Sermon 31 October 1680, License – Dedication
WARD MAYOR.
Cur. prima tent. die Jovis quarto die Novemb. Annoque Regis CAROLI Secundi Angl. &c. xxxij.
THis COURT doth deſire Maſter Dean of Peterburgh to Print his SERMON preached at the Guild-hall Chappel on Sunday morning laſt.
WAGSTAFFE.
A SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable THE LORD MAYOR AND THE ALDERMEN OF THE City of LONDON
At Guild-Hall Chappel, Octob. 31. 1680.
Being the XXI. Sunday after TRINITY.
By SYMON PATRICK, D. D. DEAN of PETERBƲRGH, and Chaplain in Ordinary to His MAJESTY.
LONDON, Printed by I. M. for R. Royſton Bookſeller to His moſt Sacred Majeſty, 1680.
To the RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir PATIENCE WARD Lord Mayor Of the CITY of LONDON.
Right Honourable,
IT is ſo hard, on ſome occaſions, to be a thoroughly good Chriſtian, and much more to be ſuch a Magiſtrate; that ſome have given over the endeavour of it, out of a perſwaſion, that it is impoſsible. Which, as it proceeds from great ignorance of the Chriſtian Religion ſo, would be a great diſparagement to it; if our bleſſed Saviour, and his Apoſtles, had not taken ſpecial care, not only to breed in us a quite contrary opinion; but alſo to raiſe our minds to the highest degree of confidence, that we ſhall be able, by the Divine aſsiſtance, to ſurmount the greatest difficulties.
This I have endeavoured, in as plain a manner as I could deviſe, to preſs in this Sermon; which by the deſire of that Honourable Court, where Your Lordſhip preſides, I now humbly preſent to Your and the publick view. Which will do the more good, I hope, not only becauſe Your Lordſhip judged it very ſeaſonable at Your entrance upon Your Office, but becauſe I was directed to this ſubject, not ſo much by my own Prudence, as by a kind of Divine Providence: which I have oft obſerved on the like occaſions.
For, having in the common courſe of my Sermons this year, at my own Pariſh, Preached upon ſome part of the Epiſtle for the Day, I found there was no need to go out of my way to meet with a fitting Argument; upon that Sunday when I was appointed to preach to Your Lordſhip. And therefore I ſought no further, but applyed my ſelf to proſecute the first words, which occurred there: and that, not with ſuch matter as humane invention might have furniſhed me withall; but ſuch as the Apoſtle himſelf ſuggeſted, in the reſt of the Epiſtle for that day.
And indeed, they are matters of great and weighty importance; which, though there be many of them, I have both comprehended in a little room, and alſo made them not hard to be remembred; becauſe I have conſidered them as relating all to one and the ſame end; and as having, not only the ſame ſcope, but, ſuch a dependance alſo one upon another, that they cannot well be ſeparated. I am ſure where they are all united, there the Divine Bleſſing will be; for they are the compleat Armour of God, that heavenly defence, which will certainly ſecure us in our ſtation; if we will but make uſe of it, with a mind to be and to do what ſoever Christ would have us.
The firſt ſtep toward which, is rightly to underſtand our duty; as ſhould have been preſſed more largely, if I had had room enough; from thoſe words, be girt about with Truth. In which if we be defective, we ſhall miſcarry, do what we can; and the more Zealous we are, the more we ſhall be out of the way. But it is not likely we ſhall be defective in any material part of Chriſtian Knowledge, if to our ſerious ſtudy of a right underſtanding and judgment in all things, we add (according to the laſt Advice in this diſcourſe) moſt earnest prayer to God for his direction, guidance, and aſſiſtance; and can appeal to Him, in ſuch words as thoſe of David (which are full of ſincere affection) that we are heartily reſolved, to do whatſoever we know to be our duty; and that there is nothing we long for ſo much in this world, as to know it intirely, CXIX. Pſal. 34, 35. Give me underſtanding, and I ſhall keep thy law: yea, I ſhall obſerve it with my whole heart. Make me to go, in the path of thy Commandments; for therein do I delight.
Which that Your Lordſhip may alwayes do, and thereby acquit your ſelf, in your difficult charge, to the general ſatisfaction of all good men, is the hearty prayer of
My LORD, Your moſt humble Servant, S. PATRICK.