THE words are a part of our Savour's Excel­lent Sermon in the Mount, and do abundant­ly Justifie the Solemnity of this Day, in which a Third Report is to be made of some of the most Eminent Charities which the Christian World can produce, and which the Text allows us to make our Boast of; For tho our Saviour in this very [Page 6]Sermon, Ch. 6.2, 3. forbids the Sounding of a Trumpet before our Alms, and letting even the Left hand know what the Right hand does, to avoid all manner of Ostentation and Vain Glory (as all that which we endeavour to assume to our selves, is); yet when God may be Glorified (which is the main thing we are always to aim at in all that we do) and others may be excited to joyn with us therein, both in word and deed; we are not only allowed, but required to be as Publick as we can; especially when our very Faith, from the Time of the Reformation, hath been Reproach'd by our Adversaries of the Church of Rome, not only as dead and fruitless, but as a declar'd Enemy and Obstacle to all Good Works; We may then sure be allow'd to answer such Fools according to their Folly, as Solomon speaks, Prov. 26.5. and with St. Paul, to boast our selves a little, when they thus compel us to it; and when in the midst of all our Glorying in the sight of men, we look upon our selves, and all that we do herein, as nothing in the sight of God; then indeed we may, nay, then we must do as the Text requires, make the Light of our Good Works so to shine before men, that they may see them, and glorifie our Father which is in Hea­ven.

Nor is this Duty incumbent only upon those that are of Greatest Abilities for it, either by their Wealth or Stations, or are advanc'd to any Eminent Dignities or Employments either in Church or State, but such as par­ticularly concerns all, and extends it self to every Indi­vidual Believer, tho of the meannest Rank and Conditi­on: For tho these words, Ye are the Salt of the Earth, mentioned in the 13th verse; and Ye are the Light of the World, mentioned in the 14th, do very appositely agree to those that were promoted to the Apostolical Dignity and Office, yet since the Disciples, tho call'd before, yet [Page 7]were not then actually appointed thereto (for that we read, Mat. 10. was done afterwards): And since all the other parts of this Excellent Sermon, do equally agree to all sorts of Christians whatsoever, we may well con­clude, that they are all of them particularly concerned in this Precept also. For Christians, as such, let their Ranks and Stations be what they will, are the Salt of the Earth, are the Light of the World; and therefore are certainly obliged so to shine in all good works, before men, that they may be seen, and their Heavenly Father be the more glorified thereby, v. 14. especially when they are like a City on an Hill, that cannot be hid. And therefore since they must and will be seen, it is necessary that they should be seen to the best advantage, to the Glory of God, and the good of Men. And indeed this our Saviour seems particular­ly to intend in these words; and therefore they are u­sher'd in with such a Comparison as sufficiently shews what God design'd and aim'd at in the several Capaci­ties that he has set us in, that he never bestows any Gift upon us only for our selves, or for our own sakes, but for the good of others, and to enable us the better to do good therewith; therefore, says he, just before the Text, Men do not light a Candle, v. 15.and put it under a Bushel, but on a Candlestick, and it giveth Light to all that are in the house. Therefore he adds in the Text it self, Let your Light so shine, as other Lights use to do, that Men may receive benefit by them, and be the better for them, and may give Glory to him who is the Father of Lights, Jam. 1.17.from whom eve­ry good and perfect gift comes; and by whom we are ena­bled to do any thing that is or may be called a good work; or, to speak more agreeable to the Phrase of the Text, who has enlightned us, or made us to shine, and com­manded, as well as enabled us to give Light to others. Let your light, &c.

In which words we have Four Things to consider:

1. Here is a Duty enjoyn'd, which is to make our Light shine; Let your Light shine, &c. Now by Light we are to understand the Doctrine of Christianity, as it hath been reveal'd unto men by our blessed Saviour, who, amongst other Titles given him in Scripture, is sometime styl'd the Sun of Righteousness, Mal. 4.2. John 8.12. Luk. 1.18. Eph. 5.8.the Light of the World, and the Day­spring from on high: And therefore those that are called by his Name, are said to be enlightned by him, and to be the children of Light; upon which account Baptism was an­ciently called [...]; the Illumination perhaps from those Expressions of the Apostle to the Hebrews; in which he calls the receiving of the Christian Faith, a being en­lightned. Heb. 6.4. And indeed the whole Gospel may not be un­fitly comprehended under this Title, because immediate­ly upon the appearing of this blessed Light, all the sha­dows of the Mosaic Dispensation fled away, and the dark­ness of the Gentiles was happily overcome by the clear day which the Gospel made upon its Glorious Discovery of what was so necessary to eternal salvation.

2. We are here told what we are to shine in, i.e. in good works; Let your Light so shine before men, that they may see your good works. By good works we are to understand, in general, all those works that have any true Worth or Ex­cellency in them, and which are now vastly improv'd un­der the Gospel, into greater degrees of Perfection than what they ever had before, either under Moses's Law, or any other dispensation whatsoever; for we are now so plainly taught the Nature of things, that we are well a­ble to judg how to value them.

The Worship of God which before shewed him only to be the Sovereign Lord of all, now discovers what his Nature is, and demonstrates it to be purely spiritual; which none of the Jewish Sacrifices, in themselves consider'd, ever [Page 9]did or could do, there being no manner of Resemblance between such a Nature and the Blood and Flesh of Bulls and Goats, and the Ashes of an Heifer. Heb. 9.13. The Love of our Neigh­bour, and the good Offices that depend upon it, are not now confin'd to One Nation only, but extend themselves to all men that need them without exception. In a word, the Duties that more immediately concern our selves, are now under the Gospel made plain and easie, which under Moses's Law were dark and obscure, and required a great deal of Pains and Skill to understand them, as well as a great deal of Compliance to reconcile the minds of men to them. But now every Duty that is requir'd of us, shews the Excellency of its own Nature, and becomes not only a Reasonable, but a Glorious and a Pleasant Service too, having nothing in it but what is truly Good, and very Lovely and Desirable.

3. Here is the manner in which we are to shine, which is to be as publickly as we can, that we may be sure to be seen; for it is not enough for us to call our selves Christi­ans, to believe with the Heart alone, to be, or to do good in private and in secret only, or to content our selves with any common measures or degrees of Goodness, which o­thers that do not at all belong to Christ may arrive at; but we must take care to excell therein, and to be Eminent Examples of Piety, Virtue and Charity to all with whom we do converse.

4. Here is the End that we are to Propound and Aim at in our shining, which is, That our Heavenly Father may be Glorified. For those things that are good in them­selves may be, and often are done to bad Purposes, the Glory of God is therefore here enjoyn'd as the End of all, that we do therein. For this Reason therefore and to this purpose, Let your Light, &c.

And now from these Words thus explain'd give me leave to Comprehend the meaning of them, and the Duty that is contain'd in them, in this single Proposition.

Those that call themselves Christs, are to be pub­lick and eminent Examples unto others in all good works, In the handling of which I shall proceed in this Method.

1. I shall shew how fit and requisite this is—2. I shall consider it with Respect to the different Capacities and Abilities of Christians. 3. I shall shew how those Precepts, that forbid all Publick discoveries of our Good Works, can be reconcil'd to this, that require us to make them as Conspicuous as we can.—4. I shall make Application with respect to the present occasion.

1. I shall shew how fit and requisite it is, for those that call themselves Christians to be Publick and Eminent Examples unto others, in all Good Works. And this I shall do,

1. With respect to the more perfect State of the Gos­pel, under which we are, which does certainly require it. For now the Moral Law is entirely rescued from all the false Glosses of the Pharisees, and those Laws that are truly and properly Evangelical, are not only most pure and perfect in themselves, but do continually shew forth the greatest Love to men. 2 Tim. 1.10. Life and Immortality are thereby brought to Light, Eternal Rewards are therein promis'd, to a sincere, tho' imperfect Obedience, and those aids are continually lent us from above, as shall make us always highly acceptable unto God. Now to what purpose can we imagine all this to be, if our Lives and Manners are not Answerable thereto? we cannot think a Jew Excus­able under his Weak and Beggery Elements, Gal. 4.9. if his Practise be not Answerable to his Profession; Nor can we tell how to think well of a Heathen, tho his Ignorance has almost Extinguish'd the very Light of Nature, if his [Page 11]Life and Manners are Vicious and Immoral, what then shall we say to a Christians, who has been Once Enlightned, Heb. 6.4.and has Tasted of the Heavenly gift, and has been made par­takers of the Holy Ghost, If he shall Live, I will not say wickedly but less virtuously, and shew little or nothing of that Light, of which he either is, or ought to be a Child: He certainly, must needs be very unworthy of that Glorious Character which he bears, whose Temper and Manners are different therefrom, and directly con­trary thereto.

2. This must be requisite, because by this means alone we come to be known to be Christians. That Faith by which we receive and embrace the Gospel, is an Inward Princi­ple Seated in the Heart visible only to the All seeing Eye of God, and by no means to be discern'd by Men, and therefore there are some publick and open Confessions of it to be made, to Entitle us to that Salvation which it of­fers us, and Encourages us to hope for; And so the A­postle tells us, Rom. 10.10. That we must outwardly profess, as well as Inwardly believe the Resurrection of our Lord from the Dead, if we expect to be sav'd by him; for tho With the Heart Man believeth unto Righte­ousness, yet it is with the Mouth, that Confession is made unto Salvation; That it is not enough for us, to be throughly perswaded of this our selves, unless we open­ly profess it to the World; Nor is this all that is to be done by us; for tho this might have been very well, and sit for the Infancy of the Church, and the first Ages of Christianity, in which it was much easier to Live like Christians, then to make Profession of being so; for Virtue and Goodness, Righteousness and Mercy, were never publickly Condemn'd by any Society, or Goverment in the World, but the Name of Christ, Acts 28.22. was every where spoke [...] against. But now God be Praised, our Christian Profession [Page 12]is as easie and safe, as it is publick and open; And there­fore it is not for us to Rest in a bare Profession of the Christian Faith, for we must make that Profession as Il­lustrious as we can, and adorn it with as many Good Works as we are able; for otherwise we can never be said to shine as Lights in the world; we shall at best be but as a Candle under a Bushel; which is so far from shining to a­ny purpose, that none can tell whether it shines at all; and indeed since no body can see its Light, it is all one as if it gave none.

3. The great Example of our Lord, to which we are oblig'd to conform ourselves, requires it of us. For we are certainly to make him our Pattern in all imitable things, being expresly commanded to follow his steps therein: yea it is the great thing that we are called unto in the Gospel. Now how gloriously did his Zeal for God manifest it self! how conspicuous did his Love to Mankind appear! In the one he is so transported that he abandon'd all care of his own safety, in attempting a Reformation of those scanda­lous Profanations of the houses of God, John 2.14, 15. that were so notorious and offensive; at the hazard of his Life, from those Money changers, whose Tables he overthrew, and whom he scourged out of the Temple: and in the other he suffers himself to be abandon'd and forsaken by all the World, and for a time even by his Father too, and to have his Life torn from him with utmost Violence, that if possible none might perish. He was so intirely given up to the doing of his Father's will, that he made more account of it than of his necessary Food; John 4.34. yea it was his meat and his drink to do it; nay, when he beg­ged so heartily to be excus'd (if possible) from drinking that bitter Cup that was put into his hand, with what a profound submission to the Will of his Father, did he regulate and qualifie the earnestness of his own desire therein? saying at the same time, Mat. 26.39. Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done, espe­cially, [Page 13]when it was so necessary, that it should be so for Gods Glory and the Good of Men; for these always went together to Instruct us what to do in this matter, and in what manner we are to perform all that we take in hand; for we find him always seeking after occasions of doing Good, both to the Bodies and to the Souls of Men, and not staying till they offer'd themselves to him; so that we may say with St. Peter, Acts 10.28.He went up and down doing Good, and spent all his Time in such Exercises; Re­storing the Sick, Cleansing the Lepers, curing the Lame, opening the Ears of the Deaf, and the Eyes of the Blind, and healing all manner of Sickness, and all manner of Dis­eases amongst the People; and what's more then all this, and for the sake of which all the rest was done, took spe­cial care, that the Poor should partake of the Rich Grace of God, and have the Gospel Preached unto them. Mat. 11.5.

And who now can behold such Exemplary Piety, such fervent Zeal towards God, such Ardent and Unparalell'd Love to Man, that shin'd so Gloriously in all that the Bles­sed Jesus did, and not desire and endeavour to imitate it; yea, even to be transform'd into it. They therefore are mightily mistaken that say, or think, that our Saviour came into the World, only as a Pattern and Example to it of all that was Good; nor are they less mistaken that affirm, or imagine that he came into it, only to make sa­tisfaction for our Sins by his Death, and that we are not as much concern'd in the Example of his Life, because there are some things in it that are above our imitation; For tho that may be true, yet even in those very things there is something that we are oblig'd to Copy out, and to resemble him in: we cannot indeed work Miracles as he did, but we may imitate the Charity and Goodness that appear'd in all his Miracles, and do even somewhat towards the things themselves, as far as our Poor Powers [Page 14]and Capacities will allow us to do. We cannot make 5 Loaves afford a Plentiful Meal to 5000 at once, but we may find enough both to Feed and Cloath, to cure and to instruct a great many more, in the Successions of Time, by founding and endowing of Hospitals, and Schools; Nay, we may be daily doing something in it, according to our several Abilities, by the Relief that we continu­ally give out, to those that are in want. We cannot by a word speaking Heal the Sick, but we may visit them, and do a great many things towards their recovery, either by our selves, or others. We cannot wholly deliver the distressed from all their Afflictions, but we may make them a great deal Lighter, and abate both the Number and Weight of them. Tho' we cannot do so much as we would, yet certainly, there are some things that we can do for them; and what we can do, sure no man will deny that he ought. Thus far therefore we may and must imitate our Lord, and sure there are such Charms in his Example, as must needs make us all strive to do it.

4. That future State of Happiness and Glory, which we all hope to arrive at, must oblige us to this Duty. For we are taught to believe and expect not only a State of Happiness for our Souls, but also a joyful Resurrection for our Bodies. Rev. 21.4. When all Tears shall be wip'd away from all Eyes, and there shall be no more Sickness, no more Pain, nor no more Death. And tho this be all owing to the Grace and Fa­vour of God, and is the Effect of his Mercy and Good­ness, yet we may easily see the Reason of this his intended kindness to us, because our Bodies are not only serviceable to our Souls, but have their particular share in those good Offices which Compose the Christian Life, which they put them upon and imploy them in. And indeed for their sakes this Precept seems to be given, because they are im­mediately concern'd in those things that are obvious to [Page 15]the Eye of the World, and which our Souls can by no other ways and means make any manner of shew of; as particularly in all those Duties that we are call [...]d to, in the Publick Worship and Service of God, and in all the Com­mon Offices of Humanity, Mercy and Goodness, which we Perform to Men. For if we consider those Duties of Gods Worship and Service that are private and secret, they are indeed best perform'd when our Bodies have the lest share in them; as when we are, for instance, so wrapt up in the Contemplation of the Divine Perfections, that our Souls can give no more Account of their Relation to our Bodies then St. Paul could, 2 Cor. 3.2. when he was caught up into the third Heaven. So also when we are seriously musing and me­tating about the vanity and uncertainty of these Earthly things, and even about the frailty of our own Bodies in this Present Life, our Souls are in a manner call [...]d off there­from, and Soare a great deal higher, having nothing to do with our Bodies therein, but only from what their own Experience has dictated to them to this Purpose; yea, so far is the Body from being any further Serviceable to the Soul even in these things, that it often proves a great hindrance to it by its Sleepiness and Sloth, and the many distractions that it occasions. In respect of these Offices, indeed there is no Reason why the Body should share with the Soul in its Happiness and Joy. But now there are other Duties in which the Body does, and must Act in Conjunction with the Soul, as when in the Publick Worship of God, We present our Bodies, as the Apostle speaks, Rom. 12.1.a Holy Living Sacrifice acceptable to God; And therein bow and kneel before him, lift up our Hands and our Eyes, and declare by our words the Inward desires of our Souls; so also in those Duties that concern our Neighbour, it is but little that the Soul can do of its self, for they are only the Members of the body that Act therein. Nay, those ve­ry [Page 16]Members, not only serve and assist the Soul, but even excite and quicken it, to greater Degrees of Tenderness and Compassion, for those that are in misery; nay, we cannot forbear Sympathizing with them therein, and be­ing in a manner affected our selves, just as they are. Their Tears do often draw Tears from us, their Groans will make us also Sigh, and be in Pain for them; and the sight of their miseries will Pierce us also, and touch us to the quick, yea, and by this means afford some relief to them, whilst they see us thus Pity, and Bear a part with them in their Distress. Since therefore the Body is to share with the Soul in those Rewards, that it shall hereafter have in Hea­ven, for the Good that it has done here upon Earth, be­cause it bore a part with it in all those Duties that were most Eminent and Conspicuous, and tended most to the Glory of God and the Good of Men, it must necessarily follow, that upon this very Account also, we that call our selves Christians, and Profess to believe the Doctrine of our Saviour, and to follow his Example, in hopes of a Glo­rious Resurrection of our Bodies to Eternal Life, ought to take care that our Light may so shine before Men, that they may, &c. And thus I have shewn how fit and requisite this duty is.

2. I shall now consider this matter, with respect to the different Capacities and Abilities of Chrstians, for we may plainly see that God has distinguish'd some from o­thers, by the larger Proportions of Gifts which he has bestow'd upon them, more then upon the rest; all Stars we know do not shine alike, for One Star differeth from another Star in Glory; 1 Cor. 15.41. Some are of greater Magnitude and Splendor then others, but yet since all are Stars, all do and must shine; so now it is amongst Men, and amongst Chri­stians, some are in higher Stations then others, of larger Capacities both for Natural parts and acquir'd abilities, [Page 17]and have more and greater opportunities of doing Good then others; we will therefore distribute them into these 3 several Ranks and Sorts, and shew that all are oblig'd to do what they can in this matter, according to their se­veral Abilities.

1. The first shall be of those that are of the largest Ca­pacities, and Abilities for doing Good, that are in Eminent Stations, and have great and glorious Opportunities for it, that have Good Parts and Excellent Faculties, Great Judg­ments and an happy Insight into Business a ready and dextrous way of mannaging all things to the best Advan­tage, and that have Estates and Interests every way An­swerable thereto; so that they may herein do even what they please, or will themselves; from these, now Great things are and will be Expected, nothing that's Common and Ordinary will be look'd upon, or minded in them; and indeed so our Lord has exprelly told us, Luk. 12.48. Ʋnto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much requir'd; Yea, there is in some of these a Largeness of Heart, An­swerable to the Extent of their other Abilities, and there­fore to advise these to that Privacy in doing Good, that may be commendable in others, is indeed to stifle all Good Motions and Inclinations in them, and to discou­rage and hinder that Good, which their Example might Excite in others; that modesty that would be Commen­dabie in others, would be a defect, nay, a fault in them; They therefore are only to be Caution'd, against all that Ostentation and Vain Glory that too many affect, and which will not only slur the Glory, but deprive us of all the Comfort of any Good that we may do, and yet at the same Time, are to be Excited to Glorify God this way as much as they can; Yea, this is always to be made use of as a spur to stir us up thereto. That it will be a great dis­grace both to our selves and to our Profession, if we do not thus improve what God has given us to be so imploy'd, [Page 18]yea, our Account will be the more dreadful, when we shall be found at the last day, thus wanting in a thing of so great Moment and Importance.

2. The second sort shall be of those that are of meaner Capacities and Abilities, and seem by their Stations and Conditions, by their Tempers and Faculties, as it were appointed to a more private and retir'd Kind of Life. These indeed are not for Publick Stations, bold Under­takings and great Services; Nay, they may perhaps choose to retire on purpose, from a great crowd of Worldly bu­siness, to avoid the Temptations that do always attend such things, and that they may enjoy themselves, and make the greater Progress in Piety and Virtue, whilst they are alone, and have only their own Thoughts to Converse with; and yet even these are not Exempted from this Du­ty, or depriv'd of Opportunities of being Exemplary un­to others. And therefore,

1. They ought to make it appear as far as they can, that this does not proceed from Covetousness, Ill Nature, or a morose and sullen Temper, from an unprofitable sloth, or any ill design; but that they bear a Christian mind in all that they do, wishing well to others, that are at the greatest distance from them, yea, even to the whole Race of Mankind, Praying daily for them, to whom they are able to afford no other Relief. Nor are those Prayers and Affections to be wholly excluded from the Number of those Good works in which we are commanded to shine; for when once it is believed that we are thus se­rious and well imployed, whilst we are thus Private and Retired, we may be said to shine, and to be good Exam­ples to others; and tho Men don't see us, yet the Augels of God do, and are pleased withour Prayers, and Tears, and give Glory to God for that Pious and Heavenly Tem­per of Mind, which they thus discover to be in us.

[Page 19] 2. These Persons whose Tempers and Inclinations whose State and Condition do thus take them off from making any considerable Figure in the World, should be sure to abound in all Acts of Justice, Charity, and Good­ness to those that are near them, and with whom they do actually Converse; and tho they are able to do no great matters, yet they are certainly bound to do all that their particular Circumstances enable them to do; and perhaps, they may do more good in their own Sphere, then if they were call'd forth to more Eminent Services which they are not altogether fit for. For ma­ny Persons by endeavouring to do more good than they are well able, hinder themselves from doing so much as otherwise they might; whereas those Persons that know their own strength, and keep within that com­pass, not only act more surely, but more powerfully, and appear at once both Prudent and Pious too.

3. The third sort is of those that are in the lowest Sta­tions of all, and have the meanest Abilities and Capaci­ties for the doing good. Now no Man can expect the same from these that might have been expected from others; but yet there are not a few Vertues which even they may be Adorn'd, and Shine with, if they are con­tented with their Stations, if they are truly thank­ful to God for what they have; if they do not Envy those that are above them; if they labour truly to get their own livings, and, as the Apostle says, Thess. 3.12. to eat their own Bread; if they are Just and Honest in Dealings, true to their words, and abhor all wicked Practices, by which they may procure a Subsistance for themselves and Fa­milies, every body must and will commend and value them. The truth on't is, there is no sort or condition of Life whatsover, that may not be made to appear with great Advantage, and be recommended to the esteem of [Page 20]the World. Piety to God, Justice to Men, Truth and Honesty in all our Words and Actions, Tempelance and Sobriety, Humility and Modesty, and several other things of this sort will always be had in Honour; nor is there any one whatsoever, of so mean and abject a Condi­tion, or so high and exalted a Station, by whom these thing may not be reduc'd into Practise; yea all things that pertain to this Life, whither they be Natu­ral or Civil Actions, may be performed after a Religious manner; and there is no Man that makes profession of Christianity, that cares to do, or to bethought to do what he does, meerly out of necessity or custom, but from true Christian and Religious Principles. And by this, he lets his Light shine unto others, and is a Pattern to them of Good-works; and indeed, none but he that makes pro­fession of Religion, can do any of these things either with such a mind, or to such an end, and therefore none but he can be truly said to shine therein. Nor can it be deny'd but that even in the works of Charity, which do com­monly require a full Purse, as well as an open Hand, and a liberal Mind, and for that reason seem furthest re­moved from this present Case, may be recommended most Illustriously to others, even from the meanest Sta­tions. For as long as that Instance of the pooor Widows Mite which she cast into the Treasury, Mar. 12.42. stands upon Record under so fair a Character from our Saviour's own Mouth, who does not see both the Capacity and the Duty of the meanest Person, that is in doing something of this kind, together with the Lustre that shines in all the Good that is so done by such Persons, tho the thing it self be otherwise, and in its own nature very mean, and in­considerable, and not worth regarding

And thus I have also shewed how this Precept is to be understood, with respect to the different Capacities of doing good that Men have.

[Page 21] 3. I am now in the third place to consider, and shew how those Precepts that forbid all Publick Discoveries of our Good-works can be reconciled to this that requires us to make them as Conspicuous as we can. The Precepts that require all possible secresie in the doing of good, are altoge­ther contained in this Sermon of our Saviour upon the Mount, and are Recorded by St. Matthew, in the beginning of his 6. Chap. Take heed, say our Saviour there, that ye do not your Alms before Men, to be seen of them. When thou dost thine Alms, do not sound a Trumpet before thee as the Hypocrites do in the Synagogues, and in the Streets, that they may have Glory of Men: But when thou doest thine Alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does. And when thou Prayest, be not as the Hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the Streets, that they may be seen of Men: But thou, when thou Prayest, enter into thy Closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in Secret. Now all these Precepts are easily recon­ciled with that which I have been hitherto discoursing upon, if we consider this matter, either, 1. in General, or 2. in Par­ticular.

1. In General. None of the Good Works that we are here required to shine in, are to be done chiefly and only to be seen of Men: and this our Saviour most certainly means, by all those Precepts which we have now recited for the Pharisees were Just and Charitable, and Devout, on purpose that they might be taken notice of, and be applauded by Men for what they did; this they expresly aimed at, and de­sir'd above all things.

2. But secondly, and more particularly, there are two sorts of Good Works, Private, and Publick.

[Page 22] 1. Private, which are and can never be rightly perform'd but in Secret, as when (for instance) we Pray in our Fami­lies, we are not to make Proolamation of it in the Streets, neither when we Pray in our Closets are we to tell it to our Family: so when we give Alms to those that are Poor, but are not known to be so, we are not then to discover it; and the reason is plain, because the nature of those things re­quires their privacy, and the true end of them is attain'd un­to when they are done in Secret; but even in these Cases there is some regard to be had to this very precept of the Text too; for tho, it is not fit that others should know when, and what we do in this way, yet it is very fit, and perhaps ne­cessary that they should know that we have a Heart there­to, and that we actually do such things sometime. There's no Man that is a true Christian, that would have any Body think him so Prophane, and Irreligious, as not to Pray to God Morning and Evening, or that he never gives Alms at all, altho he does not desire that any body should see and ob­serve him, either in the one or in the other: It certainly makes for God's Glory when others believe and know that we do these things, and it would be a great Disparagement to our Profession, as well as to our selves, if it should be thought that we do none of these things at all, or that we do them so unwillingly that we would never do them, if we could avoid it.

2. There are Good Works that are Public, as well as Pri­vate, that respect the City, the Country, or the Kingdom and Nation to which we do belong; such as the Building of Churches for the Worship of God, the Founding and Endowing of Schools and Colleges, for the furtherance of Piety, good Lear­ning, and Manners; of Hospitals and Alms-houses for the re­lief of the Poor and Needy; of Bedlams and Bridewels for Lunaticks and Vagrants; now to forbid these to be Publick [Page 23]and Conspicuous, is to forbid them to be done at all. Let these kind of Benefactions be deferred till they can be so privately done, as that none can know either the Founder, or the work, and the most Covetous Wretch that is, may be accounted as Liberal as the most Munificent, and not have one Farthing the less in his Pocket. Besides, it will be next to impossible, nay, it would be Ridiculous to go about to perswade so many Thou­sand Persons, that must of necessity see these things whilst they are Building, to shut their Eyes, and not to take Notice of such great things as these are, upon which such vast Trea­sures are expended; for if they would never so fain, they can­not choose but see and be pleas'd with them; and indeed, it's very fit they should see and observe them, that so those that have Abilities for such things, may perceive that there are some Generous and Pious Souls, that are worthy of imitation here, and of Immortal Glory hereafter; certainly, as long as our Universities stand, yea, as long as this Great City re­mains, which is so deservedly famous, for its Multitude of well Design'd, well Govern'd, and I hope and believe faith­fully mannag'd Charities, the Memory of such Benefactors, and such Trustees, will be always blessed; for next to the Founding and Endowing, the just and upright mannagement of such Charities, must necessarily be reckon'd amongst the chiefest of those Good Works, in which we are requir'd to shine. Let none of our adversaries then Reproach us any more, as if the Protestant Faith had excluded all Obligations to Good Works, since upon a just Computation, it has been long since found, that the Publick Benefactions since the Refor­mation have far exceeded, and more then doubl'd, all that Popery could Boast of in twice that space before, and that this great City did herein equal the whole Kingdom besides. And if so, what a Glorious height will these rise to, when [Page 24]all that has been done since that Time shall be added there­to; which when all things are consider'd, will perhaps be found to be more and greater then any such like Number of Years, can any where produce. And as for those Duties that relate to the Publick Exercises of Religion, they are by no means to be omitted, nay, those Persons will do very will, and Act contrary to the Design of all such Publick Services, if they do not take care to do them openly. In Private Fasts, indeed we are to take Care, that we may not be taken No­tice of by Men, but in Publick Fasts, all outward Acts that may decently express the deepest Humiliation of our minds, are to be kept up, and perhap the great Austerities that were used to so good purpose in the Primitive Church, have been laid aside very much to the Prejudice of those necessary Du­ties of Christian Mortification and Repentance.

In all other Duties, which are Publick as well as Holy, the several Postures which the Prudence and Authority of the Church requires, and which common Decency and Custom have made fit, such as the uncovering of our Heads, and Kneeling in the Worship of God, are not to be neglected, lest we should be thought to Rob God himself, of any part of that Honour that's due to him; Nay, certainly such Wor­shippers deserve rather to be accounted undecent before Men, then truly Pious and Devout towards God.

And thus I have also shewn, how all those Precepts that forbid all Publick Appearances in the doing of Good, are to be understood, and how they may be Reconcil'd to this of the Text, in which we are commanded to Let our Light so to shine before men, that, &c. And this brings me to the 4th and last thing which I propounded, which is the Appli­cation.

[Page 25] 4. I shall therefore endeavour to apply it both according to the Nature of the thing its self, and to the present occasion.

1. What great cause have we to bless God, that the works which we are requir'd to shine in before men, are all of them such as are in themselves truly Good, and every way Com­mendable. We know that many of the Jewish Laws were not so, but were only Good because commanded, and were even in that Case only so for a time, till by the coming of the Messias, the whole State of their Affairs was to be chang'd. We find also, and that even amongst their most eminent Pro­phets, many things requir'd and done, that were hardly re­concilable to the common Rules of Decency, Modesty and Morality; for Isaias was commanded to walk Naked and Bare­foot, (20.2.) Ezeck. was enjoyn'd to Eat Bread baked with Mans dung, Ch. 1. [...]. Ch. 3. (4.12.) Hosea was commanded to take a Wife of Whoredom, and after that another, That was beloved of her Friends, yet an Adulteress. All which, with many more of this kind which might be mention'd (which whe­ther they were really done, or only Represented in a Vision, or Similitude) seem indeed not very decent nor suitable to their Stations and Conditions; but now those things that are requir'd of us, are and always will be in their own Natures Good, and highly commendable, being agreeable to the com­mon sense of all mankind in General, and to the Desires and Tempers of all Good men in particular; they are such as im­prove and adorn the mind, and enoble the Soul, and make a man appear to the World with all the Advantages immagi­nable. I confess, indeed that there are some things requir'd un­der the Gospel, that seem not to fall so immediately under this Character, being rather above our common Notions and Ap­prehensions of things; such are all those Articles of the Chri­stian [Page 26]Faith, that relate to the Death and Sufferings of our Bles­sed Saviour; But to those that do believe that Christ died for our Sins, even these also appear with great Lustre and Advan­tage, and they may be said to shine no less in them, because of their Agreeableness to the common Principles of our minds, now they are reveal'd, then in other things that are more rea­dily apprehended by us. I know also, that there are some Pre­cepts that depend purely upon Ecclesiastical and Civil Au­thority and Prudence, which when they are enjoyn'd, are to be observ'd and obey'd, but these now are not necessary in their own Nature, nor are they any longer to be observ'd then that Authority, which 1st enjoyn'd them shall think fit; But by these the Worship of God is decently perform'd, which other­wise would be very uncertain and irregular, and sure it must always be a commendable and a necessary thing, to have all things done decently and in order; 1 Cor. 14.40 so that even in these things we may be Examples of Good, as well as in the rest; and so, as we have cause to bless God, that he has commanded us to shine in no other works but what are truly Good and Com­mendable in themselves, so we are not a little oblig'd to Praise and to be Thankful to him, for enjoyning us to be Subject to Principalities and Powers, Tit. 3.1. Heb. 13.17and to obey those that are set over us, both in Church and State, since otherwise there would have been no place, or sphere for us to shine in, whilst we are do­ing of Good.

2. This reproves those that are very Zealous in doing of some things, as Good Works, that really and truly are not so in themselves; and here I would not be thought to reflect with any manner of severity upon those whose mistaken Zeal carries them out to some things that will by no means bear that stress which they lay upon them, such as were the Therapeut of old, whom Eusebius mentions, who certainly [Page 27]were more Rigid than they needed to have been, for they would never tast any manner of Food till after Sun-set, being as it were asham'd to be seen to take any care of their Bodies, as if it were an infamous thing in its self so to do, and like a deed of Darkness fit only for the Night: But yet I cannot forbear expressing a just Indignation against those who place Religion in the most Barbarous and Inhumane Cruelties, which they continualy exercise upon themselves for many Years together, Macerating their Bodies with all man­ner of rigorous Discipline; because in their so doing they make that Yoke hard which is easie, and that Bur­then heavy which is Light. Mat. 11.3. But what shall we think or say to that ridiculous pair of Spiritual Brethren, Ignati­us, and Xaverius, the two grand Saints of the Jesui­tical College, who to make themselves the more Fa­mous for overcoming the World, became truly and de­servedly Infamous, for that odious method they took in doing of it, by often drinking of that Water, in which the Ulcerated Sores of many Diseased Persons had been washed. Such practises as these must needs make all Persons to nauseat such kind of Devoti­ons, and even hate the Religion that shall oblige others thereto. Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God consists not in Meat and Drink, much less in such nasty fare, but in Reghteonsness, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost. To these I may also joyn those who are always talking of Religion, but are seldom found in the Practice of it, and those also that are very hot and fierce in contend­ing for some particular Opinions which they have im­bib'd, but are very cold in the practice of what is more their Duty, because truly and undoubtedly good, esteeming it enough to shew their Wit and Parts, their [Page 28]Learning and Skill in the Managing of Arguments and Controversies; which admit they do, and that their Opinions are true in themselves, they are not much to be commended, (for what are private and par­ticular Opinions to the grand Duties of the Chri­stian Life and Temper?) But if they are false, how greatly are they to blame? For no body can think the greatest skill in Controversie equal to plain and honest Truth. But further yet, what if they should be so blameless in their Lives and Man­ners, Heb. 6.4. as to seem to have Tasted of the Heavenly Gift, and of the Powers of the World to come, good Men can find but little comfort in Conversing with them, at leastwise it must abate very much of that Satisfaction, which they otherwise might have taken therein, when they shall see them in the mean time endeavouring to undermine and overturn the very Foundations of the Christian Faith, in which if they should be so unhappy as to become succes­ful, I very much question whether all the good they can do besides, will afford a Lustre great enough to shine thro' the Fogs and Mists of such gross and impious Errors. If the God-head of our Saviour be denied, and his satisfaction for our Sins wholly taken away, or which tends thereto; If the Mosaick Hi­story, concerning the Fall of Man be at best but an Allegory, or a well contrived Story, adapted to the Jewish Capacity, as uncapable of understanding more plain and substantial Truth: Certainly the very Gos­pel it self, if I may so speak, is to be pitied upon the score of these Persons. For if the Children of Light shine in this manner, their good works must give a lustre to their Errors and Blasphemies at the [Page 29]same time that they shew the Persons that do them to be otherwise Virtuous and Good Men; this in­deed is to go down to the Philistines to sharpen our Coulter; and I leave you to Judge, 1 Sam. 13.2 [...]. whether it be not a Disgrace to this our Israel, that we have no Work-men of our own to do it for us.

3. This may serve to Excite and Quicken us all, who profess our selves to be Followers of the bles­sed Jesus, and pretend to be Enlightned by him, to do the utmost we can in this matter, which is so plain and necessary, those of us, especially to whom God hath given large Capacities, greater Abilities, and Opportunities for it than others have, either by our Stations or Wealth, or any other means by which we are enabled to do good: These certainly are Ta­lents entrusted with us to this, and to no other pur­pose; for we are none of us made greater and rich­er than others for our own sakes, that so the rest of the World may gaze upon us and applaud our good Fortune and Condition, for this may be done to Beasts and Fowls; but that we may do the more good to Mankind, for whose sake alone we are thus entrusted, both with Power and Wealth; and therefore, if we are not Good as well as Great, Chari­table and well as Rich, we had better never have been either, for we shall therein become but so much the more Ridiculous and Contemptible in this World, and so much the more miserable in another. It's Goodness only that is the true Greatness, that gives a lustre to any Station that we are in, and where this is wanting, even the very Attendants of all our outward State and Grandeur, will and may well [Page 30]despise us; what we have, and what we are, is always known and valued by what we do.

The memory of Rich and Great men is, I con­fess like to be more lasting then others, but we can never say, it will be therefore more Honourable and Blessed, except their Virtues and their Good deeds make it so, for unless they are Remembred for something that's truly Good in its self, it would be better for them to be utterly forgotten; the Ri­diculous Stories of their base Actions, and of the many Follies which they committed, which disco­ver the Narrowness of their Souls, and their sordid minds, are longer told, and with greater Accep­tance to their most lasting Infamy and Disgrace; whereas had they but been Charitable and Good, they would always have been spoken of with Hon­our and Respect. And if any Malicious, or Ill Na­tur'd Person shall at any Time reflect upon any of their past Failings and Miscarriages, the Remem­brance of their Good deeds will not only cover o­ver a Multitude of such Faults, but will so Im­balm their Names and Memories, that they shall always cast forth a sweet Perfume, and be menti­on'd with Honour and Delight; yea, every body will be ready not only to excuse what they did once amiss, by the lasting Good which they have since done, but will take occasion even therefrom to com­mend their Good deeds the more, and thereby both stop the mouths of all such unworthy Calumina­tors, and open those that are of a more Ingenuous and Grateful Temper, to give Glory to God for the Happy change he has wrought in their Hearts, and [Page 31]for the great Good that he has done by their Hands. Nor can any protend that they want ei­ther for opportunities, or occasions, or encourage­ments that see this Goodly sight that's here before us, or that hear that true Report which I am to Read, of what this Great and Noble City has done this year.