what Shoulders are strong enough to stand under it?

And as upon this account they have the greatest need of our Prayers, for God's Direction and Assistance in the discharge of their high Office, so likewise for his powerful Grace to pre­serve [Page 433]them from Sin and Evil, in the midst of those manifold Temptations to which they are continually exposed, in appearance much beyond other Men, from the heighth of their Condition, and the extent of their Power, which are strong Temptations to weak Minds, to Pride and Insolency, to Injustice and Oppression; from the abundance of all things, which Minister to Luxury and Excess; and from the officious fertility of Parasites and Flatterers, who sooth them in their Faults, and humour them in their Passions, and comply with their Corrupt and Vicious Inclinations, and are always ready at hand, and forward Instruments to execute their Commands, and to serve their Lusts and Vices.

And as Princes greatly need our Prayers upon these Accounts; so it is just Matter of Praise and Thankful­ness to God, when a Nation hath wise, just, and good Princes, who lay to heart the Interests of their People, and endeavour by all the wise Me­thods and honest Arts of Government, effectually to procure it; who by their Authority and due Execution of the [Page 434]Law, do discountenance, and, as much as in them lies, restrain Wickedness and Vice; and by their own Example encourage Virtue and Piety in their Subjects; and thereby invite, and even provoke them to the like Practices: The life of a good Prince is a kind of Publick Censure of ill Manners, and reproof of vicious Practices. And I do not know whether there be a more delightful Sight on this side Heaven, than to see those who are in Eminent Place and Power, even if they might do whatever they would, yet continu­ally chufing to do what they ought; as if their Power were so far from be­ing a Temptation to them to do Evil, that on the contrary, the Considera­tion of it is one of the best and strong­est Arguments to restrain them from it.

Weak Minds are apt to measure their Liberty by their Power, and to think that the higher and greater they are, so much the greater Priviledge they have to be more extravagantly bad than others: but if the Matter be really considered, the Argument runs the other way; and he that Reasons [Page 435]wisely, will certainly conclude with Tully, in maximâ quâque fortunâ mini­mum licere, that they who are in the high­est Station, and greatest Power, have of all others the least liberty to do what they list. Their Power, supposing it never so uncontroulable and unaccountable, would be so far from being in Reason a Temptation to them to do what they ought not, that in truth it would set them above the Temptation of doing an ill thing; because they would stand in awe of no body, and there would be nothing that could hinder them from doing what is best, if they had a mind to it; and every one ought to have such a mind: And nothing can be more mis-becoming, and more di­rectly contrary to the Nature of their Office, and the Power wherewith they are intrusted, than to give an Exam­ple of breaking those Laws, which they are to see put in Execution.

God himself, because he hath all Pow­er, is therefore all Goodness, and is there­fore holy in all his ways, and righteous in all his works; according to the reasoning of the Author of the Book of Wisdom, who Argues thus with God, It is not (says [Page 436]he) agreeable with thy Power to condemn him that hath not deserved to be punished; that is, it is not agreeable with infinite Power, to do any thing that is unjust; For thy Power (saith he to God,) is the beginning of righteousness, and because thou art the Lord of all, it maketh thee to be gracious unto all. Infinite Power is the Foundation and Principle of Goodness and Righteousness, and an All-powerful Being is good and Righteous, not only from Choice, but from a Necessity of Na­ture.

And this is the true Ground and Reason of that Saying of St. James, that God canot be tempted with Evil, because his infinite Power sets him a­bove all Temptation to it: For what Reason can be imagined, why he that hath all Power should have any incli­nation to be otherwise than good? What can tempt him thereto? Since he that hath all Power can neither have any hopes of being greater than he is, nor any fear of becoming less: And all Temptation is founded either in hope or fear, and where neither of these can have any place, there can be no occasion, no possible Motive or [Page 437]Temptation to Evil; for to be Evil, and to do Evil, is always an Effect of weak­ness and want of Power.

The summ of what I have said up­on this Argument, and the design in­deed of it, is to shew, that the greater Power and Authority any one hath, the less Liberty he hath to do any thing that is bad. And I have been the lar­ger upon this, because I would fain imprint upon the Minds of Persons, whom the Providence of God hath invested with great Power and Autho­rity, that as they have great opportuni­ties of doing more good than others, so they have greater Reason, and more Advantages of doing it, and are more inexcusable if they do any thing that is bad; not only because their Actions are of a more publick influence and observation; but because their Temp­tations to Evil, how great soever they may seem to be, are in truth and reali­ty much less than other Mens. Hap­py are those Princes, that wisely consi­der this, and make their Power and Au­thority over others, an Argument to be so much better themselves, and to do so much more good to others; and be­cause [Page 438]they are less subject to the coer­cive Power of Law, do for that Rea­son think themselves so much the more obliged to be a Law to themselves. Blessed be God for the Happiness which we enjoy in this respect; and let us earnestly beseech him, that he would be pleased to bestow such a plentiful measure of his Grace and Ho­ly Spirit, on our most Gracious King and Queen, as may Effectually both engage and enable them to use their Power to the best purposes for the Pub­lick good.

And thus I have briefly gon over, and explained to you, the several Par­ticulars in the Text; the duty of Prayer here enjoyned; for whom we are to pray, in general for all Men; and for whom more especially, and in the first place; for Kings, and all that are in authority; and upon what Considerations we are to pray for them, and to Praise God in their behalf; because of the great Benefits we receive by them; and because both in respect of the Dangers and Difficulties of their Con­dition, they stand in need of our Pray­ers above other Men; besides that in [Page 439]praying for their Welfare and Prospe­rity, we pray for our own Peace and Happiness.

And now to apply this to our selves, and to the Occasion of this Day. By all that hath been said, we cannot but be convinced, what Cause we have to bless God for that happy Go­vernment which we live under, that excellent Constitution, under the gentle Influences whereof we enjoy more Liberty, more Plenty, and more Se­curity from all manner of Injury and Oppression, than any Nation this Day on the Face of the Earth. Therefore with what Thankfulness should we this Day commemorate the happy Re­stauration of this Government to us, after the miserable Distractions and Confusions of twenty Years, by the Restauration and Return of our ba­nisht Soveraign, in so peaceable, and yet so wonderful a Manner, that a Remembrance of it, even at this Di­stance, is almost still Matter of Amaze­ment to us!

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who alone doth wondrous Things.

And with our joyful Praises, let us joyn our most devout and fervent Pray­ers to Almighty God, for the King's and Queen's Majesties, and for all that are in Authority. And I may truly say, that there was hardly ever greater Rea­son and Occasion for it, both from our Distractions at Home, and our Dan­gers from abroad; never was there greater Need of our earnest Supplicati­ons and Prayers, than at this Time, when our Armies and Fleets are in Motion, and when God seems already to have given us some Earnest of good Success; blessed be his great and glori­ous Name.

We have indeed a great Army, and a more powerful Fleet, than ever this Nation sent forth; but unless God be on our Side, and favour our Cause, in vain are all our Preparati­ons; for whenever his Providence is pleased to interpose, by strength shall no Man prevail. Have we not Reason then to cry mightily unto God, when the only Strength of the Nation is at Stake, when our Sins and Provo­cations are so many and great, and [Page 441]there lies so heavy a poal of Guilt up­on us? When the person of his Sacred Majesty is exposed to so much Hazard, not only in the high Places of the Field, but from the restless Attempts of the malicious and implacable Enemies of our Peace and Religion, that he would be graciously pleased to go forth with our Armies and Fleets, and not remember our Iniquities against us, but save us for his Mercies sake?

We are too apt to murmur and com­plain of Miscariages, and the ill manage­ment of Affairs; but surely the best thing we can do, and that which best becomes us, is to look forward, and to turn our Censures of our Governours and their Actions, into humble Supplica­tions to God in their behalf, and in be­half of the whole Nation; that he would be pleased to turn us every one from the Evil of our Ways, that he may return to us, and have mercy on us, that so Iniqui­ty may not be our Ruin; that he may re­joyce over us to do us good, and may at last think Thoughts of Peace towards us, Thoughts of Good and not of Evil, to give us an expected End of our Troubles.

Let us then betake our selves to the proper Work of this Day, hearty Prayers and Thanksgivings to Almighty God, for the King and Queen, and for all that are in Authority; that as he hath been pleased, by a wonderful Pro­vidence, to rescue us from the imminent danger we were in, and from all our fears, by the happy Advancement of their Majesties to the Throne of these King­doms; so he would of his infinite goodness still preserve and continue to us this Light of our Eyes, and Breath of our Nostrils, Princes of that great Clemen­cy and Goodness, which render them the true Representatives of God upon Earth, and the most Gracious Governours of Men.

And let us earnestly beseech him, that he would confirm and strengthen them in all goodness, and make them wise as Angels of God, to discern betwixt Good and Evil, that they may know how to go in and out before this great People; that be would give them the united affections of their People, and a heart to study and seek their good all the days of their lives.

And Finally, That he would be pleas­ed to continue so great a Blessing to us, and to grant them a long and Prosperous Reign over us; and that their Posterity in this Royal Family may endure for ever, and their Throne as the Days of Heaven; that under them the People of these Nati­ons, we and the Generations to come, may lead quiet and peaceable lives, in all godliness and honesty; for his Mercies sake in Jesus Christ, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords; To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory, Dominion and Power, now and for ever. Amen.

THESE Words contain a clear and evident Demonstration of the Love of God to us; In this was manifested the Love of God towards [Page 446]us; VOL. II. that is, by this it plainly appears, that God had a mighty Love for us, That he sent his only-begotten Son into the World, that we might live through him. In which we may consider this Three-fold Evidence of God's Love to Mankind.

• I. That he should be pleased to take our Case into Consideration, and to concern himself for our Happi­ness.
• II. That he should design so great a Benefit to us, which is here exprest by Life; that we might live through him.
• III. That he was pleased to use such a Means for the obtaining and procuring of this Benefit for us; he sent his only-begotten Son into the World, that we might live through him. Each of these singly is a great Evidence of God's Love to us; much more all of them together.

I. It is a great Evidence of the Love of God to Mankind, that he was pleased to take our Case into [Page 447]Consideration, Serm. XVI. and to concern himself for our Happiness. Nothing does more commend an Act of Kindness, than if there be great Condescension in it. We use to value a small Fa­vour, if it be done to us by one that is far above us, more than a far grea­ter, done to us by a mean and inconsi­derable Person. This made David to break out into such Admiration, when he considered the ordinary Providence of God towards Mankind, Lord, what is Man, that thou art mindful of him! or the Son of Man, that thou shouldst consider him! This is a wonderful Condescension indeed, for God to be mindful of Man.

At the best we are but his Crea­tures, and upon that very Account at an infinite Distance from him; so that were not he infinitely Good, he would not be concerned for us, who are so infinitely beneath the Conside­ration of his Love and Pity. Neither are we of the highest Rank of Crea­tures; we are much below the An­gels, as to the Excellency and Per­fection of our Beings; so that if God had not had a peculiar Pity and [Page 448]Regard to the Sons of Men, he might have placed his Affection and Care, upon a much nobler Order of Crea­tures than we are, and so much the more miserable, because they fell from a higher Step of Happiness, I mean the lost Angels; but yet for Reasons best known to his Infinite Wisdom, God past by them, and was pleased to consider us. This the Apostle to the Hebrews takes notice of, as an Ar­gument of God's peculiar and extra­ordinary Love to Mankind, that he sent his Son, not to take upon him the Nature of Angels, but of the Seed of Abraham.

Now that he, who is so far above us, and, after that we by wilful Trans­gression had lost our selves, had no Ob­ligation to take Care of us, but what his own Godness laid upon him, that he should concern himself so much for us, and be so solicitous for our Reco­very, this is a great Evidence of his Kindness and Good-will to us, and cannot be imagined to proceed from any other Cause.

II. Another Evidence of God's great Love to us, is, that he was pleased to design so great a Benefit for us. This the Scripture expresseth to us by Life; and it is usual in Scripture to ex­press the best and most desirable things by Life; because as it is one of the greatest Blessings, so it is the Foun­dation of all other Enjoyments: And therefore the Apostle, useth but this one word to express to us all the Bles­sings and Benefits of Christ's coming in­to the World; God sent his only-begot­ten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

And this Expression is very proper to our Case because Life signifies the repa­ration of all that which was lost by the Fall of Man. For Man by his will­ful Degeneracy and Apostacy from God, is sunk into a State of Sin and Misery, both which the Scripture is wont to express by Death. In respect of our Sinful State we are Spiritually Dead; and in respect of the Punish­ment and Misery due to us for our Sins, we are Judicially Dead, Dead [Page 450]in Law; for the wages of Sin is Death. Now God hath sent his Son into the World, that in both these respects we might live through him.

1. We were Spiritually Dead, Dead in Trespasses and Sins, as the Apostle speaks, Eph. 2.1, 2. You hath he quickned, who were dead in trespasses and sins, where­in in times past ye walked, according to the course of this world. Every Wick­ed Man, tho' in a Natural Sense he be Alive, yet in a Moral Sense he is Dead. So the Apostle speaking of those who live in sinful Lusts and Pleasures, says of them, that they are dead while they live, 1 Tim. 5.6. What Corrupt Hu­mours are to the Body, that Sin is to the Soul, their Disease and their Death. Now God sent his Son to deliver us from this Death, by renewing our Nature, and mortifying our Lusts; by restoring us to the Life of Grace and Holiness, and destroying the Body of Sin in us, that henceforth we should not serve Sin. And that this is a great Argu­ment of the mighty Love of God to us, the Apostle tells us, Eph. 2.4, 5. God who is rich in mercy, for his great [Page 451]love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickned us together with Christ. It is an Argument of the Riches of God's Mercy, and of his great Love to us, to recover us out of this sad and deplorable Case. It is a kindness infinitely greater, than to redeem us from the most wretched Slavery, or to rescue us from the most dreadful and cruel Temporal Death; and yet we should value this as a Favour and Benefit, that could never be sufficiently acknowledg'd: But God hath sent his Son to deliver us from a worse Bondage, and a more dread­ful kind of Death; so that well might the Apostle ascribe this great Delive­rance of Mankind from the slavery of our Lusts, and the Death of Sin, to the boundless Mercy and Love of God to us. God who is rich in mercy, for the great love wherewith he loved us, hath quickned us together with Christ, even when we were dead in Sins; when our Case was as desperate as could well be imagined; then was God pleased to undertake this great Cure, and to pro­vide such a Remedy, as cannot fail to [Page 452]be effectual for our Recovery, if we will but make use of it.

2. We were likewise judicially Dead, Dead in Law, being Condemned by the just Sentence of it. So soon as ever we sinned, Eternal Death was by the Sentence of God's Law become our due Portion and Reward; and this be­ing our Case, God in tender Commise­ration and Pity to Mankind, was pleas­ed to send his Son into the World, to inter pose between the Justice of God and the Demerits of Men; and by re­versing the Sentence that was gone out against us, and procuring a Par­don for us, to rescue us from the Mise­ry of Eternal Death; and not only so, but upon the condition of Faith and Repentance, of Obedience and a Holy Life, to bestow Eternal Life upon us; and by this means to restore us to a bet­ter Condition than that from which we were fallen, and to advance us to a Happiness greater than that of Innocency.

And was not this great Love, to de­sign and provide so great a Benefit and [Page 453]Blessing for us, to send his Son Jesus to bless us, in turning away every one of us from our Iniquities? Our Blessed Saviour, who came from the bosom of his Father, and knew his tender Af­fection and Compassion to Mankind, speaks of this as a most wonderful and unparallell'd expression of his Love to us, John 3.16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son. God so loved the world, so greatly, so strange­ly, so beyond our biggest hopes, nay, so contrary to all reasonable expectation, as to send his only-begotten Son, to seek and to save the sinful Sons of Men.

If it had only in general been decla­red to us, that God was about to send his Son into the World upon some great design, and been left to us to conjecture, what his Errand and Bu­siness should be; how would this have alarmed the guilty Consciences of sin­ful Men, and fill'd them with infinite Jealousies and Suspicion, with fearful expectations of Wrath and fiery Indigna­tion to consume them! For considering the great Wickedness and Degenera­cy [Page 454]of Mankind, what could we have thought, but that surely God was send­ing his Son upon a design of venge­ance to Chastise a Sinful World, to Vindicate the Honour of his despised Laws, and to revenge the multiply­ed Affronts which had been offered to the highest Majesty of Heaven, by his Pitiful and Ungrateful Crea­tures? Our own Guilt would have been very apt to have fill'd us with such Imaginations as these, that in all likelihood the Son of God was com­ing to Judgment, to call the Wicked World to an Account, to proceed a­gainst his Father's Rebels, to pass Sen­tence upon them, and to Execute the Vengeance which they had deserved. This we might justly have dreaded; and indeed considering our Case, how ill we have deserved at God's Hands, and how highly we have provoked him; what other weighty Matter could we hope for?

But the Goodness of God hath strangely out-done our Hopes, and de­ceived our Expectation; so it follows in the next Words, God sent not his [Page 455]Son into the world, to condemn the world, (intimating that this we might justly have imagin'd and feared) but upon a quite contrary Design, that through him the world might be saved. What a surprize of Kindness is here! that in­stead of sending his Son to condemn us, he should send him into the world to save us; to rescue us from the Jaws of Death and of Hell, from that Eternal and Intolerable Misery which we had incurred and deserved!

And if he had proceeded no farther, this had been wonderful Mercy and Kindness: But his Love stopt not here, it was not contented to spare us, and free us from Misery; but was restless till it had found out a way to bring us to Happiness; for God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, not only that whosoever believes in him might not perish, but might have ever­lasting life. This is the Second Evi­dence of God's great Love to us, the greatness of the Blessing and Benefit which he had designed and provi­ded for us, that we might live through him; not only be delivered from Spi­ritual [Page 456]and Eternal Death; but be made partakers of Eternal Life.

III. The last Evidence of God's great Love to us, which I mentioned, was this, that God was pleased to use such a Means, for the obtaining and procu­ring of this great Blessing and Benefit; he sent his only-begotten Son into the World, that we might live through him. And this will appear to be great Love indeed, if we consider these Four things.

• 1. The Person whom he was pleased to employ upon this Design; he sent his only-begotten Son.
• 2. How much he abased him, in Order to the effecting and accomplish­ing of this Design, implyed in these words, he sent him into the World.
• 3. If we consider to whom he was sent, to the World. And,
• 4. That he did all this voluntari­ly and freely, out of his meer Pi­ty and Goodness; not constrain'd [Page 457]hereto by any Necessity, not prevail'd upon by any Application or Importuni­ty of ours, nor oblig'd by any Benefit or Kindness from us.

1. Let us consider the Person whom God was pleased to employ in this Design, he sent his only-begotten Son; no less Person than his own Son, and no less dear to him, than his only­begotten Son.

(1.) No less Person than his own Son; and the Dignity of the Person that was employed in our behalf, doth strangely heighten and set off the Kindness. What an Endearment is it of the Mercy of our Redemption, that God was pleased to employ up­on this Design no meaner Person than his own Son, his begotten Son; so he is called in the Text, his Son, in so peculiar a Manner as no Creature is, or can be; the Creatures below Man are call'd the Works of God, but never his Children; the Angels are in Scripture call'd the Sons of God; and Adam likewise is call'd the Son of God, because God made him [Page 458]after his own Image and Likeness, in Holiness and Righteousness, and in his Dominion and Sovereignty over the Creatures below him: But this Ti­tle of begotten Son of God was never given to any of the Creatures, Man or Angel; for unto which of the Angels said he at any time, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, as the Apostle Reasons, Heb. 1.5. He must be a great Person indeed to whom this Title belongs, of the begotten Son of God; and it must be a mighty Love indeed, which moved God to employ so great a Person, on the behalf of so pitiful and wretched Creatures as we are. It had been a mighty Con­descension for God to treat with us at all; but that no less Person than his own Son should be the Embassa­dour, is an astonishing Regard of Heaven to poor sinful Dust and Ashes

(2) This Person was as dear to God, as he was great; he was his only-begotten Son. It had been a great Instance of Abraham's Love and Obe­dience to God, to have sacrificed [Page 459] a Son at his Command; but this Cir­cumstance makes it much greater, that it was his only Son; hereby I know that thou fearest God (says the Angel) since thou hast not with-held thy Son, thine on­ly Son from me. This is a demonstra­tion that God loved us at a stupen­dous rate, when he would send his only-begotten Son into the World for us.

Before this, God had tryed seve­ral Ways with Mankind, and em­ployed several Messengers to us; sometimes he sent his Angels, and many times his Servants the Pro­phets: But in these last Days he hath sent his Son. He had many more Ser­vants to have employed upon this Message, but he had but one Son; and rather than Mankind should be ruin­ed and lost, he would send him. Such was the Love of God towards us, that rather than our Recovery should not be effected, he would em­ploy in this Work the greatest and dearest Person to him both in Hea­ven and Earth, his only begotten Son; in this was the Love of God manifested, [Page 460]that he sent his only-begotten Son, that we might live through him.

2. Let us consider how much this Clorious and Excellent Person was abased, in order to the effecting and accomplishing of this Design, which is here exprest by sending him into the World; and this comprehends his Incarnation, with all the mean and abasing Circumstances of it. This the Apostle declares fully to us, Phil. 2.6, 7. tho' he was in the Form of God, (that is, truly and really God) yet he made himself of no Reputation, [...], he empty'd himself, was con­tented to be strangely lessen'd and diminish'd, and took upon him the Form of a Servant, or Slave, and was made in the likeness of Men; that is, did real­ly assume Humane Nature. Here was an Abasement indeed, for God to be­come Man, for the only-begotten Son of God to take upon him the Form of a Servant, and to become obedient to Death, even the Death of the Cross, which was the Death of Slaves, and famous Malefactors. Here was Love indeed, that God was willing that [Page 461]his own dear Son should be thus ob­scured and diminished, and become so mean and so miserable for our sakes; that he should not only stoop to be made Man, and to dwell among us, but that he should likewise sub­mit to the Infirmities of our Nature, and to be made in all things like unto us, Sin only excepted; that he should be contented to bear so many Affronts and Indignities from perverse and un­thankful Men, and to endure such Contra­diction of Sinners against himself; that he who was the Brightness of his Father's Glory, should be despised and rejected of Men, a Man of sorrows, und acquainted with griefs, and rather than we should perish, should put himself into our Place, and be contented to suffer and die for us; and that God should be willing that all this should be done to his only Son, to save Sinners. What great­er Testimony could he give of his Love to us!

3. Let us consider farther to whom he was sent, which is also implyed in these Words, he sent his Son into the World; into a wicked World, that was alto­gether [Page 462]unworthy of him; and to an Ungrateful World, that did most un­worthily use him.

First, Into a Wicked World, that was altogether unworthy of him, that had deserved no such Kindness at his Hands. For what were we, that God should send such a Person a­mongst us, that he should make his Son stoop so low, as to dwell in our Nature, and to become one of us? We were Rebels and Enemies, Ene­mies to God by evil Works, up in Arms against Heaven, and at open Defiance with God our Maker. When the World was in this Posture of Enmity and Hostility against God; then he sent his Son to Treat with us, and to offer us Peace. What can more com­mend the Love of God, than this, that he should shew such Kindness to us, when we were Sinners and Enemies! Herein God hath commended his Love to­wards us, (says the Apostle, Rom. 5.8.) in that whilst we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us.

Secondly, Into an Ungrateful World, [Page 463]that did most unworthily use him, that gave no becoming Entertainment to him (the Foxes had Holes, and the Birds of the Air had Nests; but the Son of Man had not where to lay his Head) that heaped all manner of Contumelies and Indignities upon him, that Perse­cuted him all his Life, and at last put him to a most painful and shameful Death; in a word, that was so far from receiving him as the Son of God, that they did not treat him with com­mon Humanity, and like one of the Sons of men.

4. He did all this voluntarily and freely; God sent his Son into the World, mero motu, of his own meer Grace and Goodness, moved by nothing but his own Bowels, and the Considera­tion of our Misery; not overpowered by any Force; (for what could offer Violence to him to whom all Power belongs?) not constrain'd by any Ne­cessity, for he had been Happy, tho' we had remained for ever Miserable; he might have chosen other Objects of his Love and Pity, and have left us involved in that Misery, which [Page 464]we had wilfully brought upon our selves.

Nor was he prevail'd upon by any Application from us, or importunity of ours to do this for us. Had we been left to have contrived the way of our Recovery; this, which God hath done for us, could never have entred into the Heart of Man to have imagin'd, much less to have defir'd it at his Hands. If the way of our Salva­tion had been put into the Hands of our own Counsel and Choice, how could we have been so impudent as to have begg'd of God, that his only Son might descend from Heaven and become Man, be poor, despised, and miserable for our sakes? God may stoop as low as he pleaseth, be­ing secure of his own Majesty and Greatness; but it had been a Boldness in us, not far from Blasphemy, to have desired of him to condescend to such a a submission.

Nor, Lastly, was he pre-oblig'd by any Kindness or Benefit from us; so far from that, that we had given him [Page 465]all possible Provocation to the con­trary, and had Reason to expect the Effect of his heaviest Displeasure: And yet though he was the pars laesa, the party that had been disoblig'd and in­jured; tho' we were first in the Offence and Provocation; he was pleased to make the first Overtures of Peace and Reconciliation; and tho' it was wholly our Concernment, and not his; yet he was pleased to condescend so far to our Perverseness and Obstinacy, as to send his Son to us, and to beseech us to be reconciled.

Now herein, (says the Apostle, im­mediately after the Text) herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our Sins: Herein is the Love of God manifested, that the kindness began on his part, and not on ours; that being neither obliged nor desired by us, he did freely and of his own accord, send his only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

What now remains but to apply this to our selves?

1. Let us propound to our selves the Love of God for our Pattern and Ex­ample. This is the Inference which the Apostle makes in the next Verse but one after the Text, Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one an­other. One would have thought the Inference should have been, if God so loved us, then we ought also to love him. But the Apostle doth not speak so much of the Affection, as the Effect of Love; and his meaning is, if God hath bestowed such Benefits upon us, we ought, in imitation of him, to be kind and beneficial one to another. Not but that we ought to love God with all our hearts, and souls, and strength; but in this Sense we are not capable of it. We cannot be beneficial to him; because he is self-sufficient, and stands in need of nothing; and therefore the Apostle adds this as a Reason, why he does not Exhort Men to love God, but one another; no man hath seen God at any time; he is not sensible to us, and there­fore none of these sensible things can signifie any thing to him. But he hath Friends and Relations here in the [Page 467]World, who are capable of the sen­sible Effects of our Love, and to whom we may shew kindness for his sake; we cannot be beneficial to God, but we may testifie our Love to him, by our Kindness and Charity to Men, who are made after the Image of God; and if we see any one Mi­serable, that is Consideration enough to move our Charity. There was no­thing but this in us to move him to Pity us, when we were in our blood, and no eye pitied us.

God is a Pattern of the most ge­nerous Kindness and Charity. Tho' he be infinitely above us, yet he thought it not below him to confider our Case, and to employ his only Son to Save us; he had no Obligation to us, no Ex­pectation of Advantage from us, and can never be in a possibility to stand in need of us; and yet he loved us, and hath conferred the greatest Bene­fits upon us. So that no Man can have deserved so ill at our hands, but that if he be in want, and we in a Condi­tion to help him, he ought to come [Page 468]within the Compass and Consideration of our Charity.

And this is the proper Season for it, when we Commemorate the greatest Blessing and Benefit that was ever conferred on Mankind, The Son of God sent into the world, on purpose to redeem and save us. And therefore I cannot but very much commend the Custom of Feeding and Relieving the Poor, more especially at this time, when the Poor do usually stand most in need of it, and when we Commemorate the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who be­ing rich became poor for our sakes, that we through his poverty might be made rich.

2. Let us readily comply with the great Design of this great Love of God to Mankind. He hath sent his Son, that we might live through him. But tho' he had done all this for us, tho' he hath purchased so great Blessings for us, as the Pardon of our Sins, and Power against them, and Eternal Life and Happiness; yet there is something to be done on our parts, to make us Par­takers [Page 469]of these Benefits. God hath not so loved us, as to send his Son in­to the World, to carry Men to Hea­ven whether they will or no; and to rescue those from the slavery of the Devil, and the Damnation of Hell, who are fond of their Fetters, and wilfully run themselves upon Ruin and Destruction. But the Son of God came to offer Happiness to us, upon certain Terms and Conditions, such as are fit for God to propound, and ne­cessary for us to perform, to make us capable of the blessedness which he of­fers; as namely, repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; a sin­cere and constant Endeavour of Obedi­ence to the Laws and Precepts of our Holy Religion.

These are the Terms of the Gospel; and the Grace of God which brings Sal­vation, offers it only upon these Terms, that we deny Ʋngodliness and worldly Lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and god­ly in this present world: then we may ex­pect the blessed hope. But if we will not submit to these Conditions, the Son of God will be no Saviour to us; for he is [Page 470]the Author of Eternal Salvation only to them that obey him. If Men will continue in their Sins, the Redemption wrought by Christ will be of no Advantage to them; such as obstinately persist in an impenitent Course, Ipsa si velit salus ser­vare non potest, Salvation it self cannot save them.

These are the Conditions of our Hap­piness, and if we submit to them we are Heirs of Eternal Life; if we refuse, we are Sons of Perdition, eternally lost and undone; for we may assure our selves, that these are the best and easiest Terms that can ever be offered to us, because God sent them by his Son. This is the last Effort of the Divine Love and Goodness, towards the Recovery and Salvation of Men; so the Apostle tells us, Heb. 1.1, 2. that God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners spake to the fathers, by the Prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son; and if we refuse to hear him, he will speak no more. After this it is not to be expect­ed, that God should make any farther Attempts for our Recovery; for he can send no greater nor dearer Person to [Page 471]us, than his, own Son; and if we refuse him, whom will we reverence? If af­ter this we still wilfully go on in our Sins; there remains no more sacrifice for Sin; but a fearful looking for of Judgment, and fiery indignation to consume us.

3. With what Joy and Thankfulness should we Commemorate this great Love of God to Mankind, in sending his only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him!

This is the proper End of the Blessed Sacrament, which we are now going to receive, to represent to our Minds the Incarnation and Passion of our dear Lord, by the Symbols of his Body bro­ken, and his blood shed for us. With what acknowledgments should we Ce­lebrate the Memory of this wonderful Love, which the Son of God hath shewn to the Sons of Men; endea­vouring to make all the World in love with him, who hath so loved all Man­kind!

When ever we see his Blood poured forth, and his Body broken for us, so [Page 472]moving a Sight should raise strange Passions in us, of love to our Saviour, and hatred to our Sins; and should inspire us with mighty Resolutions of Service and Obedience to him; and when ever the Pledges and Seals of these Benefits are delivered into our Hands, the sight of them should at once wound and re­vive our Hearts, and make us to cry out, Lord, how unworthy am I, for whom thou shouldest do and suffer all this! I am over­come by thy love, and can no longer hold out, against the mighty force of such kind­ness! I render my self to thee, and will serve thee for ever, who hast redeemed me at so dear a rate!

Now to him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb that was slain, to God even our Father, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, the first begotten from the Dead, and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth; unto him that hath loved us, and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood, and hath made us Kings and Priests to God and his Father, to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever, Amen.