THIS Parable is very fitly placed first, as giving Account of the Causes of Mens Fruitfulness or Unfruitfulness in Christianity; and consequently, shews what is to be a­voided, and directs to what is to be done, [Page 2]in order to Men's being better'd by the Sermons of the Gospel: Which is a thing first of all to be taken notice of, by such as would be Christians endeed.

Our Lord's Interpretation of this Parable, Matth. 13.19. Mark 4.14. Luk. 8.11. from a Collation of the Three Evangelists that record it, is this:

The Seed is the Word of God, or the Word of the Kingdom; that is, the Go­spel, the Religion that Christ Jesus came to teach the World. When any one hear­eth this Word, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one or Satan im­mediately, and catcheth away that which was sown in his Heart, lest he should believe and be sav'd; this is he who re­ceiv'd Seed by the Way-side. But he that receiv'd the Seed into rocky or Stony Pla­ces, is he that heareth the Word and pre­sently with Joy receiveth it, yet hath not Root in himself, and so endures or believes but for a while; for when Tribulation or Persecution ariseth because of the Word, he is soon offended or discouraged, and falls away in Time of Temptation. He also that receiv'd Seed among the Thorns, is he that heareth the Word, and goeth forth, and the Cares of this World, and the Deceitfulness of Riches, and the Lusts and Pleasures of this Life entring in, choak the Word, and it becometh Unfruitful, or at best bringeth no Fruit to Perfection. But, He that received Seed into the good Ground, is he that having heard the Word, Un­derstandeth [Page 3]or considereth it, and receiveth and keepeth it in an honest and good Heart, and bringeth forth Fruit with Patience, according to his Ability, whether Thirty, Sixty, or an Hundred-Fold.

From the Parable thus interpreted by its Divine Author, it appears, as was said, that the Design of it is to shew what are the Causes of Men's improving or not im­proving under the preaching of the Go­spel; that so we may know what to a­void and what to embrace and endeavour after in order to our being fruitful under those Means of Instruction we enjoy.

We shall now consider each Part of this Parable with its Interpretation.

The First is, Behold, a Sower went forth to sow: And when he sowed, some Seeds fell by the Wayes-side and were trodden down, and the Fowls of the Air came and devour'd them up: The Interpretation is, that the Seed which is sown is the Word of God, and when any one heareth this Word and understandeth it not, then cometh the De­vil or the wicked one immediately, and catcheth away that which was sown in his Heart, lest he should believe and be sav­ed. This is he that receiv'd Seed by the Way-side, or this is that Seed which fell by the Way-side.

The Word of God is compared to Seed, because of its fructifying, growing and en­creasing Nature; because it hath in it an Active Principle, and will when sown, [Page 4](unless kill'd and made unfruitful by Acci­dental Injuries) spring up into excellent Fruits and in great Abundance, to the Glory of God, and the nourishing, strength­ening, nav the immortalizing of Men; for of this Divine Seed consists that Heavenly Bread, which whoso eateth of shall live for ever. 'Tis this Seed that bringeth forth those Graces of Christianity, which keep up the Divine Life in the Soul; 'tis this that makes it grow in Grace and in the Knowledg and Love of the best and no­blest of Objects, our Lord Jesus; 'tis this that is its Preparation for Heaven, and an Earnest of that Immortal and Glorious Inheritance. For, wheresoever that Seed is sown, Rom. 6.22. and springs up, and brings forth Fruit unto Holiness, the End most certain­ly will be Everlasting Life.

And this Word of God, is not only, for these Reasons, compared to Seed, but to Seed sown: 'Tis not only potentially fruitful, but the Powers of it are now call'd forth into Act; 'tis actually sown, the Gospel is preach'd and made known to the World, its excellent Precepts are open­ly declar'd, and planted in Men's Hearts, by the Proposal of infinite Rewards and Punishments to such as do or do not obey and practise them. And, this Seed thus sown, is water'd with the Dews of Hea­ven, with the Distillations of the Divine Grace and Blessing, which are in suffici­ent Plenty afforded to every Man; so [Page 5]that God, the great Husbandman, is not wanting in any thing that is necessary to the Flourishing and Encrease of that Seed, which he hath thus committed to their Hearts: And therefore he expects (and 'tis but reasonable he should) to see it grow and bring forth Fruit where'ere 'tis plant­ed; wherever the Word is preach'd he expects the Fruit of Righteousness. The Seed is good, and most of all agreeable to the Soil wherein 'tis sown (for Religi­on is the best Reason, and therefore most natural to a reasonable Soul) and 'tis sown in great Plenty; there is no Scarcity of God's Word among us, and 'tis water'd sufficiently with the Dew of Heaven, the Grace of God, which is not wanting to any Man that will receive it, and there­fore at our Peril we must all be fruit­ful; none of us must appear before our great Lord empty, lest the Punishment of Barrenness be our Portion, and we be burnt up with unquenchable Fire.

This Seed then, or the Word of God, being thus actually sown, the Christian Re­ligion planted in the World, and all things done on God's Part, in order to its being fruitful, and which accordingly he expects it should be; it highly concerns us, in the next Place, to take care that it be so, and that nothing make it otherwise.

That is, that, in the First Place, it be not like Seed sown or scatter'd by the Way Side, which is trodden down by the [Page 6]Feet of Men and Beasts, or devoured by the Fowls of the Air. We must not be thought less and inconsiderate after we have heard the Word, and suffer our Souls to be like a High-way, laid open and ex­posed to all Comers, to all Sorts of wan­dring, useless and wicked Thoughts, which thronging in Abundance, will tram­ple down the Good Seed that was sown, that it shall never more appear, be no more thought of or remembred by us. Nor must we leave it to the Mercy of the Fowls of the Air, the Devil and his Legions, who, like Birds of Prey, hover over us continually, and are always ready to catch away immediately those good In­structions instill'd into our Minds, lest they should grow into Faith and Salva­tion, and which they see lye scattered and unregarded by us, and unobserved, throw in their Places, the Seeds of Sin and Mi­sery, which, like ill Weeds, will flourish any where and grow apace. Thus heed­less of so great a Treasure must we by no means be, but by Recollection of Thought, advert closely to the great Truths of the Gospel, and exclude all wandring and vain Imaginations, and carefully gather up those Notions of Religion which lie scat­tered in our Minds, and reduce them to some Order and Connexion, and infix them by Meditation still deeper in our Souls; and instead of a dry, barren and common Way, for all Temptations and Injections of the [Page 7]Devil, for numerous and vain and incohe­rent Phancies, we should by serious At­tention to those concerning Truths, that we have read or heard, make our Souls (as Solomon expresses it) a Garden enclo­sed, a Spring shut up, Cant. 4.12. and a Fountain seal­ed: And then no Fear of the Seeds be­ing trodden down or devour'd by the Fowls of the Air; but 'twill remain rooted and grounded in our Hearts, and will bring forth its Fruit in its Season.

Secondly, We must take care that the Word be not like Seed sown in stony and rocky Places, where there is no Deepness of Earth; lest, it spring up too hastily, and when the Sun is hot it be scorch'd and wither away because it hath no Root. That is, as our Lord interprets it, we must be carefull not only to receive the Word with Joy, and have an extempore superfici­al Religion, and believe and obey only for a while; but likewise to endure, and not be offended or discouraged though Tribu­lation or Persecution arise because of the Word, nor to fall away in Time of Temp­tation.

I doubt there are too many of these Rocky Hearers, that perhaps are well enough pleas'd to be handsomsely told of their Duty, to hear a well-pen'd Sermon, and for the present readily assent to the Truth and Reasonableness of what is discours'd to them; and believe it their Interest to live as becomes Christians, and rejoyce [Page 8]at the News of being freeed from the Ty­ranny of the Devil and their own unruly Lusts and Passions, of being made Children and Heirs of God, and Coheirs with Christ of an Eternal Inheritance, and that there are never-fading Crowns of Glory reserv'd for them in the highest Heavens; and are resolved to set about the Performance of that Duty immediately, which is so excellent in it self and shall be so infinitely rewarded. And indeed, the Christian Re­ligion is so highly reasonable in its own Nature, so conducive to the Comfort and Happiness even of this Life, and the sure Way to such endless Bliss hereafter, that it can't but be very pleasing in the The­ory, to any Man of Sense and Reason.

But after all this, I fear there are too many Hearers, that like Rocky Places, have only a Surface of good Earth, and retain this good Affection to Religion but for a while, and at the Bottom are impenetra­ble as a Rock, and will not suffer the good Seed to shoot so deep into their Hearts, and take so firm a Rooting as is necessary to its Fruitfulness and Increase.

Their Spring is quickly over, a Blade or a Stalk is the farthest Progress their Religion makes, and never arrives to the full Corn in the Ear; but when they meet with any Difficulty in the Practice of it in it self, or any Opposition to it either without from Men, or from the Devils Temptations within; For want of Deep­ness [Page 9]of Earth and Moisture they fall and wither away. If there were nothing else for 'em to do but to receive the Promises, they would with Joy indeed give ear to the glorious Descriptions of the Happiness of a Christian: Nay, that Happiness is so exceeding great, that at present they may very well be glad to hear of the Way to attain it, and for a spurt set chearfully a­bout it, and a shallow Crust of Earth will be sufficient to make some Shew and Ap­pearance of Fruitfulness and Increase. But, unless the Heart be throughly plyable, and there be Deepness of Earth, an hum­ble Sense of the great Need we have that this Divine Seed should take Root and grow up in our Souls, and likewise the Moisture of a sincere Repentance for our former Barrenness and stony Hardness of Heart, the Word will take but shallow Rooting for all our suddain Raptures, and upon upon every Difficulty and Temp­tation be ready to languish and wither, especially when the Heats of Persecution strike upon it; and then, too often, the latter End is worse than the Beginning, and the Men grow more hardned and in­sensible than ever.

Those therefore that find themselves of this rocky Temper, so difficult to be per­swaded to be Christians indeed, so ready to look upon the smooth Side of Religion only, and please themselves in the Theory of it, admire the Promises of Christiani­ty, [Page 10]but find great Resistance in their Breasts when the Word would take deep­er Root, and they are exhorted to a still more and more excellent and fruitful Pi­ety: These Persons are by all means to endeavour still more and more to soften their Hearts, and make them pliable to the Impressions of the Word of Life; that it may sink deep into their Souls, and be fix'd there beyond the Danger of yeilding to every Temptation, and wi­thering when Adversity shall come. They must not boggle at any thing that appears to be their Duty, but be diligent and in­dustrious in ridding their Minds of their former Evil Habits and Inclinations, and inure themselves to the Obedience of Christ; not pretending Hardship or Impossibility when He commands, not endeavouring to lessen the Obligation of any of his Precepts, or shifting it from themselves, nor expect­ing Heaven upon easier Terms: But, know­ing their Lord's Will, endeavour to do it in Sincerity, upon such Obedience on­ly, through the Merits of Christ, hoping for the Promises.

And this Course, like good Tillage and Manuring of our Ground, will soon mol­lify the Heart, and make it not only su­perficially, but intirely Plyable to the Word of God, receptive of its Impressions to the very Bottom, so that it shall dwell in us richly, and bring forth Fruit, not only in Times of Security and Peace, but even [Page 11]then when Tribulation shall arise because of the Word, and take still deeper Root, and bring forth greater Abundance, not­withstanding all the Storms and Scorchings of Persecution, or even a fiery Tryal.

Thirdly, in order to the Fruitfulness of the Word, we must be very careful that it be not like Seed that falleth among Thorns, lest the Thorns spring up and choak it, so that it yield no Fruit. That is, that after the hearing of the Word we go not forth and suffer the Cares of this World, and the Deceitfulness of Riches, and the Lusts and Pleasures of this Life to enter in and choak the Word, and it become utterly unfruitful, or at least, bring no Fruit to Perfection.

'Tis by a lamentable Experience, too true, that the Love of this World very much hinders our Provision for the next; and 'tis as true, that this is the greatest Folly and Madness in Nature, because the World to come is upon all Accounts, so infinite­ly to be preferr'd before the present, that there cannot be the least Competition be­tween them: For, how can a World of Cares and Vexations, of Misery and Afflicti­on of all Sorts, of Hazards and Uncertain­ties, of Sickness, Pain and Death, as this is, compare with a World of eternal, unmix'd and uninterrupted Happiness, as is the other. And therefore, one would think Men should be so wise and so much their own Friends, as to bestow their greatest En­deavours [Page 12]in Pursuit of their main Interest; and not on the contrary such egregious Fools, as for the Gain of an empty Bubble to forfeit an happy Eternity.

So far as is consistent with the Care of the Soul, 'tis very allowable to mind the Affairs of this Life: Nay, 'tis a Duty of our Holy Religion for every man to be industrious in his Calling, and to enjoy with Thanksgiving the Portion that God hath given him here below: But to invert God's Order, and place that First in our Esteem which should be Last; when he says, seek ye First the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness, and then all needful things of this World shall be added unto you, to run quite counter, and First pro­vide for Abundance here, and then (and that but very coldly, God knows) think a little of the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness; this is such a preposterous Course as can never end in any thing but Shame and Confusion.

If it be true, that the Gain of even the whole World would be a very unprofitable Exchange when compared with the Loss of the Soul; and if it be true, that the Loss of the Soul will follow upon the Unfruit­fulness of the Word of God, for Faith a­lone will not save, but must bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit: And finally, if it be true, that a too great Love and ea­ger Prosecution of the things of this World will choak the Word of God; and make [Page 13]it unfruitful, as our Lord in this Part of the Parable affirms it will: If all this be true, I see not how it can be avoided, but that such as have a Desire that the Word of God should be fruitful in their Souls in order to the eternal Salvation of them, must love the World less, and their Souls more must be careful in the First place to grow in Grace and be rich towards God, and clear their Minds of these worldly Thorns and Briars, lest the Divine Life be stifled and that Seed choak'd which alone can fructi­fy to a happy Immortality. We must use this World, yet so as not to abuse it; but certainly he abuses it and all the Bles­sings that God affords him in it, who so immoderately Doats upon it, as to prefer it before the Service of his great Bene­factor, and spends most of his Thoughts and Endeavours about the encreasing Wealth, and the Enjoyment of these sub­lunary Pleasures, and can spare but very little, if any of his Time and Pains, to pre­pare himself for the Enjoyment of God in Glory.

And yet, as plain as this is, Men are ge­nerally so little affected with it, as not only to neglect Religion as much as ever, and love the World still more and more; but even to plead the Cares of the World as an Excuse for their Coolness in Reli­gion, and the Unfruitfulness of the Word of God in their Souls. We would be oftner at the Sacrament, and more con­stant [Page 14]in at the Prayers of the Church, and in reading and meditating upon the Holy Scriptures, but that the Cares of the World and the Hurry of Business takes up most of our Time and Thoughts. But for God's Sake, let such consider; is that an Excuse, which is it self as great a Fault as any? Will God accept such an Excuse at the Day of Judgment? Has he not plainly forewarn'd us of the Danger of too much worldly Mindedness? Has not St. John said plainly, 1 Joh. 2.15. love not the World nor the things of the World, for whoso loveth the World the Love of the Father is not in him: And our Lord as plainly, ye can­not serve God and Mammon? How strange a Plea then is it for the Neglect of Re­ligion, to say we are deeply engag'd in the Persuit of this World's Good!

If we believe we have Souls to be saved, methinks we should take care of them in the First place; and as for this World, a moderate Industry, such as does by no means intrench upon Religion, is all that can be justifyed. And what our Lord said to the Scribes and Pharisees about their taking care of lesser Matters and neglecting the weighty things of the Law, should be our Rule in providing for our Families, and providing for our Souls. These things ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other undone. He that provides not for his own House, according to the Measures of Necessity and Moderation, is worse than [Page 15]an Infidel, 'tis true; but he that provides not for his own Soul is still more unnaturaly cruel.

These are the things that our Blessed Lord says make this Heavenly Seed, the Word of God, unfruitful; and therefore those should with the greatest Care and Application possible, be provided a­gainst; nothing being of so great Impor­tance to us as the Flourishing and Encrease of the Word of God.

I come now to consider the last Part of this Parable, viz. what it is that will make this holy Seed to thrive and bring forth plentifully the Fruits of Righteous­ness; and which Course consequently, it highly concerns us all to take, that we may not be barren under the Means of Instruction that we enjoy.

Our Lord expresseth it thus: But, other Seed fell into good Ground, and brought forth Fruit, some an Hundred-Fold, some Sixty and some Thirty. That is, he that receiv'd Seed into the good Ground, is he that having heard the Word understandeth it, and re­ceives and keeps it in an honest and good Heart, and brings forth Fruit with Patience according to his Ability, whether Thirty, Six­ty or an Hundred-Fold. In this Part of the Parable there are Five things to be consider'd.

First, That the good Ground in which the Seed of the Word will take deep Root­ing, and bring forth Plentifully is an honest and good Heart.

Secondly, That that which infixes the Seed of the Word in this good Ground, is Conside­ration, translated understanding the Word.

Thirdly, That the Seed so planted in this good Ground, must be diligently kept and preserved in it.

Fourthly, That we must expect the En­crease of it with Patience, and take care that the Fruits come to Perfection; and

Lastly, That this Increase must be pro­portionable to the Quantity of the Seed that is sown, and to the Strength and Pow­er of the Soil in which it is sown; that is, to every Man's Ability, and the Oppor­tunities he has had of Improvement, whe­ther Thirty, Sixty, or an Hundred-Fold.

First, The good Ground, in which the Seed of the Word will take deep Root­ing and bring forth plentifully, is an ho­nest and good Heart; that is, a Heart sin­cerely desirous to be inform'd in its Duty, and that cordially proposes to perform it, and is truly humble and of a modest teachable Temper.

St. 1 Cor. 3.5, 6. Paul tell us, that though he plants and Apollos water, yet 'tis God alone that giv­eth the Increase: Now, can any Man ima­gin that God will make that effectual to our Good which we despise and value not, and force those Favours upon us, which we neither now desire, nor if we had them should do other than neglect? The Graces of Religion are too precious to be bestow'd upon such brutish Natures, and none but those that have Hearts earnestly [Page 17] desirous of his Divine Assistance, that they may be purifyed and renewed by his bles­sed Spirit, and instructed in his holy Will that they may know how to pay a more acceptable Service to him; none but those that have such honest and good Hearts can expect the Word should flourish and grow fruitful, and they only that thus hunger and thirst after Righteousness shall be fil­led.

And this those would do well to con­sider, who frequent our religious Assem­blies in complyance to Custom only, and because their Neighbours do; or to learn new Modes and Dresses, or to shew their own; or to while away the Time that lies useless upon their Hands, or to meet a Friend, or please their Ears with some new Notion, or to gratify their Curiosi­ty, or the like: Let not such Persons be deceiv'd, God is not mock'd; let not such think they shall receive any thing of God but the Fierceness of his Displeasure, for their prophaning to such vile Purposes what he intends as a Means to their Sal­vation. Those only shall receive Advan­tage by God's Word, that sincerely and earnestly desire its Nourishment that they may grow thereby.

This honest and good Heart, is likewise Modest and Teachable; and indeed, this Disposition is very necessary in order to the Fruitfulness of the Word.

For, Pride and Conceitedness are natu­rally the greatest Hinderers of Improve­ment in all Sorts of Acquirements what­ever; but in Religion they do the most Mischief of all, and are the great De­stroyers of whatever is religious and good.

For, besides that a high Opinion of ones own present Endowments cuts off all En­deavours of growing better, and renders all spiritual Advice barren to him that thinks he hath no need of it: Besides, that Reproof frets and inrages one that thinks Commendations rather belong to him; and Instruction, in Cases of Difficulty, is thrown away upon a Man that thinks himself Wi­ser than his Teachers: Besides these and several other Natural Ill Consequences of an over-weening Opinion of ones self, which might be mentioned, there is this yet a­bove all, that it utterly bars and shuts out God's holy Spirit; it deprives the Soul of his gracious Influences, and diverts the Streams of his Grace and Benediction from watering our Hearts: Prov. 16.5. For Pride is an A­bomination unto the Lord, a thing that he hates and detests above all things: And St. James tells us, that instead of assisting, God resists the Proud, Jam. 4.7. is his profess'd E­nemy. And no wonder if that Soul be barren, which is thus cursed of God, and de­nyed those refreshing Dews of his Favour which alone can make it fruitful. Let us therefore lay our Foundation low in Modesty, Sincerity and Humility, and God will build [Page 19]us up to Life everlasting. We shall then be like Trees planted and deep rooted by the Rivers of Water, that bring forth their Fruit in their Season; our Leaf shall not wi­ther, and whatsoever we do it shall pro­sper, Psal. 1.3.

Secondly, that which infixes the Seed of the Word in the good Ground of an ho­nest and good Heart, is Consideration and Meditation, render'd in our Translation un­derstanding the Word. The Word in the [...]. Original signifies weighing, pondering and considering: And St. James says agreeably, whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Li­berty and continueth therein, that is, as the [...]. Words in the Greek signify, has look'd close and dwelt upon it by serious Meditation, he being not a forgetful Hear­er, but a Doer of the Work, this Man shall be blessed in his doing, Jam. 1.25.

He therefore that desires the Word should encrease and multiply, must not on­ly receive it in an honest and good Heart, but infix it there by serious Consideration; and be not like those compar'd to thorny Ground in the Parable, who, having heard the Word, go sorth and think no more of it, but suffer the Cares and Pleasures and Riches of the World to enter immedi­ately into their Minds and choak the Word, so that it becomes unfruitful: But by after- Meditation and Recollection of Thought make it sink still deeper into their Souls, and strike a Root to the very Bottom of their Hearts.

And indeed, without such Consideration, there can be very little Hope, if any, of its Fruitfulness. For, in all Learning, 'tis Meditation that gives a Root to what is read or heard, and fixes it deep in the Mind; 'tis that which makes it a Man's own, and serviceable to him upon occasion; and without it, the most accurate Discourse would tickle the Ear only, not inform the Understanding; and truly, the more ex­cellent, the less Beneficial, unless it be weigh­ed and examined by a serious and near Inspection.

Thus, the Doctrin of Christianity, tho the most excellent in it self, as proceeding from the Divine Word, the Wisdom of the Father, is seldom embrac'd as such by Persons of a trifling unthinking Spirit, but rather appears harsh and unreasonable; or at best is but faintly approv'd of, and for a short Continuance. For, the Beauties of Holiness, like other chief Excellencies, are not to be clearly seen and fully discovered by a slight and cursory Glance, but by a di­ligent and curious Search; like Gold, that is not to be found upon the Surface of the Earth, but lies further in, and is trea­sured up within her Bowels. Wherefore, as we tender our Perseverance in the Faith and our eternal Salvation, we must not think our Task is over when we have heard the Word, but always set some time apart (and the sooner the better) to meditate and lay it to Heart, and frequently revolve [Page 21]it in our Minds, consider it in all its Re­lations and Tendencies, its Nature, and its happy and glorious Effects; and then we shall be intirely satisfyed that 'tis our most reasonable Service, and above all things our Interest to practise its Divine Precepts, and that it flourish in our Souls, and bring forth Fruit in Abundance.

Thirdly, This Seed so planted and fixed in this good Ground, must be likewise di­ligently kept and preserved in it.

Sloth and Idle Carelessness always have an ill Effect; and many hopeful beginnings are nipp'd and crush'd, and come to very de­plorable conclusions, for want of that care and Industry, which was necessary to pro­mote and further them to Perfection.

But above all they are most Dangerous in Religion. For besides that they Naturally tend to make Virtue weak and degenerate; they give a fair Occasion to our great Ene­my to assault us, (that infernal Bird of Prey, who is ready immediately to catch away the good Seed, if unregarded, and throw his wicked Suggestions into their Place) and who is glad to find us thus weak and unarm'd and careless of our Safety; and is too wise not to improve such Opportunities to his best Advan­tage. And what Hopes, but we shall be shamefully plundered of that Precious Seed which God has sowed in our Hearts that it may spring up to Immortality, when we are thus careless and negligent, and [Page 22]unable to make any great Resistance!

Therefore the Wise Man advises to keep the Heart with all Diligence; Prov. 4.23. and St. 1 Pet. 1.5. Peter, to give all Diligence to add to our Faith Vertue, &c. that so these good things may be in us and abound: And our Lord tells us, Mat. 13.25. in the next Parable to this, that 'twas while Men slept that the Ene­my came and sow'd Tares. Wherefore, awake to Righteousness, 1 Cor. 15.34. 1 Pet. 3.8. says St. Paul; be sober, be vigilant, says St. Peter, for your Adversary the Devil goeth about like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may de­vour. Let us therefore endeavour, as St. Paul advises Timothy, 1 Tim. 6.2. to keep that which is committed to our Trust, and to walk cir­cumspectly, not as Fools but as Wise; lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his Sub­tilty, so our Minds should be corrupted from the Simplicity that is in Christ: We must be wise as Serpents as well as innocent as Doves; lest, when the Word has begun to thrive and prosper in our Souls, it be at length rooted out by the Temptations of that old Serpent, and bring no Fruit to Perfection.

Fourthly, we must expect the Encrease of this good Seed with Patience and Per­severance, and take care that the Fruits come to full Maturity.

We must expect the Increase of this good Seed with Patience, because all Improve­ment is a thing of Time: Men can't ar­rive at Perfection, even in Vice, in an in­stant, [Page 23]much less in Vertue. There are ma­ny intermedial Steps and Advances to it; and as when Seed is sown there first ap­pears but a tender Blade, which, in pro­cess of Time improves to a Stalk, which every day grows taller and stronger; and at length appears the Ear and the Grain in the Ear; and even after that compleat Formation of the Plant, there is yet some considerable Time before it comes to per­fect Ripeness; and all this while the Hus­bandman waits with Patience till the Time comes of gathering the ripe Fruits of the Earth: So in Religion, there are gradual Advances to Perfection. The Beginnings of Religion, the first Sproutings of this Hea­venly Seed are and will be tender and unconfirm'd, but Time will strengthen and improve them; every Day will make some Advance to Perfection, where there is an honest and good Heart, and Since­rity at the Bottom: But these Advances may be very leisurely, and like the Growth of Plants, scarce discernable in their Progress, and yet at length the Word of God brings forth its genuine Fruits in great Abundance. And this, though perhaps slow pace in Re­ligion, must be born with Patience and Hope; for in due Time, for all this, we shall reap if we faint not.

And this those should consider who ex­pect to be compleat Christians in an instant, and are impatient of Delays, and disheart­ned by every Rub and Difficulty; and be­cause [Page 24]their Practice can't keep pace with their too forward and passionate Wishes and Desires, are apt to despair of ever coming to that Ripeness of Christianity, which will fit them for their great Masters Garner; and too often let slip what they have already attain'd, and give over in much Dejection after they have made a very hopeful Progress. But this is a cun­ning Artifice of the Devil, and ought, with the greatest Care imaginable, to be provided against; and a Man's best Defence in this Case is Patience, or a calm and re­sign'd Expectation of Encrease and Blessing from God in his due Time, when we have done our own best Endeavour; a wait­ing God's Leisure, a confiding in his Good­ness who only gives the Encrease. And (as St. Jam. 5.7. James expresses it) as the Hus­bandman waiteth for the precious Fruit of the Earth, and hath long Patience for it, untill he receive the early and latter Rain; so should we be also patient, and in Pa­tience possess our Souls and establish our Hearts. For there is a latter Distillation of the Divine Grace as well as that which is early and at First; and which, when God pleases to afford it, we shall then grow up to Perfection: And though sometimes it may not be so plentifully showr'd down as we could wish, yet will not be finally want­ing in a sufficient Degree, to such as sincere­ly embrace it and co-operate with it.

And as our Lord expresses it in ano­ther Parable, Mark 4.26. (which, for its near Resemblance to this and the next, I think it needless Particularly to discourse of) The Kingdom of God, or of Grace, is as if a Man should cast Seed into the Ground, and should sleep and rise, Night and Day, and the Seed should spring up and grow he knoweth not how, from the Blade to the Ear, and to the full Corn in the Ear; and when the Fruit is ripe, he putteth in the Sickle be­cause the Harvest is come. That is, tho' good Men's Progress in Religion often-times be not so quick and hasty as they may and wish; yet, though almost insensibly, it may daily grow and increase, and at last the perfect Fruits of Righteousness be visible in their Conversations.

Therefore let not a slow Improvement discourage any Man that is sincerely desi­rous of making still higher Advances, but let him hold fast what he already hath, do his best Endeavour still to grow in Grace and the Fruits of the Spirit, and then with Patience wait upon God for a more plentiful Increase.

In the last place, this Increase of the Word must be proportionable to the Quan­tity of the Seed that is sown, and to the Strength and Powers of the Soil in which it is sown; that is, it must be according to e­very Man's Ability, and the Opportunities he hath had of Improvement; in some Thirty, in some Sixty, and in some an Hundred-Fold.

When a Husbandman sowes his Seed, if he sowes in great Plenty and upon good Ground, we know he expects to reap in a proportionable Abundance; and when he sowes more sparingly, and the Soil be not capable of so great an Increase, his Expe­ctations are accordingly. And so it is in Religion; from such as are of pregnant Parts and Abilities, able to entertain and consider and make the best Use of the Word of God that is sown in their Hearts, and likewise enjoy the great Blessing of ex­cellent Instruction, and have the whole of Christianity set before them in a true Light, all the Duties and Rewards and Punish­ments of it, so that there is all that can be done in order to an abundant Increase; from such Men as these, God will expect much Fruit, even the Increase of an Hun­dred-Fold; they must abound in every good Word and Work; and the Word of God dwelling so richly in them, Line upon Line, Precept upon Precept, Treasures of Instru­ction heap'd one upon another, a scanty penurious Increase will not be accepted, much less a total and intire Barrenness excus'd. For, so St. Paul, Heb. 6.7, 8. The Earth that drinketh in the Rain that cometh upon it, and bringeth forth Herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiv­eth Blessing from God; but that which bear­eth Thorns and Briars, is rejected, and nigh unto Cursing, whose End is to be burn'd. And our Lord in very plain and express [Page 27]Terms says the same, Luk. 12.48. Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required, and to whom Men have com­mitted much, of him they will ask the more. But because all Men are not of Abilities alike, nor have the same Opportunities of Instruction and Improvement; where there is any Defect either in the sowing of the Seed, or in the Capacity of the Soil, God will proportionably abate in his Expecta­tions of Increase. But, though he will not expect the same Degree of Increase from every Man, yet he will expect some; if not an Hundred-Fold, yet Sixty; or if not Sixty, yet at least Thirty.

And, if this be true, in what a misera­ble Condition are Myriads of the Hear­ers of the Word, who receive the Seed in great Plenty and Abundance, and are a­ble likewise to bring forth a considerable Increase; and yet are as unfruitful as if their Souls had lain always fallow, and were never cultivated and impregnated by the Means of Spiritual Instruction! Let such be entreated by the Love of God and their own immortal Souls, to look a­bout them, and shake off that stupid Num­ness and Insensibility that so fatally be­sets them, and bethink themselves how sad their Condition will be, when at the great Harvest, the End of the World, when God will gather the ripe Fruits and dispose them in his heavenly Garner; when at that great Day our Lord shall [Page 28]expect Fruit from the Seed that he hath sown upon their Hearts, and shall find no­thing but Briars and Thorns, Wickedness and Impurity: Let them bethink them­selves what a sad Condition they will be in, when their Unfruitfulness shall be pu­nish'd with everlasting Burnings, and the Number and Sharpness of the Torments of Hell increas'd upon them, because when they knew their Lord's Will, they did not prepare themselves to do according to it.

Let them consider, that though God bears long with them, and frequently im­portunes them to a more serious Reflecti­on upon their Ways, that they would turn their Feet unto his Testimonies, and be no longer unprofitable Hearers, but Doers of his Word; yet it will not be always so, there will be an End of this Day of Grace and Forbearance, and how soon God alone can tell; and perhaps this Discourse may be the last Invitation to a new Life, which some that hear it may ever have, or at least, the last that shall be attended with that Divine Grace and Assistance which a­lone can make it fruitful. Wherefore, now while it is call'd to day, harden not your Hearts, lest God should swear in his Wrath, that you shall never enter into his Rest

Consider what our Lord says upon this Account, in this of Mat. 13.12. Whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more Abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he [Page 29]hath. The plain Meaning of which is this, He that hath made good Use of the Grace he hath already receiv'd, and the Instru­ctions he hath already heard, shall receive abundantly more Grace, far greater Assi­stances, and much larger and more frequent Showers of the divine Blessing than ever formerly he did: Christ will come in to him and sup with him, and he with him, as 'tis express'd, Rev. 3.20. that is, will freely communicate to him of his divine Favours and Refreshments, and there shall be mutual Festivity and Joy between them; his Saviour will take him into the nearest Relation to himself; for he hath told us, that whosoever shall do the Will of his Fa­ther which is in Heaven, the same is his Brother, and Sister and Mother; that is, as tenderly regarded by him as those dearest Relatives.

And, how must that Soul thrive and flourish which is thus plentifully water'd with Showers above, and enrich'd with Streams issuing from the Fountain of Goodness! But on the contrary, How in­tolerable will be his Misery that neglects and disregards these Sermons of the Go­spel, and is not a Doer of the Word, but a careless Hearer only, deceiving, sadly de­ceiving his own Soul! From him shall be taken away even that which he hath; he shall be deprived of it to inrich his in­dustrious Brother and add to his Abundance. What Grace he had before shall be with­drawn, [Page 30]and he naked and defenseless, left to the Fury of his Spiritual Enemies; the Dews of Heaven shall no longer drop up­on his barren Soul, but parch'd and sap­less it shall be reserv'd to eternal Burnings. Consider this, all ye that forget God, and are unfruitful under all his Care and fa­therly Nurture and Admonition; lest at length he pluck you away and there be none to deliver you. And remember the Words of Solomon, Prov. 29.1. He that being often reprov'd still hardeneth his Neck, shall suddainly be destroyed, and that without Remedy.

And thus have I done with the first of our Saviours Parables, in which is set be­fore us a Blessing and a Curse; a Blessing, if when the good Seed is sown, and we have heard the Word, we receive it into honest and good Hearts, and according to our several Abilities bring forth Fruit to Perfection; that is, obey and Practise it with Constancy and Perseverance: And a Curse, if we remain still barren and un­fruitful, not Doers of the Word but Hear­ers only, deceiving our selves into eter­nal Perdition. It becomes us all therefore, to take heed how we hear; and not be like the High-way-side, suffering our Thoughts to wander from the Instructions we have heard, and leaving the good Seed unregard­ed to the Mercy of the great Enemy of Souls; and exposing our Minds as a com­mon Tract to vain and wicked Fancies [Page 31]and Imaginations, and diabolical Suggesti­ons; nor like the stony Ground, impene­trable to any deep and lasting Impressions of the Word of Life; nor like that over­run with Thorns and Briars and noxious Weeds, such as are the Cares and deceitful Riches and Pleasures of this Life, which will choak the Word and render it unfruitful: But, that we treasure up this Divine Word in our Memories, ponder and consider it, and set our Love and Affections upon it. So shall it grow and prosper and bring forth Fruit, in some Thirty, in some Six­ty, in some an Hundred-Fold; to the Ho­nour and Glory of God, and the eternal Salvation of our immortal Souls. Which, God of his infinite Mercy grant for Je­sus Christ his Sake.

THE Interpretation of this Parable is thus set down, Vers. 37. of this Chap­ter. He that soweth the good Seed is the Son of Man, the Field is the World, the [Page 36]good Seeds are the Children of the Kingdom, but the Tares are the Children of the wick­ed one; the Enemy that sowed them is the Devil, the Harvest is the End of the World, and the Reapers are the Angels. As there­fore, the Tares are gather'd and burnt in the Fire, so shall it be in the End of the World. The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend, and them that do Iniquity, and shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth. Then shall the Righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father.

From this Interpretation of this Parable, it appears, that the Design of it is to shew, for the Encouragement of the sincerely good, and Terrour of the Hypocritical; that though there may be many wicked Profes­sors of Christianity, that are Christians on­ly in Name and Out-side, and who in this World may be confusedly intermix'd a­mong the good, and go undiscover'd of Men, and unpunish'd of God; nay, thrive and prosper here more than the good, and to all outward Appearance, be the Favo­rites of Heaven, whilst the sincerely good undergo many Afflictions, and appear to Men to be under God's Displeasure: Yet, in the great Harvest that shall be at the End of the World there shall be a Distin­ction made between the one and the other, the hypocritical shall be separated from the sincere, and the former consign'd to [Page 37]ever lasting Burnings, and the latter receiv­ed into the Heavenly Regions, the Place prepared for them from the Beginning of the World.

This is the Design of the Parable. We shall now briefly consider how aptly ex­pressive it is of this Sense, and then di­scourse upon the several Parts of it.

The planting of the Gospel in the World in order to the converting Men to Christianity, is compared to the sowing of Seed, because (as was said upon the former Parable) the Gospel, like Seed, is that Principle of a future great Increase of Piety and Holiness in this World, and of Glory and Happiness in the next: 'Tis that, which, if sincerely embrac'd, and its Growth and Progress not hindred, will spring up to Glory, Honour and Immortality: And 'tis said to be like Seed sown or commit­ted to the Furrows, and then left to its own seminal Powers and the favourable In­fluences of Heaven; because the Gospel, being actually planted in the World, is, as to particular Persons, left to make its Way by its own Power and Efficacy, the Excellency of its Precepts, and its transcen­dent Rewards and Punishments; together with the constant Dews of the Divine Grace that attend it; without any more ex­traordinary Means, unless upon some extraor­dinary Occasion, to make it take Root and fructify. 'Tis generally propos'd to all, in its whole Latitude; which is the sowing [Page 38]of it, and then Men are left to their own free Choice, whether they will embrace it with its Promises, or turn their Backs upon it and run the Hazard of its Threats, without any irresistible Force to the one or the other; only the small still Voice of God's Spirit in Men's Hearts, and Grace descending like the gentle Dew, to soften and incline them to cherish this good Seed, which is the leaving the Gospel to its own seminal Powers, with only the benign Waterings of the Divine Grace and Bles­sing.

Our Lord is call'd the Sower of the good Seed, because he is the Author and first Teacher of this holy Religion; and its Va­lidity to the great Purposes to which it is design'd, depends upon the Merit of his bitter Death and Passion, and the invigo­rating Vertue of his precious Blood. For, 'twas upon his satisfying the Divine Justice by his Death, that he receiv'd Authority to mark out to us this Way to Life and Reconciliation, as the only Principle and Seed of Immortality.

The World is call'd the Field where this Seed is sown, because this blessed Re­ligion is catholick and universal, not confin­ed to any particular Place or People as the Jewish Religion was, but whosoever, of what Nation or People soever, shall believe in Jesus, and repent, shall be saved. And agreeably in another Parable (which, for its great Analogy to this, I shall not particular­ly [Page 39]discourse of) the Gospel, or Kingdom of Christ is represented by a Net cast in­to the Sea; Mat. 13.47. not any particular Lake or River: And this World is stiled the Field, because this is the only Place of receiving this Seed and bringing forth the genuine and expected Fruits of it; and he that shall refuse to receive this divine Seed now while he continues here, or not suf­fer it to grow and increase and bring forth Fruit; shall never have the like Oppor­tunity again, but suffer for ever the Pu­nishment threatned to obstinate Infidelity, or barren Unfruitfulness. This World is the only Field, this Life the only Seed­time, and at the End of it comes that one great Harvest, which shall consign Men to an eternal Condition, either happy or miserable, according to their Barrenness or Fruitfulness, during this Time, and in this Place of Growth and Increase.

The Children of the Kingdom, or those that are sincere Christians, intirely devoted to the Service of their great Master, and have receiv'd the good Seed of the Gospel into honest and good Hearts, as 'tis express'd in the preceeding Parable: These are them­selves likewise compared to good Seed, be­cause they have a substantial Piety, the Power as well as the Form and Appearance of Godliness, and bring forth the genuine Fruits of their holy Religion. That di­vine Seed that was sown in their Hearts, has produced, not only the Blade in the [Page 40] Ear, but the full Grain in the Ear; the same Kind of Seed that was sown, appears in their Lives and Conversations; the Seed of the Spirit brings forth the Fruits of the Spirit, and the Seed of Holiness pro­duces real and substantial Holiness; so that the Gospel is called good Seed, as 'tis the first Principle of Holiness; and truly pi­ous Men are likewise call'd good Seed, as the genuine Product and Increase of that first Principle. The Gospel is the good Seed sown, and the sincerely religious are the good Seed as springing from it and being produc'd by it.

The Children of the wicked one, or the hypocritical Professors of Christianity, are compared to Tares or Gockle, because they have only a Shew and Appearance of Reli­gion as Tares and Cockle have of Corn; but like them, no Substance of good Corn, none of the real Excellencies of Religion, nothing but hurtful and vicious Qualities as Tares are said to have; hurtful to them­selves in the final Consequence, as bring­ing them to so miserable an End; and hurtful to others by their ill Neighbour­hood and Converse, as Tares to Wheat; and likewise injurious to the holy Religi­on they profess, as reflecting Dishonour up­on it by their scandalous Conversation. Upon all Accounts 'tis infoelix Lolium, as the Poet calls it; unhappy Tares they are, that bring Dishonour upon God, and De­struction upon themselves and others.

The Devil is very fitly stiled the Ene­my that sows these Tares, because he is the busy Prompter to Vice and Hypocrisy, and the great Encourager of it, by his sly and wheedling Insinuations and wicked In­jections: He is that great Enemy of God and all things heavenly and good, and whose constant Endeavour it is to oppose and weaken the Kingdom of Righteous­ness, and upon the Ruins of it to establish his infernal Dominion.

The End of the World is compared to the Harvest, because then is the Time of Gods gathering all Men from off the Face of the Earth, and disposing them according to their Deservings, into a new State of endless Happiness or Misery; as good Corn at Har­vest, is taken from off the Ground, and car­ryed-away, and laid up in Repositories of Safety; but the Tares and other noxious Weeds sever'd from the rest, and bound up in Bundles to be burnt. And the An­gels are said to be the Reapers at this great Harvest; because 'tis by their Ministry that God will execute his most equal Sentence, whether of Absolution or Condemnation; the Righteous shall by them be caught up into the Clouds to meet their Lord in the Air, and like good Corn, be laid up, and that for ever, in God's heavenly Gar­ner, for they shall ever be with the Lord; And the wicked and hypocritical shall by them be separated from the good, and like vile Tares, be thrown into a Furnace of [Page 42]Fire unquenchable. And thus much in short for the Aptness of this Parable to express the Sense that our Lord conceal'd under it.

I shall now proceed to consider its se­veral Parts: And it will inform us of six things.

First, it will inform us of the State of the Christian Church in this World; that there will be both good and bad under the general Name of Christians (as Tares and Wheat together, go under the Name of one Field of Corn) and that the Two first Planters of this Good and Evil respe­ctively, are Christ and the Devil.

That there will be both good and bad in this World under the general Name of Christians, will be no wonder to any Man that considers how many there are that are Christians by Custom and Educa­tion only, because their Fathers were so before 'em, and in their tender Years pro­cur'd their Reception into that Communi­on; but, seldom look any further into the Reasons and Inducements to such Belief, and trouble themselves but very little to be in­form'd in, much less to practise the Duties that are bound upon them by that holy Pro­fession: And for the same Reason would have been Mahometans or Jews had their Parents been so, and educated them in that Way, and therefore are Christians by Chance, not Choice.

And this, those would do well to con­sider who spend the whole Six Days of the Week in drudging for the World from Morning until Night; and then, like tir'd Beasts, when they have fill'd their Bellies, without any further Thoughts, lay them down to rest; and when the Lord's Day comes (which is design'd for the Nourish­ment and Improvement of their Souls in Piety and Goodness, and their Instruction in the Religion they profess to be of) make little better Use of it than their Horses do in the Stable, rest from bodily Labour, and saunter and prate and drink away the Day; but seldom come at the Places of divine Worship and Instruction; and if they do, are as little the better for it as if they were absent. Let such consider, before it be too late, whether this Sort of Christi­anity will bring 'em to Heaven or no? Whether their being baptized in their In­fancy will save 'em without any more to do? Whether their telling our Lord at the Day of Judgment, that they happen'd to be born in a Country where his holy Re­ligion was profess'd, and of such as call'd themselves Christians, and were by them presented to a Minister of Christ who re­ceiv'd them into the Pale of the Catholick Church, and that they continued to call themselves Christians all their Lives, and now and then came to Church as other Christians did: Let them consider, whe­ther at that great Day such an empty Plea [Page 44]will be accepted, when the Judg comes to enquire into what Obedience they have paid to his Commandments? If it will be accepted, Mat. 7.21. why does our Lord say, not e­very one that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Hea­ven? Mat. 7.14. And why is the Way said to be narrow, and the Gate strait that leads to Life, and that few there be that find it? but, if it will not be accepted, as most certainly it will not; Doubtless, it highly concerns such Men to consider more seriously of Religion, than they have done hitherto; unless they think their Souls not worth taking care of, or that the everlasting Pains of Hell, are not so great as those of Re­pentance and living a new Life. And tho' for the Reason assign'd above, it is no Wonder that many ill Men here, go un­der the common Name of Christians, and that Title be all the Christianity they can boast of; yet 'twould be a very great Wonder indeed, if such empty Tares as these should be laid up with the good Wheat, and get to Heaven as much by Chance as they became Christians.

Further, 'tis no strange thing to find ill Men amongst a Society of Christians, be­cause Men are free Agents; and Religion does not force, but only by proper Methods incline and perswade: And those, who in their Infancy were devoted to the Service of God, and educated in his Discipline in [Page 45]their tender Years, may yet, through the Predominancy of their Lusts and vile Af­fections, and the Temptations of the wicked one, together with their own careless In­advertency, be, when grown up, inclined to live at quite another Rate than Chri­stianity allows: And though, for Fashion's sake, they may retain the Name of Chri­stians, yet choose to be indeed the Servants of their own Passions, and of the Prince of Darkness.

And therefore, 'tis very unreasonable for the Enemies of Religion to conclude as they do, that because many that profess Christi­anity, live in direct Contradiction to it; therefore the whole is a Cheat: Because, did they believe what that Religion teach­es, to be true; they would not dare to live in such continual Opposition to it.

Indeed, this should make all Christians very careful and circumspect in their Con­versation, lest they bring so great a Scandal as this upon their holy Religion (remem­bring our Lord's Words, Woe be to him, by whom the Offence or Scandal cometh:) But it will not at all follow, that because some of a Profession live contrary to its Pre­cepts and Doctrin, that therefore the whole is a Forgery.

For, believing and doing are Two very different things; and a Man may habitual­ly assent to the Truth of a thing, and yet not actually attend to it: As a Man may be very well assured that there is a dan­gerous [Page 46] Pit in his Way, and yet be so tak­en up with minding other things, as not to attend to the Danger, and heedlessly fall into it. And so a Man may habitu­ally believe that there is a Pit of Bottom­less Destruction, which will at length swal­low up the incorrigibly wicked; and yet, be so deeply engag'd in the Pleasures and Follies of the World, as not to attend to it till 'tis too late.

But, suppose some that call themselves Christians, do not at all believe any thing of the Christian Religion; there are innume­rable more that do believe and live accord­ingly; and the Harmony of their Belief and Practice, methinks should be a better Argument in the Affirmative, than the In­fidelity and Debauchery of a few titular Christians should be in the Negative. And though to a Man that stiles himself a Chri­stian, and yet believes not a Word of the Matter, to him the Whole of Religion [...] is as nothing, yet certainly it cannot be from thence concluded, that therefore 'tis really and indeed a Fiction. For, that may be assuredly true, and that to their Cost, which some Men don't care to believe.

Thus we see 'tis no strange thing that there should be both good and bad that go under the general Name of Christians in this World; and that though some are much scandaliz'd at it, and raise an Objection from it against the Truth of the Religion, yet there is no Reason so to do; for, 'tis not [Page 47]the Name that makes a Christian; he on­ly is a Christian indeed, that to a right Be­lief adjoins good Works.

The first Planters of the good Seed or the Tares, the bad or good Professors of Christianity respectively, are Christ and the Devil. Christ, by teaching a holy Reli­ligion to the World, such as shall conduct Men to Glory and Immortality, and by the good Motions and Inspirations of his holy Spirit, inclining 'em to imbrace it, does endeavour to make all Men happy, to deliver 'em from the Miseries of this World, (for if Sin were weeded out of it, there would be no Misery in it) and to prepare 'em for the eternal and ineffa­ble Felicities of the Kingdom of Glory; in which, after a persevering Righteous­ness here, they shall be actually instated. The Devil, on the contrary, that great E­nemy both to God and Man, makes it his great Endeavour, by all Sorts of Wiles [...]nd Stratagems, to obliterate the divine Im­pressions of this holy Religion upon Mens Souls, to divert 'em from attending to its great Beauty and Excellency, and the Na­ture and Duration of its Rewards and Pu­nishments; to perswade 'em that here lies the only Scene of Happiness, and that a future Felicity or Misery is only fit to a­muse and frighten Children withall; that the Desires of the Body are given us that we might gratify them to the full, and that to deny and mortify our selves, is the [Page 48]most unnatural Cruelty in the World; that we must make our selves happy, while we have Opportunity, and not trust too much to uncertain Reversions: And, when he can't wholly blot out the Belief of another World, then he endeavours to corrupt it, by perswading us that a very little Religi­on will serve turn, seeing we have to do with so merciful a God.

And, if by these Means or the like, of which he has great Variety, he can incline Men, if not intirely to apostatize from Chri­stianity, yet, like Tares, to rest satisfyed with the Name and Appearance of Chri­stians, and live at loose and random, and follow the Stream of their own Passions and Desires, and his sly Insinuations and tempting Delusions; then he has his End, and will at length cheat 'em of the Hap­piness that Christ design'd 'em, and decoy 'em into his own Possession, and so bring them to the Portion of Tares and noxious Weeds, that Furnace of Fire prepar'd for himself and his Angels.

And therefore, as we tender our eter­nal Welfare, we must be very watchful and observant, that we may discover the sly Insinuations of this our great Enemy. Whatever would disparage Religion, or lessen the Obligation to a good Life, comes certainly from that infernal Tempter. The Temptations to an excessive Gratification of our bodily Appetites, assuredly come from him; the Opportunities of Vice are [Page 49]of his disposing, and 'tis he that ingages us in so great a Love and earnest Persuit of the World. And therefore every thing of this Nature must be rejected with the greatest Abomination, as the Endeavours of our great Enemy, to deprive us of our Happiness, and involve us in his own Ru­in

And, on the contrary, those blessed Mo­tions that we all of us often feel to a more pious and holy Conversation, must be thankfully embrac'd, and chearfully fol­low'd, as the Directions and Excitations of our dear Saviour, to what is conducive to our eternal Happiness. They are those heavenly Dews which will refresh our Souls, and improve their Growth and Increase in Holiness; and if sincerely co­operated with, will at length bring the Fruits of our holy Religion to Perfecti­on.

And thus much for the first thing this Parable informs us of, namely, That the State of the Gospel in this World is such, that there will be both bad and good un­der the general Name of Christians (as good Corn and Weeds together go under the Name of one Field of Corn) and that the first Planters of this Good and Evil respectively, are Christ and the Devil; together with the Improvement of each Consideration to the Interest of Religi­on.

But, before I quite leave this Particu­lar, I shall, from what has been said of the promiscuous Mixture of bad and good Men in the Christian Church, and God's suffering it to be so without any extraor­dinary Discrimination; From this I shall observe how unreasonable 'tis for some to object, as too many do, against the Recep­tion of the Lord's Supper in our Church, because, as they say, we admit any that will come, even those that have been scan­dalous Livers, and by that Means the So­lemnity is prophan'd and made less bene­ficial to the good.

But now, supposing, though not granting that we admit any that will come, though Men of ill Lives, (I say, not granting this, for the thing is evidently false, as appears from the Exhortations to the Communicants before, and at the Solemnity, and from the Rubric of that Office: And from the 26, 27, and 28th Cannons of our Church, in which Ministers are expresly forbidden to admit notorious Offenders, Schismaticks and Strangers to the Communion.) But sup­posing this, which is so evidently false as to the Church, to be true as to some par­ticular Ministers; why must communicat­ing with such Ministers, and, as we think, in such prophane Company, be unchristi­anly abstain'd from, and the Ministers de­claim'd against with so much Bitterness? At this rate they may as well desert the Communion of the whole Church of Christ, [Page 51]and refuse to join in any part of divine Worship; for no Doubt but ill Men are intermxi'd in all, though they may not be discover'd; and if their Company will un­hallow and make ineffecutal one Duty of Christianity, I can't see why it should not do the like to all the rest. And, if a Se­paration were admitted upon such Accounts as as these, there would be no such thing as an external Communion of Saints, because, such is the State of the Gospel in this World, that the bad will be intermix'd with the Good, as Tares are in a Field of Wheat.

And as to the Practice of particular Ministers, I charitably hope none do ad­mit of notorious Offenders to the Commu­nion, without receiving satisfactory Marks of their Repentance, or at least by previ­ous Discourse or writing: When they know of their Intention to communicate, let 'em know the great Danger of receiving un­worthily, and urge them to an immediate sincere Repentance, or else forbid 'em at their Peril to approach the holy Table. And if after all this they will come, we are to suppose in Charity, that they have repented, except we are sure to the con­trary.

And, if a Minister sees one at the Ta­ble, whose Life has, in many Instances, to his Knowledg, been very faulty, unless the Crimes have been very great and very noto­rious; to reject such an one, I think, (with [Page 52]Submission) would be arrogant and un­charitable, and might exasperate the Man to so high a Degree, as to make him throw off all Regard to Religion for the future; and in such a Case the Exhorta­tion appointed to be read at the Time of celebrating those Holy Mysteries, should, one would think, be Warning sufficient for such an one, if unrepentant, to withdraw; and if he stays, Charity would incline one to believe that he was penitent. And, if a Person kneeling by, who, perhaps knows much more of the Man's Course of Life than the Minister, shall be offended at his communicating one that receives so unwor­thily, and speak hard things of him, and abstain from that blessed Ordinance upon this Account for the future, as prophan'd by such mix'd Company at it; this is high­ly unreasonable, uncharitable and unnatu­ral. 'Tis unreasonable with Relation to their hard Thoughts and Censures of the Mi­nister, because Charity obliges him to think well of such as present themselves at the holy Table, unless there be great and unde­niable Evidence of their obstinate and con­tinu'd Wickedness; and in such a Case I dare say no pious Minister would pro­stitute those holy Symbols to such Swine: And, where there is not such Evidence, Ministers can search Mens Hearts no more than other Men, and therefore must hope the best, and judge according to the out­ward Appearance; and should they commu­nicate [Page 53]some that receive unworthily, by this Means (as 'tis to be fear'd they too often do) why should they be blam'd for that which 'tis impossible for 'em to help; and aspers'd, and all further Communion with them deserted, for suffering that ignorant­ly, which God, though the Searcher of all Hearts, permits in his Church without any open Discrimination; namely, the bad to join in all holy Offices with the good? And this Practice is as uncharitable as 'tis unreasonable, because 'tis judging and con­demning those as Reprobates obstinate, un­repenting Sinners, whose Hearts we can­not see; and who, though formerly egre­giously wicked, yet now, through the migh­ty Efficacy of God's converting Grace, may, for ought we know, to the contrary, be better than our selves. And, 'tis an un­natural Practice too, because 'tis the depri­ving our selves of the Comforts that attend the Reception of that holy Sacrament, and those of Ʋnion and brotherly Love, meer­ly upon a groundless Nicety.

Let us all rather learn not to judge o­thers before the Time, but leave every Man to stand or fall by the unerring Judg­ment of our great Master at the last Day; lest by judging others we condemn our selves who do the same things, and it may be worse. And, instead of abstaining from the Sacrament, because some come and are admitted to it, whom we think, and it may be not without Reason, are not [Page 54]so well prepar'd as they should be; endea­vour to make our selves still more and more fit for so holy an Ordinance by a day­ly Amendment of Life; and then our Fleece, like that of Gideon, shall be moistned, tho' other Men's be dry. The Apostles were never the less dear to our Saviour for Ju­das his being amongst 'em, but the more so rather; and though, through the Wick­edness that was in his Heart, Satan enter'd into him after he had receiv'd the Sop our Lord gave him at the Celebration of the Passover, and in all Probability did partake of what he consecrated in Memory of his succeeding Death and Sufferings; yet the rest receiv'd miraculous Assistances of the holy Ghost, and were faithful to the Death, and for certain have receiv'd the Crown of Life. And I hope this will sa­tissy for the future, such as upon this Ac­count have abstain'd from the blessed Sa­crament, and censur'd the Ministers of our Church, and (though without all Reason) our Church it self: And as what has been said upon this Matter, has been no imper­tinent Digression, so I hope it may be a beneficial one.

Let us now proceed to the second thing this Parable informs us of, namely, The Time when God's and our great Enemy the Devil sowes his Tares among the Wheat, and that is while Men sleep. For so the Parable, while Men slept the Enemy came and sow'd Tares among the Wheat and went [Page 55]his Way. Then is the Time of his injecting his wicked Insinuations into Men's Hearts, whereby to make 'em become like empty Tares, Christians in Name and Appearance only, but devoid of the substantial Graces and Vertues of that holy Profession,

By Men's sleeping is here meant a care­less Inadvertency and Neglect of the things of Religion; a stupid Security in a thought­less Way of Life. And this is a Metaphor which the sacred Writers have often made use of to this Purpose; and 'tis so expres­sive of what they would represent by it, that 'twill be worth our while briefly to consider, wherein the Likeness of such thoughtless Inadvertency in religious Mat­ters to sleep, does consist.

It is like it, in the first Place in its Cause: For, as Toil and Labour and any thing that brings Weariness and consumes the Spi­rits, disposes the Body to Sleep, and makes it desire Rest and Ease that it may have a Recruit; so this moral Drowsiness or Hebe­tude of the Soul, generally begins to creep upon Men, when they find difficulty in Re­ligion; a little striving soon puts 'em out of Heart, their Hands fall, their Knees grow feeble, their Soul faints within 'em, all Hope of Victory is then laid aside, and they sit them down as Men quite spent, and then steals that deep Sleep upon them which too often ends in Death.

Thus we often see Men set very brisk­ly upon the Practice of Religion at First, [Page 56]and seem wondrously pleas'd with their new Choice, and admire at their Stupidi­ty that they did not sooner discover the transcendent Beauties of Holiness, and are resolv'd to redeem their mis-spent Time, and talk of nothing but Raptures, and of reach­ing great Hights and Eminencies of Piety; when all on the suddain they are at a Stand, there's a Lyon in the Way, a right Hand must be cut off, or a right Eye put out, i. e. some Favourite Vice must be cashier'd if they move any further, and that's a hard Saying, and the Men begin to cool, a Stifness seizes their over-heated Limbs, and a senseless Torpor invades every Part of 'em; Mark 10.21. and like the young Man in the Go­spel, whom our Lord began to love for his discreet Answers and towardly Dispo­sition, when they must part with their Rich­es to the Poor, and deny themselves, their corrupt Desires and Inclinations, and take up their Cross and follow their Saviour: Then they become sad, and with Grief and Dissatisfaction leave him, and fold their Hands, and return again to their Dream of Vanity. Just like those in the former Parable, compar'd to stony Ground, who receiv'd the Word at first with Joy, but having not sufficient Deepness of Earth, i.e. for want of through Consideration, and be­holding the smooth Side of Religion only, endure but for a while, and in Time of Temp­tation and Difficulty, fall away, and their for­ward Piety becomes dry and wither'd. Or [Page 57]like those mention'd in another Parable, Luke 14.28. (which was spoken upon this very Account, and which, for its great Af­finity with this Part of the Parable we are now upon, I shall not particularly discourse of) who begin to build, and sit not down first and count the Cost whether they be able to fi­nish, and so proceeding no further than Foun­dation become the Scorn of all Men. But,

Secondly, as a State of careless Inadver­tency to the things of Religion, is like Sleep in its Cause and Beginning; so likewise is it, in its Progress and Effects. For, like Sleep, it locks up all the Powers and Fa­culties of the Soul, and suspends their Acti­on; it dulls its Apprehension, and makes it take Evil for Good, and Good for Evil; it vitiates its Reasoning, and makes it draw false and fantastick Consequences and Con­clusions; and therefore corrupts its Will and Affections, and makes its Choices strangely foolish and ridiculous, such as preferring Earth before Heaven, a little Ease and imperfect Pleasure here, before Rivers of ineffable Plea­sures that are at God's right Hand for ever­more; and the like. The lower Life is in this Case predomimant, and wild Dreams and incoherent Fancies, make up such Men's Divinity, and their Rule of Life and Man­ners. In short, the Life of such Men is but a Dream; their Notions, like those of Men in a Slumber, dark, hovering and un­certain; their Discourse about religious Mar­ters, broken, disjointed unconcluding, full [Page 58]of Fallacies and dangerous Sophistry, to cheat themselves of all Expectation here and Enjoyment hereafter of what is their great­est, nay, their only Happiness. Their Acti­ons are like those done in a Dream too, extravagant, brutish, and unaccountable; startled at Chimaera's and the Shadows of Danger, and insensible of the Approaches of real and substantial Misery, though just rea­dy to overtake them; fond of a Bundle of Feathers, in love with an aery Nothing, whilst their true Interest is not in all their Thoughts. And, to compleat the Parallel, they are as deaf to all Reproofs as Men asleep; as lit­tle affected with good Instruction and Ad­vice, and so bewitch'd with the Fanci'd Sweetness of their Slumber, that they are as loath to be awaken'd: And when by rude­er Applications they are, like Men that have taken too large a Dose of Opium, they are presently o'ercome with Heaviness, and shut their Eyes against all Conviction and fall asleep again. And the final Event is this; that as natural Drowsiness cloaths a Man with Raggs, so the moral will cloath him with Shame and utter Confusion.

And now, from this short Parallel which I have drawn between the Sleep of the Soul and the Body; as we may see the Fitness of the Expression in the Parable, so we may learn what Guard to keep up­on our selves to prevent our infernal E­nemies sowing his Tares, or making us be­come as such, by his wicked Insinuations [Page 59]and Suggestions. 'Tis while Men thus sleep, are thus thoughtless and inadvertent to Re­ligion, and taken up with the Gaieties and Pleasures of this World, which, like plea­sant Dreams, entertain the Fancy and Ima­gination with much Delight, but soon va­nish and become utterly unprofitable; then it is that this subtle Enemy makes use of his Opportunity, and unobserv'd, steals in his wicked Injections, which divert the Soul still more and more from attending to her main Interest, and promote this spiritual Slumber so long, 'till too often it becomes chronical and habitual, and an utter Obli­vion of all religious Obligations, an incura­ble Numness and Stupidity of Soul, God knows, too often follows; and Men be­come like Tares, empty of all substantial Goodness, and at best but Christians in Name and Shew, and fit for nothing, but when God shall see fit, to be gathered up from among the Wheat and burnt.

Wherefore it highly concerns all those that hope to be sav'd, not to sleep as do o­thers, but to watch and be sober; to awake to Righteousness, and walk circumspectly, not as Fools diverted by every Feather and gay Appearance, but, as Men that are wise to Salvation, always in a Posture of Watchfulness and Defence. Fixing our Attention upon our Duty and the exceed­ing great Reward of it, and often reflect­ing upon that intolerable Misery, which will certainly be the Consequence of such [Page 60]fatal Slumberings, and still pressing on with greater Courage as the Difficulties of Religion increase upon us; and daily en­deavouring still more and more to shake off dead Stupidity to Religion which so ea­sily besets us, and to rouze up the Faculties and employ 'em upon those noblest of Ob­jects, patiently receiving Instruction and Re­proof; rejecting every Notion and Opini­on that would destroy the Necessity of a good Life, and studiously avoiding Idleness and Sloth; and, according to our Lord's most excellent Advice, adding Prayer to Watch­fulness, that we enter not into Temptation.

This Course if we take, we shall de­feat this generally prevailing Stratagem of the subtle Tempter; and being always in a Readiness to resist him, make him fly from us with Shame and Disappointment. And our Souls will then grow more and more substantial in Piety, and abound in it as the good Corn; and at length, being grown ripe for the Glories and Felicities of Heaven, be gather'd in Peace, and laid up in Repositories of eternal Rest and Safe­ty, as in the blessed Garner of our Lord.

Thirdly, this Parable informs us of the Time of Discovery of the Tares, the hypo­critical Religionists; namely, the Time of bringing forth Fruit: When the Blade was sprung up and brought forth Fruit, or when the Grain appear'd in the Ear, then ap­pear'd the Tares also. Then appear'd the Difference between the good Corn and the [Page 61] Cockle, which at first coming up look'd as flourishing and promis'd as fair as the good Corn; but when the Time drew nigh that the Corn should appear and come to Ripe­ness and Perfection, then there was a ma­nifest Disparity, and what appear'd so well at first was then found to be an empty noxi­ous Weed. And thus it is too often in Re­ligion.

Many Men make a fair Shew and Semb­lance of Piety; attend the Place of divine Worship, with much seeming Seriousness and Devotion; and to all outward Appear­ance, listen to the Sermons of the Go­spel, and beg the divine Aid (as that Dew of Heaven, which alone can make 'em fruit­ful) as earnestly as others do: And this looks very well, and is (as far as Men or Angels can discern for the present) as hope­ful a Beginning as need be desir'd. The really good Seed can send forth nothing more promising at first; and hitherto the Tares grow undiscover'd among the Wheat, by any Eye but that of God.

But after this first Blade has appear'd, and that for some considerable Time; after they have begun to make this Shew of Religi­on; instead of advancing further and fur­ther to Perfection, as the good Seed does, and abounding in every good Work like the full Grain in the Ear; these have no­thing but a Blade and Stalk of Religion, no Fruit appears, there is no no real sub­stantial Vertue attends this Shew of Piety, [Page 62]but rather the Works of the Flesh are di­scernable in their Lives and Conversati­ons. And this is a plain Discovery to them­selves and others, that they are but formal, not sincere Christians; vile unhappy Tares, but not good Seed; for every Tree is known by its Fruits.

Wherefore, let no Man flatter himself with vain Hopes from a formal customary Religion, when there are no real Fruits of Righteousness, but on the contrary, much Wickedness and Folly and Vanity; for, unless his Religion makes him grow in Grace and Vertue, and is seen in all his Conver­sation, 'twill be to no purpose to make an hypocritical Shew of it at Church; and is no better than the most provoking Mock­ery of God, and an unnatural starving of the Soul with such fantastick Food, and will consign to the lowest Hell, which is the Portion of Hypocrites.

And as a hypocritical Religion will have a very sad Consequence in the other World, so it exposes Men to much Shame and Con­tempt in this. For every Man that sees such great Shews of Religion, such Pre­tences to Christian Vertue, will naturally expect to find the Man all of a Piece, and that to his Devotion and Shew of Godliness at Church, be added Sobriety and Righte­ousness in his Conversation and Intercourse with Men. As when Men see the first Sproutings and Flourishing of a Field that was sown with good Grain, they expect [Page 63]to find Increase of the same good Fruits. But, when after all this fair and florid Shew of Piety and Goodness, there appears no­thing but Tares, and the Man is over run with wicked Habits and vile Affections, little or no Sign of a real Sense of Religi­on upon his Mind, but rather the hidden Works of Dishonesty in his Dealings; Lying and Collusion instead of Sincerity and Truth; Lewdness and Intemperance, Pride and Ma­lice, instead of Purity both of Flesh and Spirit: When such Vileness as this treads upon the Heels of a Mans Shew of Reli­gion, any Man may discern that he is a chri­stian Pharisee, like a whited Sepulchre, beautiful without, but within full of Rot­tenness and all Uncleanness; that his Re­ligion is confin'd to the Church, whither he goes sometimes for Fashion's Sake to visit it, but always leaves it there behind him, and will not be troubl'd with its Compa­ny abroad.

Now, such Hypocrisy as this, is certain­ly one of the most hateful things in the World, and instead of gaining Reputation to a Man, is the ready Way to make him a common Scorn: Men can't but discover the abominable Cheat, and they can't but hate and detest it. Tares will at length ap­pear to be Tares, and the sooner for be­ing among the good Corn. 'Tis therefore certainly the greatest Folly in the World, to pretend to conceal under a fair Appear­ance, what will in a very short Time dis­cover [Page 64]it self, and will bring a Man to no­thing but Shame and Hatred in this World, and the Flames of Hell in the next. And it concerns every Man that desires to be happy either here or hereafter, to lay aside all Guile and Hypocrisy in Religion, and sin­cerely endeavour after the Power of God­liness as well as put on the Form and Ap­pearance of it. And thus much for the third Part of this Parable, viz. when the Blade was sprung up and brought forth Fruit, then appear'd the Tares also.

The next thing it informs us of, is the holy Angels Observation of the Actions of Men, especially of Christians, and their Di­ligence and Watchfulness in doing God Ser­vice, and Zeal for his Glory: For thus 'tis said, the Servants of the Housholder, that is, the Angels, as 'tis in the Interpretation, came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good Seed in thy Field? From whence then hath it Tares? He said an Enemy hath done this. They answer'd, wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? They observ'd by the loose Lives of some Professors that there were very ill Men that went under the Notion of Christians; which they knew would reflect Dishonour upon Christ the great Planter of that holy Religion, and would be injurious to the Progress of the Gospel; and therefore they haste to tell him that they may have his further Com­mands, and with Zeal for his Glory, and Intentions of great Charity to us poor Mor­tals, [Page 65]they offer their best Endeavours to rid the Church of those scandalous hypocri­tical Members.

That the blessed Angels, are, by God's Appointment, Observers, and that for ex­cellent Purposes, of the Lives and Actions of Mankind, especially of Christians; is e­vident, not only from this Part of this Pa­rable, but from many other Places of Scri­pture, as an attentive Reader of the holy Writings must often have observ'd: Of which, some few of the new Testament only that give most Light to this Matter, I shall at present mention. St. Paul, in 1 Cor. 11.10. giving Directions for the more decent Service of God in the Church; for this Reason says he, according to the Cu­stom of that Time, ought Women to be veil'd or cover'd (as the true Sense of the Place is) in their publick religious Assem­blies, because of the Angels: That is, lest any thing indecent should be observ'd by those pure Spirits, who are present as God's Spies upon the Actions of Men. The last Verse of the 1st. Chapter to the Hebrews is likewise very plain to this Purpose, where the Apostle, speaking of the Angels, Are they not all says he, (as assur'd of the Truth of what he said) Are they not all ministring Spirits, sent forth to minister to them who shall be Heirs of Salvation? That is, to take no­tice of their Behaviour in the World, in order to prevent their running into Courses ruinous, and to shield 'em from [Page 66]the mischievous Assaults of wicked Spirits. And, to mention but one Place more, St. Paul charges Timothy, 1 Tim. 5.21. Before, or as in the Presence of God and of Je­sus Christ, and of the elect Angels, that he would observe those things he had taught him without Prejudice or Partiality: Which plainly supposes that there were Angels then present, as Observers and Witnesses of what they were doing and discoursing.

It being then thus plain from Scripture, that the blessed Angels are Observers of Mens Lives and Actions, especially of those of Christians, as by God's Appointment, and as Ministers of his divine Government; I shall not trouble my self to make curious Enquiries into the Reasons why God ap­points Angels to observe and minister to us, since nothing escapes his own all-seeing Eye, and his own all-mighty Arm can do whatsoever he pleases in Heaven and in Earth, in the Sea and in all deep Places? Nor of what Rank and Order those Angels are, and how many, that are thus employ'd? And whether every Man has a particular Angel assign'd him, as his Guardian and the Inspector of his Actions? Which things are too high for us Mortals, we cannot at­tain unto them: But shall make this good Use of this Particular relating to our Pra­ctice; That since we are under the In­spection of such pure and holy Spirits, and whose Concern for our Happiness is very great; since they are Witnesses of our most [Page 67]secret Actions, and though invisible and un­observ'd themselves, are our curious Obser­vers: Methinks, we that are our selves but in one Rank of Being below 'em here, and shall hereafter be equal to them, should not endure to be found by 'em wallowing like Swine in the Filth of Sin, degrading our selves to a Level with the Beasts that perish, and in base Hypocrisy pretending to be Christians, when indeed we act like In­fidels: Nay, too often, like Devils incar­nate. How do those good Spirits, tho' they may pity our deplorable Condition, yet withal, despise and abominate the servile Baseness of such excellent Natures! Who, notwithstanding they have such glorious Hopes, yet quit their heavenly Reversion, for the low Enjoyments of this contempti­ble Earth! Methinks Shame should deter us from vile and impious Actions, if no­thing else; and the Thoughts of the Dig­nity of our Nature, not suffer us to act so much beneath our selves; and a Man not brutishly impudent, should not endure to expose himself to the Observation of an Angel in such vile Circumstances, as he would be loath to be found in by any Man he reverences and respects, nay, by a Servant or a Child.

And as the Angels are Observers of Hu­man Actions, so are they God's Intelligen­cers to give him account of them, not that God needs such Information, for every thing lies naked and open to his own all seeing [Page 68]Eye, but for the greater Order and Deco­rum of his Government. And this their Office, they perform with great Diligence and Watchfulness, and ardent Zeal for his Glory; for no sooner were the Tares discern­ed by 'em to be among the good Corn, the formal empty Christians to be inter­mix'd with the sincerely good, but they hasten to give account of it to their great Master, and, as not being able to indure the great Dishonour reflected upon God and the purest of Religions, by their base Hypocrisy and impious Conversation, they offer, with his Permission, to remove those evil Doers, those not only unprofitable, but wicked Servants, as unworthy to continue any longer in so sacred a Society as that of Christians. Wilt thou that we gather them up? say they; wilt thou permit us to weed this thy great Field of those noxious Tares, to cull out the empty nominal Christians, and exert that Power thou hast given us, to their deserved Ruin; that the Residue of thy Servants may see it and fear, and keep from their Abominations? And that those blessed Spirits, that angelick Host, is able to perform this Service, no Man can doubt that remembers how one Angel in one Night destroy'd all the First-born in Aegypt.

Now this their Diligence and Watch­fulness in the Service of God, and Zeal for his Glory, should put us upon a holy Emu­lation of doing God's Will on Earth, as it [Page 69]is done in Heaven: That is, that we, who here on Earth, Luk. 20.36. are but a little lower than the Angels, and shall in Heaven be equal to them; should now endeavour to be as like them as we can, and with the utmost Chearfulness, Alacrity and Diligence, per­form the Duty our great Governour has set us; and with a prudent Zeal endeavour in our several Stations, by discountenancing Vice, and encouraging and promoting Ver­tue to the utmost of our Power, to advance the Glory of God, and the Interest and Re­putation of our holy Religion. If Magi­strates would take due Notice of those that live scandalously and wickedly, and not bear the Sword in vain, but be, as they ought to be, a Terrour to Evil-Doers, and praise and encourage those that do well; if the Governours of the Church, who are stil'd Angels in Scripture, would act like the Angels in this Parable, and curiously inspect the Religion of their Charge, and by such Methods as the Laws allow, ei­ther turn the Tares into good Seed (which, though impossible in Nature, yet may be, and I hope, often is done in Religion) or pluck 'em up, if stubborn and irreclaimable; if Governours of private Families, warm'd with the like holy Zeal, would take the like Measures, and either reform their ir­religious Servants and Dependents, or else rid themselves of 'em, and bring 'em to due legal Punishment: If this wholesome Course were taken with due Diligence, [Page 70]Watchfulness and Prudence, Vice would soon be dishearten'd, and Vertue more and more thrive and Increase; God's Honour would be vindicated, the Credit of Religion re­deemed, our own temporal Happiness advan­ced, and innumerable Souls sav'd, that o­therwise would for ever have perish'd.

And this would be a Work truly wor­thy of Christians; 'tis an angelick Undertak­ing; and every Man that prays, hallow'd be thy Name, thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done in Earth as 'tis in Heaven, is bound in his own Sphere, and according to his best Ability, to promote what is contain'd in those Petitions, to the Glory of God and the Interest of Religion; as he expects and hopes to have an Answer of the fol­lowing Petitions, and receive his daily Bread, and have his Trespasses forgiven him, and to be preserved or supported in Temptation, and delivered from Evil.

The fifth thing this Parable informs us of, is the Reason why God will not suffer the Angels as yet to gather out the Tares from among the good Seed, to discrimi­nate Hypocritical from sincere Christians, and give them their due Punishment; namely, lest while they gather up the Tares, they root up also the Wheat with them; and therefore he suffers both to grow together until the Harvest. That is, in other Words, the Reason of God's Forbearance of the Wicked, and not suffering the Angels, those Ministers of his Justice, to punish them in [Page 71] this World according to what they deserve; is his great Care and Tenderness, even of the temporal Quiet and Safety of the Righte­ous: Which, by Reason of their Intermix­ture with the wicked here, would at least be very much disturb'd through the root­ing up a wicked Generation; and without the Help of a Miracle, many a good Man might perish in so great a Ruin. But Mi­racles we find God has never thought fit to work, but upon urgent Necessity, when his own Glory, and the Interest of Religi­on and the Church cannot otherwise be se­cur'd; now there being no such Necessity of punishing the wicked by destroying 'em in this World, nor consequently of mira­culously preserving those that are truly good from a general Ruin; for the End of the World, that great Day of Recompence, is not far off, and both may live together un­till then; God, for the Sake of the sincere­ly good, lest the Rod of the wicked should come into the Lot of the righteous, does ge­nerally restrain the Zeal of those blessed Spirits the Angels, and forbears the Tares till that universal Harvest, when the Earth shall be eas'd of its Burthen, and then the good Seed shall be gather'd together in Safe­ty, and the Tares left to be consum'd in that great Conflagration, when the World and all that remains in it shall be burnt up with Fire unquenchable. And when, in Case of almost a total Corruption of a City or Nation, and to strike a Terror in­to [Page 72]others, and convince the obdurate World that God sees and is able to punish obstinate and irreclaimable Sinners, God thinks fit to suffer his bright Host of An­gels, utterly to destroy such wicked Places as sometimes we know he hath done; we have several Instances in Scripture and o­ther Histories of the miraculous Preserva­tion of the good; and that, as the Psalmist expresses it, Psal. 91. though Thousands have fallen by their Side the Destruction has not come nigh them; for he gives his Angels Charge over them, to keep 'em in all their Ways.

Of this great Care of Providence over the good, either in preserving for their Sakes, Communities destin'd to Ruin, or else covering them under the Wings of Provi­dence, and shielding them from Danger till the Storm was over; there is an Instance in the 18. of Genesis so very remarkable that I can't pass it by. In the 23. Verse of that Chapter, we find Abraham inter­ceeding with God for Sodom and Gomorrha (which he had resolv'd to destroy for the abominable and incurable Wickedness that was in them) and he begins with what he thought would most prevail with God to spare the Place, and tells him the Safety of the Righteous would be hazarded, and that they would share in the common Destruction; and therefore, lest he should slay the righteous with the wicked, which he knew the Judge of all the Earth would be far from doing, he pleads with him for the [Page 73]Sake of Fifty Righteous that should be found there (a small Number, one would think, and easie to be found in such populous, though wicked Places) and at length (being en­courag'd by God's wondrous Goodness, who comply'd with him in every Request, and as he sunk the Number promis'd him he would not destroy) he, by degrees, descends to Ten; which was as far as ever his Mode­sty would reach, and one would think far e­nough to secure the most wicked City up­on Earth. Peradventure Ten be found there▪ And God said unto him, I will not destroy it for Ten's Sake. Rather than those Ten should be in Danger of perishing in the ge­neral Ruin, he will recall the destroying An­gel, and at least respite the Execution of his Vengeance; and for their Sakes reprieve the condemn'd Place of their Abode. And when, through the extream Wickedness of those Cities that small Number of good Men was not found in them, and God there­fore proceeded to shower down his fiery Indignation upon 'em, yet he remembers righteous Lot and his small Family, and sends two Angels to conduct 'em safely out of that accursed Place, who hasten'd Lot, lest he should be consum'd in the Iniquity of the Cities, and upon his Request spa­red Zoar, which he fled to, and bid him make haste thither, for that they could not do any thing till he was escap'd out of Dan­ger; as you may read Gen. 19.22.

And what a boundless Ocean is the Good­ness of God! That he should, not only so graciously accept the imperfect Services of his own People, as to take them into his peculiar Care and Protection; but for their Sakes likewise (that Destruction might not so much as come nigh their Dwellings) to spare those that have justly merited the severest Expresses of his Displeasure! This does indeed verify the Words of the Psal­mist, that his Mercy is over all his Works.

And this, as it should be a new Motive and Encouragement to true Holiness, which will be so great a Security in perillous Times both to our selves and others; and demonstrates the great Ingratitude and Base­ness of the World, in hating and despising and afflicting the good, who yet are as so many guardian Angels to it, and shield it from the Expresses of God's just Venge­ance: So it will silence that Objection a­gainst Providence, drawn from the continu­ed Safety and Prosperity of the wicked, notwithstanding their living in open Defi­ance of God and his Commands. For we see, they are but repriev'd for the Sake of the righteous, lest they should be involv'd in the Ruin pour'd upon the ungodly: Their Punishment is but respited for a lit­tle while, and at the great Assize God's Justice will have its full Course, and sink 'em into everlasting Ruin. And, as the Hus­bandman may observe the Tares are among his good Corn, and resolve at length to [Page 75]bind 'em up in Bundles and burn them, though his prudential Care of the good Corn inclines him to let them alone till the Harvest, and not pluck 'em up whilst the good Corn is standing and growing to Perfection, lest it be rooted up together with them: So God sees and resolves in due Time to punish according to their De­merit the vile hypocritical Christians, but in a wise and tender Regard for the safe­ty of the sincerely good, with-holds his Judg­ments during their Abode in the World, but will surely repay the wicked Wretches what they have deserv'd, in the great Day of Recompence.

And this brings me to the last thing this Parable informs us of, namely, that though these vile unhappy Tares are forborn for a while, and let pass without bearing any publick Marks of God's Displeasure here; yet there shall most certainly be a Time of Discrimination, even at the great Har­vest; Mal. 3.18. and then shall all Men discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not.

For, then will the great Husbandman the Lord Jesus, as at the Time of Harvest, say to his angelical Reapers, gather ye first together the Tares, and bind them in Bundles to burn them, but gather the Wheat into my Barn. And accordingly they shall gather out of his Kingdom all that have been a Scandal to it, and under the Disguise of Christianity have done Iniquity, and shall [Page 74] [...] [Page 75] [...] [Page 76]cast them into a Furnace of Fire, where shall be wailing and gnashing of Teeth: And then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father.

That is, when the Close of the World shall come, and the whole intelligent Cre­ation be met together at the Summons of the Trump of God; Men to receive their several Sentences, whether of Absolution or Condemnation, according to their several Deserts; and Angels to execute these Sen­tences: Then shall the sincerely good Chri­stians indeed and in Truth, be plac'd by the blessed Angels of God on the right Hand of the glorious and just Judg, and af­ter a Display of their excellent Piety and Charity to all the World, hear this joy­ful Sound, Come ye blessed of my Father, in­herit the Kingdom prepar'd for you from the Foundation of the World; and then, be im­mediately caught up into the Clouds to meet their dear Lord in the Air, and from thenceforth be for ever with him; and shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father, having Crowns of eternal Glory plac'd up­on their Heads, and loud and rapturous Halleluja's in their Mouths: Whilst those miserable Wretches, that knew no more of Christianity than the Name, in whom Religion was only Shew and Formality, having no real Influence upon thir Lives, and bringing forth no Fruits of Piety, whilst these, shall find to their Confusion, that God is not to be mock'd, and be plac'd on the [Page 77] left Hand as Vessels of Wrath, and be doom'd to depart for ever from the Foun­tain of Happiness, into eternal Burnings, pre­par'd for the Devil and his Angels.

Then will the good find by a happy Ex­perience, that there is indeed a Reward for the Righteous, and that, however they were laugh'd at and discourag'd here, their Labour is not in vain in the Lord. And then will the Mock Hypocritical Christians be sadly assur'd, notwithstanding all their Plea of having eaten and drank in the Presence of the Judge and at his Table, and of his ha­ving taught in their Streets; that without real and substantial Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. And instead of being receiv'd into their Master's Joy, for cringing and fawning upon him, and giving him magni­ficent Titles, Lord, Lord, Jesus, Saviour, but heeding little his Commandments; they shall be rejected with I know you not, depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity.

And then will God be justifyed in the Face of the whole World, and found to be, not an unconcern'd Spectator of the Af­fairs of Man-kind, but a wise, all-knowing and just Governour of the Universe: And though Clouds and Darkness seem here to be round about him, yet Righteousness and Judg­ment are the Establishment of his Throne. Then will there be eternal Joy and Exultation of the blissful beatify'd Souls of the righte­ous, and weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth in the wretched Companies of the [Page 78] Damn'd for ever. Mal. 4.1. Behold, the Day com­eth, saith the Prophet Malachi, that shall burn like an Oven, and all the proud, and all they that do wickedly shall be as Stubble, and the Day that cometh, saith the Lord of Hosts, shall burn them up, that it shall leave them neither Root nor Branch. Rev. 9.6. And in that Day shall Men seek Death and shall not find it, and shall desire to die, and Death shall flee from them.

And now for a Conclusion of the whole Matter: Since from this Parable of our Lord's, it appears, that though an empty Shew of Religion may pass well enough in this World, and meet with no open Discrimination or Punishment from God here; yet there shall most certainly be an after Reckoning, when all the Thoughts and Intentions of Men's Hearts shall be reveal'd, and their vile Hypocrisy and secret Impie­ty laid open before Men and Angels, and an irreversible Doom of greatest Severity pay'd upon them according to their Deser­vings: Since this is true, it nearly concerns us all to be Christians in Reality, as well as in Name and Appearance; to obey the Commands of Christ, as well as call him Lord, and to approve our selves true Di­sciples of this holy Institution, by leading our Lives in all holy Conversation and God­liness; diligently endeavouring to be found of this great Judg in Peace, without Spot and blameless. Remembring that God shall bring every Work into Judgment, with eve­ry [Page 79]secret thing, whether it be good or evil; and that the wicked shall go into everlasting Punishment, but the righteous into Life eter­nal.

BY this, and the Parable immedi­ately before it, of a Treasure hid in a Field, which, when a Man hath found he hideth, and for Joy thereof, goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that Field; The transcendent Excel­lency of the Christian Religion above all things in the World, is represented: And that 'tis the greatest Wisdom to part with every thing that this World can afford, all the Pleasures, Honours and Riches of it ra­ther than be without the inward Power and Life of this holy Religion; which is [Page 83]a Pearl of so great Price, so immense a Tra­sure, that nothing here below can stand in Competition with it. 'Tis, as David ex­presses it, more to be desir'd than Gold, yea, Psal. 19.10. than much find Gold; and he professes that himself had more Delight in God's Com­mandments than in all Manner of Riches. And Solomon says (almost in the Words of these Parables) Happy is the Man that findeth Wisdom, or Religion; for the Mer­chandise of it is better than the Merchandise of Silver, and the Gain thereof than of find Gold. Prov. 3.13, &c.

She is more precious than Rubies, and all the things thou canst desire are not to be com­par'd unto her: Length of Days is in her right Hand, and in her left Hand Riches and Honour: her Ways are Ways of Pleasant­ness, and all her Paths are Peace.

Such great things as these being spoken of Religion, by those that best knew its Excellency; and the World being so very backward in the Belief of their Testimo­ny, and so foolish as to prefer every little worldly Good before this inestimable Trea­sure, to which, all that the whole Creation can afford is not comparable; and the Con­sequence of this Delusion being so fatal, no less than the eternal Ruin of both Body and Soul: It highly concerns us by due Consi­deration to rectify our Apprehensions in this Matter, and no longer childishly doat upon empty Gayes and Trifles, and neglect what is of infinite Excellency, and the most substan­tial Good.

It is therefore the Design of this Discourse upon the Parable above recited, to weigh the Excellency of Religion against all that the World can afford in the Ballance of Rea­son, that upon a fair Experiment we may see which does preponderate, and according­ly be convinc'd which of the Two is most worthy our Choice: And then, if we still retain our Affection for the World against the Judgment of our Reason in behalf of Religion; we shall likewise be convinc'd that we act more like Brutes than Men, and that we deserve to feel the Conse­quences of our unreasonable and wicked Choice, and taste no other Happiness than what this unsatisfying empty World can afford; and in the next World be for ever mise­rable, because we would not be for ever happy when we might.

First then, let us see what the Whole that this World can afford will amount to. All that is in the World, St. John tells us, is the Lust of the Flesh, 1 Eph. 2.16. the Lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life; i. e. to these Three may be reduc'd the Whole of what is valuable in the World: And by the Lust of the Flesh is meant Pleasure of all Sorts; by the Lust of the Eye Riches, great Plenty and Abun­dance; and by the Pride of Life, Honour, Power and Dominion. This is that Trinity which the generality of Men adore, and impatiently desire and place their greatest Happiness in the Enjoyment of; and of each of these Particulars, we will now en­quire [Page 85]what they amount to, and consequent­ly what is the Sum total of the World.

And first, to observe the Apostles Me­thod, we will begin with the Lusts of the Flesh, or the Pleasures of the World, and which are generally first in Men's Esteem, and for which they are often content to part with the other Two. Now these may be rank'd in this Order, viz. the Plea­sures of Lust and Uncleanness, of luxuri­ous Eating and Drinking, and of great Jol­lity and Mirth; all agreeing in the Chara­cter of the Lusts of the Flesh, that is, all highly gratefull to the Desires and Appe­tites of the Body. And in the first Place I observe this in general of all worldly Pleasures, that the longer a Man lives to enjoy them, the more insipid still they grow to him; and that, not only upon Account of their own empty Nature, but by Reason of the Decays of our own Faculties, and consequent Disability to enjoy them. As old Barzillai said to David; 2 Sam. 19.35. Can I dis­cern between Good and Evil? &c. when he invited him to the Pleasures of his Court. And what Happiness can be expected from that which is very unsatisfying in its own Nature, and which, were it not after a few Years we shall be incapable of enjoying? But to be more particular: As for the Plea­sures of Lust and Uncleanness; whatever Men's Expectations may be of receiving great Satisfaction from them, they can't but find by their Experience, that there is much of [Page 86] Disappointment in 'em, and the Pleasure much greater in Imagination than Reali­ty: They are indeed deceitful Lusts, and often make Men miserable, even here, but never happy. And for the Truth of this (that it may not be look'd upon as a thing only said, not prov'd, and the cinical Con­clusion of a frozen dispirited Student, whose narrow Course of Life has made him a Stranger to such Sort of Enjoyments, and caus'd him to give a worse Character of them than they deserve) I shall vouch the Testimony of Solomon; who fill'd the Throne of a rich and flourishing Kingdom, and was accountable to none but God for Actions of this Nature, and his Desires perfectly without any humane Restraint; and who made it his Business to find out what was the greatest Happiness of Man in this World, and whatsoever his Eyes desir'd he kept not from them; he with-held not his Heart from any Joy; and who, amongst other Delights, had great Numbers of Wives and Concubines, to the Number of Seven Hundred Wives that were Princesses, 1 Kings 11.3. and Three Hundred Con­cubines, and these the fairest, doubtless, that could be met with: Variety enough, one would think, to take off all Possibility of loathing and Desire of Change. But now, what says Solomon after so full and uncon­troul'd Enjoyment of these carnal Pleasures? Why truly in the very Beginning of his Book of Proverbs, Chap. 2.18, 19. he tells the World, that the House of the Strange, [Page 87]or Whorish Woman inclineth unto Death, and her Paths unto the Dead: None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the Paths of Life. And Prov. 5.3. The Lips of a strange Woman drop as an hony Comb, and her Mouth is smoo­ther than Oyl; but her End, or the End of having to do with her, is bitter as Worm­wood, sharp as a two edged Sword. Very frequent are his Invectives against this Vice, and deliver'd with more than ordinary Ear­nestness: And in the 7th. Chapter of Ec­clesiastes (the Book of his Recantations) he publickly declares, that he finds (as by his own Experience) He finds more bitter than Death, the Woman whose Heart is Snares and her Hands as Bands; whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her, but the Sinner shall be taken by her. Vers. 26. As if 'twere a peculiar Providence of God, to protect a good Man from falling into so great a Mis­chief, and that he suffers the wicked to be ensnar'd by it as a severe Punishment and great Expression of his Displeasure. And in the next Verse, Behold, says the Preacher, this have I found, counting one by one to find out the Account, which yet my Soul seeketh, but I find not: One Man among a Thousand have I found, but a Woman among all those have I not found. That is, he did at last meet with a Man that answer'd his Expe­ctations as a Friend or faithful Servant: But among all his Concubines, not one but who baulk'd and disappointed his fond Hopes of [Page 88]Happiness from the Enjoyment of her, and depriv'd him of more Satisfaction than she gave him.

And thus we see, from the Confession of Solomon himself, who gratified his car­nal Appetite to the full, and experienc'd the utmost of what Lust and Wantonness could afford; that this Sort of Pleasure amounts to no more than this, Dishonour and Dis­appointment always, and not seldom Disea­es and Death.

Let us now proceed to enquire what the Pleasures of luxurious Eating, and intempe­rate Drinking will amount to. All that it can pretend to is the Gratification of the Taste and Palate: For, as for true Nourish­ment, High Feeding falls far short of more ordinary Diet; and as for refreshing and cherishing the Spirits, a moderate Quantity of Wine is sufficient, and what is more than that, ends in a Fit of Madness, and impoverishes Nature. Now, the Pleasures of the Palate make the best of them, are of very short Continuance, no sooner tasted but they vanish; and the Stomach will not bear a long Repetition of this Pleasure, and is soonest cloy'd and surfeited with what is of the richest Gust and Relish: And the Inconveniences that attend this short-liv'd and very imperfect Pleasure, are great and of very long Continuance. For, suppose a Mans Revenues to be so large that he can bear the Expence of Luxury, without weaken­ing his Fortune in the least, and so that very [Page 89] usual ill Consequence of it, cannot in this Case be charg'd upon it, yet others full as great may. As first, the more a Man indulges his Palate, the harder he will find it to be pleas'd, and at length 'twill grow so troublesomely nice, that its Disgusts will be more frequent than its Pleasure; and so, instead of procuring a constant Gratifi­cation of the Palate, Luxury is the ready Way to make a Man disrelish almost eve­ry thing: Which must needs make his Life a continual Vexation and Uneasiness; and a Plowman with his coarse Fare, and no o­ther Sauce to it but a good Stomach, will experience far greater and more lasting Plea­sure in eating and drinking, than the great­est Epicure in the World. And therefore, Luxury is indeed the wrong Way to pro­cure an intire Gratification of the Palate, and destroys what it pretends to create. An­other very ill Consequence of Luxury is, that it mightily weakens and impairs Health, and makes a Man a living Hospital, full of Diseases, and very often cuts his Days off in the Midst. And thus does an over-In­dulgence to the Body cruciate and destroy it, and by an extravagant Care to please the Palate, Men bring upon themselves a Necessity of taking such medicinal Composi­tions as are abundantly more nauseous to it, than ever the most artificial Dishes or richest Wines were grateful.

And by this Time we perceive what lux­urious Eating and drinking amounts to; [Page 90]truly no more than this, a very short im­perfect Pleasure, attended with great and du­rable ill Consequences, which abundantly out­weigh the Pleasure, and would do so were it Greater and more lasting than it is.

Another Desire of the Flesh is Mirth and Jollity, a thoughtless Course of Life, spent in Recreations, in Laughter, and an aery facetious Way of Conversation; and this is very taking with Abundance of Peo­ple, and he counted the happiest Man that can spend his Days in this Manner, and has little else to do. Well then, suppose a Man so intirely disengag'd from the Fatigues of Business, as to have his Time wholly at his own Disposal; suppose him to be of a brisk lively Temper, and free from all Care and Trouble, and that he has the Conver­sation of such as are as sprightly as him­self, so that the Day seems too short for their Mirth and Pleasantry, their Pastimes and Recreations: Suppose all this, that is, suppose a Man to have all of this Kind of Pleasure that the World can afford, we shall find upon a nearer View, that there is as great an Alloy here as in the Instan­ces before mention'd.

Solomon, who was a very competent Judg in this Matter, and for a considerable Time made Jollity his Business, and tasted as much of it as 'tis possible for a Man to do; was so much of this Mind, as to pronounce it not only Vanity, but Vexation of Spirit. He gave himself wholly up to Mirth (as [Page 91]he tells us, Prov. 2.1. &c.) and the Plea­sures of Wine, with agreeable Company: He planted beautiful Gardens, Vineyards and Groves, interwoven with artificial Streams; to improve the Relish of those his Delights; and as the Crown of all, he had all Sorts of Musick attending him, both vocal and instrumental; so that he had what­ever his Heart could desire to make him­self happy this Way if this could do it. And what was the Result of all this? Why truly, a few serious reflecting Thoughts discover'd to him, that All was but Vanity and Vexa­tion of Spirit. I said of Laughter, it is mad, and of Mirth, what doth it? And what doth it indeed? 'Tis profitable for nothing, and when excessive, and attended too extrava­gantly, 'tis naturally as well as morally an Evil; It unmans and effeminates the Soul, and dispirits and hebetates the Body. The most profuse Laughter ends in a Sigh, and Uneasiness, and looks much like Madness, and is a certain Indication of Folly. A de­cent chearfulness is commendable upon ma­ny Accounts; but to make a Trade of Jol­lity, to be always upon the Laugh, and spend the greatest Part of a Man's Time in Recre­ations and Diversions; as 'tis a very childish thing, and looks much like the Behaviour of Naturals and Changelings, so 'tis a very uneasie thing too, and grows from a Plea­sure into a Toil and Burthen. Witness such Persons frequent shifting and changing one Diversion for another, how at a Loss som­times they are, how to dispose of their [Page 92]Time, and what Sport to go to next, and how quickly tir'd they are with their idle Employment? And, it may be very truly said, there is less of Pleasure in a Course of Life that is always hunting after Plea­sure, and intent upon nothing else, than in a more severe serious Way of living, which but now and then, and sparingly, tastes of Mirth and Recreations, and soon returns to things of more Weight and Concern. And the Reason is, those light Sort of En­joyments are so empty of what will grati­fy a rational Soul, that they presently grow flat and insipid, and become tedious rather than diverting, when too long dwelt upon, and suck'd too dry. A short transient En­joyment is most agreeable to their fading, perishing Nature; and as he enjoys the Fra­grancy of a Rose both more and longer, who smells of it gently and with frequent Inter­missions, than he that uses it more roughly, and presses it too constantly and too hard; so he experiences much more of the Sweet of Mirth and Pleasantry; who but seldom and moderately uses it, than he that makes it his Business, and follows it as close as o­thers do their Callings. Even in Laughter (when extravagant) says the wise King, The Heart is sorrowful, Eccles. 7.2. and the End of that Mirth is Heaviness: Nay, he says, 'tis bet­ter to go to the House of Mourning than to the House of Feasting; for that may have some substantial good Effect upon a Man, Death being the End of all Men, and the [Page 93] living, at such serious Times, may be in­clin'd to lay it to Heart; whereas Jollity and Mirth wholly evaporate into Folly, and leave nothing behind them that is any Way profitable, unless it be Repentance. Sorrow and Seriousness make Men consider, and be­come receptive of wise Instructions; but a light, frothy Temper, both exposes a Man's Folly, and fatally prevents his growing wi­ser: It shews that he is a Fool, and that he is like to continue, so. For, as the crack­ling of Thorns under a Pot, so is the Laughter of a Fool; there is much of Noise in it, but it serves to no other Purpose than to shame himself. And thus we have seen what the Heigth of Mirth and Jollity amounts to; namely, Disappointment, Vexation and Unea­sieness, Shame and Vanity, Madness and Folly.

Having thus summ'd up the true Value of one of the Three things in which consists the Happiness of the World, the Lusts of the Flesh, or those things which more im­mediately gratifie our bodily Appetites; let us now look into the

Second, which is call'd by the Apostle, the Lust of the Eyes; that is, Riches and great Abundance of this World's Good, such as ample Possessions, magnificent Structures, a splen­did Equipage, glorious Apparel, and the like: Which are call'd the Lusts of the Eyes, be­cause 'tis the Sense of seeing that these things affect with the greatest Pleasure.

Now, suppose a Man to have all of this Nature that the World can help him to; [Page 94]suppose he has Riches enough to answer all these things, to provide all this Splendor and Magnificence, and to support and main­tain it: What more will it amount to, than, as Solomon expresses it, Eccles. 5.11. the beholding of it with our Eyes?

For, as for great Treasures of Gold and Silver, though they may procure many things to delight the Eye and please the Fancy, yet the Man that hath 'em remains still as Nature made him, none of the Pow­ers or Faculties either of his Soul or Body receive any Improvement nor Alteration un­less it be for the worse. But Mony will erect magnificent and stately Buildings, 'twill purchase rich Furniture, and all that Art can do to adorn and beautify them. 'Tis true, it will so; but, will those state­ly Structures preserve a Man better from the Injuries of the Air and Weather than more ordinary Houses? Shall a Man sleep better in a costly than a meaner Bed? And, will a Fever handle him more gently that lies within Curtains of Velvet, and has his Cham­ber adorn'd in the most costly Manner, than one that is contented with a cleanly Meanness? If not, still 'tis the Eye that re­ceives all the Pleasure.

As for the splendid Equipage of the Men of great Possessions, a Croud of Attendants following them, in gay Liyeries, glittering Coaches, and the like; this may please the Eye too; but what more does it effect? 'Tis but Two or Three of those Attendants that [Page 95]can be serviceable, the rest are own'd to be for State only, and are kept for little else than to eat and drink and be trouble­some; and the Experience of all Men will tell us, that he is the happiest Man that stands in need of the fewest Servants, and retains no more than he stands in need of. As for fine Coaches and glorious Appa­rel, if Gold upon a Coach, and costly Trap­pings would make a Journy more safe and easie, and if rich Clothes would keep one Warmer, or last longer, or be less troublesome than a more ordinary Habit, there might be something said for them: But, since there is nothing of this in them, nay, rather they are less serviceable to the Ends they were at first design'd for, and that over-Niceness and Curiosity in Dress or any thing else is the Occasion of much Disturbance and Un­easiness: The beholding these gay things with the Eye, is all that is considerable in them. And, what does the beholding of all these splendid Sights amount to? Is there any through and lasting Pleasure in it, any thing that will make a Man happy, or so much as promote his Happiness? Why truly, Solomon, 1 Kings 10. who experienc'd all of this Nature to the full, gives us this Account of it; Eccl. 2.4. He that loveth Silver shall not be sa­tisfyed with Silver, nor he that loveth Abun­dance with Increase: — 11. Eccl. 5.10. When Goods are increas­ed they are increased that cat them, and what Good is there to the Owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their Eyes? A [Page 96]Pleasure very empty and unsatisfying (for the Eye is not satisfyed with seeing) and which their meanest Servant may have as well as they.

Content is least of all in the Breasts of Persons of the highest Rank; he that has much would still have more, and is in frequent Fears of losing what he has; for Riches are known to be very uncertain, and unaccountably take to themselves Wings and fly away: and to be in fear of lo­sing Riches, and yet dissatisfi'd in the Possession of them, carries much more of Uneasiness with it, than the beholding of them with ones Eyes does of Pleasure; and a Stranger or a Servant may take not only as much, but more Pleasure in the Sight, that has none of the inward Discontent, than the Proprietor and Master that hath. So true is that of the Apostle. 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. They that will be rich fall into Temp­tation and a Snare, and pierce themselves through with divers Sorrows; and Content­ment with only Food and Raiment is a much greater Happiness. To so very little in reality does arise the Second thing, in which consists the Happiness of the World, the Gratification of the Lust of the Eyes; even to nothing but Dissatisfaction and Disquiet, Vanity and Vexation of Spirit.

Come we now to examin the third Part of this World's Treasure, the Pride of Life, or, Honour, Power and Dominion. And ve­ry fitly is this stil'd the Pride of Life, it being the Aim of most men to be great, [Page 97]to command and govern, and to have much of Honour and Respect paid to them; and in this they pride themselves more than in any other worldly Good that they possess. But, what is there in all this that a Man can justly value at so high a Rate? Sup­pose a Man to be Monarch of the whole World, to be without Controul from any one on Earth, and to give Laws to every Man besides; suppose many inferiour Prin­ces tributary to him, and that he is honour­ed like a mortal God; suppose all this, yet, however glorious it may appear at a Di­stance, we shall find, upon a closer Inspe­ction that this likewise is Vanity and Vex­ation of Spirit.

For, as for even an universal Dominion, unless the Subjects were as willing to obey, as the Monarch is desirous to govern, a Ca­tholic Crown would sit as uneasie, nay, more so, than that of lesser Princes. The further a Man's Dominion extends, the more Difficulties in Government will occur; the more ambitious and discontented Spi­rits will there be to tame and keep in order; the more secret Conspiracies and Underminings of Men aggriev'd and diso­blig'd, and that are as desirous of Govern­ment as he that sits in the Throne can be: And which, will often break out to shake and discompose, if not to overturn the present Establishment. And the more extensive a Princes Dominions are, the more must there be employ'd in the Government of them, [Page 98]and those, Men of different Interests and In­clinations, jealous of one another, and envi­ous at the Supreme, and more ready to carve for themselves and advance their own Fami­lies, than sincerely to endeavour the Pro­sperity of their Master. This is found very true, and the Occasion of much Trouble and Disquiet, to Princes that have Affairs more in their own View than this universal Monarch can be supposed to have; and therefore much more dangerously must he sit than they, and receive much more Dis­quietude and Trouble if he takes Notice of the Motion of his great Orb; and if he does not, where is the Pleasure of governing?

So that the most ample Dominion is thickest set with Thorns and Briars while enjoyed, and in continual Danger of a Ru­in; which must perplex him that is sensi­ble of it, with numberless Fears and Jealou­sies, and anxious Thoughts how to secure his Throne: And he that is careless and unsen­sible, and leaves the Fatigues of Government to Others, and spends his Days in nothing but Ease and Luxury; is an Emperour in Title only, and may soon, for any thing he knows, be not so much as that. The one leads a Life of Vanity, the other of Vexation of Spirit.

That 'tis easier to obey than to govern, is an usual and very true Saying; and would be so, were Thrones not near so slippery as they are; and I am sure 'tis very much hap­pier for a Man never to have had such [Page 99]Height of Power and Dominion, than ever to see himself thrown down and laid in the Dust. The very Danger of so great a Fall, is enough to fill ones Breast with great. Dis­order, so great, as that all the Gauderies of Grandeur shall lose their Taste, and become insipid to him, and actually to fall (as many glo­rious Princes have already done) is the great­est Misery that can be experienc'd upon earth.

The short is, Empire and Dominion, fancy it how great soever, is at best very troublesome and disquieting; and so uncer­tain, as that it not seldom ends in the very Depth of Ruin. And as for the Honour that goes along with it, glorious Titles, low Obeisance, and the like; all of this Nature is so perfectly empty, and utterly ineffective of any thing that's truly good and Profitable to a Man, that 'tis of all things the most despicable and of least Regard: And though 'tis fit Inferiours should pay it where 'tis due, yet unless an inward Veneration of the Mind, attends that outward Respect of the Body, a great Man is so far from being honoured by it, that 'tis the greatest Mocke­ry and Abuse that can be. And because no great Man can tell whether he is inward­ly reverenced or no, neither can force any Man so to honour him against his Will; 'tis a very great Weakness for him to set any great Value upon outward Respect, which for ought he knows, nay, in all like­lyhood may be, an Affront rather than an [Page 100] Honour to him. And this is what Honour, Power and Dominion amount to.

Having thus given in an impartial Ac­count, and that confirmed by the Experi­ence of Solomon, who enjoy'd it all to the Full, of the Sum Total of what this World can afford, that can pretend to be of any Worth and Esteem; by examining the Three Parti­culars in which is contained all that is valua­ble in it; namely, the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eye, and the Pride of Life: Let us now weigh Religion against it, and see which does preponderate, which is the most weighty and substantial Good, and consequently, whether the Merchant in the Parable did wisely or no, in selling all that he had that he might purchase this Pearl, and be Master of this Treasure? And we shall consider Re­ligion in a twofold Respect, with Relation to this World as well as the other.

And first, as for the Value of Religion with Relation to this World; what is of greater Esteem than Peace and Quietness, Contentment and Satisfaction of Mind, a Long and Healthy Life here, and a comfort­able expectation of a much better endless Life in the Regions of Glory? And all this, Religion is the only sure Way to attain.

What the World it self affords we have seen cannot make us happy in it; its Riches, and Pleasures, and Honours, and Power, and Dominion are empty and unsatisfying; and indeed, the Parent of nothing but Vexa­tion of Spirit: And therefore I shall wave [Page 101]the Enquiry how far Religion is conducive to these things; though it might be made apparent, that this is the surest Way even to become rich, to live Pleasantly, and with Honour and Respect: and as for Dominion, to govern a Mans self, which Religion only teaches, is more than to govern the World.

Now, as to Peace and Quietness, which are Blessings of the first Magnitude, and in­deed give a Relish to every thing else; for without them neither Riches, nor Honour, nor even Health and Life it self sits easie: That Religion is the only sure Way to pro­cure these great Blessings, and that both in Private and in Publick, Abroad with others, and at Home in a Mans own Breast, will soon be evident.

As for Peace and Quietness in our Inter­course with others, Religion does manifestly tend to procure that, upon these two Ac­counts. (1.) Because it forbids the offering any Injuries. (2) Because it forbids return­ing any. Now that which embroils the World, and is the Occasion of all Contenti­on, being the doing and Retaliating Harms and ill Turns, and Religion so strictly com­manding us to love our Neighbours as our selves, to do to others nothing but what in like Circumstances we would be willing to receive from others; and to forgive if any have done injuriously by us, as we hope to be forgiven by God at the Day of Judg­ment: 'Tis plain that were our holy Reli­gion sincerely embrac'd, and had its due [Page 102]Influence upon the Minds of Men, the World might (in the Literal Sense of the Words) beat their Swords into Plough-Shares, and their Spears into Pruning-Hooks, and need not learn War any more; nothing would then hurt in God's holy Mountain: And the World would be what God at first design'd it; a Paradise of Happiness, and Mankind a Family of Love. And as for Peace and Quiet at Home, in a Mans own Breast, and without which all other Peace would lose its Relish, Religion is the only Way to attain that Blessing. For as long as there is such a thing as Conscience (which there will be as long as a Man is in any Possibility of Salvation) it will do its Office freely and impartially, and lash the Soul that sins, as often as it sins, and fill it full of Horror and Confusion and dreadful Apprehensions of the just Vengeance of God at the Day of Retribution. There is no Peace, saith my God, to the wicked; but their Souls are like the troubled Sea which cannot rest, and whose Waters cast up Mire and Dirt. But a good Mans Breast is quiet and serene, full of the Joys of Innocence, and the Applauses of a Conscience void of Offence both towards God and Man.

And as Peace and Quietness, so Content­ment and Satisfaction of Mind, is the natural Product of Religion, and of that only.

Without Contentment of Mind, no Con­dition how good soever in its self, is pleasing, and with it, every Condition is: For Hap­piness [Page 103]consists in the Proportion of the Ob­ject to the Desire, and he that has the whole of what this World can afford, if he desires still more, and thinks his present Condition not good enough; is by many Degrees less happy than he that must drudge for his liv­ing, but yet is contented with his Lot. Hap­piness consists not in Abundance; he only is indeed a happy Man, that is so wise as to enjoy his present Portion, and knows how patiently to endure a worse Condition, and dreads a base and wicked Action, however gainful and advantagious it may be, even worse than Death. And he'll for ever be a Slave that can't be satisfied with a little.

But the contented Man is always easy un­der his present Lot; and if his Fortune will not rise to what he could desire, he will bring his Desires down to his Fortune; and so be sure of Happiness, because by this means his Desires and his Fortune bear a due Proportion to one another. And truly, so various are the Turns of Fortune here, so many unexpected Accidents that make great Changes for the worse in Mens Circumstan­ces of Life, and which 'tis utterly out of their Power to have any Influence upon so as to amend; that were there not this Remedy of making our Minds comply with the Event, and taking out the Sting and Venom of it by Acquiescence and Contentment and Contraction of our Desires, Man would be the most miserable Creature upon the Face of the Earth. But he that has learned and [Page 104]can apply this Remedy, whatever he may suffer from without, has a Power still rea­dy of turning it into Good; and though he can't prevent the Accident, yet he can pre­vent its doing him a Mischief.

Now this excellent Remedy for the Ca­lamities of Life, Religion best of all teaches us. For in the first place it teaches us that God is the great Governour of the World, and with the exactest Wisdom, and Justice, and Goodness disposes all things; and conse­quently, that all Events are as they should be, and upon the whole Account ordered for the Best: For there is no Possibility of amending what is done with infinite Wisdom, and Justice, and Goodness. And secondly, it teaches us that our Interest does least of all lie in this World, where we are but Stran­gers and Foreigners, and are to continue but for a little while; and that our Treasure and In­heritance is in Heaven, which is our native Country, and to which e're long we shall be recall'd, and our Glory and Happiness there be the more increas'd, as we have more patiently and contentedly submitted to God's Pleasure here upon Earth. And a hearty thorough Perswasion of these two things, will certainly teach a Man to know, with St. Paul, How to abound and how to want, and in every Condition to be content. And for this, Christianity gives the clearest Evidence, even the Word of God himself, who cannot lye; as no Man can be to learn that has read the Scriptures.

But Irreligion on the contrary, is the great Destroyer of Content, and fills the Soul with continual Vexations, and makes every cross Accident doubly evil by Impati­ence. For first, the ungodly have not God in all their Thoughts, are wholly taken up with second Causes, and look upon things as the Effect of Chance and Fortune; and so when Crosses come upon them, or ill For­tune, as they call it, they grow querulous and out of all Patience; and as for divine Providence, that's wholly unregarded, unless it be to revile it and impiously to call in question the Goodness and Justice of its Disposals. And so, that which in Afflicti­on is the greatest Cordial of all, Irreligion ei­ther wholly deprives the Soul of, or turns it into Poison; and instead of disarming a Mis­fortune by humble Submission to the infi­nitely wise, and just, and good Disposals of the great Governour of all things, adds a thousand sharper things to it, and makes that become intolerable, which Religion would have made to sit light and easy.

Again, Content is destroyed by Irreligi­on, because it perswades Men that their whole Interest lies here below; either by making them believe there is no such thing as another World, or else by engaging them so fast to this, as to hinder their attending to any thing beyond this Life: And the Effect of this is great eagerness in acquiring these lower Goods, impatient Desires of still more and more of the World, as that in [Page 106]which is concentred their whole Happiness. And what else can be the Consequence of this amidst the great uncertainties that attend these sublunary things, but a World of Trouble and Discontent, answerable to those numerous cross Accidents and Disap­pointments which every Condition is full of from the highest to the lowest? Every un­lucky Hit to such Men is like a Dagger stab­bing to the very Heart; for that which a Man looks upon as his chief Good he can by no means endure to have lessened and im­paired: And the World being so full of such vexatious Mishaps, how full of Wounds must be the Spirit of an ungodly World­ling!

And as Content, so Satisfaction of Mind, which is much more than a submissive Acqui­escence in our present Condition, and sup­poses a Happiness that is compleat and full. This is a Blessing which nothing but sincere Religion can ever make the Soul experi­ence: And he only that has learned to make God the chief Object of his Affections and Desires, can indeed know what Satisfacti­on is.

For every thing besides God is unsatisfy­ing, because flitting and momentary, and very imperfect, and empty of that infinite Good which is the only adequate Object of that infinite Desire of Happiness which is in the Soul of Man. This is the Reason that Men are so constantly disappointed in their Expectation of Happiness from the Enjoy­ment [Page 107]of this World's Good; let them con­tinually have what they desire (which yet is too much to be rationally supposed of any Man) and enjoy it fully and without Con­troul, yet still there will be something want­ing to compleat their Happiness, something that they desire still further; and so the Soul is continually baulk'd of her Expectation, and still at a Loss for Happiness, and conti­nual Longings and Desires, and as continu­al Disappointments, are her Portion in this World. And what's more uneasie and vex­atious than such a Condition as this? What more deplorable than even by Fruition it self to be made unhappy? What other Re­fuge has the miserable Soul in this Case, than to take off her Affections from these empty Nothings here below, and as Religi­on directs, fix them upon him who is the su­preme Good, and will abide the Test of an eternal Fruition. In the Enjoyment of him must needs be infinite Satisfaction, because there is no real Good that we can possibly desire, but is in the divine Nature in the highest Degree of Excellency and Perfecti­on; and that not only for a Time, but to all Eternity. All the Capacities of the Soul must needs be fill'd with an infinite Good, and intirely rest in it as in the very Center of Happiness.

Thirdly, Religion is of very great Value with Respect to this World, because 'tis so greatly conducive to a long and healthy Life in it.

Long Life and Health is that which all People naturally covet, and is indeed a very great Blessing; and that not only because the longer Men live and the more vigorous they are, the longer and more fully they en­joy, or at least hope to enjoy the good things of this World (which yet with too many is the main Consideration) but likewise and chiefly because they have more Time and greater Opportunities to provide for the Happiness of the eternal Life to come, and heap up still greater Treasures of Glory in the Kingdom of Heaven. Now this great Blessing nothing is more likely to help a Man to than Religion. For,

First, it engages Men to live regularly and temperately, moderates the Appetites of eating and drinking, and curbs the exor­bitant Desires of the flesh; and by allow­ing no more than is necessary to the Com­fortable Support of Nature, makes no Pro­vision for those many destructive Diseases which are always the Attendants of Excess. How many of the meaner Sort by Labour and course Fare protract their Days, than of the Rich who live in Ease and Luxury? And the Reason is plain, because the poor Man's scanty Fortune will not allow him to exceed, but keeps him within the Bounds of Moderation and Temperance, and forces him to be content with a little; whereas the rich have many and great Temptations to Luxury and Excess, and seldom are so religious as to resist them, and so too fre­quently [Page 109]feel the sad Effects of Intemperance and live out but half their Days. But now, Religion is a kind of voluntary Poverty, and helps Men to all the Blessings of a mean Condition, though rich and out of Danger of the Sting of it; and by introducing Tem­perance and Moderation into the Families of the wealthy, brings with it Health and long Life, which otherwise would seldom be found but in the Cottages of the Poor.

Again, Religion is greatly conducive to a long and healthy Life, because it regulates the Passions, keeps the Soul quiet and in a Calm; which has no little Influence upon the Health and Welfare of the Body. That the Passions of the Mind do very much affect the Body, is undeniable; and when they are excessive, nothing more shakes and discom­poses the whole Man. Even Joy, which one would think should be innocent enough, has sometimes been so violent as to overcharge Persons and leave them dead, and Grief has been often fatal, and Envy is the worst Sort of Consumption, and leaves visible Tokens of it upon the Countenance, and Love has had many Martyrs, and Anger is a great Impoverisher of the Animal Spirits, and oftentimes makes a Man his own Executio­ner, and engages in such Scuffles and hot Inconsiderate Actions, as not seldom end in Wounds and Death. Every Excess of Pas­sion of what kind soever, is naturally a great Impairer of Health at least, and the often Repetitions of it, the ready Way to destroy [Page 110]it; Nature not being able to bear such vio­lent Concussions long, without being much weaken'd and shatter'd by them: Like the Walls of a Castle, which, how strong soe­ver, will receive Damage by every furious Battery, and unless reliev'd, must at length fall before the Cannons Irresistible Force.

But now, Religion prevents all this Mis­chief; and by regulating and reducing to Moderation these Passions of the Soul, makes the Mind calm and quiet, and keeps the Spirits in an Aequipoise; and the Body con­sequently is undisturb'd, feels no Violence, nor is hurried on to dangerous and destru­ctive Actions; but Nature goes on evenly in making Provision for its Health and Sup­port, and it enjoys its Strength and Beauty as in the Times of Quietness and Peace.

In the last Place, a comfortable Expe­ctation of a much better and endless Life in the Regions of Glory, can spring from no­thing but sincere Religion; and therefore Religion is of very great Value with Respect to this world. For what can be of greater va­lue and more to be desired in this Valley of Tears, this World of Sin, and Sorrow, and Ignorance, Vexation, and Disappoint­ment, than to have a well grounded Hope that 'twill not be always so with us? That there will be a Time when all Tears shall be wip'd from our Eyes, and Sin and Mise­ry be at an End for ever? That we shall one Day be disentangled from the Clog of Flesh, the Prison Doors set open, and our [Page 111]captiv'd Souls set free, and with Joy unspeak­able and full of Glory, return to the great Fa­ther of Spirits, and with the full Vigour of all their Faculties contemplate and enjoy the only satisfying Good? That instead of Floods of Years, there shall then be Rivers of Pleasures flowing in upon us to all Eterni­ty; Halleluia's instead of Groans and mournfull Accents; the triumphant Re­joycings of eternal beatified Spirits instead of the bitter Complaints of miserable Mor­tals; and in a word, Love in its Perfection instead of Quarrels and Discontents, Envy, and Hatred, and Malice, and Revenge, and all the dire Attendants of them? That in­stead of spiritual Blindness and Ignorance of the most concerning Truths (for here we know but in Part, and see through a Glass darkly) we shall e're long, be admitted to contemplate Truth it self, and know as we are known, and shall see God as he is, and in him all things? For God is Light. What can be more valuable than such a chearing Expectation as this! How will it sweeten all the Troubles of this Mortal Life and be a sensible Foretaste of the Glory that shall hereafter be revealed!

But now, nothing can create such a Hope as this but sincere Religion; for God is in­finitely pure and holy, and into his Presence no unclean thing can enter. And 'tis expresly said in the Revelations of his Will, That without Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. A wicked Mans Breast that is not [Page 112] seared, can be full of nothing but the dire Reflections of an enrag'd Conscience, and dreadful forebodings of the Wrath to come. The Miseries he feels in this World are but as the Beginnings of his eternal Sorrows; and while he continues in his Rebellion against God, he can expect nothing but new Expresses of his Indignation here, and to be doom'd to the Portion of the Devil and his Angels at the Day of Judgment. He only that has liv'd piously in this World can with any Comfort think upon a future State: But to him that has led this First Life by the Rule of Religion, and serv'd his Mak­er in Sincerity of Heart, no Joy compara­ble to that which he experiences when he thinks of being dissolv'd, and conducted to the Embraces of his Saviour, in the King­dom of Heaven, where he shall be for ever with him, and unspeakably happy in the Joy of his dear Lord.

And thus much for the Value of Religion with Relation to this World. It is the Pa­rent of the most perfect Peace and Quietness, Content and Satisfaction of Mind, of a long and healthy Life here, and of a comfortable Expectation of a glorious Immortality in the Regions of Blessedness. And were this all that could be said of it, I question not but to any considering Man, it would appear to be a Jewel of inestimable Price; that no­thing the whole World can afford is com­parable to it; and that he is the wisest Man, who, with the Merchant in the Parable, [Page 113]immediately parts with all that stands in Competition with Religion, and would hin­der him in the Performance of the Duties of it.

But this is far from all; Godliness has not only a Promise of the Life that now is, but also, and chiefly of that which is to come: And, if it appears to be so inestima­ble a Treasure when we look no further than this Life, what shall we think of it when we contemplate that exceeding Weight of Glory which shall be its Reward in Heaven!

The Happiness that will crown Religion in the other World, springing from the same Fountain from whence do flow the Felicities of God himself; (i. e.) it consisting in an intimate View and full Enjoyment of the Beauties and Perfections of the Divine Na­ture (for so St. John, 1 Joh. 3.2. We shall see God as he is.) It must needs be inexpressi­ble: Nay, the very Contemplation of it is too bright for Minds darkned with Flesh, the Splendors of it flash too strongly upon our feeble Sense now we are in the Body, and too long and closely gaz'd on will rather da­zle than enlighten our Understandings. No Mortal Man can see God's Face and live; and therefore most true is that of the Apo­stle, Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, 1 Cor. 2.9. neither can it enter into the Heart of Man to conceive the things that God hath reserv'd for those that love him. Indeed, this includes all that can possibly be imagin'd of Excellence, and [Page 114]much more than we poor ignorant benighted Creatures can imagin.

For God is the Fountain of Being, and conse­quently of Perfection: All that is charming and truly desirable in Nature, to our Senses, or to our Understandings, in the visible or invisible Creation; is but a Stream from this divine Fountain, and is in him ininfinitely greater Excellency. For, he is Beauty, and Goodness, and Harmony it self. And therefore, since Religion will bring us to such a Happi­ness as the Vision and Enjoyment of this chief Good; what can compare with it for Value? The Depth says, 'tis not in me, and the Sea says, 'tis not with me; Man knoweth not the Price there­of, neither is it found in the Land of the Living. It cannot be valued with the Gold of Ophir, with the precious Onyx or the Saphire; no mention shall be made of Coral or Pearls, for the Price of Wisdom is above Rubies, Job 28.13. &c.

Such then being the Excellency of Religi­on, that it is above all things conducive to the Happiness of Man in this World, and will bring him to the Enjoyment of God himself to eternal Ages, when this short Life is ended; and the whole that the World can afford, amounting to no more, by the Con­fession of one that enjoy'd it all to the Full, than Emptiness and Disappointment, Vanity and Vexation of Spirit here; and if the Word of God be true, an eternal Banishment from the supreme Good shall at last be their Punish­ment, who love this worthless World, more than Religion and their Maker: These [Page 115]things being duly weighed and considered, let any Man in his Wits say, which is of greatest Value, Religion or the World? And which is the wisest Man, he that ruins his Soul for the Gain of even the whole World, or he that counts all these sublunary things as Dung in Comparison with Religion, and is ready to part with all that this Earth can afford him for the Joys of a good Conscience here, and the Glories of Heaven hereafter? He that prefers the World in his Choice, deprives himself of the greatest Comfort of this present Life, and parts with the certain Reversion of eternal Happiness in Heaven, for Pleasures that don't deserve that Name, they are so empty and unsatisfying; he brings most exquisite and everlasting Misery upon his whole self Soul and Body, for a very short liv'd imperfect Gratification of his brutal Part only, and purchases the Tor­ments of the other World by making him­self unhappy in this.

In a Word therefore, as much as to be like God in Holiness and Happiness is to be preferr'd before being like the Devil in Sin and Misery; as much as Satisfaction is better than Disappointment, Peace, and Quietness, and Content, than Vexation and continual Disturbance and Perplexity of Mind, a con­firm'd Health and long Life, than the Dis­eases and hasty Death that follows Debauche­ry, and the comfortable Expectation of be­ing for ever happy with Saints and Angels, and the blessed God in the Coelestial Para­dise, [Page 116]than the confounding Dread of the Judgment of the great Day: As much as Immortality is more to be prized than a Life of a Span long, and the Enjoyment of the chief Good, than the Pleasures of a Swine; of so much gerater Value is Religion than all that this World can afford, and indeed the only desirable Treasure, and a Pearl of ine­stimable Price.

And now, if what has been hitherto di­scours'd be true, the Application is easy. If Religion be of all things the most precious, let us make it more and more our Endea­vour to inrich our Souls with this Treasure, to adorn our rational Nature with this Pearl of great Price; and with the Merchant in the Parable, think nothing too much to part with, that we may purchase that Heavenly Wisdom which will make us wise to Salva­tion. For, sound Wisdom, as the wise King expresses it, Prov. 3.18. is a Tree of Life to those that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that re­taineth her. She shall give to thine Head an Oranment of Grace, Prov. 4.9. and a Crown of Glory shall she deliver to thee.

But, he that would have this Wisdom, and find this Pearl, must not only wish and desire, but, with the Merchant in the Para­ble, diligently seek it; seek and ye shall find, says our Lord; Pro. 2.4, 5. and Solomon assures us, That if we seek Wisdom as Silver, and search for her as for hid Treasure, then shall we under­stand the Fear of the Lord, and find the Know­ledge of God.

Religion is not acquired without Dili­gence; for though it be the Gift of God, yet the Soul must be prepared to receive it; all evil Habits must be broke and rooted up, and pious Dispositions planted in their Room, and the Temper of the Mind chang­ed by Repentance, and all the Powers of the whole Man become pliable to the Moti­ons of the Spirit of Holiness before the di­vine Likeness can be formed in the Soul. And though 'tis the Grace of God that ena­bles us to go thus far (for without it we can do nothing) yet our own Concurrence and Co-operation with his Grace is necessary to bring the blessed Work of Regeneration to Perfection. An obstinate Resistance of pre­venting Grace will grieve and quench that Life-giving Spirit; and such a Soul shall know no more of Religion, than that it was invited to it, but rejected the Offer, and might have been happy in the Enjoyment of so great a Treasure, but it would not. But, when a Soul with Joy embraces the Motions of the holy Spirit to a new Life, and makes it her great Endeavour to remove all Obsta­cles out of the Way, that they may make a due Impression, and hungers and thirsts after new Degrees of Righteousness; This Soul shall be fill'd with the Treasures of the di­vine Grace, and the Power of Godliness will be visible in all Manner of holy Conver­sation. But this can't be perform'd with­out a watchful persevering Diligence; there is so much Opposition from within and [Page 118]without to this great Business, that like Ne­hemiah's Labourers, Neh. 5.17. we must work with our Swords in our Hands, and fight and strive, that we may carry on the Building of a liv­ing Temple for our God, and make our Souls Houses of Prayer, adorn'd with reli­gious Affections, and sit to receive him that hates Iniquity. He that is thus diligent shall grow rich towards God, and daily in­crease in the Knowledge and Love of him, 'till Mortality shall be swallow'd up of Life; and then all the Labours of Religi­on shall for ever be at an End, and nothing remain for the happy Soul to do but to enjoy to all Eternity the glorious Rewards of it.

Let us all therefore be stedfast unmoveable, and always abound in this Work of the Lord, for as much as we know our Labour shall not be in vain; and to our diligent Pursuit of this inestimable Treasure of Religion, let us add frequent and earnest Prayer to God, who is the only Giver of every good and perfect Gift, that he would send down Wis­dom from his holy Heaven, that being pre­sent, she may labour with us, that we may know what is pleasing in his Sight, and set our selves to do it with all Alacrity, run­ning with Diligence and Patience the Race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Au­thor and Finisher of our Faith; who for the Joy that was set before him, endur'd the Cross, despising the Shame, Heb. 12.1, 2. and is set down at the Right Hand of the Throne of God. remem­bring that we also shall reap in due Season if [Page 119]we faint not: And if we part with all the vile Affections for the Sake of Religion in this World, and are ready in Preparation of Mind to suffer any worldly Loss, even to that of Life it self for the Sake of Jesus and his Truth; we shall find such a Recompence of Reward in the Kingdom of Heaven, as will abundantly compensate all our Suffer­ings here; for our light Affliction which is but for a Moment, worketh for us a far more ex­ceeding and eternal Weight of Glory.

Happy is the Exchange of all that this World can afford for a Jewel of so great Price as Religion, and for such inexhaustible Treasures of Bliss as are reserved to Reward it in the Presence of God. What is our greatest Interest therefore let us before all things persue, and where our Treasure is, there let our Hearts be also.

THIS Parable was spoken upon St. Peter's asking our Lord, Vers. 21. how often shall my Brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till Seven Times? To which Question the compassionate Jesus first answers directly, Vers. I say not unto thee till [Page 124]Seven Times, but till Seventy Times Seven: And then illustrates that his Answer, and shews how great Obligation we have to for­give Injuries, and how sad will be our Pu­nishment if we do not; in the Parable above written. In which Parable, there are two things in general to be considered.

First, The mercifull Example of God's Dealing with us miserable Sinners, who lay under a vast Debt to his Justice; express'd by a King's taking Account of his Servants, &c. and forgiving, &c.

Secondly, His great Displeasure against those that will not imitate that his compas­sionate Example, in forgiving such as have been injurious to them, express'd by the King's being wroth with his unmerciful Servant, who, though he receiv'd so much Kindness himself, would shew none to his Fellow-Servant who owed him a Trifle in Comparison; but, without the least Com­passion, threw him into Prison till he should pay it; upon which his Lord delivered him over to the Tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

Under The first General, there are three Particulars to be considered.

First, the Greatness of the Debt which by Sin we have contracted to the Divine Justice, expressed by Ten Thousand Talents.

Secondly, The Impossibility of our ever clearing this Debt, and the sad Consequence if it still should have remain'd upon Ac­count; express'd here by the King's Debtor [Page 125] having nothing to pay, and the King's com­manding that therefore he should be sold, and his Wife, and Children, and all that he had, that so Payment might be made.

Thirdly, The wondrous Compassion of our good God, in pitying our miserable Condi­tion, and forgiving us all our Debt; expres­sed by that King's being mov'd with Com­passion at the deplorable Condition of his insolvent Servant, and loosing him and for­giving him the Debt.

Under the second General there are like­wise three Particulars to be consider'd.

First, What it is to forgive one ano­ther as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us, and the great Obligation we have to imi­tate this Example of our merciful God.

Secondly, Our great Baseness if we do not; and

Thirdly, The miserable Consequence that will attend that Baseness, we shall provoke God to recall his Pardon to us, and be deli­ver'd over to the Tormentors till we shall pay all that is due unto him.

The first General to be consider'd in this Parable, is God's Example in dealing with us miserable Sinners, who lay under a vast Debt to his Justice; express'd by a King's taking Account of his Servants, and freely for­giving one that was deeply indebted to him. And the first Particular to be consider'd un­der it, is, the Greatness of the Debt, which by Sin we have contracted to the Divine Justice.

By contracting a Debt to the Divine Ju­stice is meant the having violated the just and holy Laws of God, and thereby becom­ing obnoxious to his just Anger, unless we sa­tisfie his Justice some other Way. As a convict Criminal, we say, has not satisfyed, or is indebted to the Law, till he has suffer­ed the Punishment for his Crime which the Law thinks fit to inflict; or else finds Fa­vour and has it remitted him.

As for the Greatness of the Debt which Mankind by his Sin has thus contracted to the divine Justice, 'tis express'd in this Pa­rable by ten thousand Talents; which, ac­cording to our Way of Reckoning, is above a Million of Pounds. A vast Sum this, but yet far short of what we owe to the Justice of God by Reason of our Iniquities; which are, not only Millions, but Innumerable, even as the Stars in Heaven, and the Sand upon the Sea-Shore: Nor are they only numberless, but very great; not only many Thousands, but many Thousands of Talents. Every Sin, as 'tis a wilfull Violation of the Laws of God, has Weight enough (if God should be extreme to mark what is done amiss) to sink a Soul into eternal Ruin: And the Reason is because God's is the highest Authority, and his Laws most just and equal, and we have an infinite Obligation to obey him, both as his Creatures and Dependents, who live by his Favour and Bounty, and have received numberless and inestimable Blessings from him; and likewise as rational Creatures, [Page 127]that we may perfect our own Nature, by the Practice of those Virtues which will conform us to the Image and Likeness of God himself. And therefore, Sin being an Op­position to the highest Authority, a Violation of the best Laws, a Breaking through the strictest Bonds, those of Submission to the Author of our Being, and of Gratitude to the Giver of all the Blessings we enjoy; and likewise of Self-Love and Preservation, in rejecting the Means of advancing our own Nature to the Similitude and Enjoyment of God, which is our chief Happiness: Sin be­ing all this, must needs be exceeding sinful, and indeed the greatest Evil, and in no case eligible. And therefore, the oftner 'tis re­peated, and the more of Choice there is in the Commission of it, and the more heinous the Instances of it are, and the greater Obligati­ons Men are under by Reason of God's Boun­ty and Goodness to them (whether as to na­tural or spiritual Endowments) to serve and obey him; the higher, proportionably rises the Guilt of Sin. And he that often and wilfully commits great Impieties, notwith­standing infinite Obligations to the contrary (which was and is the Case of every Sin­ner) is indebted to God's Justice, not only Ten Thousand Talents, but Ten Thousand Millions of Talents; i. e. his Debt is infi­nite, and unless some Miracle of Mercy in­tervene, the divine Justice cannot be satisfy­ed but by his undergoing an infinite Punish­ment. And all the World must acknow­ledge [Page 128]it just, that Sin being the greatest pos­sible Evil, should be repay'd with the great­est Possible; that is, eternal Punishment.

So vast a Debt then, lying upon all Man­kind by reason of their Sins; it is most true in the

Second Place, That 'twas utterly impossible for them of themselves ever to clear this Debt, and make Satisfaction to the divine Justice; and the sad Consequence, should it have still remain'd upon Account, would have been no less than eternal Misery. Which is represented very lively in the Parable, by the King's Debtor having nothing to pay, and the King thereupon commanding that he should be sold, and his Wife, and Children, and all that he had, and Payment made. Ac­cording to the Custom of the Jews in so using Debtors that were not able to pay. 2 Kin. 4.1.

'Tis utterly impossible for Mankind of themselves ever to have paid this vast Debt, because every individual meer Man is deep­ly engaged and always will be so in the same Account; so deeply, that he can never clear himself, much less make Satisfaction for others: Nor is there any thing valuable enough in all the Treasures of Nature to buy off this Sentence, just, though sad, The Soul that sinneth it shall die. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, Mic. 6.6. says the Prophet Micah, when he had a Controversy with the People for their Sins, and wherewith shall I bow my self before the high God? Shall I come before him with Burnt Offerings, with Calves of a [Page 129]Year old; will the Lord be pleased with Thou­sands of Rams or Ten Thousands of Rivers of Oil? Shall I give my First-born for my Trans­gression, the Fruit of my Body for the Sin of my Soul? As if he had said, what's all this to him that is the Creator of every thing, the Lord and great Proprietor of all already; and whose Glory and Happiness is infinitely above even our most exalted Thoughts and Conceptions? He is an Ideot that does not confess that all the Riches of the Universe are utterly insufficient, as the Psalmist ex­presses it, to redeem the forfeited Souls of Mankind, so that that must be let alone for ever: All therefore that is in Man to give being, far from sufficient to commute for the Pu­nishment his Sins has deserv'd; God's Ju­stice must be satisfyed by his undergoing that Punishment; that is, eternal Death; for ever dying yet never dead, extremely misera­ble and for ever so. A Punishment so inex­pressibly great, that Annihilation is much to be preferr'd before it; for who can dwell with everlasting Burnings! Who can bear an eternal Banishment from the supreme Good, and Confinement to the dire Abodes of the Devil and his Angels, those merciless Exe­cutioners of the divine Justice, who will ex­act the Pains we are to suffer with the utmost Cruelty! Who can bear the Gnawings of that never dying Worm, Remorse of Con­science, for forfeiting such infinite Happiness, and plunging our selves headlong in such a bottomless Misery, and that for the Sake of [Page 130]what was always empty and unsatisfying, even when we did enjoy it! And who can bear the Horrors of Despair of ever seeing an End of such Torments as these, which yet might have been intirely avoided if we would! This is indeed an unconceivably mi­serable Condition, and all Men that ever liv­ed must have been involv'd in it, had not the Wisdom and the Goodness of God found out a Means both to satisfie his Justice, and at the same Time to be merciful to his mise­rable Creatures: To forgive the Debt to those that had nothing to pay, and yet to have full Satisfaction made him for it. 'Tis what could never have enter'd into the Heart of Man to conceive; 'tis the great Mystery of divine Love, which even the Angels desire to look into, and 'tis that which is and shall be the Subject of eternal Hallelujah's in Heaven.

Thirdly therefore, let us consider the wondrous Compassion of our good God, in pitying our sadly deplorable Condition, and forgiving us all that Debt which we could never have paid, though we had suf­fer'd the Pains of Hell, for those shall never have an End; and this is express'd in the Parable by the King's being mov'd with Compassion at the miserable Condition of his insolvent Servant, and loosing him and forgiving him the Debt.

The King in the Parable was very merci­ful, who, upon the humble Entreaty of his poor Servant, and his Promise if he would [Page 131]have Patience with him at length to pay him all, was moved to Compassion and for­gave him: But God is infinitely more merci­ful in compassionating our Condition, and forgiving our great Debt, as will appear from the following Considerations.

For First, our Debt is infinitely greater. Ten Thousand Talents, in Comparison of the numberless Number of the heinous Sins of Mankind, are but as the Sand of an Hour-Glass, compar'd with that of the Sea-Shore; and one wilful Violation of our Obedience to God, is a far weightier Debt to the divine Justice, than Millions of Talents would be from one Mortal to another. And the Rea­son is plain, because the Distance between God and Man is infinite; and for a Beggar to spurn at a Prince, is certainly a Crime of much higher Aggravation, than to do the like to one of his own ragged Gang.

All that is culpable (as was said) is met together in a wilful Sin; and therefore in­finite and amazingly great must be the Guilt of all Man-kind, who have heap'd up Trans­gressions without Number; and have no Way left of paying this great Debt, but by suffering without End the Pains of Hell. And such a dreadful Punishment as this, be­ing annex'd to Sin by him who is infinitely good and just; is Argument sufficient, that there is no Debt comparable to that which a guilty Sinner owes to the Justice of God. And therefore, when God gives Mercy, so great an Exaltation as to forgive so vast a [Page 132]Debt as this; 'tis Compassion impossible to be parallel'd.

Secondly, God's Compassion in forgiving us is infinitely greater than that good King's in the Parable, because we less deserve God's Favour than that poor Servant did his Lord's. He acknowledg'd his Debt, and was griev'd for his not being able to dis­charge it and humbly submitted himself to his offended Lord; but 'tis quite otherwise with us, we add Obstinacy and Pride to our long Score, are still in actual Rebellion against God, and daily more and more provoke him by new Impieties: We make what Haste we can, as the Prophet expresses it, to fill up the Measure of our Fathers Iniquities and our own, rather than by Repentance and bet­ter Life to lessen the great Account that is against us.

And this is to enflame God's Anger rather than to move his Compassion, and does in­deed deserve quick Vengeance rather than For­giveness. And yet, so boundless an Ocean is the divine Goodness, even in this rebellious State God pities his poor unhappy Crea­tures, and is full of Compassion, long-suffering, and of great Kindness, and repenteth him of the Evil; and when we deserve nothing but the severest Punishment, thinketh upon Mer­cy and forgiveness; and proposes very easie Conditions of Reconciliation and Readmit­tance to his Favour, and even courts us to accept them: Turn ye, turn ye from your evil Ways, for why will ye dye O House of Israel!

Now for the great and infinitely happy God, to treat such hardned Rebels at so ten­der and compassionate a rate; to be so ready to forgive those who not at all deserve it, but rather the utmost Expresses of his Venge­ance; is doubtless a Mercy infinite and be­yond Comparison.

Thirdly, The poor Debtor in the Para­ble, humbly besought his Lord's Pity and Forbearance, he fell down on his Face and worshipped him, and by that his humble Be­haviour and earnest Intreaty, inclin'd his Lord to commiserate his sad Condition. But in­stead of this, we are not so little sensible of, or afflicted with any thing, as that great Debt we owe to the divine Justice. So far from passionately begging for our Pardon, that we spend but very few Thoughts about it, and most of us are very little, and some not at all apprehensive of the Need we have of being again receiv'd into God's Favour, and the sad Consequence if we are not: And are far more sollicitous about promoting some petty Interest in this World, than about the Pardon of our Sins, which is the One Thing necessary in Order to our Escape from Hell.

And this is so great a slighting and under­valuing God's Forgiveness, expresses so much Indifferency whether he does it or no; that one would think it should be enough to provoke God to resolve the Destruction, and swear in his Wrath that they shall never enter into his Rest.

And yet, so wondrously compassionate is our good God, unsought to, undesired, he of his own meer Tenderness, intirely forgave the past Offences of his thoughtless Creatures, and for the Future still promis'd Forgiveness to such as should offend anew, upon this only easie Condition, that they should no more wilfully break his holy Laws, and immedi­ately repent when through Surprize or Inad­vertency or the Force of Temptation they should do amiss. And to be thus merciful notwithstanding so much Provocation to the contrary, is Compassion that has no Pa­rallel.

Fourthly, God's Goodness in pitying and forgiving Sinners, is infinitely greater than that of the King in the Parable in forgiving his poor Debtor; because the Misery Man­kind is delivered from by this Mercy of God, is infinitely greater, than that which the poor Wretch in the Gospel escap'd by the Compassion of his Lord.

His Punishment, had his Lord dealt rigo­rously with him, would have been, that he should be sold, and his Wife, and Children, and all that he had, that so, in some Mea­sure at least Payment might be made; and the utmost that this could amount to was Poverty and Slavery, both of himself and all his Family, all the Days of his Life: Which though indeed a very sad Condition, and such as no Submission could be too great, no Entreaties too earnest to avoid; yet cer­tainly, comes infinitely short of these eternal [Page 135]Miseries in the Regions of Darkness, and in the Society of the Devil and his Angels, which would have been the Portion of the whole Race of Mankind, had not God's mer­ciful Forgiveness prevented it, and given us better Hopes.

Now the greater the Necessity, the great­er the Charity that relieves it; the greater and more general the Danger, the more va­luable the Rescue; the more extreme the Misery, and the greater the Number of those that were condemn'd to suffer it, the greater the Compassion that relents and de­livers from it. It being therefore absolutely necessary that God should pardon Sinners, that they might escape the Punishment due to Sin (for they had nothing to pay) and the Danger of those Punishments being im­minent, the Measure of Men's Iniquities rising to so great a Height; and the Misery that would have involv'd all Man-kind, had God's Vengeance had its free Course, and Sin its due Reward, being no less than that of Hell, and that for ever too: That Com­passion of God that inclin'd him to forgive so many wretched Debtors as the whole Race of Man-kind, and prevented such otherwise unavoidable, endless and unconceivable Mise­ry; was certainly infinite Compassion, won­derfully great and beyond Comparison.

Fifthly, The Consequence of God's forgiv­ing Sinners is infinitely happier than that of the Forgiveness of the poor Debtor in the Parable.

He, after his Lord's loosing and forgiving him, was out of Fear indeed of that sad Mis­fortune which otherwise must have faln up­on him; he enjoy'd his Liberty, and that of his Wife and Children, and continu'd still in Possession of what he had, 'till he forfeit­ed all again by his Cruelty to his Fellow-Servant, which was no mean Comfort; but then this was all: We read of no new Fa­vours conferr'd upon him, or that he was en­trusted with any more of his Lord's Revenue, or the like.

But now, the compassionate God, has to Forgiveness of Sinners, added innumerable and inestimable Faziours; dignifi'd them with the Title of his Sons, communicated to them fresh Assistances of his blessed Spirit to help and guide them in the Way to Happi­ness; and promised them Crowns of eternal Glory, and everlasting Inheritances in Hea­ven, and an intimate Vision and Enjoyment of himself (who is the Center of Felicity) provid­ed they continue sincerely obedient to him for the Time to come. There is no Happi­ness which a rational Creature is capable of, but God, in his infinite Mercy freely and bountifully confers upon Man-kind, now that his Compassions have reconciled them to him; 1 Tim. 6.17. and in the Words of St. Paul, He gives us richly all things to enjoy.

And for God, not only to forgive obsti­nate Rebels against his divine Government, to pass by their vile Ingratitude to him their greatest Benefactor, and base Abuse of his [Page 137]Blessings to his Dishonour; but to confer upon 'em Favours of the greatest Value, to receive 'em into his own Bosom, and make 'em Coheirs with his eternal Son, and ad­vance 'em to his heavenly Kingdom: This is such an admirable Expression of the divine Goodness and Love of Mankind, as could ne­ver proceed from any other but him who is Goodness it self.

In the last Place, that which exalts the Compassion of God to the highest Degree, and makes it indeed miraculous, is the amaz­ing Course he took thus to shew Mercy in the Pardon of Sinners, and yet satisfie his Ju­stice too.

The King in the Parable was at Liberty to dispose of his own as he pleased, and he might have forgiven, without further Re­gard to any thing of Justice in that Case, a greater Debt if it had been owing to him: But in the Case of God's forgiving Sinners it was otherwise. God had before solemn­ly declar'd to our first Parents, and very of­ten afterwards, that the Soul that sinned it should die; and his Justice was concern'd to see that Sentence executed; and in the Na­ture of the thing likewise 'twas perfectly just that the Violaters of God's holy and good Commands, ungrateful Rebels against their Creator and greatest Benefactor, should re­ceive a due Recompence for their Wicked­ness.

Now Justice is as essential to God as Mer­cy; and though his infinite Goodness mov'd [Page 138]him to have Compassion upon Sinners, yet his Justice pleaded for their Punishment; Mer­cy would remit the Debt, but Justice requi­red Satisfaction. A Difficulty this, which mortal Wit could never solve. But God, who is infinitely wise as well as good and just, that the Work of his Hands might not pe­rish, nor his Image and Likeness be for ever miserable, and that his Justice likewise might be fully satisfyed; contriv'd a won­drous Way for the Redemption of Sinners, by freely forgiving 'em their vast Debt, and yet making full Satisfaction to his Justice for the Sins of the whole World. And that was, by the Incarnation of his blessed Son, and substituting him in our stead, to suffer, as the Representative of Mankind, the Pu­nishment due to their Iniquities, and by his spotless Blood to make an universal Attone­ment, and through the Merit of that his pre­cious Sacrifice (for what's above the Merit of the Blood of the Son of God?) To pur­chase for them Pardon and Forgiveness, the Love and Favour of God in this World, and the eternal Enjoyment of him in the next. And by this means, as the Apostle expresses it, Rom. 3.26. to declare his Righteousnes, that he might be just; and the Justifyer likewise of him that beleiveth in Jesus.

Thus Mercy and Truth are miraculously met together, and Righteousness and Peace have kiss'd each other. And for ever bles­sed be that infinitely wise and just Compassion, which in so wondrous a Manner contriv'd [Page 139]the Forgiveness of our vast Debt, and the Sa­tisfaction of the divine Justice too! What Love can be greater than this, that God should send his eternal Son into the World to be the Propitiation for Sinners! And that while we were Enemies, Christ should dye for us, and bear our Sins in his own Body on the Tree, that through his Stripes we might be healed! Wonderful art thou, O Lord, in thy Doings towards the Children of Men, and thy Mercy is over all thy Works! And O that our Hearts might be warm'd with the same divine Flame, and we might love much, to whom so much hath been forgiven!

And thus much for the first thing to be considered in this Parable; namely, the glorious Example of Forgiveness that God has set us, in his dealing thus mercifully with us miserable Sinners who lay under a vast Debt to the divine Justice, and had no­thing to pay; and how infinitely this Com­passion of God to Sinners exceeds the greatest and most generous Expression of Forgiveness, that can be shewn by one Man to another. 'Tis greater than the King's forgiving Ten Thousand Talents to his poor Servant in the Parable, because he entreated him and had nothing to pay.

I proceed now, to the second General to be consider'd in this Parable, which is, God's great Displeasure against those that will not imitate this his compassionate Example, in forgiving such as have been injurious to them; but like that wicked Servant to whom [Page 140]the King had been so gracious, rigidly requi­ring full Satisfaction for little Trifles and Punctilios. As he, no sooner out of the Pre­sence of his compassionate Lord, but took his Fellow-Servant by the Throat, who ow'd him an Hundred Pence, and though intreated to have Patience, as earnestly as he had but just before intreated his offended Lord, yet without the least Pity, threw him into Pri­son till he should pay the Debt. The Conse­quence of such a revengeful Temper will be like that of this cruel Servant, who was not only severely rebuked for his Wickedness, but had the Pardon his Lord gave him recal­led, and was deliver'd over to the Tormentors till he should pay the uttermost Farthing. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do unto you, says our Lord, if ye from your Hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Trespasses. And under this General there are likewise, as was said, Three Particulars to be consi­dered.

First, What it is to forgive one another, as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us; and the great Obligation we have to imitate this Example of our merciful God. To forgive one another in Imitation of the Divine Ex­ample, is first to forgive such as have injur­ed us, freely and without Reserve; and that though they still continue to shew them­selves our Enemies, and are ready to do us fresh Mischiefs when it lies in their Power. For thus, as we have seen, God dealt with us miserable Sinners; he first lov'd us, and [Page 141]while we were yet Sinners, and consequently in open Hostility and Rebellion against him, even when he sent his Son to dye for us, and be the Propitiation for our Sins: He took pity upon us when we were still adding new Wickednesses to our long Account, and when we deserved nothing but eternal Misery, thought upon Mercy.

And in Imitation of this, our Lord com­mands us to love our Enemies; not to ren­der Evil for Evil, but contrariwise Blessing; that so we may be the Children of our Father which is in Heaven. For, to use our Savi­ours Enforcement of this; if those only share in our Affections or Esteem, who are as beneficial and kind to us as we to them, what Thank have we? Self-Love and Inte­rest may there be the Motives, and very lit­tle of True Piety and Goodness; nay, even the very worst of Men may be as eminent for such Sort of Charity as the best, Publi­cans and Sinners, as our Lord observed, doing the same. But Christians should be of a more Godlike Temper, their Charity more free and disinteressed; the greater and more frequent their Injuries, the more ready should they be to pardon and forgive; and not only be reconciled after a seven-fold Wrong, but after one repeated seventy times seven. And our Saviour has likewise fur­ther inforced this by his own Example, who with his last Breath pray'd for the Forgive­ness of his cruel Murtherers.

Secondly, We must not only forgive such as but little deserve it, but likewise, in Cor­respondence to our divine Pattern, whether they desire it or no: For thus it was in God's Forgiveness of Sinners, he prevented us by the Riches of his compassionate Goodness, and entreated us his rebellious Creatures, first by his Prophets, then by his only Son, to be reconcil'd to him, and embrace their Pardon. And thus, those that will be Imita­tors of God as dear Children, must likewise do. Rather than Enmity should continue we must seek to our Enemies to be recon­cil'd, though they were the first that offered the Offence. And this, however hardly it may sound, is not only our Duty, by Ver­tue of that general Con [...]d of forgiving one another as God has forgiven us, but is ex­presly commanded by our compassionate Sa­viour, Mat. 18.15. (which occasion'd that Question of St. Peter, Vers. 21. How often shall I forgive my Brother? Upon which our Lord deliver'd this Parable) his Words are these, and deserve our serious Attenti­on. Moreover, if thy Brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his Fault between thee and him alone. If thy Brother trespass against thee, or as we usually express it, first did the Injury, or gave the Affront, go thou to him; stay not till he comes and acknowledges his Fault to thee, for that's a thing Men are very backward in doing, either for fear or for Shame, or out of Pride and Greatness of Spi­rit, as it must be term'd, or for other Rea­sons; [Page 143]and Time usually widens such Breaches, and encreases Strangeness and Aversion: But go thou therefore to him in Meekness and the Spirit of Forgiveness, and with Resoluti­ons of passing by all further Unkindnes [...] and it may be reproache [...] for your good Will calmly tell him his Fault, expostulate the Case with him, and in all Likelyhood he will hear thee, a right Understanding be­tween you will ensue, and thou shalt gain thy Brother. This is indeed to be like God in this great Excellence of forgiving Injuries, and is, as a most noble Expression of christi­an Charity, so we see very plainly com­manded by our Lord, and should be taken into our serious Consideration in order to our agreeable Practice.

Thirdly, We must not only so far forgive as not to revenge, but in Imitation of the divine Pattern of Forgiveness set before us, be ready to do all Acts of Kindness, and Be­neficence to our Enemy, as Occasion shall serve, and his Needs require: Remembring the Words of our great Master, Do good to them that hate you, and pray for those that de­spightfully use you and persecute you, for so s [...] ye be the Children of the Highest, who is [...] to the unthankful and to the evil. And we must endeavour to confirm the new made Agreement, by more than ordinary Expres­sions of good Will, that we may heap Coals upon our Enemies Head to melt him into a Correspondent Charity; and likewise that there may be no Place left for our Enemy or [Page 144]our selves to doubt the Sincerity of our For­giveness. For the smoothest Words may be rotten and deceitful, and the not revenging an Injury may be for want of Power or Op­portunity; but when to good Words benefi­cial Actions are added, then may a Man well be thought to love and forgive, not in Word only, but in Deed and in Truth.

This is Christian Forgiveness of Injuries, or, Ephes. 4. ult. in the Apostle's Words, the forgiving one another if any have a Quarrel against any, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us: i.e. freely and intirely, though their Malice still cotinues against us; nay, to go and offer 'em Forgiveness and Reconciliation tho' they neither desire nor deserve it, and to ac­company our Forgiveness with Acts of Kindness and good Turns.

But what has been said upon this Ac­count must have a Limitation; lest it bound indiscriminately upon all Men and at all Times, that is, in all Instances of Wrong, it thwart and run Counter to other Duties of our holy Religion. Now in order to our being inform'd of the just Limits of this great Duty, we must consider that Injuries may be of three Sorts; affecting either Men's Persons, their good Names, or their Estates: And each of these may be either in Danger of Ruin by the Injuries of a wicked Man, or only greatly damag'd; or the Injury may be but small and trifling, and such as brings no considerable and lasting Ill Effects along with it. Now such Injuries as threat­en [Page 145] Ruin to a Man in any of those Respects, ought not to be silently let pass, nor the Man so forgiven as to have no Notice taken of him; and such a legal Prosecution of him as is necessary to secure a Man's Person, or to vindicate or recover his blasted Reputation, and to preserve his Estate, all or either of which would be ruin'd by the injurious Per­son if tamely let alone; a legal Prosecution in such Cases as these, is allow'd by the Law of God and Nature as well as that of the Land. And the Case is proportionably the same as to Injuries that greatly endamage a Man in any of those Respects before menti­oned: And were all Wrongs, how great soever, to be submitted to and put up in Si­lence by Christians, by Vertue of the Com­mand of forgiving Injuries; 'twould be to betray the Sheep to the Wolves, to expose the Disciples of Christ to the Malice of all the wicked World; which is not consistent with the Wisdom and Goodness of the great Shepherd of the Sheep, Christ Jesus. And St. Paul says expresly, He that provideth not for his own House, i. e. for the comfortable Subsistence of his Family, has deny'd the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel: i. e. Acts contrary to the Obligations both of Nature and Religion. But he will soon ruin, in­stead of supporting his Family, who suffers ill Men, without Interruption, to make what Havock they please of his Person, Re­putation or Estate.

But now as for smaller Injuries in any of these Respects, such as make no great Alte­ration in our Circumstances, and may be born without any great Inconvenience; these are to be pass'd by, and the Injury for­given according to the Measures before de­scribed: And 'tis observable that the Instances our Saviour makes use of in this Matter, are of the lesser Sort of Injuries, such as a Blow on the Cheek, the taking away of a Garment, and the like; and 'twas for being rigorous about a few Pence, that the King in the Pa­rable was so wroth with his Servant: And rather than a Christian should embroil him­self in Law-Suits, and run the Hazard of losing the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit for such small Matters, he should suf­fer a Repetition of such Injuries. And in­deed, as Religion is in all Respects the greatest Prudence, so particularly in forbid­ding litigious Quarrels, unless a Man's whole Interest, or at least a great Part of it be at Stake; for Law is now become a boundless Ocean, and generally very rough and Stor­my, and swells Men's Passions to an exorbi­tant Height, and shipwrecks their Charity as well as their Estates.

And as to those greater Injuries our Savi­our mentions, Mat. 5.44. of Men's being our Enemies profess'd, and hating, and curs­ing, and despitefully using, and persecuting us; Neither he nor his Apostles, there or any where else forbid Christians endeavouring in a legal Manner to secure and defend them­selves, [Page 147]and recover their own; but only not to return Evil for Evil, and to be so far from Purposes of Revenge or retaliating, such Injuries, as rather to love and bless and pray for, and do good to upon Occasion, those that deal so maliciously by them; and to manage the Suit or Contention with them with Charity, having no Rancour or Malice in their Hearts against the Person of their Adversary. That is, in short, our holy Re­ligion does oblige us in lesser Injuries intire­ly, both to pass by the Offence, and for­give the Offender according to the Measures before described; but in greater Injuries of any Sort, where Ruin or insupportable Da­mage will follow, though it permits, nay, obliges to endeavour a legal Reparation, and so not to forgive the Offence, yet Christians must as intirely, and according to the same Measures forgive the Offender, as in the smallest Instances of Wrong. And by this Means they will become the Children of their heavenly Father, who though in in­finite Mercy he forgave the World of Sin­ners, and moreover bestowed on them rich­ly all things to enjoy; yet in the Person of his blessed Son their Representative, he se­verely express'd his Displeasure against their Sins, that they might be deter'd from per­sisting in them afresh, to the Ruin of their immortal Souls.

Besides those Injuries that terminate up­on a Man's self and his own Concerns, there are others done to our Neighbour and the [Page 148] Publick, which must not be pass'd by with­out animadverting upon them according to their Deserts. As for Instance, if a bloody Villain murders a Man's Friend or Neigh­bour or Relation, and he knows who is the Murderer, it may be he only; in this Case, whatever Inclination he may have to con­ceal it, whether out of natural Compassion, or Unwillingness to be the Occasion of the Man's Execution, since nothing can recall the murder'd Person to Life, and the Mur­derer may live to repent, or the like: Be­cause he is a Member of Society, and oblig­ed, as much as in him lies, to promote its Safety and Happiness, which by such Vil­lains is much disturb'd and lessen'd, and would be ruin'd should such Men pass unpu­nish'd; 'tis his Duty to endeavour by all lawful Means to bring so heinous an Offen­der to condign Punishment, that so corrupt a Member being cut off from the Community, the Health of the whole may be better se­cur'd. And so in all Cases of the like Na­ture. Always remembring that if any thing of private Revenge be intermix'd, it pol­lutes the Action, and makes the Man doub­ly guilty of Malice and Hypocrisy.

What has been hitherto said concerning the Limits of forgiving Injuries, concerns Men only as private Persons: As for Magi­strates and Governours, they being constitu­ted by God to be a Terror to evil doers, Rom. 13.3, 4. to be Revengers to execute Wrath upon them, and to praise and encourage those only that do [Page 149] well; the Measure of their Forgiveness of publick Injuries, is the publick Good; so far as is consistent with their Obligations as Magistrates, as is conducive to the common Weal, according to the Judgment of Prudence and unprejudic'd Reason, they may, and do well to incline to Lenity and Compassion; but a foolish and a mercenary Pity is a betray­ing their Trust, a bearing the Sword in vain; and such Magistrates, instead of being Fa­thers of their Country, are indeed the Per­fidious Destroyers of it. And thus much for the Nature of christian Forgiveness of Inju­ries, in Imitation of the divine Pattern God has set us, with its general Limits.

As for the great Obligation we have to copy after this admirable Pattern of our merci­ful heavenly Father; it is twofold. (1) With Respect to God, (2) to our Selves.

First, With Respect to God, our Obli­gation to forgive one another as he has for­given us is very great, because 'tis what he has declared will be highly pleasing to him, as a Resemblance of that Perfection of his Nature which he seems most of all to take Delight in. For so, Exod. 33.19. when Moses desired to see his Glory, he told him he would make all his Goodness pass before him; and Chap. 34.6. The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long­suffering, abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mercy for Thousands, forgiving Ini­quity, Transgression and Sin. And accord­ingly, [Page 150]St. John gives the Definition of him, God is Love.

Now certainly, those that have receiv'd such infinite Favours from this good God, and have been forgiven so vast a Debt, as we sinners have; have the greatest Reason in the World to endeavour to the utmost of their Power, to please this their greatest Benefactor in every thing: And nothing be­ing more pleasing to him than to see the Image and Reflection of his divine Love and Philanthropy upon the Souls of his Creatures, to see 'em love and compassionate one another according to his glorious Example; we are infinitely obliged to imitate his Pi­ty and Forgiveness towards us, in passing by the Offences of our Fellow-Servants. Fur­ther, those to whom God has forgiven so vast a Debt as that which miserable Sinners ow'd to the divine Justice, are questionless bound, and that with the strictest Ties to love him infinitely again; but now St. John says plainly, 1 Joh. 4.20, 21. that he that loves God must love his Brother also, and if a Man say, I love God, and yet hateth his Brother, he is a Lyar, and the Truth is not in him: For as he says, Chap. 3.17. He that shutteth up his Bowels of Compassion from his Brother, how dwelleth the Love of God in him? And therefore, as much as we are bound to love our good God, who has forgiven us our numberless Iniquities, so much are we bound to manifest that our Love to him, by being pitiful and gentle to [Page 151]our brethren that have injur'd us, and ready to forgive them: For so says our Lord, shall ye be my Disciples, and so shall ye be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven. And doubtless that wicked Servant in the Parable, had not so due an Apprehension of his Lord's great Compassion to him, nor so grateful a Sense of it as he ought to have had, who could immediately forget the miserable Condition he was so lately in himself, and how much he dreaded lest his Lord should rigidly exact his great Debt of him, and how importunately he begg'd that he would have Patience with him:; and yet use so much Cruelty to his Fellow-Servant for a Debt very inconsiderable. He could not but know that such Barbarity would be very contrary to the compassionate Temper of his Lord; and therefore was bound in Gra­titude, if upon no other Account, to imitate his Lord's Example, and not immediately act what would be so displeasing to him. And so it is in our Case; God is Love, and has wondrously manifested his Love in for­giving us miserable Sinners; and therefore we are bound, in Gratitude, and because 'twill be pleasing to him, were that all, to imitate that his Charity, and mutually to love and forgive one another. But when besides, we have our Saviour's express Com­mand for it, Mat. 5.44. and Luk. 6.37. and that, not until seven times only, but un­til seventy times seven, as in the Verse be­fore this Parable: As much as Men are ob­liged [Page 152]obliged to obey the Commands of God their Saviour, so strong is their Obli­gation to forgive Injuries with Respect to God.

Secondly, Our Obligation is very great to imitate God's compassionate Example, with respect to our selves. For 'tis the best Way to secure Quiet, and Peace and Happi­ness; and as much as every Man is bound to provide for his own Quiet, and the Peace and Happiness of Society, and of his own Soul too in the other World; so much is every Man bound not to be malicious and revengeful, but of a Temper ready to for­give.

For however sweet Revenge may seem to be to malicious Spirits in the Execution, it must needs make the Mind very uneasie be­fore 'tis executed, and bring great Calami­ties along with it afterward, and is the most base devillish Temper in the World, and makes a Man a Fiend incarnate. Where­as an Aptness to forgive, is a Godlike Dispo­sition, for God is Love, the Spring of Kind­ness and Compassion, of Mercy and Forgive­ness; and as his Happiness is the Result of the Excellencies and Perfections of his Na­ture; so those who resemble him in the most glorious of those Perfections, must needs likewise enjoy a great Share of Tranquillity and inward Bliss. But if God be the great Exemplar of Forgiveness, how groundless is the usual Objection against this excellent Vertue of Christianity, that it betrays a [Page 153] mean servile Spirit, and is a thing much be­low a Gentleman! Can any Man of common Sense think it a Disgrace to be like God, and that in his most glorious Perfection too? If God be the Fountain of Honour, we must allow it to be rather, the most noble generous Action in the World.

It is the best Way likewise of ending Strifes, and overcoming our Adversaries by rendring Good for Evil. It eases the Mind of those great Disquietudes that constantly attend Desires of Revenge; it prevents all the Mischiefs that follow it, such as fresh Injuries from the Party we revenge our selves upon, if we leave him his Life, and the Stroke of Justice if we per­sue him to the Death. But besides these evil Consequences of Revenge, and many others which Forgiveness prevents, there is more true Pleasure and Sweetness in the Act of Forgiveness and Reconciliation, as was hinted above, than in that of Revenge.

For however the Devil may hurry Men on in an eager Persuit of Revenge, and flat­ter 'em with the Hopes of great Satisfaction when 'tis perfected; yet there is a secret Hor­rour and Aversion to it from within, which, as 'twere pulls back the Hand when going to strike; or what other way soever it be expressed, endeavours to hinder it, and makes the Heart recoil and repent of the Undertaking, and execute it with trembling and misgivings of Soul; and immediately after, come dire Forebodings of the Venge [Page 154]ance of him to whom Vengeance belong­eth, and a Kind of Hell upon Earth. But Forgiveness is attended with Applauses of Conscience, and the Approbation of Reason, and Chearfulness of Spirit: There is an in­ward Pleasure and Satisfaction of Mind quite throughout the Action, and when 'tis com­pleated, no Man can express the silent Joy that runs through the whole Soul, and it seems a Foretaste of the Joys of the Blessed in Heaven.

Even that Part of Forgiveness which seems most of all impracticable, and con­trary to Flesh and Blood, that of suing to a Man to be reconciled that has done the In­jury, and still continues to be one's Enemy; this does of all yeild the greatest Pleasure to the Soul: And that, not only because 'tis the nearest Resemblance to the Mercy of God, who sent his Son to mediate between him and us, and by his Death to reconcile us to himself, when 'twas we miserable Wretches that had offended, and were then in actual Rebellion against him; but from the Nature of the thing it self. For 'tis a kind of surprizing a Man into Charity before he is aware. When Men do Injuries, they ge­nerally stand upon their Defence and expect to receive Injuries again; but when a Man finds, instead of this, Acts of Friendship and Good will, and Readiness to forgive, and Peace and Quietness offer'd so freely, and upon such easie Terms, without the Shame and natural Regret in seeking it, and asking [Page 155]Pardon, and making Satisfaction, and the like: How pleas'd must the Man needs be, to find a Friend, when he fear'd and expe­cted an Enemy? Few Men love Strife for Strife's Sake, and many a Man injures ano­ther in suddain Heat and Passion, and in cooler Blood repents of it, though he can't pre­vail with himself to ask Forgiveness: And sometimes a Man injures another in retali­ating something that he took amiss from him, though perhaps far otherwise intended; and it may be false Reports may have made the Difference. But now, this Way of Reconciliation presently sets all right again; it creates a right Understanding between Party and Party, it nips Quarrels in the ve­ry Bud, and leaves no Room for further Ma­lice and Ill Will. And what a holy Tri­umph will there then be in the forgiving Soul, thus to have softned his Enemy, and overcome Evil with Good!

And such happy Effects of Forgiveness of Injuries as these, methinks should engage every considering Man to put it in Practice, were this all; but when besides all this so great a Mercy as the perfect Recovery of the Favour of God, the Forgiveness of our own vast Debt, and the Enjoyment of the Glo­ries and Felicities of Heaven shall be the Re­ward of it; Surely no Man in his Wits, but must think himself as much obliged to for­give Injuries, as to make himself eternally happy if he can. And that this exceeding great Reward shall attend the hearty Pra­ctice [Page 156]of this Vertue, is plain from our Lord's own Words, Luke 6.37. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.

And, as it appears from what has been said, that we have upon all Accounts great Obligation to imitate the compassionate Ex­ample of our merciful God; so in the

Second Place, Our Baseness will be very great if we do not: And that both with Re­spect to God and Man. With Respect to God, not to forgive a petty Injury from our Brother, when God has forgiven such infinite Provocations as ours against himself, is the vilest Baseness, because, as was said before, 'tis the vilest Ingratitude, and Forgetfulness of his great Mercy to us. I say a petty Injury from our Brother; for every Injury, how great soever, that one Mortal can do to another, is indeed, but of no regard, in compare with those mountai­nous Heaps of Wickednesses which we have been guilty of against God; and bear not so great Proportion to them, as an Hun­dred Pence does to Ten Thousand Talents; as the Parable expresses both Debts, that which the compassionate King forgave his Servant, and that which that wicked Man would not forgive his Fellow-Servant. The infinite Goodness of God to us, if it has made its due Impression upon our Spirits, will leave so charming an Idea of Forgive­ness upon our Souls, as will incline us to a suitable Practice upon all Occasions, especi­ally since we know from God's great Com­passion [Page 157]towards us, how pleasing to him Compassion is in others. But, notwith­standing God's unspeakable Kindness to us, to cherish a Temper of Mind which we can't but be sensible he infinitely Hates, and endeavour to make those miserable as far as our Malice will reach, to whom God has forgiven as much as he forgave us, and for whose Redemption Christ dyed, and for whom are reserv'd Crowns of Glory in Hea­ven, through the wondrous Mercy of God; and all this unmercifulness for a small Mat­ter, for the Debt of a few Pence: This shews the basest of Ingratitude, and weak Sense of God's Compassion shewn to us, that is possible. Well may our Lord say to such Men, with a little Variation, as the King in the Parable said to that cruel Ser­vant of his; O thou wicked Servant, I for­gave thee all that Debt, and that though thou didst not desire it of me; shouldst not thou also have had Compassion on thy Fellow-Servant, even as I had Pity on thee? Obligation suffici­ent there was no Doubt; and that his In­gratitude, and Forgetfulness of God's Fa­vour, and his cruel hardned Temper was ve­ry provoking will appear in the Sequel. But,

Secondly, To be revengeful and implaca­ble after such Mercy receiv'd our selves, is the greatest Baseness with Respect to Men.

For we are all Fellow-Servants of the same great Lord; and his Mercy has been the same to all of us; we are all of us through Christ, under the same Covenant of Grace and Re­conciliation: [Page 158]Now this methinks should en­dear us to one another, and our mutual Joy for each others Happiness, should put an End to all other petty Quarrels and Animo­sities between us. But instead of this, to hate and mischief one another, to endeavour by all means to make one another as unhap­py as we can here below, and with him in the Parable, pluck out Throats for Trifles, and become inexorable to any that have in­jur'd us; this is such an unnatural Piece of Barbarity, and betrays so much devillish Baseness of Spirit, as that every sensible Man, when he considers it will abominate. 'Tis as if a Man should escape to Shoar from a Wreck at Sea, and there meet one whom Providence had bless'd with the same Deli­verance; and instead of congratulating his Safety, and joyning with him in praising and blessing the Mercy of their great Deliverer, endeavour to knock out his Brains in Persu­ance of some old Grudge. Nothing can be more base than this, nor more justly provok­ing to the God of Mercy and Compassion. Which leads me in the

Last Place to consider the miserable Con­sequence of this Baseness, viz. We shall thereby provoke God to recall his Pardon to us, and deal with us as the King in the Parable did with his wicked ungrateful and cruel Servant, and deliver us over to the Tor­mentors, till we shall have paid all that is due unto him. For so likewise, says our Lord, shall my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye [Page 159]from your Hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Trespasses.

God's Pardon to Sinners, though it be very full and free, and given in infinite Mer­cy; yet is not pass'd in such a Manner as that it can never be revok'd; 'twas given at first upon Conditions, and may be again for­feited if we fail of performing what God re­quires, in order to his final ratifying it.

Now Forgiveness of Injuries is expresly mention'd by our Saviour, as Part of what God expects from us in order to his comfirm­ing his Pardon to us; for thus, Mat. 6.14, 15. If ye forgive Men their Trespasses, your hea­venly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not Men their Trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your Trespasses; but, as 'tis in the Parable, his Wrath will again wax hot against you, and he will make void his former Pardon, and deliver you over to the Tormentors till you shall pay all that is due unto him. That is, will consign you to the Portion of the Devil and his Angels, Spirits of like malicious and revengeful Tempers, who, as the merciless Executio­ners of God's Vengeance, will not for ever spare to torment and cruciate those wretch­ed Souls, who might have escap'd those Mi­series, and had their Pardon seal'd with the Blood of their Redeemer, but forfeited it again by indulging to that devillish Temper of Malice and Revenge.

Wherefore, to conclude this Parable. If we are touch'd with a due Sense of the [Page 160]wondrous Compassion of God to us misera­ble Sinners in forgiving us the vast Debt we had contracted to the divine Justice by Rea­son of our Sins, and which 'twas impossible for us ever to have discharg'd our selves; whereby we are deliver'd from the intolera­ble and endless Punishment of them; and moreover made Sons of God, and Heirs of celestial Glory: If we are duly touch'd with a Sense of this infinite Goodness of God to us (which to effect was the Endeavour of the first Part of this Discourse) let us ex­press our deep Resentment of his gracious Forgiveness of us, by imitating so excellent an Example, and forgiving one another. Let us consider the great Happiness, that both here and hereafter will attend the Perform­ance of this Duty; and reflect upon the end­less Misery that will closely follow the con­trary. We must forgive, if we would be forgiven; we must shew Mercy and Compas­sion to our Brethren that offend us, if we hope to find any at the Hands of God. And let us remember, that, how sweet soever we may fancy Revenge to be now, we shall find the Consequence of it, if not speedily re­pented of, to be eternal Damnation.

THIS Parable, I suppose, was in its first Intention, design'd to reprove the hardned Infidelity of the Jews, their obstinately rejecting the Mer­cy of God to them in Christ Jesus, and their [Page 166]vile Ingratitude to him for his peculiar Care of them, in so ordering it, that the Gospel should be first preach'd to them (to which Purpose also was spoken the Parable of the wicked Husbandmen in Mat. 21.33. which, for its great Affinity to the first Part of this Parable, and intire Relation to the Jews, I thought fit to pass by) and it was likewise intended to shew God's great Anger against them for that their Stubbornness and malici­ous Treatment of Christ and his Apostles, and how sad the Consequence of it would be, both in this World and the next: And withall, to declare God's Purpose of receiv­ing the Gentiles into the Fold of Christ, up­on their despising and rejecting that inesti­mable Favour, and moreover, that whoever makes Profession of Christianity, must live agreeably, and be conformable to all its holy Laws, or else their Condition will be more deplorable than ever. This, I think was the first Intention of this Parable.

But besides this, it has another Aspect which is intirely Christian, and is full of Re­proof and Instruction to us that have alrea­dy embrac'd the Discipline of Christ, and is very aptly expressive of these Four things, which I shall make the Subject of the follow­ing Discourse.

First, It is lively expressive of the Nature of the Gospel or Christian Religion, as repre­senting it by the Marriage of a King's Son, and the poor and the maim'd, the halt and the blind being call'd in to partake of the Wedding Supper.

Secondly, of God's great Care in having this Religion publish'd and made known to all Men, and his repeated Invitations to all Men to embrace it; represented by that King's sending forth his Servants to call them that were bidden to the Wedding, and again sending forth other Servants, and command­ing them to tell those that were bidden that he had prepar'd and made all things ready, and therefore to urge them to come unto the Marri­age.

Thirdly, It very aptly expresses, what kind of Reception, this holy Religion, and the Teachers of it are like to meet with in the World; represented here by Men's making light of the Invitation to the Marriage of the King's Son, and offering Excuses, such as, of having bought a Piece of Ground, and a Yoke of Oxen, and of having married a Wife, and that these things would engage their Time, and therefore they could not come: And accordingly, going their own Way, one to his Farm, and another to his Mer­chandise, and the rest taking those Servants that came to invite them, and intreating them spitefully, and slaying them.

Fourthly, It expresses how sad their Con­dition will be, that either when they are invited to, yet reject this holy Religion, and abuse the Preachers of it; or else, though they do profess it, yet live not agreea­bly to it. The latter of which is represented by the King's finding a Man at the Marri­age Supper that had not on a Wedding Gar­ment, [Page 168]and saying unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having on a Wedding Garment? And the Man's being speechless upon it, and the King's commanding his Ser­vants to bind him Hand and Foot and take him away, and cast him into outer Darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth: And the former is express'd by the King's be­ing wroth with those that stighted his Invi­tation, and pronouncing them not worthy of it, and resolving that they should not taste of his Supper, and sending his Servants to in­vite others to the Wedding, and command­ing his Armies to go forth and destroy those Murderers, that had spitefully entreated and slain his Servants, and to burn up their City.

And then after all, there is a general Ob­servation drawn from hence, namely, That many are called, but few are chosen. Of each of these I shall discourse in their Order.

First, this Parable does very lively ex­press the Nature of the Gospel or Christian Religion; represented here by the Marri­age of a King's Son, and the poor and the maim'd, the halt and the blind being call'd in as Guests to partake of the Wedding Sup­per.

St. Paul, in his Epistle to Titus, Chap. 2. Vers. 14, says, that Christ gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all Iniquity, and purifie to himself a peculiar or purchas'd Peo­ple (as 'tis in the Original) zealous of good Works; and Ephes. 1.14. Christians are called the purchas'd Possession: In Allusion, [Page 169]I suppose, both to the Jewish Custom of the Man giving a Dowry to her whom he made his Wife, thereby purchasing her to himself as his own Peculiar; and likewise to a Cu­stom of the Graecians, who had an Officer on purpose to educate, and form, and refine Women design'd for Marriage, and then to present them to those that were to be their Husbands: Agreeable to which is that of St. Paul, 2 Cor. 11.2. I have espous'd you to one Husband, that I may present you as a pure and chast Virgin unto Christ. And accordingly, our Lord often com­pares himself to a Bridegroom, and his Church to the Bride, and his Disciples to the Children of the Bride-Chamber, or the Friends and special Attendants of the Bride and Bridegroom. And Ephes. 5.35. Christ lov'd the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the wash­ing of Water by the Word, that he might pre­sent it to himself, a glorious Church, not having Spot or Wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without Blemish: And then, Vers. 30. we are Members of his Body, of his Flesh, and of his Bones (according to what is said of Man and Wife, Gen. 2.24. They two shall be one Flesh) and Vers. 32. This is a great Mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the Church.

The Gospel then, or Christian Religion, being likened to a Marriage made by God, the glorious King of Heaven, for his eternal Son; and Christ the Promulger of this Go­spel, [Page 170]the first Teacher of this Religion, be­ing that Son of God, and that divine Bride­groom, and the Church, or those that be­lieve this Gospel, and embrace this Religi­on, being the Bride; it informs us in general, that the Nature of the Gospel, or Christian Religion, is like that of Marriage, and makes the same Relation between Christ and Believers, as Marriage does between a Man and his Wife; and intitles to like Privileges, and obliges to like Duties, and is produ­ctive of like Effects.

First, the Gospel or Christian Religion makes the same Relation between Christ and Believers, as Marriage does be­tween Man and Wife, i. e. the nearest, the dearest, and likewise an inseparable Relation: For, that Marriage is the nearest Relation, is evident from what is said Gen. 2.24, that a Man shall leave Father and Mother, and cleave to his Wife; 'tis the dearest Rela­tion, because a Man's Wife is as himself, Bone of his Bone, and Flesh of his Flesh, as Eve was of Adam, and no Man ever yet hated his own Flesh (as St. Paul has it) but nourisheth and cherisheth it; and Men ought to love their Wives as their own Bodies; and he that loveth his Wife still loveth himself: And 'tis an inseparable Relation likewise; for though God permitted Divorce to the Jews for the Hardness of their Hearts, and Christ, in some Cases, and for the same Reason permits it to us Christians, yet from the Beginning it was not so; and those whom [Page 171]God had so nearly joyn'd together, were not at first intended ever to be put a sunder but by Death.

In like manner, the Gospel or Christian Religion does (1.) create the nearest Relation between Christ and Believers; it makes us Members of his Body, of his Flesh, and of his Bones; and as was before quoted from St. Paul, Ephes. 5.30. i. e. it makes us as near to him as the Members are to the Head, the Flesh and Bones to the Body; or as our Church expresses it, it makes us one with Christ and Christ with us; 'tis so near a Relation that nothing can sufficiently ex­press it but what expresses an Union. It cre­ates likewise (2.) the dearest Relation, for thus our Lord, John 14.21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him; and Vers. 23. We will come unto him and make our Abode with him; and Chap. 15.14. Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. And Rev. 3.20. Behold, says our Lord, I stand at the Door and knock; if any Man hear my Voice and open the Door, i. e. by Faith and Obedience, I will come in unto him, and sup with him and he with me; he will shew the greatest Expressions of Dearness and Af­fection to him. And as the Gospel makes the nearest and dearest Relation between Christ and Believers, so that Relation is (3.) inseparable; i. e. unless we willfully divorce [Page 172]our selves from him by Apostacy or Disobedi­ence. Thus a little before his Ascension he tells his Apostles, and in them all faithful Believers that observe whatsoever he hath commanded, that he will be with them al­ways, even to the End of the World: And be­cause he was to ascend to his Father and their Father, to his God and their God, therefore says he, I will not leave you comfort­less, but will pray to the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, John 14.16. and in the 2. and 3. Verses of that Chapter, I go to pre­pare a Place for you, and if I go and prepare a Place for you, I will come again and receive you to my self, that where I am, there ye may be also. And John 10.27, 28. My Sheep hear my Voice and I know them and they follow me; and I give unto them E­ternal Life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand. And St. Paul with great Assurance asks this Question, Rom. 8.35. Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ? and after enumerating what in the Esteem of the World was most likely to do it, he con­cludes, Vers. the last, that nothing shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And he is like­wise in a spiritual Manner always with us in the Reception of those Mysteries which he instituted in Remembrance of him.

The Gospel then, effecting so near, so dear, and so inseparable a Relation between [Page 173]Christ and Believers, that nothing can so fitly resemble it as the State of Marriage; we may from hence collect in the next place, what Privileges the Gospel intitles Believers to, by reason of this their so intimate Rela­tion to Christ.

As first, it intitles to the peculiar Love and Tenderness of Christ, such a Love as will incline him to promote the Happiness of Believers, and to pity and compassionate their Infirmities, Failures and Imperfections; for Love covereth a Multitude of Faults▪ Thus the Apostle, Col. 3.19. Husbands love your Wives, and be not bitter against them; be not extreme to observe every little Defect and Failing in them, but consider 'em as the weaker Vessel, and bear with their Infirmi­ties. And accordingly the Author to the Hebrews says of our Lord, he is not one that cannot be touch'd with a Sense of our Infirmities, but knows and pities them, ha­ving been in all Points tempted as we are, though without Sin, Heb. 4.15. And as for his Tenderness and Care of our Happiness, 'tis miraculously evident in that he gave him­self for us, sacrific'd his very Life for our re­conciliation to his offended Father, that he might sanctifie and cleanse us, and present us to himself a glorious Church, not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing, but that we should be holy and without Blemish; as the Apostle expresses it in the before cited Eph. 5.26. &c. And he does continually nourish and che­rish us by the Communications of his Grace [Page 174]in the blessed Sacrament (that spiritual Bo­dy of his, which whoso eateth of shall live for ever) and by the Comforts and Assistances of his holy Spirit. And to lye thus in the Bosome of the Son of God, to have such great Degrees of his Love and Tenderness to us express'd in such amazing Instances; to be thus pitied and commiserated, and our Failures excus'd and past by, by him that is to be our Judge; and our Happiness in all Respects so carefully endeavoured by him who is the Fountain of it: This is such a Privilege as can never be enough valu'd, and is infinitely above the Reach of any Compa­rison.

Another Privilege the Gospel intitles Be­lievers to upon their so near Relation to Christ, is Christ's Protection of them from Dangers, and Defence against Assaults of Ene­mies. For, as in Marriage, the Husband is the Shield and Guardian of his Wife, so Christ is the Protector and Defender of the faithful; he covers them from the Rage and Malice of unreasonable Men, and arms them against the Attacks of the Spirits of Darkness, by the Supplies and Aids of his blessed Spirit; who helps our Infirmities, and strengthens us mightily in the inner Man, so that the Gates of Hell, all the infernal Pow­ers shall not be able to prevail against us. And accordingly, says St. Paul, I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me, Phil. 4.13. Rom. 8.37. In all these things, Tribulation, Distress, Persecution, Famine, [Page 175]Nakedness, Perilor Sword, in all these things we are more than Conquerers. By what means? Why, through Christ that loveth us. And our Lord says expresly in the forecited John 10.27. my Sheep that hear my Voice shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my Hand. And if the Almighty Son of God be for us, and takes us into his own Pro­tection, and shields and guards us as a Hus­band does the Wise of his Bosome; who then can be against us? We shall be hid under his Wings, and safe under his Feathers, his Faithfulness and Truth shall be our Shield and Buckler. And, to dwell thus under the De­fence of the most High, and abide under the Shadow of the Allmighty, is, no doubt, an in­estimable Privilege.

Again, as the Husband confers Honour upon his Wife, intitles her to have a Share in that Honour that is due to him; so Be­lievers, by their intimate Union with Christ, are advanc'd to the highest Step of Honour that Mortals can arrive at: For, what more honourable than to be in so near a Relation to the most glorious Son of God! Accordingly the Scripture exhorts us to walk worthy of our holy Profession, Ephes. 4.1. Phil. 1.2 [...]. and to have our Conversation as be­comes the Gospel of Christ. And agreea­bly said our Lord to the Seventy Disciples, whom he sent as Harbingers to the Places whither he himself intended to come, he that despiseth you despiseth me; and 'tis in some Proportion true of all other sincere Be­lievers. [Page 176] Christianity is a most honourable Profession, and what David said to Saul, when he offered him his eldest Daughter to Wife for his great Services; [...] Sam. 18.18. who am I, and what is my Life or my Fathers Family in Is­rael, that I should be Son in-law to a King? may with infinitely greater Reason be said by every true Christian, who am I, and what is my Life, that I should be taken into the near­est Relation to the eternal Son of the Majesty of Heaven and Earth! No Title comparable to this, no Relation so much to be glori'd in, nor any Care too great to live up to so august a Character. But,

In the last place, the Gospel intitles Be­lievers, as to a Participation in some De­gree of the Honour of Christ, so likewise of his Glory and Happiness. And, as a Hus­band is to provide for his Wife suitable to his own Quality, and make her a Sharer in his Happiness and Prosperity; so will Christ confer upon sincere Believers a plentiful Share of his Glories and Felicities in Heaven.

Thus, John 14.2, 3. a little before his Passion, in my Father's House, says he, are many Mansions, and I go to prepare a Place for you; and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to my self, that where I am there ye may be also. And in that solemn Prayer to his heavenly Father, John 17.22. The Glo­ry, says he, which thou gavest me I have given them; and Vers. 24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold thy Glory [Page 177]which thou hast given me, i. e. may share in the Beatifick Vision, which is the Summit of all Happiness. And Rom. 8.17. St. Paul says we are joint Heirs with Christ, and if we suffer with him, i.e. still continue faithful Belie­vers notwithstanding the Discouragements and Temptations of the World, we shall be glorified together. And 1 Cor. 14.23. Christ is call'd the first Fruits of a glorious Resur­rection to immortal Bliss, which supposes a general Harvest to follow Christ the first Fruits, afterwards those that are Christ's at his coming. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a Shout, with the Voice of the Arch-Augel, and with the Trump of God, and the Dead in Christ shall be raised first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds, and so shall we ever be with the Lord, 1 Thes. 4.16.17. And if to all this we add, that this intimate Union of Believers with Christ, as of a Wife with her Husband, and these im­mense Privileges that are consequent upon it, will be everlasting; that nothing can put a-sunder whom God has in infinite Mercy joyn'd thus close together, but our wilful Un­faithfulness to this our divine Husband: As it will make up the Account of the Won­ders of God's Love to the Children of Men, and should in Return, make us all over Love and Gratitude to that good God who hath done such great things for us; so it should make us exceeding careful upon no Conside­rations whatever to divorce our selves from [Page 178]this our glorious Husband, but for ever pay all possible Love and dutiful Obedience to him. Which brings me in the next Place to shew, that as the Gospel effects the same Relation between Christ and Believers as Marriage does between a Man and his Wife, and intitles to the like Privileges; so it obliges likewise to the like Duties.

And first, As a Wife is bound to bear un­spotted Love and Fidelity to her Husband, so is every Believer bound to demean himself towards Christ. That is, to love him above all things, and to be intirely his; not to suf­fer his Affections to wander after strange Loves, such as the World and the Vanities of it; not to be debauch'd by the Devil and his Temptations, and share his Heart be­tween Christ and Belial: But, since his Maker is his Husband, Isa. 54.5. as the Prophet Isaiah expresses it, to be intirely faithful to him, and admit no Creature to that Dearness of Affection which he alone should have

For this is that Crime which the Scrip­ture calls spiritual Fornication and Adultery, and which St. Paul told the Corinthians, he began to fear they were guilty of; I am jea­lous over you, says he, with a Godly Jealousie, for I have espous'd you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste Virgin unto Christ: But I fear, lest by any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his Subtilty, so your Minds should be corrupted from the Simplicity, or Purity and Integrity, that is towards Christ, 2 Cor. 11.1, 2. This is that Forni­cation [Page 179]for which Christ will give us a Bill of Divorcement, and for ever put us away from him; depart from me ye cursed, &c. Mat. 25.41. This is in a spiritual Sense, to take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot; and these spiritu­al as well as carnal Whoremongers and Adulte­rers, God will judge. And therefore, as much as it concerns us to continue in this near and dearest Relation to Christ, which is at­tended with such inestimable Privileges; so much it concerns us to bear an intire and un­spotted Love to him; for he hath hought us with a Price, therefore we should glorifie him in our Bodies and our Spirits which are his.

Secondly, As a Wife is bound to submit her self to her Husband, to comply with his Government, and reverence his Person and Authority; so, and much more is every Be­liever bound to do to Christ. That is, to be satisfied with the Disposals of his Provi­dence, to submit to his Guidance and Conduct, to reverence all the Expresses of his good Pleasure, to be in Subjection to his holy Dis­cipline, to have one Will with him, the same Likes and Dislikes, and in no Case to oppose or resist his Sovereign Authority.

This is no more than what the Apostles command from a Woman to her Husband, (as every one that has read their Writings knows very well) and that though they are both alike, frail sinful Mortals, much more then ought we to be subject, and bear the profoundest Reverence to Christ our Saviour, [Page 180]who is the King of Glory, the Son of God, who upholds all things by the Word of his Power and sits on the right Hand of the Majesty on high; whom all the Angels of God worship, and who besides, is most tender and affectionate to us, and his Government directed by in­finite Wisdom.

Thirdly, As a Wife ought not only to be subject to the Disposals of her Husband, and passively obedient, but likewise actively so, and ready chearfully to obey his Com­mands; so ought every Believer to be to Christ.

Indeed, this is the main Tryal of true con­jugal Affection, and is the best Demonstra­tion of the Sincerity of all other Shews of Love and Fidelity, and Reverence and Sub­mission. For where true Love, Reverence and Submission is, a chearful Obedience will surely follow; and on the contrary, where there is no willing chearful Obedience, there is but very little, if any sincere Affection. And therefore, says our dear Lord, if ye love me keep my Commandments: And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say? And of Sarah 'tis said, she obey'd Abraham as well as call'd him Lord. And St. John agreeably, 1 John 2.5. whoso keepeth his Word, in him verily is the Love of God perfected; and hereby know we that we are in him. And therefore, Obedience to the Commands of this our glorious Husband, is above all things necessary to continue that our near Relation to him; and his Command­ments are not grievous, but his Yoke is easie [Page 181]and his Burthen light: And 'twould be strange if we should not obey him, who commands us nothing but what is in its own Nature necessary in order to our Happiness in both Worlds.

In the last place, the Gospel is productive of like Effects to those of Marriage, and from this so near Relation of Believers to Christ proceeds the Increase of such as shall be the Children of God, a numerous Proge­ny to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, and fill up the Vacancies left by the Fall of the rebellious Angels.

Thus our Lord calls the becoming Chri­stian's a being born again, John 3.3. and teaches us when we pray to God to say Our Father. And St. Paul agreeably, in a Quotation from the Prophet Jeremiah, says, as in the Person of God, I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my Sons and Daugh­ters, saith the Lord Allmighty. 2 Cor. 6.18. And the Je­rusalem which is from above, or the Chri­stian Church, is said to be the Mother of us all, Gal. 4.26. and Chap. 3.26. we are all the Children of God by Christ Jesus. And if Children then Heirs, Heirs of God and joynt Heirs with Christ, of that glorious Kingdom of his which is not of this World, but eter­nal in the Heavens. Well therefore may we cry out with Admiration, as St. John does, 1 John 3.1. Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestow'd upon us that we should be call'd the Sons of God! And every Man that hath this Hope in him, of being receiv'd into the Bo­som [Page 182]of his heavenly Father, and seeing him as he is; must purifie himself even as he is pure: And having such glorious Expectations, cleanse himself from all Filthyness, both of Flesh and Spirit, perfecting Holyness in the Fear of God, 2 Cor. 7.1.

This then is the Nature of the Gospel; 'tis as a Marriage between Christ and Believers. There is one thing more to be consider'd un­der this first General, namely, who they are that are admitted to the Joys and Hap­piness of this blessed Condition? They are describ'd in the Parable by the poor and the maim'd, the halt and the blind. And truly, just such was Man's Condition, before God was pleased to call him to this happy Marri­age. Despicably poor we were, and desti­tute of any real Excellency that could re­commend us to the Favour of God; our Souls were like a parch'd and barren Wil­derness, burnt up with vile Lusts and Passi­ons, no Fruits of Holiness appearing, but drawing still nearer and nearer to everla­sting Perdition. Maim'd we were in all our Faculties by our frequent desperate Falls from our Obedience to God, and full of Wounds and Bruises and putrifying Sores; and our best Performances very lame and imper­fect, like the Haltings of a Cripple; and our Understandings withall blinded by the Deceitfulness of Sin, which put out that Candle of the Lord, and made it uncapable of directing us in the right Way that leads to Happiness, so that we lay groping in the [Page 183] Dark, surrounded with Terrors, rack'd by Uncertainties, miserably poor and indigent, and utterly unable to help our selves. When lo! There arose up a Light in this Darkness, and through the infinite Mercy of our God the Day-spring from on high did visit us, we were pitied and commiserated by the Father of Mercies, and in this forlorn Condition, call'd to partake of the ineffable Joys and Felicities that attend the nearest and dearest Relation to the Son of God. The Lord anointed him to preach the Gospel to the poor; he sent him to heal the broken-hearted, to preach Deliverance to the captives, and Reco­very of Sight to the blind, and to set at Liberty them that are bruised, Luke 4.18. And ac­cordingly, he inrich'd our Poverty, restor'd our Sight, heal'd our Bruises, and confirm'd our Strength, and of his Fulness have we all receiv'd; and nothing for the Future can ever make us miserable but our selves

Wherefore, as we should adore and mag­nifie, with all our Souls, the wondrous Goodness and Compassion of God and our Saviour, in receiving such wretched polluted Creatures as we were by Nature, into so intimate a Relation to himself, and making us Partakers of the Comforts of his blessed Spirit in this World, and providing Crowns of Glory for us in the next: So above all things should we dread to fall back into the same Condition again, and work out our Sal­vation with Fear and Trembling. For other­wise, 't would have been better for us never [Page 184]to have tasted of the divine Compassion in so extraordinary a Manner as we have done, and our latter End will be worse than our Beginning.

And thus much for the first thing to be consider'd in this Parable, namely, the Na­ture of the Gospel or Christian Religion, re­presented by the Marriage of a King's Son, and the poor and the maim'd, the halt and the blind being call'd in to partake of the Joys and Festivities of that great Solemnity. I proceed now to the

Second thing to be consider'd, namely, God's great Care in having this Gospel preach'd, this Religion publish'd and made known to all Men, and his repeated Invita­tions to all Men to embrace it; represented by that King's sending forth his Servants to call those that were bidden to the Wedding, and again sending other Servants, and com­manding them to tell those that were bidden, that he had prepar'd and made all things ready, and therefore to urge them to come unto the Marriage.

How great God's Care has been that this Gospel should be publish'd, and how repeated his Invitations to Men have been, that they would embrace it; is evident from the whole Story of the first planting of the Go­spel, and from the Course, that by God's Appointment, has been taken ever since. At first, many were endow'd with very ex­traordinary Abilities for this Purpose, such as the Gift of Tongues, whereby they were [Page 185]enabled wherever they should go, to preach the Gospel to Men in their own native Lan­guage; and a Power of working Miracles to confirm the Truth of their Doctrin; and with this Message and these supernatural Abilities, were they sent to the most re­mote Corners of the Earth; even our Bri­tain, as little known, and as barbarous as then it was, receiv'd, and that very early, the glad Tidings of the Gospel. And for a Supply of the Cortality of the first Teachers of this holy Religion, that no Age might want those that should instruct Men in, and invite them to it, there was an Order of Men set apart on purpose for this great Work, and empower'd to ordain others that should tread in their Steps when they were gone, and those likewise others, and so down successively till Time shall be no more; and as so many Ambassadors from the great King of Heaven to perswade Men to hearken to the Proposals of Reconciliati­on made to them through the Merits and Intercession of his Son, and to partake of the infinite Happiness that will follow upon that blessed Agreement.

These, like the King's Servants in the Parable, are to let Men know, what Bliss will be the Result of their coming to this spiritual Marriage, and entring into so near a Relation to the eternal Son of God; that all things are ready to compleat that glori­ous Solemnity, the Feast prepar'd, the Ox­en and Fatlings kill'd, i.e. Heaven and the [Page 186]ineffable Pleasures of it ready to receive those that shall sincerely enter into this near Relation to Christ, and continue always faithful in it; and in the mean time the se­cret Joys of a good Conscience, and the en­ravishing Expectation of the Time when those Felicities shall be enjoy'd, shall un­speakably cheer and refresh the Soul, and be as so many Antepasts of Glory.

This is like the Course that the Lord took with the obstinate Jews, mention'd Jer. 25.4. He sent unto them all his Servants, the Prophets rising early and sending them, they cry'd, Turn ye again now every one from his evil Way, and from the Evil of your Doings, and dwell in the Land that the Lord hath gi­ven to you, and to your Fathers for ever; for why will ye dye O House of Israel! Many the like pathetick Expressions there are in Scri­pture of God's great Desire of the Happi­ness of Mankind, and as earnest Intreaties that we would accept of those inestimable Favours he would confer upon us, if we were to confer the Favours, and he to receive them.

Now, when we consider the infinite Di­stance between God and us, what despicable Creatures comparatively the best of us are, poor and maim'd, halt and blind, as the Pa­rable expresses it; how infinitely perfect and happy the divine Nature is, and would for ever be, though the whole Creation were annihilated; so that our Righteousness will not reach to him to make any Addition [Page 187]to his Felicity, nor will it be in the least pro­fitable to him that we make our Way perfect; and if we consider likewise our great Rebel­lions against him, obstinately persisted in even until now, the little Desire we have of his Favour, the many Slights that we have made of his Overtures of Peace and the like: We shall soon perceive, that his Mercy is indeed over all his Works, and that his Compassions fail not as long as there is any Hopes of our complying with his gracious Intentions for our Happiness. And such stupendious Goodness as this, to Creatures in our vile Circumstances, can never be enough ador'd and magnifyed. Only let us remember, that the greater the Expressions are of God's Love and Tenderness to Sinners, the greater will be his Anger, the more se­vere his Vengeance to such as finally reject it, and obstinately persist in their Rebellion against him.

The Third thing express'd in this Parable, is what Kind of Reception the Gospel and the Teachers of it are like to meet with in the World, represented by Men's making light of the King's Invitation to the Marriage of his Son, and offering frivolous Excuses, such as of having bought a Piece of Ground, and a Yoke of Oxen, and of having married a Wife, and that these things would engage 'em so that they could not come; and ac­cordingly going their Way, one to his Mer­chandise, another to his Farm, and the rest taking those Servants that came to invite [Page 188]them, and intreating them despightfully and slaying them.

In general, slighting and undervaluing the glad Tidings of the Gospel, was, and is still and is too like to be the Reception of it; Men's Lusts and vile Affections dissuading them from embracing so holy a Religion, and the Evil of their Deeds making them love Darkness rather than this glorious Light, which will discover and reprove them. And Men having so little Relish for the Religion, have as little Respect for those that preach and enforce it, and endeavour to silence and discourage them by their malicious ill Treat­ment of them; like those in the Parable, who took the King's Servants and entreated them spitefully and slew them. And, as in this Case it seems very strange, that those who came upon so friendly an Errand as to invite to the Pleasures and Festivities of so great a Marriage as that of a King's Son, should be treated so inhumanely in Return; so methinks, 'tis as strange, that those whom God has sent to invite Men to their Happiness, and to prepare them for the En­joyment of himself in Glory, should be us'd like so many Enemies, and despis'd as the Pests of Society, and the Offscouring of the Earth.

But so it is too generally, and the Reason must be this, as St. Paul expresses it, we are therefore look'd upon as Men's Enemies because we tell them the Truth. Because we tell 'em they must love God above all things, [Page 189]and not be too fond of the World, and deny and mortifie the unruly Passions and Desires of the Body, and lead this present Life in Sobriety, Righteousness and Godliness, if they hope to partake of the Joys of Heaven; therefore we are the Troublers of Israel, as King Ahab said to Elijah, and as such, made the Object of Men's Scorn and Hate. But, as our Lord takes all the Kindness, Reve­rence and Respect which his Ministers re­ceive as done unto himself (the Treatment of an Ambassador being look'd upon as the Treatment of the Prince that sends him, and we are the Ambassadors of Christ) so on the contrary, he that shall treat despightfully the least of these his Servants, 'twere better for him that a Milstone were hang'd about his Neck, and he cast into the Midst of the Sea. But of this something more in the Sequel.

Let us now consider the Excuses those in the Parable made for their not going to the Marriage of the King's Son (and which are offer'd still by irreligious Men) and the great Weakness and Invalidity of them.

The first two, of having bought a Piece of Ground, and a Yoke of Oxen, and going to see the one and prove the other are much the same, and so shall be consider'd together, and they both amount to thus much, that they preferr'd the minding their own petty Affairs (and which might have been as well let alone till another Time) before that great Honour the King did them in inviting them to the Marriage of his Son: And they [Page 190]might well believe such Excuses would serve to no other Purpose but to provoke the King to Anger, when he should see his Fa­vour made thus light of, and Men's common Business preferr'd before it.

In like manner, too many now-adays are so weak as to plead Business, and the Affairs of the World, in excuse of their great Neg­lect of the things of Religion: Our Callings must be follow'd, Business must be done, our Families must be maintain'd, and there­fore it cannot be expected that we can be much at Leisure for Religion at the present; when the Fatigues of this World begin to be over, and we draw near the other, then we'll give our selves up to the making Pro­vision for it. And this, though few Men will speak it out, is the Sense of too many as is evident from their Practice; and truly some make no Scruple to declare this openly. Now, though it be very true that Business must be minded, and our Families maintain'd, and Industry is as much a Christian Duty as any other, and is it self a Part of Piety; yet it is but a Part, and will not commute for a Neglect of all the rest; nay, this Sort of In­dustry we are speaking of, is one of the least Parts of Piety, and provided the Necessaries of Life are secur'd, 'tis not only lawful, but very commendable to abate of our Industry in the Persuit of this World's Good, and lay it out upon the greater Concerns of the next. Thus when Jesus came to the House of Mar­tha and Mary, and Martha, out of a com­mendable [Page 191]Zeal to entertain him well, was busied in making ready Provisions for him, while Mary set at his Feet listning to his di­vine Instructions; when Martha complain'd to him that her Sister had left all the Trouble to her, and desir'd him to order that she should help her: Jesus answer'd and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is above all needful, and Mary hath chosen that good Part which shall not be taken from her, Luk. 10.40. &c.

And accordingly, in his divine Sermon on the Mount, Mat. 6.24, 25. ye cannot serve God and Mammon, says our Lord; therefore take no Thought, i.e. no anxious, over eager Concern, for your Life, what ye shall eat or drink, or wherewith be cloathed, but Vers. 33. seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you, for your heavenly Fa­ther knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness, let it be your princi­ple Care and Endeavour to be rich towards God, and abound in good Works, and then a moderate Care for the things of this Life, will, with God's Blessing, which alone can give Prosperity, be sufficient. And there­fore, to do as is too commonly done in the World, and first provide, with great Care and Industry, for Abundance here, and then at last think a little of the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness, is such an ungodly and [Page 192]unreasonable Course, as can never end in any thing but bitter Remorse at last, and utter Confusion; so vain and frivolous is this first Excuse Men offer for their not enter­taining Religion so affectionately as they should do, namely, that they have bought Farms and Oxen and must look after them, i. e. are deeply engag'd in the Affairs and Business of this Life.

The other Excuse offer'd in the Parable for absenting from the Marriage of the King's Son, was the having married a Wife; the Man was so taken up with the Pleasures of his own new Condition, that he had no Appetite for those at the King's Son's Wed­ding.

And this, as little of Validity as it has in it, is in Effect very often pleaded by Men, against their medling with Religion at least at present. They are young they say, and in the Age of Pleasure and Jollity; the Enjoy­ments of the World are very sweet to 'em, and Religion is too austere for them as yet; what Pleasures are said to be in it are of a Nature contrary to their Propensions and In­clinations; and therefore they desire to be excus'd if they don't leave these present Sa­tisfactions but enjoy them while they can, and afterwards 'tis likely they may advert to the Pleasures of Religion, which, though they have heard so much Talk of, they can't frame any so lovely Idea of them, as to in­cline them to leave what by Experience they find so grateful to them. And this, not on­ly [Page 193]the Practice of most younger Persons ex­presses, but many are so forsaken of Reason as to own it plainly.

But, since they talk of Experience, I dare appeal even to themselves, whether they have not met with more Disappointment than Satisfaction, from the greatest sensual Pleasures they have enjoy'd? The thing is too notorious to be deny'd; and they tacitly confess it by shifting Pleasures so often as they do, for where there is Satisfaction, what need of Change? And I may likewise boldly assert this, from the Experience of ve­ry many that have tasted both Sorts of Plea­sures, those of the World as well as of Reli­gion, that there is no Comparison between the one and the other, and that the Satisfa­ction that flowes from a sincere Religion, is infinitely to be preferr'd before the most stu­died. Gratifications of Sense; nay, even those Pleasures of Sense relish much better for being season'd with Religion: So that to neglect Religion out of a Fondness for Pleasure, is as if a Man should run from a Fountain because he is parch'd with Thirst. No Pleasures certainly like those of Religi­on, and he that once drinks of those Rivers of Delight that flow from her, will never thirst again after the tainted Puddles of bru­tal Enjoyments, for her Ways only are Ways of sincere and unmix'd Pleasure, and all her Paths are Peace.

But supposing the Pleasures of this World to be indeed as great, as some Men, after all [Page 194]their Baulks and Disappointments, will still fan­cy them to be; and that Religion is an austere and rugged thing, and but little or no De­light and Satisfaction to be met with in the Practice of it; yet, since the Pleasures of the World, how great soever, are very short and momentary, and must certainly die with us, and generally leave us long before we die; and since Religion, how unpleasant soever here, will secure to us the Enjoyment of unconceivable Pleasures that are for ever in the Presence of God: No rational Man but will think it a very childish Excuse for the Neglect of Religion to plead our Fond­ness of the Gaieties and Enjoyments of this World. 'Tis like a Child's slighting a Wedge of Gold, and rather persuing an empty Bubble because it shines and glitters.

So utterly without Excuse are those who despise and reject the Offers of the Gospel and the Invitations to Religion, upon Ac­count of the Riches and Pleasures of the World; or indeed upon any other Account whatever: For, Religion is our cheif Inte­rest, and therefore nothing can stand in Competition with it. Those that put by the Thoughts of it till a more convenient Time, that is, till they are fit for nothing else, are no doubt very highly displeasing to the great Author of it; but those are much more so, who totally and insultingly reject it. To defer the great Business of Religion is a very heinous Provocation; but atheistical­ly [Page 195]to oppose and vilifie it is certainly much worse. Which leads me to the

Fourth thing express'd in this Parable, namely, the Sadness of their Condition, who, when they have heard of, either total­ly reject this holy Religion, and abuse those that invite them to embrace it; or else, though they profess it, are negligent of its Duties, and live not agreeably to it. The first of these is represented by the King's be­ing Wroth with those that made light of and complyed not with his Invitation to the Marriage of his Son, and pronouncing them unworthy of that Favour, and that they should not taste of his Supper, and sending his Servants to invite others to the Wedding; and commanding his Armies to go and de­stroy those Murderers, that had spitefully en­treated and slain his Servants, who brought the gracious Invitation to them, and to burn up their City.

And indeed, well may God's Wrath be kindled against those that reject these won­drous Expressions of his Love, and trample under Foot the Son of God, and despise and vilifie his holy Religion, and undervalue all his Condescentions, and use his Ambassadors despitefully, and call the whole a Trick, a State Juggle, and glory in their Infidelity, and too often blaspheme that blessed Jesus, by whom alone cometh Salvation.

These Men will do well to consider, that if it should prove true, that there is no other Name by which we can be sav'd but that of [Page 196] Jesus, their Case will be infinitely misera­ble who have not believ'd in that Name, but made it their Business to prophane and ridicule it as much as was possible; but should it prove not true, their Belief in it will not at all be injurious to them either in this world or in the next should there be any after this. And therefore, since the witti­est Infidel in the World cannot prove but that 'tis possible, and may be true, that Jesus is the only Saviour of the World, and the Consequence of not believing in him, being so sad should it at length prove indeed to be true; certainly it must be the most prudent Course to be of the surest Side, and embrace that Faith, which if true, is the only Way to Happiness; and if false, will not however leave a Man in any Respect in a worse Con­dition than it found him.

How sad the Consequence will be of not be­lieving in Jesus as the only Saviour of the World, and of rejecting the Religion he taught, is express'd in this Parable by the King's pronouncing those that would not come to the Marriage of his Son, to be un­worthy of that Favour, and resolving that they should not taste of his Supper, and sending his Servants to invite others to the Wed­ding: Which was literally verifyed upon the obstinate Jews, and will be as effectually upon all other Infidels. That is, Men's ob­stinate Infidelity shall at length be repay'd with God's withdrawing that Favour which he so long tender'd them and they refus'd, [Page 197]and putting an End to their Day of Grace and Salvation, and sealing 'em up (as irre­claimable) to Destruction. Because I have called and ye refused (says Solomon, personat­ing Christ or the Divine Wisdom) I have stretch'd out my Hand and no Man regarded, but ye have set at nought my Counsel, and would have none of my Reproof; I also will laugh at your Calamity and mock when your Fear cometh; when your Fear cometh as Deso­lation, and your Destruction as a Whirlwind; when Distress and Anguish cometh upon you, then shall they call upon me but I will not an­swer, they shall seek me early but they shall not find me, Prov. 1.24. The things that belong­ed to their Peace, which once were tender'd and made known to them, shall then be hid from their Eyes. And no Condition can be so miserable as theirs, who by obstinate In­fidelity, put themselves out of all Possibility of Salvation.

The sad Consequence of using those spiri­tual Persons contumeliously and despitefully who come as Ambassadors from God with these glad Tidings of Salvation, is express'd in the Parable, by the King's sending forth his Armies to destroy those Murderers and to burn up their City; which was likewise lite­rally fufilll'd in the Destruction of Jerusalem, and shall be as effectually verify'd upon those wicked Men who vent their Spleen against the Religion upon those that preach it, and vilifie and abuse and trample upon the one because they hate the other. But Ven­geance [Page 198]is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord; and a fiery Destruction, even that of Hell, shall (without a deep Repentance, which we beseech God to grant them) be the Por­tion of those whose Malice was so invete­rate against Men sent from God to invite them to Salvation.

This is the Case of such, as when they have heard, totally reject this holy Religion, and abuse and vilifie those that perswade them to embrace it. And theirs is as bad, who, though they profess it, are negligent of its Duties, and live not agreeably to it: Which is express'd in the Parable by a King's finding a Man at the Marriage Supper that had not on a Wedding Garment, and say­ing unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hi­ther not having on a Wedding Garment? And the Man's being speechless upon it, and the King's commanding his Servants to bind him Hand and Foot and take him away and cast him into outer Darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth.

This is in Allusion to what was customa­ry in those Eastern Countries, the having peculiar florid Sort of Garments, on pur­pose to grace such festival Solemnities, and none being permitted to taste of those Feasts, but who had such Garments on.

So in Christianity, Repentance and Refor­mation of Life are the Wedding Garment, without which none, let them make never so specious Professions, shall taste of that Hap­piness which is propos'd as the Reward of [Page 199]believing in Jesus. Faith without Works is dead; the Soul without Repentance is pol­luted, whatever it professes to believe; and without real and substantial Holiness no Man shall see the Lord. And when at the great Scrutiny in the last Day, God shall take a View of every Man, of the State and Condi­tion of his Soul, that every Man may be di­sposed of according to his Deserts; and shall ask those formal Professors who have liv'd like Heathens, or as if Faith alone could save them, and took no Care of good Works, How came you in hither? How came you into this Society of Christians not having on the Wedding Garment? What will they be able to say in their Excuse? Will they not be like him in the Parable, confounded and ashamed, and utterly speech­less! What will they have to plead in Bar of that dire Sentence which will then be past upon them, bind them Hand and Foot and take them away, &c. certainly nothing, but with inexpressible Horror and Despair and Self-Condemnation must submit to their sad Punishment.

From all this, there is in the last Place this general Observation drawn, that many are call'd, but few chosen. The plain Mean­ing of which, I suppose, to be this.

That though the Gospel is preach'd to Myriads of People, and all that hear of it are invited alike to embrace it, and 'tis God's good Pleasure that all should be sav'd, and come to the Knowledg of the Truth: Yet the [Page 200] most will make a very ill Use of their Li­berty of Choice; and many utterly reject this Invitation; and more, though they do embrace it, yet become never the better for it, by not leading their Lives agreeably to their holy Profession. And by this means, among the many that are call'd, there will be but few that will approve themselves to God as elect or choice and right good Christi­ans, and but few consequently, that will en­ter into the eternal Joy of their Lord; ac­cording to what our Lord said in another Place, strait is the Gate and narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it.

Wherefore, to conclude this Parable. As we have all of us been call'd and invited to a sincere Faith in, and intire Obedience to the holy Jesus, and do make open Profes­sion of such Faith, and Shew of such Obedi­ence; it concerns us as much as our Souls are worth, and as we would avoid that out­er Darkness where is eternal weeping and gnashing of Teeth; to take all possible Care that our Faith be so sincere and lively as to produce good Works, such as may make our Calling and Election sure. Not to rest con­tented with the Form of Godliness, or out­ward Profession of Christianity, but to en­deavour after the Power of it and lead our Lives according to our Belief; to imitate our Lord's most blessed Example, and obey all his holy Precepts, and submit to the Di­sposals of his Providence chearfully, and [Page 201]bear unspotted Love and Fidelity to him through the whole Course of our Lives. And by this means shall we be reckon'd among his choice Jewels, elect and precious, and be receiv'd into the nearest and dearest, and even an inseparable Relation to him; and when this Life's at an End, be condu­cted by his Angels into his glorious Presence, there to share in his Happiness to eternal Ages:

THough the first Intention of this Parable, as may be probably col­lected from the foregoing Chap­ter (which is a Description of the sad State that was e'er long to overtake Je­rusalem for the Jews obstinate Infidelity, and their murdering their Saviour) was to urge the Jewish Christians to a Preparation and watchful Care against that Time of Sorrows; and that they would be so wise as to make Provision for their Safety by be­ing very careful that that Time surprize [Page 206]them, not in wicked Courses; but that liv­ing, like faithful Disciples of Christ, in all Obedience to his holy Commands, his Pro­vidence might watch over them and secure them from perishing in that dreadful Destru­ction: Though this might be the first Inten­tion of this Parable, yet I suppose it design­ed likewise to represent the Necessity of Men's constant Preparation for Death and Judgment, by a sedulous Care and Watch­fulness over themselves, and diligent Pra­ctice of all religious Duties and Obligations; Because 'tis very uncertain when God will summon any of us to leave this World and appear before his just Tribunal, and his Call may be very suddain and unexpected; and because the Consequence of being unready and not fit to obey it, will be inexpressibly miserable. Watch therefore, says our Lord in the Conclusion of this Parable, for ye know neither the Day nor the Hour when the Son of Man cometh,

In my Discourse upon this Parable thus understood, I shall do two things.

First, I shall give a particular Interpretati­on of the Parable, and shew how aptly ex­pressive it is of the Sense our Lord couch'd under it. And

Secondly, I shall urge that upon the Pra­ctice of Christians which is express'd by it; namely, that they would watch and be rea­dy, because they know not the Day nor the Hour.

First, I shall give a particular Interpreta­tion of this Parable, and shew how aptly expressive it is of the Sense our Lord couch­ed under it.

The Parable is an Allusion to a Custom among the Jews, of the Friends and Neigh­bours of the Bridegroom when there was a Wedding, conducting him to the Bride-Chamber with Songs and burning Lamps, and partaking of an Entertainment that was prepar'd for them, and shutting the Door when the Bridegroom was enter'd, to keep out the intruding Rabble, and afterwards ad­mitting none that were not ready to attend him at the Hour he came, which was un­certain. And the Sense which our Lord couch'd under this Representation is this: That 'tis highly necessary every Christian should be always ready and prepar'd by a ho­ly Life, to attend the Call of Christ whene­ver he shall summon him out of this World by Death, in order to his final Judgment; because the Time of that great Summons is so very uncertain; and eternal Happiness or Misery respectively depends upon Men's be­ing prepar'd or not prepar'd for it. Now, how aptly and movingly expressive this Pa­rable is of this Sense will appear from the following Interpretation of it.

By the Virgins in the Parable is represent­ed the Society of Christians, those that pro­fess to believe in, and to be Disciples of the holy Jesus; who, like Virgins; ought to be pure and spotless, innocent and modest and [Page 208] [...] [Page 209] [...] [Page 208] humble, sol [...] and temperate in all things, pi­ous and devout, and the like: And as the Want of these or any of these good Qualifi­cations, is to a Virgin the greatest Blacken­ing and Disparagement, so the Want of them in Christians is likewise the greatest Disho­nour to them; exposes them to the Scorn and Contempt of God and all good Men; ren­ders them unworthy of that holy Name by which they are call'd, and defiles and stains those Souls which Christ purified with his precious Blood, that they might be his own Peculiar, zealous of good Works.

By half of those Virgins being wise and half foolish, is represented the great Diffe­rence there is among those that go under the same general Character of Christians; some vain and idle, careless and unthoughtful, tak­en up with the Gaieties and Follies of the World, lavish of their Reputation, and loose in their Conversation and Behaviour, while others are so wise as to consider the Chara­cter they bear, and live as those that make Profession of Holiness; that is, with Care and Circamspection, Watchfulness, and a di­ligent and attentive Piety: That so they may preserve their Honour and the Dignity of their Profession, inviolate and unstain'd, and be presented as chaste Virgins unto Christ, that divine Bridegroom, whenever he shall come.

By the Lamps of those Virgins, is expres­sed the Souls of Christians, which are to burn with holy Fires of Love and Devotion to [Page 209] God and their Saviour, and make them as so many Lights in this dark and benighted World; for ye are the Light of the World, says our Lord to his Disciples, therefore let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven, Mat. 5.14, 16. That is, as the Souls of Christians are illuminated by the Spirit of him who is the Father of Lights, and in whom is no Darkness at all; as they are warm'd by his Influences who descended upon the Apostles in the Likeness of Fire, and have divine Affections, by his holy Breath­ings inkindled in them; so they should in­fluence the whole Man, and make those that name the Name of Christ like so many burn­ing and shining Lights in the Midst of a crooked and perverse Generation, so many eminent Examples of Piety and real Good­ness; such, as by theis own Practice should re­commend their most hloy Religion, and set before Men's Eyes the Beauty of Holiness by their own Conversation.

By the Bridegroom, whom these Virgins with their Lamps went forth to meet, is re­presented our dear Saviour, that heavenly King's divine Son, for whom he made so glorious a Marriage in the Parable I last di­scours'd of; where the Reasons why the Gospel is compar'd to a Marriage and our Lord to a Bridegroom are particularly insi­sted on. And by going forth to meet this di­vine Bridegroom is signifyed our preparing against his calling us from this World by [Page 210] Death, and providing against his Advent to Judgment; that is, by frequently contem­plating our Mortality, reflecting on the Shortness and Uncertainty of Life, and there­fore making the best Use of our Time while we have it, as not knowing how soon our Breath may be required of us; and because after Death comes Judgment, therefore endeavouring to make ready our Accounts by frequent Self-Examination, and from the serious Consideration of the Terrors of that great Day, and the severe Scrutiny into our Thoughts as well as Words and Actions that we must then undergo, colle­cting with S. Peter, 2 Pet. 3.11. what manner of Persons we ought to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness, that we may be found of the great Judg in Peace, and, as Virgins, without Spot and blameless.

By the Oyl in the Virgins Lamps, and which they took with them in their Vessels when they went to meet the Bridegroom, is represented the Graces and Vertues of Chri­stianity, which are the proper Nourishment of the Soul (that Lamp of the Lord, as Solo­mon calls it) and will brighten and enliven it as Plenty of Oyl does a Lamp, and make the Way of the Just like a shining Light, shining more and more unto the perfect Day; and which, when they fail, spiritual Darkness will follow as in a Lamp gone out: And if the Light that is in you be Darkness, says our Lord, how great is that Darkness! But the Christian Vertues were very aptly represent­ed by Oyl upon these further Accounts.

First, Because Oyl was generally reckon­en in the eastern Countries as a great Part of a Man's Riches; and when they would ex­press great Wealth, they do it by magnifying the Plenty of Oyl. Thus Job, when he re­flected, in his Affliction, upon his former opulent Condition, the Rock (or the stone Jar that was made use of to preserve Oyl in) says he, pour'd me out Rivers of Oyl, Job 29.6. And the Prophet Micah, when he re­presented the Impossibility of appeasing his offended God, even by the most rich and costly Offering, will the Lord be pleas'd, says he, with ten Thousand Rivers of Oyl? Micah 6.7. and in Abundance of Places of Scrip­ture the Increase of Oyl signifies the Increase of Riches. And therefore, to have a Soul plentifully stored with divine Graces and Vertues, whereby we lay up a Treasure in Heaven and become rich towards God, being the greatest and only true and durable Riches; is very aptly represented by having Oyl in our Vessels and our Lamps.

Secondly, Oyl was likewise among the Easterns a Symbol of the greatest Honours, as is evident from the whole Story of the Bible, where we read that at the solemn Consecration and Inauguration of Kings and Priests Oyl was always us'd, and that among the Jews by the Appointment of God him­self; and is still in Use with us at the Coro­nation of our Kings, And therefore, very fit to represent those Christian Vertues which so highly enoble the Soul as to render [Page 212]it like to God, holy as he is holy, pure as he is pure, perfect as he is perfect; and whereby through the Merits of Christ we become Kings and Priests to God, Rev. 1.6. and shall reign with him for ever.

Thirdly, Oyl was an Emblem of Joy and Pleasure, and much us'd therefore in Feasts and Entertainments, as is evident not only from heathen Writers, but from holy Scrip­ture. There we read of the Oyl of Joy and Gladness; and our Lord in his Directions concerning fasting, bids his Disciples not make a vain glorious Shew of it by an affe­cted Sullenness and Down Look, disfiguring their Faces as the Hypocrites did: But thou, when thou fastest, says he, anoint thy Head that thou appear not unto Men to fast; i. e. make Semblance rather by this means, as if thou wert going to a Feast. And David, when he recounts God's Goodness to him, says amongst other things, thou hast prepar'd a Table for me, thou hast anointed my Head with Oyl and my Cup runneth over, Psal. 23.5. which signifies the Happiness of his Conditi­on in general as well as his being advanc'd to the Throne of Israel. Many other Places there are of this Nature; but these are suf­ficient to shew how fitly those Christian Graces are express'd by Oyl, which cause the greatest Joy and Satisfaction to a holy Soul, and the Practice of which is full of Pleasure and unspeakable Delight. Sincere Religion is the most chearing thing in the World, and a good Conscience a continual [Page 213]Feast: Indeed, to rejoyce is only proper for a good Christian, whose Mind is clear and un­disturb'd, and in constant Hope and Expecta­tion of the Happiness of Heaven. But he, whose Mind is rack'd with a Sense of his deep Guilt, and feels the Lashes of an enrag­ed Conscience, and is terrified with the un­expressible Fears of Damnation, has little Reason to have Joy or Comfort in any thing. Oyl therefore, or the Emblem of Joy and Chearfulness, is of nothing more aptly expressive than of the Graces of our holy Religion, whose Ways alone are indeed Ways of Pleasantness and Joy.

By the Virgins all slumbering and sleeping while the Bridegroom tarry'd; is signified the Inadvertency and Frailty of even the best of Men. Because this divine Bridegroom delayeth his Coming, we are all of us too apt to lay aside the Thoughts of it; to think but little upon Death and Judgment as things a great Way off, and for which there will be Time enough to provide hereafter: And for want of due Advertency to these rousing Subjects, we are apt to grow heavy in our Religious Performances, and suffer spiritu­al Drouziness to creep too much upon us. This made holy David call upon God so of­ten to quicken him in his Righteousness; and St Paul to exhort his Corinthians to awake to Righteousness, and thus to rouze the Ephesians, awake thou that sleepest: Eph. 5.14. And in this spiritual Slumber (though the una­voidable Frailty of humane Nature will in [Page 214]Part be accepted as our Excuse by our mer­ciful Saviour, who knows and pities our In­firmities, yet) even the best of us indulge our selves too much, and enter into the Number of the foolish Virgins, and endanger the Extinction of our Lamp through the De­cay of our Virtues, and expose our selves to many Dangers and Temptations, and frequent Falls. For this Inadvertency to that great Truth, that the End of all things is at hand, is one great Reason why even the righteous fall seven times a Day; whereas would we oft­ner set our Lord before us as coming to judge the quick and the dead, and reflect, that per­haps the next Hour our Soul may be required of us by him that gave it, and so an End put for ever to our State of Probation, and an ir­reversible Sentence soon after be pass'd up­on us according to our Deservings; we should not dare to be so often mov'd from our Duty, but be careful and circumspect and always upon our Guard, lest that Day surprize us unawares, and while we drouze away our Opportunity our Lamps go out, and the Bridegroom call before we are rea­dy to enter with him into the Marriage Chamber, and so the Door be shut.

It therefore highly concerns even the best of us, not to sleep as do others, but to watch and be sober, having our Loins girded about, and our Lights burning, as our Lord expresses it, and our selves like unto Men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the Wed­ding, that when he cometh and knocketh we [Page 215]may open to him immediately. Blessed are those Servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find thus watching; I verily I say unto you, Luke 12.35, &c. that he shall gird himself and make them sit down to Meat, and (after the Manner of Bridegrooms) will come forth and serve them; i. e. will impart to them the Joys and Felicities of his heavenly Kingdom. And if he shall come in the second or third Watch, that is, in the Time most addicted to Vanity and Inadvertency, as is Youth and Manhood; Blessed in a more especial Man­ner are those Servants. And what the An­gel said to the Church of Sardis, Rev. 3.2. is very necessary Advice even to the best Man living, be watchful, and strengthen the things that remain which are ready to die; for I have not found thy Works perfect before God. And what our Lord says, Rev. 16.15. de­serves to be seriously consider'd; Behold I come as a Thief, blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments, lest he walk naked and they see his Shame.

By a Cry being made at Midnight, behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him; is very lively and movingly represented, how unexpectedly the Day of Judgment shall surprize the drouzy World, and how sud­dain, for any thing we can tell to the con­trary, the Time of our Death may be, which is to us the Forerunner of it.

Midnight is a Time of great Silence, and destin'd to Rest and a Forgetfulness of the Toils and Troubles of the Day; and then, [Page 216]suddain Outcries and Alarums are doubly scaring and affrighting, and seize with an in­expressible Confusion, Horror and Conster­nation. And thus, when Men are in the Midst of their Wickedness, that spiritual Night, employ'd in Deeds of Darkness, gi­ven up to Ease and Luxury, and forgetful of the great Business of working out their Salvation; then shall that Time of Sorrows steal upon them as a Thief in the Night, the terrifying Cry shall be made, behold, the great Judge of the World cometh, go ye forth to meet him: For when they shall say Peace and Safety, says the Apostle, Then suddain Destruction cometh upon them as Travail upon a Woman with Child, and they shall not escape, 1 Thes. 5.3. Then shall the Kings of the Earth and the great Men and the rich Men, those that were thought happy upon Earth, instead of going out to meet this Judg, hide themselves in Dens, in Rocks and Mountains, and say to the Mountains and Rocks, fall on us and hide us from the Face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb for the great Day of his Wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand! Rev. 6.15, 16, 17.

And no wonder if a guilty Wretch dreads to go meet his angry Judg; and all on the sud­dain, with all his Stains and Pollutions about him, appear before his Tribunal who hateth Iniquity, and into whose Presence no unclean thing can enter: And, who is a consuming Fire, to those who by their obstinate Impie­ties [Page 217]have provoked him to become their Enemy.

And since all this is so, a Man of any Thought, and that has any Apprehension of the sad Condition of being thus surpriz'd and hur­ried into the other World by so quick and unforeseen a Summons (which no Man is sure shall not be his Case, since many have been call'd away with little or no Warning, that have no more expected than we do now) a Man of any Thought and Apprehen­sion of things will surely be mov'd by such Considerations to shake off that fatal Drouzi­ness which too easily besets him, and by a constant Attendance to his Duty and Prepa­ration for his Departure hence, be ready chearfully to obey his great Master's Call, whether at Even or at Midnight, or at the Cockcrowing, or in the Morning, lest coming suddainly he find him sleeping.

By the wise Virgins arising and trimming their Lamps when that Midnight Cry was made, is represented the more than ordinary Care that even good Persons ought to take when by Age or the Violence of any Distem­per the Time of their Departure hence seems to be near approaching, to enliven their Pi­ety; and by putting a Recruit of Oyl into their Lamps, acquiring new Degrees of San­ctity, and warming their Souls with greater Ardors of Devotion and holy Love, pre­pare to go chearfully to meet their Lord. Then is the Time, when every sincere Chri­stian should endeavour to adorn his Soul with [Page 218]all the Graces of the holy Religion he pro­fesses, to improve every remaining Minute of his Time to this best of Purposes, to re­deem the many Hours formerly mispent in Vanity and Folly; and by frequent Con­templation of the infinite Glory, Sanctity and Bliss of that heavenly World to which he then so sensibly draws near, inflame his De­fires of being at the End of his wearisom Journey to it; and fit himself for the spiritu­al unspotted Enjoyments of that happy Place by having as little Commerce as is possible with this World below, and have his Con­versation in Heaven, which will so quickly be the Place of his everlasting Abode.

By the foolish Virgins saying to the wise; give us of your Oyl for our Lamps are gone out, is represented the Want of Preparation among the careless and inconsiderate for this so great and suddain Change; and their mighty Con­sternation upon it, and the vain and insigni­ficant Courses they will take in their Sur­prize, to make up, if possible, their own Defects, by borrowing of others that have Souls better furnish'd with Piety than theirs. And by the wise answering, not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, and bidding them go rather and buy for themselves; is shewn that 'tis utterly groundless to expect at that great Day of Retribution, when every Man shall be rewarded according to his own Works, to fare the better for the Sanctity of others, and that every Man has enough to do to work out his own Salvation, and must [Page 219]keep his Lamp alive with his own Oyl, must nourish his Soul with his own Vertue; for there was never, nor ever shall be any meer Man so holy and excellent but must return this same Answer as the wise Virgins did, to such as should beg them to bestow some of their Vertues or Merits upon them, not so, lest there be not enough for our selves and you.

And if this be true, what will become of the Popish Doctrin of Works of Supererro­gation? If the best Man in the World has but Vertue enough to secure his own Condi­tion (and that through infinite Mercy too, and upon Account of the all-sufficient Merits of Christ) where is there any left for him to bestow upon others? But this is one of those doctrins that bring much Mony into their Cof­fers, and therefore, right or wrong, they'l be sure to maintain it.

By the Bridegroom's coming while those foolish Virgins went about so unlikely an Employment as then immediately to furnish their Lamps with Oyl, which before were unregarded and suffer'd to go out, and the Door before they were provided being shut; is represented, the Invalidity, generally speaking of a Death-Bed Repentance; that 'tis too late to begin to be good when the Bridegrom comes, and those that would enter with him into the Marriage Chamber must be ready and prepar'd by a previous Course of holy Living, and that for some considera­ble Time.

This Hurry of the foolish Virgins at that Time to get Oyl for their Lamps, was on­ly the Effect of the Terrors of that Mid­night Call; had it not been for that, they would have drouz'd on still in their thought­less Way of living, and in all Probability, had it prov'd a false Alarm, they would have return'd again to their Dream of Va­nity, when this their Fright was a little over. And so it is with those that think not of Repentance till Death and Judgment stare 'em in the Face; they are then won­drous sorry for having offended God, be­cause they see they are like to be for ever punish'd for it with the Devil and his An­gels; and wish they had liv'd better, and beg God to forgive 'em, and promise Amend­ment for the Time to come: But all this ve­ry seldom proceeds from Love to God or his holy Religion, as appears by their being as bad as ever, when God has been pleased to restore them to their former Health. But, such Repentance as this is but a Piece of Mockery, and will not be accepted; it must be a real and thorough Change of Mind ex­press'd in an intire Reformation of Life and Manners that will incline God to pardon and forgive. Notwithstanding all the Hurry of the foolish Virgins to get Oyl for their Lamps upon this suddain Notice of the Bride­groom's coming; because their Lamps were before suffer'd to go out, we see the Door was shut upon them.

By the wise Virgins that were ready, their going in with the Bridegroom to the Marriage Feast; is represented the great Happiness of the sincerely good, who by holy living are ready, and prepar'd for their Departure hence into the World of Spirits. That is, as there was great Preparation made to re­ceive the Bridegroom among the Jews and other Easterns, great Joy and Festivity, and which the Children of the Bride-Chamber, or those that attended the Bridegroom, did partake of, singing Epithalamiums or nuptial Songs in Praise of the Bridegroom and his Bride, and rejoycing in their Happiness and wishing them long Prosperity: So, the Joys of the highest Heavens (which are the Mar­riage Chamber of this divine Bridegroom our Saviour) in the Society of innumerable Saints and Angels and glorified Spirits, are prepar'd for those that love our Lord Jesus in Sincerity; and by a constant holy Life, are ready to leave these earthly Habitations, and enter with him into that holy Place: Where they shall enjoy a most blisful Eter­nity, for ever singing Halleluja's to the Praise and Honour of that glorious Name, in which all the Nations of the World are blessed; praising God and saying, Rev. 19.7, 9. Let us be glad and rejoyce and give Honour to him, for the Mar­riage of the Lamb is come, and his Wife hath made her self ready; and blessed are they which are call'd to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. And well is that Care and Watch­fulness and holy Preparation repay'd, which [Page 222]will procure an Entrance into that holy Place, where Christ is sitting at the right Hand of God; and make us Sharers in the Joys of Angels, and in the Happiness of our dear Redeemer!

In the last place; by the foolish Virgins coming after the Door was shut, and saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, and his answer­ing, I know you not; is express'd the sad and remidiless Condition of those whom Death and Judgment surprize unawares, and that are not prepar'd by a holy Life. They may cry, Lord, Lord, long enough in the Bit­terness and Anguish of their Souls, and pro­fess that they believe in him and are his Di­sciples, and call'd by his Name, that they have eat and drunk in his Presence, and that he hath taught in their Streets, and the like: but yet, for all this, without a constant per­severing Piety, Christ will tell them I know you not whence you are, depart from me all ye that work Iniquity.

And, what inconceivable Agonies will those excluded Wretches then be in! What Horror and Despair will then take Seisure of their Souls! What Outcries, what hideous Wailings will there be! How will some frame fruitless Excuses, Lord, we have eaten and drank in thy Presence, and thou hast taught in our Streets, &c. while others, with deep Sighs in vain beg Pity and Commise­ration, of him who never before deny'd it. What intolerable Anguish will they feel, to see those whom they hated and despis'd on [Page 223]Earth, then enter'd into the glorious Mar­riage Chamber of the Son of God; and they themselves, they who are prosperous here, and to all Appearance the Friends and Fa­vourites of the divine Bridegroom, eternal­ly shut out from his Presence and the Joys of those celestial Regions, and left behind in unconceivable Torments, and in the Compa­ny of malicious Fiends and Devils, to linger under an Eternity of Misery! No Words can ever reach those Horrors, nor can our Thoughts conceive them; and may none of us ever be so unhappy as to feel them! But be so wise as to watch and be ready, and have our Lamps burning, and our selves always prepar'd for this great coming of our Lord, for we know not the Day nor the Hour.

And thus have I given a particular, plain and practical Interpretation of this Parable of the Ten Virgins, whereof five were wise and five foolish; and shewn as I went along how aptly expressive it is of the Sense our Lord couch'd under it.

I proceed now to the other thing to be done, which is to urge that Watchfulness and Preparation by all manner of holy living against this coming of our Lord, which is necessary to our being admitted into his Joy; and to shew, how great the Wisdom of so doing is, and how great the Folly of the Contrary: For those that were ready and trimm'd their Lamps are call'd wise Virgins in the Parable; and those that were not ready, and their Lamps out are call'd foolish.

As for the Folly of not taking Care to be ready and prepar'd against that great Change of Death shall come; it is a thing justly to be wonder'd at, that Men who know that one Time or other they must surely die, and are wholly in the Dark as to the precise Time of their Death, and that they must die but once, and that, without any any further Probation, after Death comes Judgment; it is much to be wonder'd at that those who know all this to be true, as Christians are suppos'd to do, should live so much at random, and be so foolishly careless in managing their last Stake, so heedless in doing that well which admits of no Repetiti­on, and which, if done ill they are for ever miserable. 'Tis the very Height of Folly this, and which, one would think, a Man of any Sense could not be guilty of. There is no­thing that Men are more afraid of than dy­ing, and yet, so strangely contradictious are they to themselves, they make the least Pro­vision against this greatest Evil. In other Matters Men are so wise as to endeavour to secure themselves against their Fears; they provide against Poverty by Diligence and Parsimony, against Pain and Diseases by pro­per Antidotes and Preservatives, against the Approach of Enemies by the best Defence they are capable of making, and the like; and this many times when there is only a Probability of these Evils coming upon them: And yet against Death, though they dread it above all things, and know that it will [Page 225] [...] [Page 224] [...] [Page 225] certainly come and are uncertain how soon, they make as little Provision as if they were immortal as the Angels in Heaven, what a Bundle of foolish Inconsistencies is here? They look upon Death as the greatest of Evils, and yet regard it the least of all things; they know it highly concerns 'em to make Preparation for it by a good Life, and they know the sad Consequence if it surprize 'em unawares, and they are not sure they shall not be surpriz'd the next Hour or Minute; and yet for all this they put the evil Day far from them, and by all Arts endeavour to remove such melancholy Thoughts as if they were resolv'd not to avoid but suffer what they fear, and secure to themselves the Mise­ries consequent upon an untimely and unpre­par'd Death. And what is this, but just the same Piece of Folly and Madness, as for a Man because he greatly dreads the Plague therefore to run into an infected House, be­cause he is afraid of Poverty therefore to grow prodigal and squander away what he hath? And what can be more strangely foolish and contradictious than this? Indeed, a Sinners whole Life is the greatest Folly and Contradiction, but 'tis most gross and palpable with Relation to dying; for, because a Man loves his Body, therefore so to indulge it in this World as to make it become eternally miserable in the next, and live in such a Course of sinful Pleasures as will be repaid with a double Death, is unaccountably foolish and against all the Dictates even of natural Reason.

I need not say more I think to expose the Folly of not making Preparation for so great a Change as Death will effect in every Man's Condition; or (in the Phrase of this Parable) of not keeping Oyl in our Lamps, nor watching against the divine Bridegroom's coming, but slumbering in a careless Inad­vertency to those great things of Religion, Death and Judgment, till they overtake us as a Thief in the Night. And from what has been said of the Folly of not preparing for that Time of Terrors and greatest Con­cern to every Man, we may in a few Words collect the great Wisdom of being always in a Readiness to obey the Summons of our great Lord with Chearfulness.

For in short, to be ready and prepar'd to die when God shall please to call us, has all the Wisdom in it of making a constant due Provision against the greatest and most con­cerning Change that can befall us; and which we must certainly undergo, and how soon we know not, and that but once neither, and which will be follow'd by the final Judgment without any new Opportunity being afforded, wherein to amend the Errors of our then irrecoverably past Life: 'Tis to make such a Preparation for this great Change as may render it advantageous to us whenever it shall come, than which no greater Piece of Wisdom can be imagin'd: For that certainly is the greatest Wisdom that makes a Man wise to Salvation.

Wherefore, to conclude this Parable. Since it is appointed to Men once to dye, and after that the Judgment; or, in the Stile of this Parable, since Jesus the divine Bride­groom will one time come to summon every particular Member of the Christian Church, his mystical Spouse, to leave this World and attend him in the World of Spirits, there to partake with him (if ready and adorn'd with the Wedding Garment, and their Lamps burning with the Oyl of Righ­teousness) of the everlasting Felicities of this heavenly Kingdom; or else, if not pre­par'd to appear before him then, to be for ever excluded his Presence, and thrust into the dire Abodes of the Devil and his An­gels: Since this is so, let us all make it our sincere Endeavour, by a serious and hearty Observation of those holy Rules of living which our Lord has mark'd out to us as the Way to Immortality and a Preparation for his Appearance, to be always ready to go out and meet him; that we may enter with him into the Marriage Chamber before the Door be shut, and not hear that dismal Sound, I know ye not, depart from me ye Workers of Iniqutity.

And because this great Coming of the Bridegroom will be but once, for 'tis ap­pointed to Men but once to dye, and after that but one final Judgment; let us by no means trifle away this only Opportunity of working out our Salvation in Folly and Im­pertinency, much less in Wickedness and [Page 228] Vice; but often reflect upon the Agonies we shall feel when we shall find this one only Life which we have so wretchedly mispent, drawing to a Conclusion, and no Hopes of any further Opportunity to recover our selves in, but just as we then are in that deplorable unprepar'd Condition, be hurried away to give Account of our Works. Lord! What Confusion must such wretches feel, what hor­rid Tortures must needs pierce their Souls, to see Hell gaping to receive 'em, and no Possibility of Escape or so much as a Re­prieve, but plunge they must into those Lakes of Fire and Brimstone, which yet they might have avoided if they would?

If this be a Case infinitely deplorable (and if this be not, certainly nothing is) then it nearly concerns us all while we have Time, that is, while this one only Life does last, to make Provision for a happy Departure out of it, by a more holy and circumspect Con­versation in it. And because the Time when this one only Life shall end is wholly in the Dark to us, and we know not the Day nor the Hour when our Lord will come; let this awaken us into serious Thoughts and Resolutions of making the best Use of the remaining Portion of our Lives, and break off immediately our sinful Course of living, lest the Opportunity for so doing be gone be­fore we think of it, and we be surpriz'd in­to endless Misery e're we are aware. Let us always keep our Lamps burning, our Souls employ'd in holy Meditations, and [Page 229]our selves in a Readiness by a good Life; and then, though it is appointed for us all to die, and that but once, and after that the Judgment, and we know not the Day nor the Hour when the Summons shall be given: We may with Comfort wait for our dear Lord's appearing, and say, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly.

THIS Parable was spoken upon oc­casion of a Lawyer's asking our Lord, What he should do to inhe­rit eternal Life? Who, upon Christ's referring him to his own Law, and his Repetition of the two great Command­ments of loving God with all our Hearts, and our Neighbours as our selves, and Christ's returning to him, this do and thou shalt live; being willing to justifie himself, as an Obser­ver of all this, ask'd this further Question, and who is my Neighbour? That so know­ing our Saviour's Sense in that Particular, he might the better make it appear to him, that he not only lov'd God with all his Heart, which he thought he could safely affirm, but likewise his Neighbour as himself; and there­fore stood fair for eternal Life. To this lat­ter Question Jesus answer'd by the Parable above recited, and then ask'd the conceited Lawyer, Which now of these Three thinkest thou was Neighbour to him that fell among the Thieves, the Priest and Levite that were his Country-Men, Children of the same Abra­ham, [Page 234]who yet took no charitable Notice of him, but passed by on the other Side; or the Samaritan, who though a schismatical Stran­ger to the Common Wealth of Israel, and an Enemy to every Jew, yet had Compas­sion on him and reliev'd and succour'd him with Charity suitable to his Distress? To this the Lawyer answer'd as he could not choose but do, he was his Neighbour that shew'd Mercy on him. Then said Jesus im­mediately to him, Go and do thou likewise. Which Words struck home upon his Con­science, that they put a Stop to his intended Justification of himself, and we hear of no further Intercourse he had with our Lord; and may imagine how he sneak'd away asham'd and confounded.

The Design therefore of this Parable is to give us a true Notion of Charity, or Compassion and Relief of such as are in Di­stress; and that both with Respect to the Object of it, and the Manner and Measure of expressing it to such Object. And therefore in discoursing upon this Parable I shall do three things.

First, I shall shew who are the proper Objects of this Sort of Charity, according to the true Sense and Meaning of our holy Re­ligion.

Secondly, How we are obliged to relieve them, in what Manner and in what Mea­sure.

Thirdly, What great Encouragement we have to this excellent Duty, with respect [Page 235]both to this World, and that above; or what a Blessedness it is to be able thus to give rather than receive.

First, As for the proper Objects of this Charity, they are in general the really Indi­gent and Calamitous, and such as are una­ble to help themselves. And that (without excepting any) whether they be Strangers and Foreigners, or Enemies, or Heathens, or Hereticks, or wicked Persons: All that are indeed necessitous and helpless, are made by our holy and most merciful Religion, the Objects of our Compassion and Re­lief. Thus the Apostle, As we have Oppor­tunity, let us do good unto all Men, Gal. 6.10. and our Lord, Do good to them that hate you, Mat. 5.44. and Rom. 12.20. If thy Ene­my hunger feed him, if he thirst give him Drink; and in this Parable our Lord pro­poses to our Imitation the Example of a Samaritan taking great Care of an unfortu­nate Jew, though there could be no greater Enmity than between the Jews and the Sa­maritans, and that grounded upon what of all things makes Ill Will the most invete­rate, Diversity of Opinion in Religion. And indeed, 'twould be a barbarous Piece of Cruelty and Inhumanity, if I should let a Man perish, without any Commiseration or Help from me when I am able to give it him, because he has formerly, it may be, been unkind or injurious to me, or is of a different Religion, and of a Nation that is in Hostility with that to which I belong. [Page 236]This certainly is not doing as I would be done to, nor loving my Neighbour as my self, for every Man in a religious Sense is my Neigh­bour; 'tis more like the Rage of a Tiger than the Bowels of a Man, or the Malice of a Devil than the Charity of a Christian. As for Cha­rity to Strangers and Foreigners, that is expresly commanded in several Places of Scripture, particularly 1 Pet. 4.9. where what we translate use Hospitality one to ano­ther, is in the Original, [...], Be kind to Strangers; Hob. 13.2. and by the Author to the Hebrews, the Probability of receiving Angels unawares in that Disguise (as Abra­ham and Lot did, Gen. 18.3. and 19.2.) is made the Motive to it. And how excel­lent a Piece of Charity this is, and how conducive to the Prevention of much Sin and Misery, I need not spend much Time to prove: There are few that have liv'd any considerable Time in the World, and have seen more Parts of it than one, but have some Time or other, either tasted the Com­fort of an hospitable Disposition or smarted for the Want of it; and such Men are the fittest to tell their Thoughts of either: That is, how inhumane 'tis to be without Bowels to an indigent Stranger, and how happy Man­kind would be in every Place, were the Orders of the great Governour of the World duly observ'd in this Matter. And as for wicked-Persons, who deserve the least Compassion of any, if they are in other Re­spects real Objects of Charity, their Wick­edness [Page 237]must not put a Bar to it; for we are to imitate the Example of the merciful God, who is kind and Beneficent to the unthankful and to the evil.

But all this is to be understood with Re­spect only to the really necessitous and help­less, whose Wants and Calamities are not feign'd; and who are unable to help them­selves to better Circumstances.

For there are a very vile Sort of People, who make a Trade of going about from House to House and with doleful Accents, and a forlorn Appearance and formal Com­plaints endeavour to melt People into Com­passion towards them; who yet are far from being Objects of this Sort of Charity; their Necessities being counterfeit, or at least they being very well able to supply them by their own Labour if they would: 'Tis well known how gainful they make this lazy Course of Life, how unwilling they are to work when any would employ them; how much abominable Debauchery there is in those vagrant Societies, and how great a Pest they are to the Publick; they being no better than a Band of Villains and Robbers, and unprofitable idle Drones, that live upon the Labour and Spoil of others, and are no Way useful or serviceable themselves: And therefore to relieve their pretended Ne­cessities, is to encourage the worst Men liv­ing in a Course of Life highly dishonourable to God, injurious to the State, and ruinous to their own Souls. Nay further, 'tis to [Page 238]deprive those that indeed deserve our Chari­ty of considerable Supplies, which are, though insensibly bestow'd upon those vile Wretches; and were it computed, what some charitable Persons give in a Year in Mony to common Beggars at their Doors or otherwise, 'twould amount to a Sum big enough to cheer the Hearts of many Father­less and Widows, and decay'd Houskeepers that are in greater Want than those Vagrants, though not so whining and so affectedly na­sty and ragged. And 'twould be worth while for a Person that has us'd hitherto to scatter his Charity among those counterfeit Objects of it, to try the Experiment what such Gifts would amount to in a Twelve Month's Time, by laying aside what he would otherwise have bestow'd that Way, whenever he is importun'd by such Wretch­es for an Alms; and then see whether he can't dispose of it to better Purpose.

Indeed, Labour and Correction is the best Sort of Charity to such Kind of Beggars. And would Men in Authority resolve to do their Duty in this Matter, and other Per­sons resolve to send such Vagabonds away empty, and with Reproof and Shame, the Case would soon be altered, and they would find it better to work than starve, and look upon honest Industry more eligible than the Lash. Much Wickedness would by this Means be prevented, and it would be a double and treble Charity; 'twould provide for the Happiness of both Body and Soul of [Page 239]such as should be reformed by it from such a hellish Course of Life; 'twould be a great Benefit to the Publick, and Men would find themselves more able to support such as are really oppress'd with Want, and utterly un­able to help themselves. And such Behavi­ours as this to sturdy Vagrants, however harsh and severe it may seem to some indi­screetly compassionate Persons, is plainly commanded by the great Apostle, 2 Thes. 3.10. He that will not work, neither let him eat. He that Will not work, that is, that appears to be able to labour but rather chuses an idle wandring Life; and there is not One in Twenty of our common Beggars, but are of this Sort, hail and lusty and strong, and in more Heart and better fed than many ho­nest and industrious People: And they that can travel as they do around the Kingdom, we can't suppose, whatever they may pre­tend, to be incapable of Labour.

Indeed, sometimes a real Object of Cha­rity may present it self at ones Door or A­broad, such as the blind and aged and maim­ed, and the like, and these, no Question, ought to be reliev'd; but there being so many Counterfeits, and the ill Consequence of mis­placing ones charity upon them being so very great; He is very indiscreet in bestowing his Alms that will not be first very well satisfi­ed whether they are what they pretend to be, and deserve his Charity or no.

But this Severity must be used with Pru­dence, and he that does deserve Correction as [Page 240]a Vagrant, may yet by some calamitous Ac­cident in following his lew'd Trade, be at present in urgent Necessity of Relief; and here the Way is, first to supply the Necessity, and afterwards in due Time to superadd the Correction. For I must let no Man, how wicked soever, perish if I can prevent it; and as I am in Charity bound, by Severity when the Man is able to bear it, to provide for the Safety of his Soul, so by a timely Re­lief likewise when there is urgent Need of it to support his Body.

So that upon the Whole, all that want are to be releiv'd, but 'tis after a different Man­ner, and the Charity must be adapted to the Necessity; to the Widow and the Fa­therless, the Naked, the Hungry, the Sick and the Helpless must be ministred Comfort and Support; but to sturdy lazy Travellers (as they call themselves) the Lash and Labour and rough Treatment; and this, however harshly it may sound, is the greater Charity of the Two.

And thus much in general for the first En­quiry occasion'd by this Parable, viz. who are the proper Objects of this Kind of Charity, according to the Intent of our holy Religion, or in the Words of the Lawyer to our Savi­our, who is our Neighbour in this Respect? I proceed to the

Second Enquiry, How we are oblig'd to express this Charity to the proper Objects of it, in what Manner and in what Measure? And in general, as to the Manner of reliev­ing, [Page 241]it must be adapted to the Necessity to be relieved; and as to the Measure, it must likewise be suitable to the Degree of the Necessity, and to the Ability of the Person that relieves it. But, to do Justice to this Enquiry, we must be more particular, and shall therefore reduce the Necessities of the Objects of our Charity to these three Heads; Poverty, Sickness, and Loss of Liberty, and shew the Manner and Measure of relieving each.

As for Poverty, it may be of several Kinds, and may consist either in Want of Meat and Drink, or of Cloaths, or of a Ha­bitation, or in a forlorn Widow-hood, and Loss of Parents; i. e. in such an urgent Want of Necessaries for Life as the Per­sons are utterly unable, at least for the pre­sent, to supply themselves withal, and such a Loss of Husband or Parent, as leaves de­stitute of such Necessaries, and of Means to procure them.

Now in case of such Poverty, the Relief must be suited to the most urgent Necessity; he that is hungry must be supplied with Meat, and the thirsty with Drink, the nak­ed with Cloathing sufficient to keep out the Injuries of the Weather, Strangers and di­stress'd Travellers with Lodging, and Wi­dows, and such as have been House keepers but are fall'n to Decay, with convenient Habitations, and a competent Subsistence; and the Fatherless with good Education, and a Paternal Care in disposing of them to [Page 242]Trades and Employments, whereby they shall be enabled to provide for themselves. And if any should be so destitute of all Com­fort as to want most or all of these Necessa­ries, they must be supply'd with all, begin­ning with that of which there is the most need; or else with a competent Piece of Mo­ny, Eccles. 10.19. which, as the wise Man says, answers all things. But this last must be understood only with respect to a poor Man that is in such Circumstances, as that, he can, with­out any great Inconvenience, shift for him­self; and with the Mony given him provide what is necessary: But when a Man is in such present urgent necessity, whether of Food, or Drink, or Rayment, or Lodging, or the like; that he will be in great Danger of perishing, if his Wants be not quickly sup­ply'd, and the Distance from publick Places of Entertainment great, and the Season ex­treme; in these and the like Circumstan­ces, 'twould be but a mock piece of Charity to give Mony and take no farther Care of him; there must be particular Provision made for such a Man's particular Wants, and that immediately and without Delays. Thus for Instance, suppose a poor Man should come to any one's House in a sharp Winter, and dark Night approaching, cold and faint, and hungry and weary, and beg for Admit­tance, and that Pity might be had of his sad Condition, and some Releif afford­ed him; and suppose the Master of the House should refuse to take him in, or let [Page 243]him refresh himself with him, but withal give him a Piece of Mony, and tell him that two or three Miles off there is a Town, where for that Mony he may have Supply of his Wants, and so send him away; and suppose this poor Wretch should either faint by the Way or miss of it, and in the weak Condition he is in, be forced to lie abroad, and by the Morning be found quite over­come by the rigorous Season, and starv'd to Death: In this Case what will the Man's dry Charity avail him? Or rather, shall he not answer for the Death of that distress'd Creature, when he could have prevented it but would not?

The Manner of the good Samaritan's re­lieving and succouring the unfortunate Jew in the Parable, though by his different Way of Religion, quite estrang'd from the Jews, is a remarkable Example of a thorough Cha­rity. When he came near and saw what a sad Condition the Thieves had lest the poor Man in, despoil'd of his Mony and his Cloaths, and wounded and left half-dead; he first applies himself to the Relief of the greatest Necessity, and binds up his Wounds, pouring in Oyl and Wine. And then, not thinking that a sufficient Charity to a Man in his Condition, he set him on his own Beast, and brought him to an Inn, and took farther Care of his Refreshment, and stay'd there with him till the morrow to see that he had what was convenient for him; and because his perfect Recovery would be a [Page 244]thing of Time, he leaves Mony with the Host, and a Charge to look well after him, and promises that whatever was spent more upon that poor Man's Account, when he came again he would repay. This was in­deed a compleat Relief, and manag'd with as much Discretion as Compassion, and our Lord's Application is, Go and do thou like­wise. In all Cases of this Nature, the Cir­cumstances of the poor must be consider'd, and the Relief suited accordingly.

2. As to the Manner of expressing our Charity to the sick, 'tis in short to make fre­quent Visits of Comfort to them, to refresh their Spirits by Pious Discourses of the Power and Goodness and Wisdom of that God who sends the Affliction, who can re­move it if he thinks fit, and whose chastning is an Argument of his Love; and that if he still continues it, his Wisdom sees it will be for the best at last; that so they may be in­clin'd to hope and trust in God, and pati­ently submit to his good Pleasure: And 'tis to supply likewise what is necessary for their Attendance and Recovery. The poorer sort should express their Charity in this In­stance by personal Attendance and Service; and the more wealthy by providing things necessary, and overlooking and directing to what is convenient. And this is a most no­ble Piece of Charity, and provides for the Health of the Soul as well as the Body, and nothing can be more seasonable and well-tim'd. For in Time of Sickness the whole [Page 245]Man is dejected, and the Spirit which should bear up his Infirmity, is then it self, for the most part, wounded; through the near Pro­spect of the other World and the bold Ac­cusations of Conscience, which then, unless quite sear'd is loud and clamorous. Then the Man is least of all able to help himself, and the Charge of Sickness is great, and he that was poor in Health, when sick is doubly poor; and indeed there is no greater Object of Pity and Compassion than a poor sick Man. And as all Charity must be universal without excepting even Enemies; so in this case, our Enemies should be the Objects of our Charity to choose. For upon a sick-Bed 'tis most likely that they will be reconcil'd, and 'tis highly necessary than then they should be; for Sickness often ends in Death, and no Man can tell but that Sickness which his Enemy then lies under may be his last: And 'tis a miserable thing to die in Enmity. And therefore, before it be too late, whoever is at variance with a sick Man should go to him and endeavour a Reconcilement; if he hath injur'd the sick in any respect he should ask his Pardon, and make him Satisfaction and Restitution; and if the sick Man has in­jur'd him, he should go to him to let him know that he freely forgives him, and desires that all Ill-Will may be at at End for the fu­ture. And at that Time, when the Spirit is usually more softned and compliant than in Health, and the Soul more awaken'd and sensible of her Duty, 'tis very probable he [Page 246]will hearken, and the Man will gain his Brother. And 'tis a great Charity indeed to ease a sick Man's Mind of the devilish and tormenting Passions of Malice and Re­venge; it provides for Peace and Amity for the future should he recover, and should he dye, it makes his Account much easier at the Day of Judgment.

3. As for Charity to such as are depriv'd of their Liberty, the Manner of it consists in visiting and discoursing comfortably to them, and in endeavouring by the best Me­thods we can to procure their Enlargement; and in the mean time, in helping them to Necessaries, and perswading their Keepers to be kind to them, and use them tender­ly. And if they are imprison'd for Grimes, 'tis to endeavour to make them sen­sible of the Guilt of them before God, and that unless they sincerely repent of them, an eternal Bondage in Chains of Darkness, and in the lowest Hell, shall come in the Place of the Dungeon, their Iron Shackles, and temporary Confinement. And the Objects of this Piece of Charity are as before all, Enemies as well as Friends, Strangers and Foreigners, as well as Neighbours and Ac­quaintance.

Under this Head of the Manner of ex­pressing our Charity to the Necessitous, it is proper to enquire what Preference may be made of one Object of Charity before ano­ther, if more should offer themselves than one Man can relieve, at least at the same [Page 247]time? For our Direction in this matter, St. Paul has left us two general Rules, the one, Gal. 6.10. where he says, as we have Op­portunity let us do good unto all Men; but espe­cially to those that are of the Houshold of Faith, in which we are taught to prefer Christians before Heathens and Infidels, when there is no Help but one must be preferr'd; and among Christians, to prefer in like Circum­stances the pious and sincerely good, before such as live not agreeably to their holy Pro­fession, for such only as have the Power of Godliness, are properly of the Houshold of Faith. The other Rule is in 1 Tim. 5.8. in these Words, If any provide not for his own, especially those of his own House, or Kin­dred, he has denyed the Faith, &c. and here we are directed, if a Preference must be made, to make it in Favour of our Friends and Relatives before such as are Strangers to us.

But these Rules must be thus explained. As first, where 'tis impossible for us to com­ply with all Opportunities of doing good, there this Preference is to be made; but when we can we must do good to all. And secondly, When the Necessities of pious Chri­stians, and our Friends and Relations are equally great and urgent with those of the im­pious and Strangers to us, there likewise our Charity should begin at Home: But thirdly, when the Distress of an Ill Man or a Stranger is greater and more urgent than that of a good Man or my Friend and Relative, so [Page 248]that the former will be in danger of perishing unless immediately reliev'd, and the latter will not, but may safely tarry longer: Then there must be no Respect of Persons, but the greatest Necessity, where-ever it be found, must be first reliev'd.

I shall add but one thing more relating to the Manner of expressing our Charity, and that is what St. Peter advises, 1 Pet. 4.9. that it be done without grudging. The Word in the Original is [...], which signifies murmuring, or an unwillingness in do­ing any thing, as if 'twere torn and forc'd from one, rather than proceeded from a free Inclination. And this hateful churlish way of Alms-giving, St. Paul likewise ex­presly forbids, and says, our Charity must not be shewn grudgingly, 2 Cor. 9.7. or as of Necessity, and Rom. 12.8. He that sheweth Mercy, let him do it with Chearfulness; according to the Example which God himself hath set us, Who giveth to every Man liberally, Jam. 1.5. and up­braideth not.

And here, I can't but admire and adore the infinite Goodness of God; who has not only oblig'd us to the Substance of this Duty, but has so order'd the very Circumstantials of it; that the necessitous may be reliev'd with as much Decency and Ease to themselves as can be, and the Alms of others look ra­ther like their own Propriety, as the Pay­ment of a Debt, or restoring of a Pledge, or bestowing a Reward; and that their Souls might not be griev'd by Frowns and [Page 249]Taunts, and unkind Language, when they receive Supply for the Needs of their Bo­dy! For Man as well as God loves a chearful Giver; and a Benefit that comes hardly, and with Shews of Unwillingness, is much lessen­ed in its Value; and a Man of a generous Spirit would prefer a Mite given with a free Heart and Words of Kindness, before the Largess of an Emperour, if he must suffer Up­braidings for it, and opprobrious Treatment. Super Omnia, Vultus accessere Boni, says Ho­race: All the Delicates at his Friends Enter­tainment would have relish'd but very indif­ferently, had not a chearful Countenance as­sur'd him of his Welcome. And if a free Cha­rity be given in secret too, Mat. 6.4. as our Lord him­self directs, the poor Man will not be so much as put to the Blush for what he re­ceives; and will come short of the rich in nothing that is necessary, and be free from the Vexations that attend an opulent Condition; and the Advantage of the Wealthy over the Poor would then consist chiefly in this, That they are by God's Providence enabled to be the Supporters of the weak; it being accord­ing to the Words of the Lord Jesus, Acts 20.35. more blessed to give than to receive: Especially if we in the

Next Place, consider the Measure of this Charity. And in general, it must be equal to the Necessities of the Poor, or at least agreeable to every Man's Ability. A great Necessity must have a great Supply; as sup­pose a whole Family be in want, the Relief [Page 250]ought to be greater than to a single Person: If a Forreigner is distress'd and has not where­withal to carry him to his own Country, he should be more plentifully reliev'd than a Traveller that is in his Native Country and has comparatively but a little Way to go. He that is a Prisoner or Captive for a great Debt or Ransom, should receive more li­berally of our Charity than one that may be releas'd for less; the Necessities of a poor Man that is sick being doubly great, the Re­lief that is given him should bear Proportion, and be more liberal than ordinary: And the more dangerous and lasting, and consequent­ly chargeable the Sickness is, the Charity should rise the higher still, and greater Care be had of him, and Visits oftner made to him. He that is utterly helpless and uncapa­ble of working, ought to receive more largely of our Charity than one that is in some Measure able to help and provide for himself. In these and all other Cases of this Nature, he that has the greatest need must have the greatest Supply; and he that has the greatest Ability, his Charity must be an­swerable, and he must give most. But to prevent all unnecessary Scruples in this Mat­ter, we should remember, that Charity does not consist in an Indivisible Point, less than which shall not be accepted; for a Mite given with a free Heart and good Intention by a poor Widow that could afford no more, was not only accepted, but the Charity high­ly commended by our Lord himself, and no [Page 251]doubt but was crown'd with a great Re­ward. The general Rule in this Case is that of the Apostle, 1 Pet. 4.11. As every Man has receiv'd the Gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God. That is, every Man's Charity must be proportionable to his Ability; he that has much must give plen­teously, and he that has little must chearfully give of that little; and no Man that has any Share in this World's Good, must wholly shut up his Bowels of Compassion from his Brother that hath need. Remembring, That he that soweth sparingly, 2 Cor. 9.6. shall reap sparing­ly, and he that soweth plenteously shall reap also plenteously. So that according to the Order of our good Creator, we see Riches are like our Blood, to circulate, and ought to be con­vey'd in due Proportions to every Part of the great Body of Mankind: The greater Channels are to supply the lesser, and the fuller they are the more they must communi­cate: And none must presume upon Pain of the worst of ill Consequences to stop this Course, or divert it to unprofitable Uses.

When our own Needs and those of our Relatives, are modestly and reasonably satisfi­ed and provided for, all the rest God gives us to bestow upon the poor and needy, 'tis their Inheritance; and we shall be unjust in our Stewardship if we with-hold it from them. And, in the Words of the excel­lent Bishop Taylor, Certainly there is not any greater Baseness, than to suffer a Man to perish [Page 252]or be in extreme want of that, which God gave me for him, and beyond my own Needs. And it must ever be remembred, That as Men's Estates increase, their Charity must in due Proportion increase likewise; it must not lie an useless Lump in a Chest, or be improv'd only to increase the Hoard, or mi­nister to Luxury and Excess, or the Extrava­gancies of a prodigal Heir; but this Blessing of God must be distributed according to the Will of God, to sweeten and alleviate the Miseries of Man.

And now, would Men but act according to this their Duty, what abundant Supply would there be for the Necessities of every one? That of Isaiah 49.9, 10. would then be literally fulfill'd, Say to the Prisoners, Go forth, to them that are in Darkness, shew your selves; they shall feed in the Ways, their Pa­stures shall be in all high Places. They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the Heat nor Sun smite them; for he that hath Mercy on them shall lead them, even by the Springs of Waters shall he guide them. How many bit­ter Complaints, how many Sighs and Tears, how much Misery, and how much Sin would by such Charity be prevented? How many more might most Men relieve than they do? How very many might a Man of a large Estate take care of, and what vast Numbers of poor might have a very comfor­table Subsistence, if all such Men would con­scientiously perform their Duty in this Mat­ter? And with what Ease might this be [Page 253]done too? That which is every Day squan­der'd away to no Purpose, or consum'd in Vice and Vanity, could it be computed, would amount to a prodigious Sum; and were but so much bestow'd in Charity by eve­ry rich Man, as heedlesly and unaccounta­bly slips from him, how many would enjoy a comfortable Maintenance, who now want Necessaries, and are ready to be starv'd, and all the while the rich Man be not discerna­bly the poorer for it? And if so little when rightly dispos'd of would go so far in this blessed Work, what happy Effects should we soon see, if Men of large Possessions would be perswaded to obey their great Be­nefactor, and give largely of their Abun­dance! And in order to this they would do well to remember, that Riches are not pro­perly and intirely Men's own, but Talents committed to them by God to improve, and lay out to his Glory. That 'tis he that is the great Lord and Proprietor of all, and Men, how opulent soever, no other than his Stew­ards; inrich'd on purpose that they may sup­ply those that have need, and take care that none in this great Family of the World pe­rish for want of what is needful for their Sup­port: And that, of the Discharge of this their Steward-ship, they must render an Ac­count at the Day of Judgment, the general Audit of all Mankind; and then, the faithful and good Stewards, that have fulfill'd their Lord's Command, and gave the poor of this great Family, their Portion of Meat in due Sea­son, [Page 254]shall be receiv'd into their Master's Joy: But the unfaithful and wicked Stewards, that were cruel and hard-hearted to their fellow-Servants, and only feasted and pamper'd themselves, grew excessive and luxurious with their Lord's Allowance, and did eat and drink with the Drunken; their Lord will come in a Day when they look not for him, Luk. 12.42. and cut them asunder, and appoint them their Portion with Unbelievers, where shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth.

And thus much may suffice to be spoken to the second Enquiry, How we are to ex­press our Charity to the proper Objects of it, in what Manner, and in what Measure?

But before I proceed to what remains to be done according to the propos'd Method, I think it will not be amiss to enquire whe­ther in the Expresses of our Charity to the sick, Danger of infection will not excuse from visiting them?

To this I answer, first in general, that Danger of Infection will not excuse all from visiting the sick: For 'twould be strangely inhumane, and contrary to this Christian Pi­ty and Compassion which we are now dis­coursing of, to desert a poor helpless Crea­ture in his greatest Necessity, only because there is a Probability of falling into the like Calamity: And would any Man be willing to be serv'd so himself? Some then ought, even in Case of Contagion, to visit and attend the sick; but who are they, for every one will be ready to shift it from himself?

In the first place, I think the nearest Rela­tions of the Party ought to do it, for they have a double Tye upon them, that of Nature as well as of Religion; and among these Re­lations, those that are the most disengag'd from Business and the Affairs of this World, and have therefore the least Obligation to come into other Company where there may be Danger of spreading the Infection further; and likewise such as have the fewest Depen­dents upon them: That is, Private and sin­gle Persons are oblig'd to this Duty before those that are of more publick Callings, and have Families; and among these, he that is most free and disengag'd, and capable withal, is the most oblig'd. If there be no Relations of the infected Person (whether he be Poor or Rich, Friend or Enemy, Good or Bad, the Case is the same) or none that will venture upon such hazardous Atten­dance; I think the nearest Neighbours are oblig'd to do it; i.e. the single, and disen­gag'd from a Necessity of publick Converse: For those that have Wife and Children and Families, their Charity must begin at home, to take care of their own Relatives is the prime Obligation; and the Safety of a whole Family is in most Cases to be preferr'd to that of a single Person. And those whose necessary Employments call them into much Company, are bound to avoid what would endanger their bringing Infection to that Company, and that for the same Reason as before, because the Safety of many is gene­rally [Page 256]to be preferr'd to that of one: And those upon whose Life depends, under God, the Maintenance and Support of divers Per­sons, for the sake of those Persons, should be very careful to preserve themselves. On­ly this ought to be observ'd by such as upon these and the like Accounts, cannot personal­ly visit and attend the infected Person, viz. That they take great care to procure others that may do it; and, according to their Abi­lity, and the Wants of the Person, to send Supplies of all things necessary. And there are very many, who, though they will not venture their Lives for Conscience sake, and to gain the Reward of being merciful in the other World, yet for Mony they will do it; and therefore such Encouragements must not be wanting from those that are of Abi­lity.

As for Physicians and Clergy-Men, whose Professions engage them to converse with great Numbers of People; how far they are oblig'd in this Matter, I think may be re­solv'd thus:

If only one Person in a Parish or Neigh­bourhood, or but a few in comparison with the whole Body of Men, be contagiously sick; to me it seems, that neither Physician nor Divine are in such case oblig'd personally to visit them, but rather to forbear, and only to convey to them, by other Hands, what is needful for their Bodily and Ghostly Health respectively. The Reason is, because the Physicians and Divines being often sent for [Page 257]to divers Families, must either not go after they have visited an infected Person, and so neglect their Duty, and many suffer, and some perish for want of their Assistance; or, if they should go, would very probably en­danger the whole Neighbourhood: And therefore, the Safety of great Numbers of People being to be preferr'd before that of one or but a few, they ought, I think, in this Case to keep at distance.

But when a Contagion spreads so that it becomes epidemical, and the greater Number of Persons are seiz'd with it, then the Case is alter'd, and then I think both Physicians and Divines are bound to visit personally. For in such Case, to send Relief by other Hands, whether Medicines or ghostly Com­fort and Advice; would, by reason of the Numbers of the sick, become impracticable; and 'twould be unreasonable for the sake of a few that were well, to deprive a greater Number that are sick of the great Benefit of personal Visits of Physicians, which for ma­ny Reasons prove more effectual than pre­scribing at a Distance; and of the Comfort of the Prayers, and more close and particu­lar Discourses of Divines, which no doubt are much more beneficial, and make a deep­er Impression upon the Soul, than several Advices and Exhortations sent in Writing.

And Divines in this Case seem to be more oblig'd than Physicians (though the Obligation is very strong upon Physicians too) and that because the Safety of the [Page 258] Soul is infinitely to be preferr'd before that of the Body, And if it perishes it perishes for ever, and will at length involve the Body too in the same eternal Ruin. And, for a Shep­herd to desert his Flock in their greatest Ne­cessity, to leave the Care of their Souls when there is the greatest Need of his Help, and the infernal Lyon roaring about seeking whom he may devour: This, I think, is the greatest Barbarity, and most base betraying that great Trust, that is possible.

The good Shepherd, says our Lord, giveth his Life for his Sheep: And he, the great Shepherd, and Bishop of our Souls, set the Example; but the Hireling fleeth because he is a Hireling, and careth not for the Sheep, and the Wolf catcheth and scatters and devours them, John 10.12, 13. We should remem­ber, that God is infinitely powerful, and can protect, even from the noisom Pestilence, if he thinks fit; and nothing more intitles a Man to the peculiar Protection of the All­mighty, than a faithful Discharge of his Duty. And, however it may fare with us here, there is a glorious Recompence reser­ved for so great a Charity in a better World.

Proceed we now to the third and last thing to be done upon this Subject, which is to shew, what great Encouragement we have to this excellent Duty of Charity, or what a Blessedness it is to be able thus to give, ra­ther than to Receive; and that both with Re­spect to this World and that to come.

For, in the first place, with Relation to this World, What can be a greater Pleasure to a Generous Spirit, than to be the Happy Instrument of rescuing others from Misery and Want, from perishing with Hunger, or by other Calamities, and restoring 'em to Life and Comfort, and Health and Liber­ty? What Delight more high and noble, than that which will arise from our changing the Sighs, and Groans, and Laments of the Miserable, into Rejoycings; and the Curses and horrid Blasphemies, and impious Refle­ctions upon Providence, utter'd by those whom Extremity of Poverty has made de­sperate; into Praises and Blessing of God, and Acknowledgments of his Goodness and Care of the Children of Men?

What can cause greater Complacency and Satisfaction in the Soul, than for a Man to be as a Father to the Fatherless, not only in maintaining them, but in providing for them good and pious Education, and honest Trades, whereby these very Children be­come Men of Probity, and useful to the State, who otherwise, if left at loose and unregarded, would in all Probability have been the Pests and Disturbers of the Com­munity: Miserable themselves, and the Oc­casion of much Misery to others? And what more grateful to a pious Man, than to re­lieve the forlorn Poverty of such as are at once depriv'd of their Husbands, and the Means of providing for their Families, and to be blessed by those that were ready to pe­rish, [Page 260]and cause the Widows Heart to sing for Joy? Job 29.31. This is pure and undefil'd Religion, says St. Jam. 1.27. James, to visit the Fatherless and Wi­dows in their Affliction; nay, 'tis a near Re­semblance of the Charity of God himself, Psal. 146.9. who preserveth the Strangers, and relieveth the Fatherless and Widow.

And indeed, every Expression of Mercy and Compassion resembles us to God, whose Mercy is above all his Works; and to the Compassionate Jesus, who so pitied the mi­serable Estate of Mankind, as to leave his Father's Glories, and take on him the Form of a Servant, and suffer in our stead, that we might be Partakers of Life and Pardon, and Immortal Happiness, and who went about doing Good all the Days of his Humilia­tion. And certainly, to be like God, and the great Redeemer of the World, Christ Jesus, and that in the most Amiable and Glorious Persection, must needs fill a Man's Breast with Heavenly Joy, since the Happiness of that blessed place consists in the Souls being trans­form'd into the Divine Image and Likeness from Glory to Glory, 1 Joh. 3.2. 2 Cor. 3.18.

But Secondly, (and which, with some may be the most prevailing Argument) there is great Encouragement to Charity, with Relation to this World, because 'tis the most thriving of all Christian Graces, and is always attended with Prosperity, and a Blessing.

David says expresly, Psal. 37.25. I have been Young, and now am Old, and yet saw, [Page 261]never the Righteous forsaken, nor his Seed beg­ing their Bread, i. e. as it follows in the next Verse, the Righteous Man that is ever merciful and lendeth: And not only himself, but his Posterity is blessed. And this, a learned Author of our own, Dr. Ham­mond, Pract. Cat. Lib. 3. Sect. 1. Extends to all Ages, and challenges any Historian of Past, or Observator of present Times to give one Instance of any Christian Alms Giver, that ever brought himself or his Posterity to Want, nay, that did not thrive and prosper the better by that means. And this is confirm'd by Solo­mon, Prov. 11.24, 25. There is that scatter­eth and yet increaseth, and there is that with­holdeth more than is meet, and it tendeth to Po­verty: The Liberal Soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth shall be water'd also himself. That is, as the same Author has it, unless by Negligence or Suretiship, or some other Sin that he lives in, he brings a Curse and Poverty up­on himself, and Mercifulness prove not Anti­dote sufficient against all other Poison.

And he that is thus assur'd of the peculiar Care of God concerning him, and that he shall always have a comfortable Provision as long as he lives, in Recompence of his libe­ral Charity to the Poor and Needy; has questionless very great Encouragement to perform the Duty. And as for the unavoid­able Troubles of this Life which will mix with the most perfect Prosperity here, as Sickness, Vexation and Disappointments, and Temporal Losses, and such like; Psal. 41.1, 3. The Lord will deliver him that considereth the [Page 262]Poor, says David, in the Time of Trouble, and strengthen him upon the Bed of Languish­ing, and make all his Bed in his Sickness. And though many may be the Troubles, even of the thus Righteous, which God may permit them to be exercis'd with for many excellent Purposes, yet he will surely deliver them out of all.

As for the Encouragement to this Chari­ty, with Respect to the next World, it is thus express'd by our Saviour, Mat. 5.7. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain Mercy; that is, at the Time when every Man will stand in the greatest Need of Mer­cy, the Day of Judgment. For then there will be particular Enquiry made into the Discharge of every one's Stewardship, in Point of Mercy and Compassion to the Indi­gent and Calamitous; and the great Judge of all the World, has declar'd, that when he shall come in the Clouds of Heaven, to ren­der to every Man according to his Works; he will esteem the Expresses of our Charity to his necessitous Servants as done to himself, and will reward the Merciful, not only with a publick Commendation, at that Gene­ral Assembly of all the World, but will re­ceive them to a Participation of the Glories and Felicities of his Eternal Kingdom: Say­ing, Come ye Blessed Children of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepar'd for you from the Beginning of the World, Mat. 25.34. And surely no Man can want Encouragement to the Duty when it shall be rewarded in such a Manner as this.

I shall now infer some few things from the whole, and so conclude this Argument. And first, from the strict Charge that God has given, in the Revelations of his Will, to every capable Person, to supply the Ne­cessities of all that want Relief, and that ac­cording to the Wants of the Needy, and in a Measure suitable to his Ability, and inforc­ed this Charge with the most prevailing Mo­tives that can be made use of. From hence I infer the great Unreasonableness, as well as Impiety, of charging God with the Miseries of Mankind in this Instance.

For, what would they have God do more in this Matter than he has already done? Would they have him exercise his Omnipo­tence in wholly preventing Poverty? That is, would they have him interpose in all the Contingencies of this Mortal Life, and im­mediately command the Sea, for Example, to be calm, when a Vessel is in Danger, whose Wreck would be the undoing of seve­ral; or send an Angel to steer her from Shelves and Quicksands, to preserve her from Pirates, and conduct her in Salety to the Haven? Would they have the Land mi­raculously secur'd from all Misfortunes too, from the Villanies of Men, from Casual Fires, from Inundations and Earthquakes; and would they have Men forcibly with-held from being guilty of such Vices as ruin Thousands, such as Pride and Luxury, and Wantonness and Excess?

Or if (as well they may) they think this too unreasonable to be desir'd, would they have God, when Men are thus reduc'd to Po­verty, immediately work Miracles for their Relief? Would they have Ravens bring Food to the Hungry as they did to Elijah; 1 Kings 17.6. or would they have every Poor Widows Cruise of Oyl, and Barrel of Meal be as la­sting as the Widow's of Sarepta was; — 16. or would they have Water spring from Rocks, and be immediately turn'd into Wine, to chear and refresh such as are parch'd with Thirst? Would they have our Lord come down a second Time from Heaven, to heal Diseases, or an Angel always set open the Prison Doors when good Men are confined and macerated, or the like?

That such extraordinary things have been sometimes done, is sufficient to evince, that God is not an idle Spectator of Humane Affairs; but to expect it should be always so, is foolishly presumptuous.

But, it may be, those that are asham'd of this, would yet, by all means, have God take a severer Course with his unfaithful Stewards than he does; and at least displace them, and give their Riches to others, that Men might see and fear, and do no more wick­edly. Thus Man will be replying against God, and the Clay saying to the Potter, Why hast thou made me thus?

But, I would fain know, whether these Counsellours of the All-wise God, would have all that are unfaithful in their Steward­ship, [Page 265]us'd in this Manner, or only some for a Terrour to the rest? If all the World would quickly be in Confusion, by such frequent Changes in States and Governments, and Private Families, as would then be made; if some only, in Terrorem, and to affright the rest into a more Conscientious Discharge of their Duty, why that is often done; nothing is more common than the Rise and Fall of Men and Families, and sometimes their De­cay is made very remarkable by some ex­traordinary Accidents. Which, if Men would observe it, is warning enough to them to be faithful in their Stewardship: but if they will be thoughtless and regard it not, the Blame ought to be their's, not God's, and their's will be the Punishment too at the long Run, when he shall call every Man be­fore him to make up his Accounts.

Wherefore, let no Man any more, for the future, pass Impious and Rash Censures upon the All-wise and Good Governour of the Universe, because his Servants neglect their Duty in this Matter; but rather, humbly and earnestly intreat him to in­cline their Hearts to a better Observance of his Holy and Just, and Merciful Com­mands. And if the Poor shall still go unpi­tied and unreliev'd, let us commit their Cause unto him, who, if with Patience they persevere in well-doing, will at length abundantly recompence their Sufferings here, with Glory, Honour and Immortali­ty in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Secondly, From what has been said, I in­fer, the great Baseness and Ingratitude of those who thus wickedly betray their Trust, and thereby bring such Odious Aspersions up­on their great Benefactor, and so much Sin and Misery upon Mankind.

Good God! That ever Men should be so low sunk, so vilely brutish and degenerate, as to prefer a Shining Coach and Gay Live­ry's, and Vanity and profuse Folly in many other Instances, before the Honour of their God, and the Comfort and Reward of a Poor Afflicted Christian! That they should be contented to hear the Groans of the Di­stressed, and the Blasphemies of Atheists, against that God who gave them all they have; rather than by retrenching any thing from their Excessive Way of Living, to si­lence either! 'Tis a Monstrous Complicated Impiety this, and will at last pull down a Heavy Vengeance.

Wherefore, from the whole, I infer, in the last place, how highly it concerns us all to imitate the Example of the discreetly and thoroughly charitabe Samaritan in the Para­ble, and be more careful of this our Duty for the future. For if we prove ill Stew­ards of the Talents God has committed to our Trust for the Relief of the Calamities of our Brethren, we shall not only have the Sins of Unfaithfulness and base Ingratitude to answer for; but the Prophane Flouts and Ca­vils of the Atheistical, the Curses and Im­precations of the desperately Miserable, the [Page 267]Thefts and Murthers, and other Villanies of such, whose Unrelieved Poverty forced to be thus wicked; and the Blood of such as dy'd for want of Succour: All this will be charg'd upon us, and overwhelm us with Eternal Horrour and Confusion.

Wherefore, to conclude; while we have Time, let us do good unto all Men, but especi­ally to those of the Houshold of Faith; let us make Friends with the Mammon of Unrighte­ousness, that when all this World's Good shall fail us, we may be receiv'd into Everla­sting Habitations. Let us lay up for our selves a good Foundation against the Time to come, and be Faithful Stewards of the manifold Grace of God committed to us; lest our great Lord should come in a Time when we think not of him, and place us on the Left Hand, and pass this Dismal and Irreversible Sentence upon us; Depart from me ye cursed into Everlasting Fire, prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels. For I was Hungry and ye gave me no Meat, Thirsty and ye gave me no Drink, a Stranger and ye took me not in, Naked and ye cloathed me not, Sick and in Prison, and ye visited me not.

THE Interpretation of this Parable may be this. By a Man travel­ling into a far Country, is repre­sented our Saviour's leaving this World, and Ascending into Heaven after he had finish'd the great Work of our Re­demption; and by his calling to him his own Servants, and delivering to them his Goods, is signified his enabling his Disciples with sufficient Grace and the Assistance of his Holy Spirit, to perform that Duty and Ser­vice which he requires of them in his Ab­sence.

By his giving to one Five Talents, to another Two, and to a third but One, ac­cording to their several Abilities, is expres­sed, that God affords his Grace according [Page 273]to Mens natural Capacity of serving him, (for there is a previous Ability first suppo­sed, and suitable to that is the number of Talents that are given) and to the Kind and Degree of Service that he thereupon ex­pects from them. He that by the previous Gift of God in his natural Endowments, is capable of doing him great Service, and of being an excellent Example to others; and is therefore by the Providence of God de­sign'd for, or actually plac'd in an eminent Station, and employ'd in a Service of great Weight and Difficulty; to him is given greater Aid from Above, because he is more capable of improving what he receives to God's Glory and the Good of the Church; and has likewise greater Need of the Di­vine Assistance, by reason of the Difficulty of the Duty he is to perform. And he that naturally is not so capable, receives propor­tionably less Aid from Heaven; but yet such as is sufficient to enable him to discharge that Duty which, according to his natural Capacity, is required of him.

By His Trading that had received Five Talents, and gaining other Five, and his gaining other Two that had received but Two; is shewn, that according to the Measure of Grace and supernatural Assistance that Men have received, so should their Improvement be, and that faithful Christians will be care­ful to make such Improvement: And by His hiding his Talent in the Ground that had but One, is represented the inexcusable [Page 274] Sloth and Idleness of wicked Men, who will not take so much Pains as to improve, tho but One Talent, in order to their Salvation.

By the Lord of those Servants coming after a long time and reckoning with them, is represented the Coming of Christ to Judgment at the End of the World, then to enquire into every Man's Works, and Re­ward or Punish as there is just Occasion.

By His receiving the Diligent into his Joy, is express'd the Reward of the Righ­teous in the Blissful Kingdom of Heaven; and by the Slothful and Wicked Servant, (who was therefore Wicked because Sloth­ful) by his bringing his One Talent to his Lord unimprov'd, and excusing his Unpro­fitableness by saying, that he knew him to be a hard Man, unreasonably griping, expect­ing to reap where he had not sown, and the like; and that therefore he brought him his own again as he gave it him, fearing to employ it, lest he should have lost it, and yet been oblig'd to make it good to his Lord: By this is represented the Base Thoughts too many have of God and Reli­gion, as if it were impossible to bear his Yoke, and keep his Commands, he exact­ing such unreasonable Services from us; but this is only to excuse one Wickedness by another, and shews what wretched Shifts Ill Men are put to, to palliate their great Neglect of their Duty to their Master; as appears by his Lord's answering and saying, Thou wicked and slothful Servant, thou knewest [Page 275]that I reap where I sowed not, thou oughtest therefore to have put my Money to the Ex­changers, that at my coming I might have receiv'd my own with Usury: By which is represented the Necessity of Mens impro­ving their Talent for that very Reason (were it true) which they are apt to plead in Ex­cuse for their slothful Negligence. For to him that looks upon God as so austere a Being, there is more than ordinary Obliga­tion to improve what he has committed to his Trust for that Purpose: And because a Man esteems God as an hard and severe Master, therefore to be idle and negligent in his Service, is a very preposterous Course, and looks as if he had a mind to provoke his Anger against him.

But indeed, This is the Truth: God is so very far from being an unreasonably severe Master, that He is a most indulgent Parent, and commands nothing but what is very practicable, and highly conducive to the Good and Happiness of his Creatures; which should create a Filial Love and Re­verence in us towards him, rather than a slavish Dread. But however, he is not so unreasonably fond neither, as to pass by the Provocations of obstinate irreclaimable Re­bels, and clear those that are Impenitent as well as Guilty, that have heinously offended him, and yet take no care to amend and re­cover his Favour. Though he does not reap where he did not sow, nor gather where he did not strew, yet he expects a due Improve­ment [Page 276]of what he commits to our Charge, and is ready likewise proportionably to re­ward our Industry. And this is apt indeed to quicken and encourage us in our Duty, but by no means to scare and affright us from it: For nothing can be more reasonable, than for God to expect we should improve what he bestows upon us for that very end, and that we should obey those Commands of His which are so highly reasonable in themselves; and which he likewise assists us to perform. Let no Man therefore say, God is an unreasonably rigid Master, and his Commands intolerable Burdens; for 'tis abominably false, (as will appear more ful­ly in the Sequel:) But were it true, it would be no Excuse for Sloth and Idleness in his Service, much less for wholly desert­ing it; but rather, an Argument for double Care and Diligence in it.

By the Lord of that Slothful Servant commanding his One unimprov'd Talent to be taken from him, and given to him who by his Industry had improv'd his Five Ta­lents to Ten; is represented God's depri­ving those of his Grace and the Assistances of his Holy Spirit, who so much neglect it, and make no use of it to the great Enas for which it was given them, (viz.) His Glory and Their own Happiness; and making still greater Additions of his Grace to such as have well improv'd their former Stock. And by his commanding the Unprofitable Servant to be cast into Outer Darkness, [Page 277]where shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth; is express'd their Deplorable Condition in the Regions of eternal Misery and Despair, who make no Improvement of the Talents committed to them; the Deprivation of Grace in this World, being a certain Fore­runner of Perdition in the other. It nearly concerns therefore, every Man carefully to improve the Talent committed to him; be­cause unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have Abundance, but from him that hath not, shall be taken away, even that which he hath.

This Parable, thus interpreted, affords us these Six Heads of Discourse.

First, That God gives sufficient Grace to every sensible Christian wherewith to work out his Salvation.

Secondly, That God expects from every Man, that he should improve what Grace he has receiv'd, and that proportionably to the Measure in which it was given him, and make use of it to the Ends for which it was given.

Thirdly, That there will be a Time, when our Lord will come to take Account of Men's Improvement of the Grace that was given them, and reward every Man accor­ding to his Deserts.

Fourthly, That there shall be Degrees of Men's Happiness or Misery in the other World, according to the Degrees of their Improvement or Negligence and Carelessness in this.

Fifthly, That 'tis abominably False and Impious to charge God, as being unreasona­bly rigid and severe in taking this Account of Men's Improvement, and expecting to find a Good Use made of what he committed to their Trust. And,

Lastly, That the Condition of the Dili­gent will be unspeakably happy, and that of the Unprofitable unspeakably miserable; and that both in this World and the next.

First, God gives sufficient Grace to every sensible Christian, wherewith to work out his Salvation. I say to every sensible Christi­an, because I would confine my Discourse to the State of such as are Christians; and such of them as have the Use of their Senses and their Reason: For as for those that are out of the Pale of Christ's Church, though Charity will incline us to hope well of them, and that God's Mercy will extend even to Heathens that never yet heard of the Gospel of Christ, and his Spirit assist them to live according to that Natural Law written in the Heart of every Man; yet we can deter­mine nothing in this Case with Relation to them, and have nothing else to do, but to leave them to the Infinite Mercy of God, and pray for their Conversion. And as for such as have been receiv'd into the Fold of Christ, and have afterwards prov'd Idiots, and without the Use of their Reason, their Case is likewise wholly in the Dark to us; and though we need not question, but God's Infinite Goodness, will incline him to pity [Page 279]their Deplorable Condition, yet which Way he will express his Mercy to them we must not presume to say. Hidden things be­long to God; the reveal'd are for us and our Children: Among which I take this to be one, That God gives sufficient Grace to every sensible Christian, wherewith to work out his Salvation.

And here not to enter into the Endless and most Abstruse Dispute about Predestina­tion (which the less Men trouble their Heads about, the better 'tis for 'em in all Respects) I shall only urge two or three plain Places of Scripture to confirm this Position, and add to 'em one as plain Reason.

The Places of Scripture, are first, that in 2 Pet. 3.9. where the Apostle says, that God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to Repentance; to which is agreeable that of St. Paul to Timothy, 1 Epist. 2.4. God will have, or desires, that all Men should be sav'd, and come to the Knowledge of the Truth; Now, the next Scripture I will quote, which is 2 Cor. 3.5. tells us, That we are not sufficient of our selves, to think any thing as of our selves, but our Sufficiency is of God; and Phil. 2.13. 'tis God that worketh in us, to will and to do of his good Pleasure; and accordingly, says John the Baptist, speaking of our Lord, of his Fulness have we all receiv'd, and Grace for Grace, John 1.16. and Ephes. 4.7. To every one of us is given Grace according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ. Which Scrip­tures put together make this Argument.

God is desirous of the Happiness and Sal­vation of every Man; 2 Pet. 3.9. 1 Tim. 2.4. 2 Cor. 3.5. Phil. 2.13. but, without his Assi­stance, and the Aids of his Grace, and Holy Spirit, no Man can arrive at that Happiness:

Therefore, Joh. 1.16. Ephes. 4.7. he gives sufficient Grace and Assistance to every Man, wherewith, if he be not Idle and Wanting to himself, he may work out his Salvation. For, we can't but allow, that what God desires for eve­ry Man, and which no Man can attain with­out his Aid and Assistance, he will give every Man sufficient Assistance with his own Indu­strious Concurrence to compass. Otherwise, he would desire that for some, i. e. those to whom he should deny his Divine Assistance, which he knows 'tis impossible for them to attain to; which I think can't be consistent with his Infinite Wisdom.

This seems to me to be sufficient Scripture Proof for this Position. And to this I shall add this one Plain Reason.

For, because the Commands of Religion, in order to the attaining the Rewards of it, are given in General, to every Man, and there is no Exception made, but every one that names the Name of Christ must depart from all Iniquity; therefore, every Man must be suppos'd able to keep and observe those Com­mands, unless we will be so Blasphemous as to say with the Unprofitable Servant in the Parable, that God is so unreasonable as to reap where he did not sow, to command Impos­sibilities; and then so unjust and cruel, as to pu­nish Men Eternally for not obeying them. [Page 281]But now, that no Man is of himself able to keep the Commandments, is evident from the whole Tenor of Scripture, and from the sad Experience of even the Best of Men; and consequently, this Ability must be al­low'd to proceed from the Aid of some other, namely, from him who is the only Giver of every good and perfect Gift, and who giveth to every Man liberally, and up­braideth not. Indeed, he giveth to every Man severally as he pleases, to some more, to some less, to some five Talents, to some two, and to others but one; according to Men's Ability to improve them, and as in his Infi­nite Wisdom he sees most conducive to his own Glory, and the Edification of the Church; but he is wholly wanting in this Divine Gift to no Man that is capable of improving it, but bestows upon every sensible Christian, Grace sufficient, wherewith if he makes good Use of it, to work out his Salvation.

And this should have this fourfold good Effect upon us. It should make us unfeign­edly thankful to the Infinite Goodness of God, for this his unspeakable Gift; look­ing upon the Grace he hath bestow'd on us, as an Earnest of our Salvation. It should put us upon begging devoutly and earnestly and frequently at the Throne of Grace, for still greater Degrees of this Heavenly Aid, in order to his greater Glory, and our more per­fect Happiness; remembring that this is of all the greatest Treasure; and what a Frail Sinful Creature, should above all things hun­ger [Page 282]and thirst after. For though every Man at first, receives as much Grace as he is able to improve; yet he that has im­prov'd what he at first receiv'd, is by that his Diligence grown capable of more, and able to make a suitable Improvement: As he in the Parable that had improv'd his Five Talents to Ten, was capable of Re­ceiving and Improving still more; and ac­cordingly had his Talent given to him who buried it in the Ground, and brought it without any Improvement to his Lord. Five Talents was at first proportionable to his Ability, but by duely improving them, his Ability was much enlarg'd, and he be­came capable of, and received more. And to God should all the Praise be given, of all the good Things we perform by means of this his Divine Assistance; reflecting upon the Words of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 4.7. Who maketh thee to differ, and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? And finally, because to all of us is given Grace sufficient to our Happiness; therefore to work out our Salva­tion with it in fear and trembling, lest by our Negligence and Sloth we fail of this Grace of God, and it be withdrawn and taken from us.

For in the second Place, God expects that every Man should improve the Grace he hath receiv'd, and that proportionably to the measure in which he has receiv'd it, and make use of it to the Ends for which it was bestow'd upon him.

For thus we see in the Parable, how an­gry the Lord was when his Servant brought him the Talent he committed to him, un­improv'd; he calls him slothful and wicked Servant, and deprives him of his Talent, and gives it for an Encouragement, to him that had made the greatest Improvement, and sentences the Unprofitable Servant to outer Darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of Teeth. And agreeably says St. Paul, 1 Cor. 12.7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withal. Christianity is not an idle lazy Profession, does not consist in fine Words and specious Pretences, but in an active lively Piety, suitable to every Man's several Ability. He that has recei­ved much Grace must be eminent for much Holiness; his Piety must arise proportion­ably to the Communications of the Holy Spirit which he enjoys, and his Diligence be commensurate to his Strength. He that has received five Talents, must gain other five with them; and he that has receiv'd two, other two; and no Man must be without some Increase, though he has receiv'd but One.

The End for which God bestows his Grace upon us, is threefold. (1) For the Advancement of his own Glory; (2) For the Good and Edification of the Church; (3) For our own Happiness and Salvation. And therefore, the more Grace and Assistances from Above a Man has receiv'd, the more should he endeavour to glorifie God with it, [Page 284]to edifie the Church, and by a holy Life, to secure his own Salvation. And he that ei­ther makes no use of the Grace that God hath given him, like him in the Parable, who instead of trading with his Talent, hid it in the Earth; or else abuses it to vile and wicked Purposes; is a wicked and un­profitable Servant, and shall be cast into outer Darkness.

To know when a Man has receiv'd plenty of this Divine Grace, and to what Improve­ment he is consequently oblig'd; is, for him in the first place to reflect upon his natural Parts and Abilities, upon his Capacity for understanding and considering the great Truths of Religion; and then, what Instru­ction he hath met with in the School of Righteousness; what plenty of Religious Discourses and Exhortations he has enjoy'd; and how frequently he has felt Motions from within to a still more and more holy and exemplary Life: He that hath experi­enc'd all this in a great degree, that hath had his pregnant natural Capacity well cul­tivated by an early and excellent Instruction, and had the whole of Religion plainly laid before him in all the Doctrines, Duties, Re­wards and Punishments of it; and been often and affectionately exhorted to live accord­ingly in all holy Conversation and Godli­ness, and has frequently felt secret internal Motions and Perswasions to it; this Man has received much more than One Talent at the hands of God, and God will expect [Page 285]from him a proportionable Improvement; and he must abound in every good Word and Work: For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much requir'd; and to whom Men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. But because all Men are not of equal Abilities naturally, neither have the same Opportunities of Instruction and Im­provement, nor the same immediate Impul­ses of the Blessed Spirit; where there is any defect in these Respects, God will abate pro­portionably in his Expectations; and he that received the One Talent, had he gained but One other with it, would have been call'd a good and faithful Servant, and been receiv'd into the Joy of his Lord.

Let us all therefore, endeavour to grow in Grace according to the measure of this un­speakable Gift; to perform our Duties, each in his Station, and according to his Ability, faithfully and industriously; that when our Lord comes to make Enquiry in­to each ones Improvement of his Talent, and call for every ones particular Account, we may all, from the least to the greatest, chearfully give it up, and receive the im­mense Reward of a sincere Diligence: For,

In the third Place, There will most cer­tainly be a Time when our Great Lord will come to take Account of every Man's Im­provement of the Grace that was given him, and reward every Man according to his De­serving.

That there will certainly be a Day of Judgment both of Quick and Dead, when every Man shall be rewarded according to that he hath done in the Body, whether it be good or evil, is a Truth so evident from Scripture, that those who have read, and do believe those Writings, can make no doubt of it: And the Proof of this from Reason, has been so convincingly manag'd by seve­ral Learned Pens, particularly of late by Dr. Sherlock in his Excellent Discourse up­on Judgment, that I think nothing can be added to it; I shall only therefore Collect such a Description of that Great Day, and the Proceedings in it, out of the Revelati­ons (where it is the most movingly repre­sented) as may incline us all with the greatest Diligence, and immediately, by self-Examination and Amendment of every evil Way, to prepare for that great Audit, that we may give up our Accounts with joy, and not with grief. In the 20th Chapter of the Revelations, ver. 12. after the divine Apo­stle had given a Description of the Appear­ing of the great Judge upon his Throne, I saw a great White Throne, says he, and him that sat on it; from whose face the Earth and the Heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them: He proceeds, I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the Books were opened. And another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life; and the dead were judged out of those Things that were written in the Books, according to their Works; [Page 287]and the Sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and the Grave deliver'd up the dead which were in them; and they were judg­ed every man according to their Works: And whosoever was not written in the Book of Life, was cast into the Lake of Fire.

That is, The Records shall then be laid open wherein every Man's Receipt of Grace is enter'd, and those whose Works shall be found proportionably good according to the Assistance they have receiv'd from Above; or, in the Stile of the Parable; that have made an answerable Improvement to the Number of Talents committed to them, their Names shall be written in the Book of Life, and they received into the eternal Joy of their Lord. But those who can then give no good Account of their Talents, shew no suitable Improvement in Holiness according to the measure of Grace they have received, shall never see Life, but be cast into the Lake of Fire, which is the second Death. And because so very few will be so wise, as to make due Preparation for this great Day of Account, by improving the Grace God has given them to the great Ends for which it was design'd; therefore, as 'tis describ'd Rev. 3.15. The Kings of the Earth, and the great Men, and the rich Men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty Men, and every Bond-man, and every Free­man, many of all Qualities and Conditions, from the highest to the lowest; shall hide themselves in Dens, in Rocks, and Mountains, [Page 288]and say to the Rocks and Mountains, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sit­teth on the Throne, and from the Wrath of the Lamb; for the great Day of his Wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand! May these Terrors of the Lord perswade us to provide in this our day, for the Things that belong to our Peace, before they be hid from our eyes! looking for, by frequent Meditation, and hastning unto, by a diligent Improve­ment of our Talents, the coming of this dreadful day of God; and being above all things careful, That we be found of him in Peace, without spot and blameless; for God will bring every secret Thing into Judgment, whe­ther it be good or evil, and exactly adapt every Man's Recompense to his Work. Which brings me to the next Thing I am to consider in this Parable; namely,

Fourthly, That, at that great Day of Ac­count, when every Man's Work is fully known, and his Improvement compar'd with what he has receiv'd; the Diligent shall not only in general be receiv'd into the Joy of their Lord, and the unprofitable cast into outer Darkness; but the most Diligent, those that have made the greatest Improvement, shall receive the greatest share of Happiness: And those that have been most careless and Unprofitable, shall be doom'd to the great­est misery. That is, in short, there will be degrees of Happiness or Misery respectively, awarded to Men according to the degrees of their Holiness or Impiety.

I know this has been much question'd by some, and wholly deny'd by others; and their main Reason against it I conceive to be this: That since the Happiness of the Just in Heaven consists in the Vision of God, or the Excellencies and Beauties of the Di­vine Nature, which will fill a holy Soul with eternal and inexpressible Delight; for so St. John expresses the Bliss of Heaven, by seeing God as he is, 1 Joh 3.2. and St. Paul, by seeing him face to face, and knowing him even as we are known, 1 Cor. 13.12. And since the Misery of the Wicked in Hell consists in an eternal Banishment from his Divine Presence; for so the Sentence runs that shall be pass'd upon them at the Day of Judgment, Depart from me ye Cursed, &c. Upon these Accounts it seems to them most agreeable to Truth, that All the Just, being admitted to the Beatifick Vision of God, should be equally Happy, and All the Wicked being for ever exil'd to him, should be equally Miserable.

But this Argument, in my Apprehension, is so far from destroying the Doctrine of the Degrees of Happiness and Misery in Hea­ven and Hell, that I think 'tis rather the best Supporter of it. For, since 'tis very true, that the Happiness of Heaven consists in the Beatifick Vision of God, and the Mi­sery of Hell in an eternal Banishment from him; and since 'tis as true, that some good Men in this Life, approach nearer to him, and see more of his Excellencies, and bear [Page 290]a greater Resemblance to him than others, and so become capable of a more intimate Vision of him in Heaven; and some bad Men, on the contrary, wander to a greater distance from him here, and become more unlike him by their great Impieties than other Sinners do; and so become more in­capable of that pure and holy Vision, than others that are less wicked: Since this is so, methinks it should be most agreeable to Truth, that those that were the Holiest Men here, should be the Happiest Saints in Heaven, as bearing a nearer Resemblance to the Divine Nature, and consequently capable of a more close and intimate Vision of him; and that those who by their great Impiety beyond other Men, were most estranged from God here, should be banish'd farthest from him in the Regions of Despair and Darkness, as being the most hateful to him, because the most unlike, nay contrary to him, and the most uncapable of seeing and enjoying him; and consequently feel the most exquisite Pangs of Horror and Despair, the hottest Boilings of Rage and Impatience, and most bitter Remorse of Soul, for bring­ing this most miserable Condition upon them­selves; when once they might with much Ease and Pleasure have avoided it, and been for ever happy in the Vision and Enjoyment of God.

Indeed, as to plain Proof from Scripture of the Degrees of Misery in Hell, I must confess I cannot recollect any, and would [Page 291]by no means strain God's Word beyond its due Extent; but as to Degrees of Glory and Happiness in Heaven, I think there are se­veral Places of Scripture that plainly enough establish that Doctrine; of which I shall mention but one, and that because 'tis part of a Parable exactly the same in the con­cealed sense of it, with that I am now dis­coursing upon, only something differently related by S. Luke. 'Tis in the 19th Chap­ter, the 15th and 4 following Verses; where we find, when the King came to take Ac­count of his Servants Improvement of what he left in their Hands to trade with in his Absence, he exactly proportion'd every Man's Recompense to the Increase he made of what was committed to his Charge; to him that had gain'd Ten Pounds, with the Pound his Lord left with him, was given Authority over as many Cities; and so to him that had gain'd Five, proportionably Authority over Five: Which I think can mean no less than this, that where there is different Degrees of Mens Improvement of Grace in this World, there shall be as dif­ferent Degrees awarded of Glory and Hap­piness in Heaven; and there being great Difference between the Degrees of Chri­stians Improvement here, there will be as great Difference in the Degrees of their Happiness hereafter. And though every Saint in Heaven shall have as clear and in­timate Vision and Enjoyment of God as he is capable of, and partake in an agreeable [Page 292]Measure of the Happiness that will flow from such Vision and Enjoyment, and be as Happy as 'tis possible for him to be; yet the Capacity of every Saint will not be equal: Some Souls will be more enlarg'd than others, and able to receive more Rays of the Divine Glory; and so, though every of those Vessels of Honor shall be full, yet all will not hold alike; and one Star there, will differ from another Star in Glory.

'Tis true, indeed, that the Mind of eve­ry good Man shall then be clarified and re­fined, purg'd from the Dross and Soil con­tracted during its Residence in the Flesh, and rendred more agile and expedite in the Exercise of its several Faculties, and its Knowledge and Love of God vastly impro­ved: But that Souls of less Improvement here, shall immediately upon their Depar­ture from the Body, receive extraordinary new Additions, to equalize them to those of higher Attainments, is hard to imagine; and would mightily discourage the generous Endeavours of Heroick Piety and Exem­plary Religion. But, when every Man shall in that glorious Kingdom above, be reward­ed according to the Degrees of his Piety; and a great Love to God, and zealous Pro­secution of the Interest of Religion, and an eminent Sanctity, shall be crown'd with a more than ordinary Glory and Felicity in Heaven, 'twill mightily encourage a holy Soul to forget, with St. Paul, the things that are behind, and press on to what is still before, [Page 293]always aiming at still greater Degrees of Perfection, till Mortality shall be swallow'd up of Life.

The Improvement of this Speculation to Practice is this; That since the Degrees of Glory and Happiness in Heaven, shall be answerable to the Degrees of Mens Holi­ness, and Improvement of their Talents upon Earth; we would run with Diligence the Race that is set before us, and gird up the Loins of our Mind, and set our selves to the Performance of every thing that is well-pleasing in the sight of God with Cheer­fulness; and not pretend Difficulty, when the Reward is so exceeding great, and shall be proportion'd to the Degrees of our Vertue. For can we be too happy? Can we be too like God? Can our Crown be too glorious and resplendent? Away then with that mean-spirited Religion which thus lessens and confines our Happiness; let us unfold our Hands, and pluck them out of our Bo­soms, and encourage our selves in a vigo­rous Pursuit of an excellent Piety; forasmuch as we know, that our Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.

Fifthly, In the next Place, I am to shew, that 'tis abominably false and impious, with the Unprofitable Servant in the Parable, to charge God with being unreasonably rigid and severe, in taking so strict an Account of Mens Improvement of his Divine Grace and Assistances, and expecting to find a good Use made of what he committed to their Trust.

That God is often charg'd with such un­reasonable Severity, by Men that care not to perform their Duty, is too true to be question'd; and such as love to indulge their vile Affections, and cannot afford to take any pains to be Religious, are frequently heard to say, They serve God as well as they can, and they can do no more; and that such a Religion as we urge Men to, is much too hard for Flesh and Blood: 'Tis a Law fitter for Angels than Men; and tho they wish they could observe and do it, and can't but consent to the Excellency of it in the Inner Man, yet they find a Law in their Members warring against the Law of their Minds, and bringing them into Captivity to the Law of Sin; and so, the good that they would they do not, and the evil that they would not that they do And they take up with this as a sufficient Excuse; and because God is infinitely merciful and good, they think he will accept the Plea of the great Hardship of his Commands, and their Inabi­lity to perform them, instead of Obedience to them. But, (as the Lord in the Para­ble said to his slothful Unprofitable Servant) Out of their own Mouths will I judge those wretched Persons, that thus mock and abuse God, and deceive their own Souls into Ruin. For, if God be infinitely good and merciful, then certainly, he will not expect any Thing from Men beyond their Ability, nor command their Service and Obedience any farther than they are able to pay it: [Page 295]And consequently, what this merciful and good God commands by All Men to be done without any Exception or Dispensation, and threatens Eternal Misery to such as shall dare wilfully to disobey him; this, Every Man, no question, is able to perform, through the Divine Grace and Assistance; which, as I have before prov'd, is in suffi­cient measure given to every Man. And to deny this, is, in effect, to charge God with the greatest Cruelty, Oppression, and Injustice that is possible. For what less, is the giving Men such Commands as they are not able to perform, and withal threat­ning, and actually inflicting, unconceivable Torments (for such are those of Hell) upon all that shall be found disobedient to the impracticable Law? This would be, in­deed, to require Brick without Straw, as the Egyptian Task-masters did, and then to lay on Stripes for a Failure in the Work; nay, 'twould be infinitely worse, because the Punishment for Irreligion, and not impro­ving our Talents, is infinitely greater, and shall be inflicted to all Eternity.

Since therefore, God knows whereof we are made, and remembers that we are but Dust, and can tell how difficult his Com­mands will be to us, and how proportion­able our Ability is to keep and do them, better than we our selves, (for 'tis he that hath made us, and gave us our natural Pow­ers and Faculties, and the Superadditions of Grace and Aid from Above;) since he is [Page 296]infinitely good, and will not overload his Creatures, nor exact impossible Tasks, or such as are extremely difficult, and but one degree below impossible; since he is likewise infinitely just, and will not damn Myriads of poor Wretches to all Eternity, for not making an impossible Improvement of their Talents; and expects only that they should give a reasonable Account, according to what they have received from him: From all this it will follow, Not that therefore a Man shall be excus'd for pleading Inability, but, that every Man is Able, through the never deficient Grace of that good God to such as heedfully attend to it, to keep his holy, just, and good Commands, and make Improvement suitable to the Talents he hath receiv'd; and if, for all this, he perish, his Blood will be upon his own Head.

Wherefore, let no Man, for the future, be so Impious, as to charge God with ex­pecting impossible Services from his Crea­tures, or think to palliate his Irreligion by crying out of the extreme Hardship of living like a Christian; but let every Man set heartily and sincerely about his Duty, and he will find, that God's Grace will be suffi­cient for him to his daily Improvement, and that the Ways of Religion are ways of plea­santness, and all her paths are peace.

I come now to the last Thing to be con­sider'd in this Parable; which is, That the Condition of the diligent Improvers of their Talents will be unspeakably happy, but the [Page 297]Condition of the Unprofitable, beyond Ex­pression miserable; and that, both in this World and in the next.

First, The Condition of the diligent Im­provers of their Talent, will be unspeakably happy, both in this World and that above. In this World, a quiet and serene Consci­ence will be to them a continual Feast; the Sense of having perform'd their Duty ac­cording to their Ability, of having been good Stewards of the Grace of God be­stow'd upon them, and that they can give a sincere Account, though not a perfect one, to their great Master, when he shall come to look into their Behaviour in their Stew­ardship; this, will fill their Breasts with unspeakable Satisfaction, their Soul will be calm, and their Thoughts at Rest in Con­science of their Fidelity, their Life not im­bitter'd with anxious Fear and Dread of a sad After Reckoning; but, like that of a faithful Servant who is in his Master's Fa­vour, steady and easie, and moving cheer­fully in the Circle of his Duty, and in joy­ful Expectation of the Reward of his Dili­gence, when his great Lord shall advance him from the State of a Servant to that of a Friend and Bosom- Favourite; nay, of a Coheir with himself of the Joys and Feli­cities of the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven.

And besides this Serenity and Satisfaction of Mind, and comfortable Prospect of so glorious a Recompense of Reward, (which are Blessings of the first Magnitude, and to [Page 298]which, nothing in this World is comparable) the improving Christian shall have more Ta­lents given him, more Grace shower'd down upon his Soul; what the Slothful have for­feited, shall be conferr'd upon him, and he shall abound still more and more in every good Word and Work. And what Con­dition can approach nearer to the state of Heavenly Glory, than that of a holy Soul thus plentifully stor'd with the divine Grace? And if Grace and Glory differ only in degree, and the One be but the Completion and Perfection of the other; a Soul so filled with Grace as the improving Soul will be, must needs live a Heaven upon Earth, and have frequent Antepasts of Glory.

And in that other World, when the Glo­ry shall be reveal'd, that is prepared for them that love and serve our Lord Jesus in Sincerity; then will their Happiness be as ineffable as endless. It is express'd in this Parable, by entring into the Joy of our Lord; that is, partaking of his Glories and Felici­ties in the Presence of the Immortal God.

They shall be conducted (after having given a good Account of their Stewardship) by the Blessed Angels, into the Presence of the great King of Heaven, where they shall see him face to face; and with wondring Eyes and enravish'd Hearts, behold his Glory, gaze upon his Splendors, and nearly view his Beauty, who is the Fountain of Perfe­ction. He, who is Light it self, and in whom is no Darkness at all, will hide nothing of [Page 299]his Glory from the Eyes of their pure and prepar'd Minds; but communicate the Know­ledge of his most Excellent Nature, to the utmost Capacity of their Beatified Souls, and make 'em full of Divine Gladness, with the Joy of his Countenance. Their Appre­hensions shall be clear'd and brightned, their Faculties act upon this best of Objects vigo­rously, and without any Hindrance or Di­straction; and every View of the Divine Beauty shall discover new Graces and Perfe­ctions (for God is an Immense and Fathom­less Ocean of Beauty, as Plato excellently expresses it) and their Capacities by every such View shall be enlarg'd, and made still more and more capacious, for the Reception of a following greater Manifestation. And so, their Love and Admiration of this Divine Being always increasing, and their Enjoy­ment of him compleat and sull, to the ut­most of their Capacity, their Joy and Happi­ness will be, like that of God himself; be­cause springing from the same Fountain, Un­speakable and Eternal.

And since the Reward of a Pious Industry, will be such an Exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory; methinks we should take off our Affections from these lower Goods, and doat no longer upon these vain and worthless Trifles, nor throw away our Love upon that which satisfieth not, and spend our Labour for that which is not Bread; but make it our great Endeavour to be rich to­wards God, and by improving the Talents [Page 298] [...] [Page 299] [...] [Page 300]he hath given us, lay up a Treasure in Hea­ven. 1 Cor. 2.9. Remembring, That Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, neither can it enter into the Heart of Man, to conceive the things which God hath prepar'd for them that love him. And certainly, that Diligence is well be­stowed, which shall be rewarded with a Crown of Glory, Eternal in the Heavens.

But with the Unprofitable and Slothful Ser­vant it is not so, neither in this World nor in the next. In this World, the Lashes of a guilty Conscience will be unto him a Continu­al Torment; the Sense of his having carelesly neglected his Duty, and not performing, ac­cording to his Ability, the Just Commands of his great Lord; but being an Unfaithful Steward of the Grace of God bestowed up­on him, and that he is far from being able to give in a good Account, when his Lord shall come, expecting the Improvement of his Talent: This will fill his Breast with unspeakable Trouble and Perplexity, and imbitter all his Worldly Enjoyments with the Mixture of Anxious Fear, and Dread of a severe After-Reckoning; and the terrifying Expectation of his sad Fate that will ensue, will be to him, even like a Hell upon Earth; and cruciate his Soul with un­speakable Pangs and Agonies. And, which is much worse still, the Grace that has so long lain unimprov'd, shall at length be taken from him; and the Man, as desperate and irre­claimable, be given over, and as 'twere seal'd up to Remediless Misery. And in the [Page 301] next World, at that great Day, when he shall be actually call'd to give Account of his Works, the Dire Sentence of Depart from me ye Cursed into Everlasting Fire, pre­par'd for the Devil and his Angels, shall strike him through with Horror and Confusion; and he shall be driven into Outer Darkness, where he shall Eternally bewail his Misera­ble Condition, and gnash his Teeth in bitter Remorse for bringing himself to that Place of Torment, by slothfully neglecting the Improvement of that Divine Grace; with which he might, if he would, have work'd out his Salvation. Crying out to Eternal Ages in utter Despair, and most tor­menting Agonies of Soul, O that I had consi­der'd in that my Day, the things that did be­long unto my Peace; but now, they are for ever hid from mine Eyes!

And now, for a Conclusion of this Dis­course. Here is in this Parable we see, on the one Hand, all the Encouragement in the World to Diligence and Industry, and a Lively Improving Piety; such as more and more Abundance of Grace, with all the Blessed Attendants of it in this World, and a full Enjoyment of God himself in Heaven. And on the other side, here is, what if duly consider'd, will make any Man afraid of Spiritual Sloth and Idleness, and not dare to neglect the Improvement of his Talent; for if he does, he shall be depriv'd of God's Grace here, and doom'd to Eternal Misery at the Day of Judgment. Wherefore, let [Page 302]us seriously consider what has been now commented upon this Parable; and beg of God so to bless it to our Good, that we may be inclin'd by it to make a due Improve­ment of the Talents he has committed to our Management, to his Honour and Glory, and our own Eternal Salvation.

THIS Parable was spoken upon Occasion of one of our Lord's Followers, desiring him to Arbi­trate between him and his Bro­ther, in a Difference about dividing their Patrimony; for so Verse 13. of this Chap­ter, one of the Company said unto him, Master, speak unto my Brother, that he divide the In­heritance with me. To this our Lord an­swer'd in the 14. Verse, Man, who made me a Judge or a Divider over you? And takes Occasion from that Request to him, rather to advise those that were with him, and all that should hereafter be his Disciples, to take Heed and beware of Covetousness, and that because a Man's Life or Happiness con­sisteth not in the Abundance of the Things which he possesseth; as 'tis in the 15. Verse. And to make this his Excellent Advice sink deeper into their Minds, he spake the Para­ble I am now to discourse upon.

The Design of it, as we see from the Con­text, is to draw Men off from Covetousness, or a too eager Desire of heaping up Riches; and to expose the great Folly of being whol­ly intent upon laying up Treasures in this [Page 306]Life, and taking little or no Care to be rich towards God. For, as that Rich Man in the Parable, whom God had blessed with an ex­traordinary Increase of the Fruits of the Earth, even to more than his Barns could hold, did entertain Covetous Thoughts of building new ones to hoard it up in, and promis'd himself much Happiness from that Abundance, Take thine Ease, eat, drink, and be merry, for thou hast Goods laid up for many Years: As this Covetous Rich Man was surpriz'd with a sudden Summons into the other World, and snatch'd away from the midst of this Abundance, and upbraided with Folly, in trusting in such uncertain Riches; so, and for the very same Reasons, is every Covetous Rich Man an Egregious Fool, that confides in Wealth, and neglects Re­ligion.

In my Discourse, therefore, upon this Pa­rable, I shall do these Four things.

First, I shall give a short Description of the Vice of Covetousness;

Secondly, Endeavour to expose, both the great Folly and Vileness of this Vice; toge­ther with all the Ill Consequences that at­tend it;

Thirdly, I will answer the Rich Fool's Question which he propos'd to himself upon the great Increase he had, What shall I do, because I have no Room where to lay my Fruits? And,

Fourthly, Shew the great Wisdom of not setting our Hearts upon, nor eagerly pursuing [Page 307]Wealth, and of bestowing it as Religion does direct, should it please God in an ex­traordinary Manner to bless us with it.

And after all, I will urge this upon Men's Practice, and so conclude this Argument.

First, I am to give a short Description of the Vice of Covetousness, that we may know what it is that this Parable would incline us to avoid.

The Covetousness this Parable warns against (for there are several Sorts of it) is an Immoderate Desire of heaping up Riches, or of having still more and more Wealth, af­ter we have sufficient for the Comfortable Support of our selves and Relatives; that we may for the Future, live in greater Ease and Luxury.

First, This Covetousness is an Immode­rate Desire of Riches; for all Desire of Riches is not Criminal, and a Man may ve­ry lawfully desire, and as lawfully, by all due Means, endeavour to procure so much Wealth as is needful for his own and his Fa­milies Comfortable Maintenance, and will enable him to be kind to the Poor. But, to desire even this with Impatience, and over­great Solicitude, is the Sin of Covetousness; and the Sin is very much aggravated when a Man greedily desires still on, when his Comfortable Subsistence, and sufficient Pro­vision for his Family is already provided for.

Again, immoderately to desire to heap up Riches is Covetousness, though we may in­ten [...] afterwards to enjoy them, to eat, and [Page 308]drink, and be merry, and take our Ease the more, as the Rich Man in the Parable pur­pos'd to do; for this distinguishes Covetous­ness from extreme Parsimony and Niggardli­ness. They agree indeed in this, that they are both an extreme Desire of Riches, but they differ likewise in this, that the Covetous may eagerly desire to get Riches with a Design af­terwards as prodigally to spend them, but the Niggard hoards up what he has got, and en­deavours to scrape more to it with a Purpose not to make use of it himself, nor to let any body else touch it, as long as he can help it. And these, though they are both very great Vices, yet Niggardliness is, I think, by much the greater of the Two. But 'tis the extreme Desire of heaping up Riches, tho' with a Purpose to enjoy them, that is the Vice this Parable is levell'd against; for the Rich Man there intended to inlarge his Barns, and lay up his Increase in them, that he might take his ease, and eat, and drink, and be merry; which is a Kind of Covetous­ness, that though very many are guilty of, yet few think it deserves to be call'd by that hate­ful Name.

There is one thing more to be explain'd in this Description of Covetousness, namely, What is meant by such a Proportion of Rich­es as is sufficient for the Comfortable Sub­sistence of a Man and his Relatives? And the Answer to this must be in General; (for to Particularize in this Case would be endless) that is sufficient for the Comforta­ble [Page 309]Subsistence of every Man and his Family, which will secure them, according to their Station and Degree, from Want; and pro­vide Plenty of what is necessary to Life, and health, and decency, though it does not arise to the Pomps and Vanities of the World: For he that hath this, has, no question, what is suffici­ent for a very comfortable Subsistence to any Reasonable Man. And he that is not satisfied with such a Degree of Wealth as this, will ne­ver be satisfied with any, be it never so great.

He therefore, that at all desires Riches impatiently, much more, he, that when he has a Reasonable Sufficiency of Wealth, co­vets still more, that he may ingross it to him­self, and the more indulge his Luxury, to the Neglect of better things, and builds his Hopes of Happiness upon such a Multitude of Riches; is guilty of the Covetousness this Pa­rable was spoken against: And the Folly and Vileness of which Vice, I am in the Second Place to expose, and shew what very Ill Consequences do attend it.

And first, All Immoderate Desire of Riches, upon what Account soever, is a very great Fol­ly. Immoderately to desire any thing is question­less a Folly; for all Immoderation is foolish and unreasonable, as must be acknowledg'd by every Man at first sight: And immoderate Desire is a kind of Rack and Torture to the Mind, which for a Man in any Case to bring upon himself, is certainly a Folly, and there­fore in General, it must be allow'd to be a great Piece of Folly, immoderately to desire [Page 310]Riches. But more Particularly it is so upon the following Accounts.

First, Because 'tis so very uncertain, whe­ther a Man shall attain his Desire, or no. There are so many cross Accidents incident to the Pursuit of Riches, let Men take what Course they will, that 'tis generally the most precarious thing in the World. If a Man crosses the Seas for Wealth, as uncertain as the Winds and Waters are, as numerous as the Rocks and Quick-sands, and Sea-Robbers; so great is the Uncertainty, whether that way he shall have what he desires, and heap up Wealth, or no. If, for more Security he stays at Home, and by Domestick Employ­ments endeavours to be rich; whatever his Employment is, he is not sure he shall have Health to pursue it; or if he has, that his En­deavours will be successful; Ten Thousand unforeseen Accidents may destroy a very hopeful Beginning, and one Month may set him further back than he has advanc'd in Twenty Years; and one unlucky Hit may re­duce him to Poverty, after he has arriv'd al­most to the Completion of his Desires. In other Cases, there are some certain Means that seldom fail of their respective Ends; as Learning, where there is an Aptitude for it in Nature, may certainly be acquired by In­genuous Education, Diligent Study, and Good Conversation; and when there is a Natural Genius likewise, Men seldom fail by Good Instruction and Industrious Practice, of becoming Artists in their several Profes­sions. [Page 311]But Riches do ebb and flow unac­countably; sometimes the greatest Industry fails of them, and they fall unexpectedly upon the Idle and the Negligent; and as often, when Men think they are within their Reach, they make themselves Wings and fly away they know not how. As, when a Child would catch a Grass-hopper, its Motions are so very irregular, that he finds it a very difficult Matter at all to come near it; and when at length, after much Pains, he thinks he has gain'd his Prize, and eagerly puts forth his Hand to seize it, the nimble Insect leaps to a further Distance from him than before. And even just so (how rustick soever the Comparison may be) is it very often with Men that immoderately desire, and eagerly pursue Riches; there's no regular Way of proceeding that a Man may securely depend upon in the Case; The Ebbs and Flows of Wealth are as various and unaccountable as the Motions of that little Insect, 'tis as hard a matter to come within reach of them, and men are as often baulk'd when they think they have them in their Possession. And this can't but have been the Observation of every Man, that has liv'd any while in the World, and taken Notice of the Proceedings in it; and has been the costly Experience of very many. Now, for a Man immoderately to desire, and impatiently to pursue, what there is no sure and steady Way of attaining; and when, for any thing he can tell, after all his Pains, and the Uneasiness consequent upon his eager [Page 312]Desire, he shall miss of his End; nay, when 'tis a Thousand to One but he shall miss of it (for of a Thousand that immoderately desire great Riches, there is, modestly speaking, scarce One that attains them) for a Man to suffer the Torment of an immoderate Desire of what there is so little Probability of at­taining; is certainly a great Piece of Weak­ness and Folly; and almost as bad, as if a Man should endeavour eagerly all his Days to en­close the Wind in his Fist.

And this Comparison, as extravagant as it may seem, is countenanc'd by the wisest of Men; who, in the 5th. Chapter of Ecclesi­astes, 16th. Verse, after he had, for Five or Six Verses before, expos'd the Folly of an immoderate Desire of Wealth; asks this Question, What Profit hath he that hath la­bour'd for the Wind? All his Days (as 'tis Verse 17.) he eateth in Darkness, or Uncer­tainty of the Event, and hath much Sorrow, and Wrath with his Sickness; i. e. as 'tis express'd elsewhere by the same wise Preach­er, the deferring of his Hope maketh his Heart sick, and much is his Trouble and Vexation in pursuing what is Vanity of Vanities. And therefore with great Reason does St. 1 Tim. 6.17. Paul warn Men, not to trust in uncertain Riches, or the Uncertainty of Riches, which a Man is as uncertain of getting, as of keeping when he hath them. And to reassume the former Compari­son, as the Wind bloweth where it listeth, and we hear the Sound of it, but cannot tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth; so unaccountable are [Page 313]the Motions of Wealth: For all any Endea­vours of ours, Wealth will take its own course and change masters or servants rather as it listeth; and though there is a great deal of Noise made with it and about it, yet no Man can certainly say whence it cometh, by what Methods he may be sure to procure it, nor whither it goeth, by what Means 'tis lost by one, and passeth another.

And this is the first Reason why an immo­derate Desire of Riches is a great Folly, be­cause 'tis so strangely uncertain whether a Man shall have that Desire of his gratified or no, nay, a Thousand to One that he shall not. A moderate Portion of this World's Good may be moderately desir'd by a wise Man, because there is no great Fear of his being disappointed, and Industry is generally rewarded with a Comfortable Subsistence: but impatiently to thirst after great Riches, is an Egregious Folly, because 'tis great Odds, but 'twill be to no Purpose.

But secondly, should it be to some Purpose thus eagerly to desire and endeavour after great Riches, and the Man gains what he would have; yet, after all, the Purchase is not great, nor will it countervail the Uneasi­ness the whole Man endures in the immode­rate Desire and earnest Pursuit of it. What toilsom Days and restless Nights, what Servi­tude and Drudgery do those go through who resolve, if possible, to raise large Estates, and greater Families? How many low piti­ful things are they fain to truckle to, nay, [Page 314]what is worse, how much cheating and un­derhand dealing, how much Violence and Oppression is there committed by those that make haste to be rich? What Discontents and repining at (as they think) their slow Progress, how does every Rub and Hin­drance go to their very Heart, and their fre­quent Baulks and Disappointments, pierce them thorough with more and more pun­gent Sorrows, than all their Wealth, though they have Hearts to enjoy it, will ever make amends for?

If abundance of Gold and Silver would certainly make a Man wiser and better, if 'twould clear his Apprehension, or strengthen his Memory, or improve his Reasoning; if 'twould make him more prudent and discreet and of a riper Judgment; if 'twould increase Piety and Religion, and promote a Godlike Frame of Spirit; nay, if 'twould but so much as refine a Man's Temper, and make him of more sweet and obliging Behaviour, or regulate the Passions and Affections of the Soul, and help him to Tranquility of Mind, and cure Anger, and Pride, and Envy, and Lust, and Revenge, or the like; if abundance of Riches would work any of these good Ef­fects, 'twould be worth while earnestly to desire them, and industriously to endeavour to procure them: But, when 'tis so far from this, that the direct contrary is general obser­vable in those that have greatest Riches in Possession; it must, I think, be allow'd to be a very great Piece of Folly, for a Man to [Page 315] endure so much for what, when he has it, will not countervail.

But, though greedy Worldlings may own, that great Riches have little or no Influence upon the Happiness and Improvement of the Inner Man; yet, because a Man has a Body as well as a Soul to take care of, they are thus greatly desirous of much Wealth, because 'twill help them to the Enjoyment of much of this World's Happiness, and acquire what will highly please and gratifie the Body; as the Rich Man in the Parable said, they may take their ease, eat, drink, and be merry, when they have much Goods laid up for many Years. I shall therefore in the

Second Place shew, the folly of expecting even this World's Happiness from Abun­dance of Riches.

For besides, that the Appetites of the Body are generally observed to be more sickly and deprav'd in rich than poorer Per­sons; their Sleep, worse rather than better than other Mens; Eccl. 5.12. the Abundance of the Rich will not suffer him to sleep, says Solomon, but the Sleep of the Labouring Man is sweet, eat he little or eat he much; and that Health is much more a Stranger to the Rich than to the Meaner sort, and the Pleasures of ha­ving a Body Vigorous and Active, without the Encumbrance of Weakness and Disea­ses, almost engross'd by the Labouring Poor; Besides this, (which yet alone is enough to prove, that 'tis a folly to expect even this [Page 316]World's Happiness from Abundance of Riches, for without Health, which Luxury destroys the most of any thing, there is no Taste or Relish in any other of its Enjoy­ments;) there is this One Reason more, among others, that will farther, and I think evidently prove, that 'tis a very great Folly to expect to be happier even in this World, by growing Richer; and it is this, That Riches are of all Things the most unsatisfy­ing, and the most perplexing.

Other Good Things of this World do in some sort satisfie; and Men are often cloy'd with Pleasures, have enough of Mirth and Jollity, of Recreations and Diversions, and the like; and the Mind is, for a while, eas'd and refresh'd by them: But as for Riches, as they increase, the Desire of still more, increases proportionably, nay, rather dispro­portionably with them; and 'twas never yet known, that a worldly-minded Man ever thought he had enough, but that his Appe­tite grew keener after Wealth, the more 'twas fed with it: And 'tis not unusual, to hear the greatest Complaints, Murmurings, and Repinings from the richest Men. And as for the Perplexity that attends Abundance of Wealth, that likewise is as evident to common Observation. The more a Man hath, the more Care he must take to pre­serve it, the more Quarrels and Law-Suits will he be embroil'd in; and when there are Troubles and Commotions in the State, and Times grow dangerous and uncertain, [Page 317]then are the greatest Worldlings fullest of Fears and dreadful Apprehensions; and not only real, but imaginary Dangers, terrifie their Unman'd Souls; Things always ap­pearing with the worst Aspect to their troubled Fancies, who have made Gold their Deity, and ty'd up their Happiness in their Bags. And nothing, certainly, can be more perplexing to a Man's Mind, than such great Fears of losing That, in the possession of which his whole Happiness is concentred.

And accordingly, Solomon, who had great Possessions, above All that were before him, and gather'd him Silver and Gold in such Abundance, that Silver was in Jeru­salem common as the Stones in the Street; 1 Kings 10.27. after all, says he, Eccles. 5.10, 11. He that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver, nor he that loveth Abundance with Increase. And what Good is there to the Owners there­of, saving the beholding of it with their Eyes? And even the Eye is not satisfied with seeing neither. And St. Paul says very plainly, That the Love of Money is the Root of all Evil, and they that will be Rich, fall into Temptation and a Snare, 1 Tim. 6.9, 10. and pierce themselves through with divers Sorrows; and that Con­tentment, with only Food and Raiment, is a far greater Happiness. And therefore, good Reason had the Wisest King to say, after all his Increase, and the Abundance he had amass'd together, that it was, not only Va­nity, but Vexation of Spirit, Eccles. 2.11.

Now, that which can never satifie, and as it increases, increases a Man's Trouble and Perplexity (which is true, we see, of Riches) is, no doubt, far from conducing to a Man's Happiness in this World; and therefore, 'tis a very great Folly, for any Man to depend upon Abundance of Wealth for Happiness, for 'tis rather, the Cause of much Trouble and Disquietude. Or how­ever, God may suddenly deprive a rich Worldling of all he has by Death, and say, as in the Parable, Thou Fool, this Night shall thy Soul be required of thee, then whose shall those Things be which thou hast provided? For, As we brought nothing into the World, so 'tis certain we can carry nothing out. And thus much for the Folly of Immoderate Desire of Riches, in Expectation of a Happy Life from Abundance. I proceed now to shew,

The Vileness of this sort of Covetousness, and of placing the Happiness of Life in great store of Wealth.

That 'tis a very vile Thing for a Man immoderately to covet Riches, and place the Happiness of his Life in Abundance of them, will be very evident, if we briefly consider what a Man is, and what Abundance of Wealth is, and what little or no propor­tion the one bears to the Dignity of the other. A Man is a Creature endow'd with a Rational and Immortal Soul, capable of Knowing, Admiring, Loving, and Enjoy­ing God, who is the Supreme Good and the Centre of Felicity. As a Christian, he is [Page 319]an adopted Son of God, Coheir with Christ of a Crown of Glory in the Eternal King­dom of Heaven, and design'd to participate of those Rivers of divine Pleasures that are at God's Right-hand for ever and ever. As for Riches (or Abundance of Gold and Silver, in which now-a-days we esteem Riches chiefly to consist) they are really no better than Heaps of Earth of different Co­lours, impress'd with different Stamps, and made of different Sizes, and to which Men have given a different Value and Esteem, according to their different Colour, Size, and Impression; and which in themselves, are good for little but to be look'd on, and which he that would live must part with when he has them, in Exchange for other Things that are necessary for his Sub­sistence.

Now, what can be more vile and base, than for so Noble and Excellent a Creature as Man, so far to degrade himself, as to em­ploy his greatest Love, and Admiration, and Desire, upon a Piece of Earth, which was originally made for him to tread upon, and produce Things for his Food and Pleasure! To make that his Master, nay his God, which was made to be his Servant! For a Rational Soul to doat upon a sensless Clod, to neglect the Contemplation of the Ex­cellencies of his infinitely perfect Maker, and admire one of the lowest of his Creatures; to desire a Piece of Earth with the greatest Application, and have no Value for the Im­mortal [Page 320] Glories of Heaven; to place his Happiness in what is so very much inferiour to him, and upon that which is indeed his Happiness to bestow no Thoughts; what can be more vile and abject than this! what more unbecoming the Dignity of the Ratio­nal Nature, and of a Creature that has such glorious Hopes! Where is the Reason of a Man, that lays out all his Endeavours to acquire a Trifle, and in the mean time dis­regards that which is his chief good? and where is the Religion of a Christian, that has been redeem'd, not by Corruptible Things, such as Silver and Gold, but with the precious Blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without Ble­mish and without Spot; where is his Religi­on, that notwithstanding this, makes Sil­ver and Gold the chief Object of his Affe­ctions, and treads under foot the Son of God, and counts the Blood of the Covenant, where­with he was sanctified, an unholy, or com­mon, Thing, and does despight to the Spirit of Grace, and loves and admires Mammon more than his Saviour? What more vile and brutish than this, what more stupidly ungrateful! This is, to come down to a Le­vel with the Beasts that perish; nay, 'tis to sink much lower; for They act according to their Natural Instincts, and choose as they are directed by their Great Creator, and serve him obediently in that Rank of Being in which he has plac'd them: But that Man, much more that Christian, that makes perishing Riches the main Object of his De­sires [Page 321]and Endeavours, acts directly contrary to the Reason that God has given him, de­generates many degrees below the Dignity of his Nature, disobeys the Orders of his Creator, slights the Heavenly Counsel of his Saviour, despises the Glories and Feli­cities of the Kingdom of Heaven, and of a Man and a Christian makes himself a vile Muckworm, delighted in nothing Noble and Excellent, but groveling upon the Earth, as if that were the Centre of his Happiness. And what can more vilifie and degrade a Reasonable Soul, made after the Image of God, than such base Affections as these? 'Tis certainly a most vile Degeneracy, and renders a Man the most contemptible Crea­ture in the Universe, both to God and An­gels, and all wise and good Men.