Works Volume 4, Part 2 · Sermon 16
SERMON XVI.
2 PET. III.3.
Scoffers walking after their own Luſts.
THAT we may take our riſe luckily, and ſet out with the beſt advantage, that we may make our Preface to clear our paſſage to our future Diſcourſe, and ſo ſpend no part of our precious time unprofitably, we will by way of introduction examine what is here meant, 1. By Scoffers, 2. By walking after their own luſts. And firſt, Scoffers here, do not ſignifie thoſe whom confidence join'd to a good natural wit, hath taught to *gibe.give and play upon every man they meet with, which in a moderate uſe is called foreign, facetiouſneſs, in an immoderate, ſcurrility. But Scoffers here, are of a more ſpecial ſtamp,foreign thoſe who deal out their ſcoffs only on God and Religion. The word in the Original ſignifies to mock, to abuſe, and that either in words, and then 'tis rendred ſcoffing, or in our actions, when we promiſe any man to perform a buſineſs, and then deceive his expectation, and then 'tis rendred deluding. So Matth. ii.16.Mat. ii.16. when Herod ſaw he was mocked, foreign, that he was deluded by the magicians. So that in the firſt primitive ſenſe, Scoffers muſt ſignifie thoſe who either laugh at God, or elſe delude him in not performing what he expects, and they by their profeſſion promiſed. In the ſecondary notion, to ſcoff, is by way of argument to oppoſe any truth contumeliouſly or bitterly, as Solomon begins his Diſcourſe of the Atheiſts ſcoffs, Wiſd. ii.1.Wiſd. ii.1. The ungodly ſaid reaſoning with themſelves; and theſe are ſaid to ſet their mouth againſt Heaven, managing diſputes, which have both ſting and poyſon in them; the firſt to wound and overthrow the truth ſpoken of, the other to infect the Auditors with a contrary opinion. And theſe rational ſcoffs, for which Socrates antiently was very famous, are ordinarily in form of queſtion, as in the Pſalmiſt often, Where is now their God? i. e. Certainly if they had a God, he would be ſeen at time of need, he would now ſhew himſelf in their diſtreſs. In which they do not only laugh at the Iſraelites, for being ſuch Fools as to worſhip him that will not relieve them, but implicitely argue, that indeed there is no ſuch God as they pretend to worſhip. And juſt in this manner were the Scoffers in my Text, who did not only laugh, but argue, ſaying, Where is the promiſe of his coming? Verſe 4.Verſe 4. perſwading themſelves, and labouring to prove to others, that what is ſpoken of Chriſts ſecond coming to Judgment, was but a mere Dream, a foreign, a Bugbear, or Fable, to keep men in awe, and therefore laugh at it, as the Athenians did at the reſurrection, Acts xvii.32. and when they heard of the reſurrection of the dead, ſome mocked, &c. i. e. diſputed ſarcaſtically and contumeliouſly againſt it, that certainly there was no ſuch matter. And thus alſo is the ſame word uſed of thoſe which joined their reaſon and malice to diſprove Chriſts Omnipotence, Mat. xxvii.42. where they reviled and mocked him, ſaying, He ſaved others, himſelf he cannot ſave. In which ſpeech the bittereſt part of the ſcoff, was the reaſon there uſed, plauſible enough amongſt ignorant Jews, that ſurely if he had any power, he would make uſe of it for himſelf.
Thirdly, To ſcoff is ſometimes without words or actions to ſhew a contempt or neglect of any body. So Herods mocking of Chriſt, is ſet as an expreſſion that he did not think him worthy talking with, Luke xxiii.11. He ſet him at nought, and mockt him, and ſent him back to Pilate, he would not vouchſafe to take notice of him, nor to be troubled with the Examination of ſo poor contemptible a fellow.Rhet. 1.2. And ſo in Ariſtotle, not to know a mans name, not to have taken ſo much notice of him, as to remember what to call him, is reckoned the greateſt neglect, the unkindeſt ſcoff in the World, and is ordinarily taken very tenderly by any one who hath deſerved any thing at our hands. So that in brief (to gather up what we have hitherto ſcatter'd) the Scoffers here meant, are thoſe, who promiſing themſelves to Gods ſervice, do delude him when he looks to find them amongſt his Servants, i. e. remain errand Atheiſts under a Chriſtian profeſſion, who by letting looſe either their wits to prophane jeſts, or their reaſon to Heatheniſh conceits and diſputings, or their actions to all manner of diſobedience, demonſtrate that indeed they care not for God, they ſcarce remember his name, Neither is he in all their thoughts, Pſalm x.4.Pſalm. x.4.
In the next place, walking after their own luſts, is giving themſelves liberty to follow all the directions of corrupt polluted nature, in entertaining all conceits and practices which the pride of their underſtandings and rankneſs of their affections ſhall propoſe to them in oppoſition to God. And this without any reluctancy or twinge of conſcience, walking on as ſecurely and confidently, as if it were indeed the right high-way.
So that now you have ſeen the outſide of the Text, and lookt it over in the groſs, 'tis time to ſurvey it more particularly in its parts; and thoſe are two: 1. The ſin of Atheiſm, and the ſubjects in which it ſhews it ſelf, There ſhall come in the laſt days Scoffers. 2. The motive and impellent to this ſin, a liberty which men give themſelves, to walk after their own luſts.
And firſt, of Atheiſm, and the ſubjects in whom it ſhews it ſelf, In the, &c. Where you may note, that the words being in form of a prophecy, do note a ſort of people which were to come in reſpect of St. Peter, who writes it. And though in its firſt aſpect it refers to the period of the Jewiſh Nation, and deſtruction of Jeruſalem; takes in the parallel ſtate of things under the laſt Age, and dotage, and declination of the Word. Accordingly we ſee at the 24. of St. Matthew, the Prophecy of both, as it were interwoven and twiſted into each other; ſo that what St. Peter ſaith ſhall be, we may juſtly ſuſpect is fulfilled amongſt us, his future being now turned into a preſent, his prophecy into a ſtory. In the Apoſtles times, when Chriſtianity was in the Cradle, and wanted years and ſtrength to move, and ſhew it ſelf in the World, there were but very few that would acknowledge it, many Sects of Philoſophers, who peremptorily reſolved themſelves againſt this profeſſion, join'd iſſue with the Apoſtles in aſſiduous diſputation, as we may find in the ſeventeenth of the Acts. Amongſt thoſe, the Epicureans did plainly deny that there was any God that governed the World, and laught at any proof that Moſes and the Prophets could afford for their conviction. And here a man might think that his Prophecy was fulfilled in his own days, and that he needed not to look beyond that preſent Age for ſtore of Scoffers. Yet ſo it is, that the infidelity which he foreſaw ſhould in thoſe laſt Ages reign confidently in the World, was repreſented to him in a larger ſize and uglier ſhape, than that of the preſent Philoſophers. The Epicurean unbelief ſeem'd nothing to him, being compared to this Chriſtian Atheiſm, where men under the Vizard of Religion, and profeſſion of Piety, are in heart arrant Heathens, and in their faireſt Carriages, do indeed but ſcoff, and delude, and abuſe the very God they worſhip. Whence the note is, that the profeſſion of Chriſtianity is mixed with an infinite deal of Atheiſm, and that in ſome degree above the Heatheniſm of the perverſeſt Philoſophers. There were in St. Peters time Epicureans, and all Sects of Scoffers at Chriſtianity; and yet the Scoffers indeed, the higheſt degree of Atheiſm was but yet a heaving; it would not riſe and ſhew it ſelf till the laſt days.
'Tis worth obſerving what variety of ſtratagems the Devil hath always had, to keep us in defiance with God, and to nouriſh in us that hoſtility and enmity againſt Heaven, which is ſo deep and predominant in himſelf. He firſt ſet them a work to rebel and fortify themſelves againſt God, and make themſelves by building of a Tower, ſo impregnable, that God himſelf could not be able to diſperſe them. Gen. xi.4. Afterwards, when by the puniſhment and defeating of that deſign, the World was ſufficiently inſtructed, that no arm of fleſh, no bodily ſtrength could make reſiſtance againſt Heaven; when the body could hold out in rebellion no longer, he then inſtructs the inward man, the Soul to make its approaches, and challenge Heaven. Now the Soul of man conſiſting of two faculties, the Ʋnderſtanding and the Will, he firſt deals with the Underſtanding, and ſets that up againſt God in many monſtrous faſhions; firſt, in deluding it to all manner of Idolatrous worſhip, in making it adore the Sun, the Moon, and the whole Hoſt of Heaven, which was a more generous kind of Idolatry. Afterwards, in making them worſhip Dogs and Cats, Onions and Garlick, for ſo did the Egyptians; and this was a more ſottiſh ſtupid affection; a man would wonder how the Devil could make them ſuch Fools. Afterward he wrought ſtill upon their underſtanding, in making them (under pretence of two laudable qualities, admiration and gratitude, admiration of any kind of vertue, and gratitude for any good turn) to deify and worſhip as gods, any men which had ever done, either their Nation, or private perſons, any important good or favour: So that every Heros or noble, famous man, as ſoon as he was dead was worſhipt. 'Twere long to ſhew you the variety of ſhifts in this kind, which the Devil uſed to bring in the foreign of the Gentiles, i. e. their worſhipping of many gods. In brief, this plot laſted thus, till Chriſtianity came into the World, and turn'd it out of Doors, and at Chriſts Reſurrection all the gods of the Heathen expired. However, the Devil ſtill ſtuck cloſe to that faculty of the Soul, which he had been ſo long acquainted with, I mean the underſtanding, and ſeeing through the whole World almoſt, the Doctrine of Chriſt had ſo poſſeſt men, that he could not hope to bring in his Heathen gods again, he therefore hath one deſign more on the underſtanding: ſeeing 'tis reſolved to believe Chriſt in ſpight of Heatheniſm; he then puzzles it with many doubts about this very Chriſt it is ſo poſſeſt with. He raiſes up in the firſt Ages of the Church, variety of Hereſies concerning the union of his natures, equality of his perſon with the Father, and the like: and rung as many changes in mens opinions, as the matter of Faith was capable of. There was no truth almoſt in Chriſtianity, but had its Heretick to contradict and damn it. Now ſince at laſt, reaſon and truth, and the power of Scripture having out-lived in a good degree, fundamental error in opinion, hath almoſt expuls'd the Devil out of the head, or upper part of the Soul, the Underſtanding; his laſt plot is on the heel, i. e. the Will and Affections; and that he hath bruiſed terribly, according to that Prophecy, Gen. iii.15.Gen. iii.15. He deals mainly on our manners, and ſtrives to make them, if it be poſſible, ſinful beyond capability of mercy. And this deſign hath thrived with him wonderfully: he hath wrought more oppoſition againſt God, more hereſie againſt Chriſt in our lives, than ever he was able to do in our doctrine. In a Kingdom, where the cuſtom of the Country and Education hath planted purity of Faith in the Underſtanding, he there labours to ſupplant and eradicate Charity and devotion in the will; and crucifies Chriſt more confidently in our corrupt Heatheniſh practices, than ever the Jews did in their incredulity. And on this Plot he hath ſtuck cloſe, and inſiſted a long while, it being the laſt and moſt dangerous ſtratagem that the policy of Hell can furniſh him with, to corrupt, and curſe, and make abominable a ſincere belief by an Atheiſtical converſation. And this doth prove in general, that 'tis the Devils aim, and from thence probably the Chriſtians Curſe, to have more hoſtility againſt God in our Wills, and ſo to be more horrible Atheiſts, than ever the Heathens had in their Underſtandings. Now that we may the more diſtinctly diſcover the Chriſtian Atheiſt, who is very Orthodox in his opinion, very heretical in his practice; we will obſerve how every part of his Life, every piece of his Converſation doth directly contradict his Doctrine, and pluck down, and deface the very Fabrick of Godlineſs, expunge thoſe very notions of Piety, which reaſon and Scripture hath erected in the Soul. And firſt,
He is in his knowledge ſufficiently Catechiz'd in the knowledge of Scripture, and is confident that all its dictates are to be believ'd, and commands practis'd. But if you look to find this aſſent confirmed by his practice, and expreſt in his carriage, you are much miſtaken in the buſineſs. Is he ſuch a Fool as to order his life according to the rigour of them? No, no doubt, 'tis not one mans work to believe the Scripture, and obey it. Suppoſe I ſhould tell you, that there are but a few of you that read Scripture to that purpoſe, that obſerve any Edict of Piety or Virtue, only becauſe the Scripture hath commanded it. There be many reſtraints that keep unregenerate men from ſinning, a good diſpoſition, religious education, common cuſtom of the place or times where we live, humane laws, and the like; and each or all of theſe may curb our forwardneſs, and keep us in ſome order. But who is there amongſt us, that being tempted with a fair, lovely, amiable Vice, which he may commit without any regret of his good nature, ſcandal to his former Carriages, fear or danger of puniſhment, either future or preſent, or any other inconvenience; Who is there, I ſay, that from the mere awe and reſpect that he bears to Scripture, retires and calls himſelf off from that ſin which he had otherwiſe faln into? If I ſhould ſee all manner of conveniences to ſin in one ſcale, and the bare authority of the Scriptures in the other, quite out-weighing all them with its heavineſs, I ſhould then hope that our hearts were Catechiz'd as well as our brains in the acknowledgment of this truth, that Scripture is to be believed and obeyed. But I much fear me, if I ſhould make an enquiry in every one of our hearts here ſingle, the greateſt part of the Jury would bring in an evidence of guilt, that in any our moſt entire obediences, ſome other reſpect caſts the Scales: and this is one piece of direct Atheiſm, that though our Underſtandings affirm, yet our Will and Affections deny that Scripture is for its own ſake to be obeyed.
Secondly, Our brains are well enough adviſed in the truth of the Doctrine of Gods Eſſence and Attributes, our Underſtandings have a diſtinct conceit of awe and reverence, to anſwer every notion we have of God; and yet here alſo our converſation hath its poſtures of defiance, its ſcoffs and arts of reviling, as it were to deface and ſcrape out every of theſe notions out of our Wills, and to perſwade both our ſelves and others, that that knowledge doth only *foreign.flote in our brains, but hath no manner of weight to ſink it deep into our hearts. To glance at one or two of theſe: we believe, or at leaſt pretend we do ſo, the immenſity, i. e. the ubiquity and omnipreſence of God, that he indeed is every where, to fill, to ſee, to ſurvey, to puniſh; and yet our lives do plainly proclaim, that in earneſt we mean no ſuch matter; we ſhut up our hearts againſt God, and either as the Gadarens did Chriſt, being weary of his preſence, fairly intreat, or elſe directly baniſh him out of our Coaſts, becauſe he hath been or is like to be the deſtruction of ſome Swine, i. e. beſtial affections in us. And in ſumm, thoſe bodies of ours, which he hath markt out for his Temples, we will ſcarce allow him for his Inne to lodge with us one night. Again, can we expect to be credited, when we ſay we believe the ubiquity and omnipreſence of God, and yet live and ſin as confidently, as if we were out of his ſight, or reach? Do we behave our ſelves in our out-rages, in our luxury, nay, even in our graveſt devotions, as if God were within ken? Without all doubt, in every minute almoſt of our lives, we demonſtrate that we doubt either of his omnipreſence to ſee, or elſe his juſtice to puniſh us: for thoſe very things which we dare not to venture on in the ſight of an earthly magiſtrate that may puniſh us, nay, of a ſpy that may complain of us, nay, of an enemy that will upbraid us, nay, of a friend that will check and admoniſh us; we never doubt, or demur, or delay to practiſe in private, or the dark, where ſtill God is preſent to overſee and puniſh. And if this be not a ſcoffing, a deluding, a mere contemning of God, to do that without any fear or regret in his ſight, which we never offer to attempt before a man, nay, a Friend, I know not what may be counted Atheiſm. In like manner, we acknowledge God to be foreign, all-ſufficient; and if we ſhould be examined in earneſt, we would confeſs that there is no ability in any Creature to beſtow or provide any good thing for us: and yet our will here alſo hath its ways and arguments of contradiction. Our whole life is one continued confutation of this piece of our Faith, our tremblings, our jealouſies, our diſtruſts, our carefulneſs, our Worldly providence, and importunate carking, our methods and ſtratagems of thrift and covetouſneſs, and the whole buſineſs of our lives in wooing, and ſolliciting, and importuning every power of nature, every trade and art of the World, to ſuccour, to aſſiſt and provide for us, are moſt egregious evidences that we put no truſt or confidence in Gods All-ſufficiency, but wholly depend and rely upon the arm of fleſh, both to raiſe and ſuſtain us. This very one faſhion of ours, in all our diſtreſſes, to fly to and call upon all manner of ſecond cauſes, without any raiſing or elevating our Eyes or thoughts toward God, from whom cometh our help, plainly ſhews that God ſtill dwells abroad in Tents: we have ſeen or heard of him, but have not yet brought him home into our hearts, there to poſſeſs, and rectify, and inſtruct our wills, as well as our underſtandings.
Thirdly, The whole myſtery of Chriſt articulately ſet down in our Creed we as punctually believe, and to make good our names, that we are Chriſtians in earneſt, we will challenge and defie the Fire and Faggot to perſwade us out of it: and theſe are good reſolutions, if our practices did not give our Faith the lye, and utterly renounce at the Church Door whatſoever we profeſt in our Pews. This very one thing, that he which is our Saviour, ſhall be our Judge, that he which was crucified, dead, and buried, ſits now at the right hand of God, and from thence ſhall come to judge the world; this main part, yea, ſumm of our belief, we deny and bandy againſt, all our lives long. If the ſtory of Chriſt coming to judgment, ſet down in the xxv.Mat. xxv.30. of Matthew after the 30. Verſe, had ever entred through the doors of our Ears to the inward Cloſets of our hearts, 'tis impoſſible but we ſhould obſerve and practiſe that one ſingle duty there required of us. Chriſt there as a Judge exacts and calls us to account for nothing in the World, but only works of mercy, and according to the ſatisfaction which we are able to give him in that one point, he either entertains or repels us; and therefore our care and negligence in this one buſineſs, will prove us either Chriſtians or Infidels. But alas! 'tis too plain, that in our actions we never dream either of the Judgment or the Arraignment: our ſtupid neglect of this one duty, argues us not only unchriſtian but unnatural. Beſides our Alms-deeds, which concern only the outſide of our neighbour, and are but a kind of worldly mercy, there are many more important, but cheaper works of mercy, as good counſel, ſpiritual inſtructions, holy education of them that are come out of our loyns, or are committed to our care, ſeaſonable reproof, according to that excellent place, Lev. xix.17.Lev. xix.17. Thou ſhalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, but in any wiſe reprove him: a care of carrying our ſelves that we may not ſcandal, or injure, or offer violence to the Soul and tender Conſcience of him that is flexible to follow us into any riot: Theſe and many other works of mercy in the higheſt degree, as concerning the welfare of other mens Souls, and the chief thing required of us at the day of Judgment, are yet ſo out-dated in our thoughts, ſo utterly defaced, and blotted out in the whole courſe of our lives, that it ſeems we never expect that Chriſt in his Majeſty as a Judge, whom we apprehend, and embrace, and hug in his humility as a Saviour. Beloved, till by ſome ſevere hand held over our lives, and particularly by the daily ſtudy and exerciſe of ſome work of mercy or other, we demonſtrate the ſincerity of our belief; the Saints on Earth, and Angels in Heaven, will ſhrewdly ſuſpect, that we do only ſay over that part of our Creed, that we believe only that which is for our turn, the ſufferings and ſatisfactions of Chriſt, which coſt us nothing, but do not proceed to his office of a Judge, do not either fear his Judgments, or deſire to make our ſelves capable of his mercies. Briefly, whoſoever neglects or takes no notice of this duty of exerciſing works of mercy, whatſoever he brags of in his theory or ſpeculation, in his heart either denies or contemns Chriſt as Judge, and ſo deſtroys the ſumm of his Faith; and this is another kind of ſecret Atheiſm.
Fourthly, Our Creed leads us on to a belief and acknowledgment of the Holy Ghoſt; and 'tis well we have all conn'd his name there, for otherwiſe I ſhould much fear that it would be ſaid of many nominal Chriſtians, what is reported of the Epheſian Diſciples, Acts xix.2.Act. xix.2. They have not ſo much as heard whether there be an Holy Ghoſt or no. But not to ſuſpect ſo much ignorance in any Chriſtian, we will ſuppoſe indeed men to know whatſoever they profeſs, and enquire only whether our lives ſecond our profeſſions, or whether indeed they are mere Infidels, and Atheiſtical, in this buſineſs concerning the Holy Ghoſt. How many of the ignorant ſort, which have learnt this name in their Catechiſm or Creed, have not yet any further uſe to put it to, but only to make up the number of the Trinity, have no ſpecial office to appoint for him, no ſpecial mercy, or gift, or ability to beg of him in the buſineſs of their Salvation, but mention him only for faſhion ſake, not that they ever think of preparing their Bodies or Souls to be Temples worthy to entertain him, not that they ever look after the earneſt of the ſpirit in their hearts, 2 Cor. i.22.2 Cor. 1.2.2. Further yet, how many better learned amongſt us, do not yet in our lives acknowledge him in that Epithet annext to his title, the Holy Ghoſt, i. e. not only eminently in himſelf holy, but cauſally, producing the ſame quality in us, from thence called the ſanctifying and renewing ſpirit? How do we for the moſt part fly from, and abandon, and reſiſt, and ſo violently deny him, when he once appears to us in this Attribute? When he comes to ſanctifie us, we are not patient of ſo much ſowreneſs, ſo much humility, ſo much non-conformity with the world, as he begins to exact of us; we ſhake off many bleſſed motions of the ſpirit, and keep our ſelves within garriſon, as far as we can out of his reach, leſt at any turn he ſhould meet with, and we ſhould be converted. Laſtly, The moſt ordinary morally qualified tame Chriſtians amongſt us, who are not ſo violent as to profeſs open arms againſt this Spirit, how do they yet reject him out of all their thoughts? How ſeldom do many peaceable orderly men amongſt us, ever obſerve their wants, or importune the aſſiſtance of this Spirit? In ſumm, 'twas a ſhrewd Speech of the Fathers, which will caſt many fair out-ſides at the bar for Atheiſts,Clem. Al. Strom. p. 281. That the life of an unregenerate man is but the life of an Heathen, and that 'tis our Regeneration only that raiſes us up foreign, from being ſtill mere Gentiles. He that believes in his Creed the Perſon, nay, underſtands in the Schools the Attributes and gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, and yet ſees them only in the fountain, neither finds nor ſeeks for any effects of them in his own Soul; he that is ſtill unregenerate, and continues ſtill gaping and yawning, ſtupid and ſenſeleſs in this his condition, is ſtill, for all his Creed and Learning, in effect an Atheiſt. And the Lord of Heaven give him to ſee, and endeavours to work, and an heart to pray, and his ſpirit to draw and force him out of this condition.
Fifthly, Not to cramp in every Article of our Creed into this Diſcourſe, we will only inſiſt on two more. We ſay therefore that we believe the forgiveneſs of ſins, and 'tis a bleſſed confidence, that all the treaſures in the World cannot equal. But do our ſelves keep equipage, and hand in hand accompany this profeſſion? Let me Catechize you a while. You believe the forgiveneſs of ſins, but I hope, not abſolutely, that the ſufferings of Chriſt ſhall effectually clear every mans ſcore at the day of Judgment: well then, it muſt be meant only of thoſe that by repentance and faith are grafted into Chriſt, and ſhall appear at that great Marriage in a wedding garment, which ſhall be acknowledged the livery and colours of the Lamb. But do our lives ever ſtand to this explication, and reſtriction of the Article? Do they ever expect this beloved remiſſion by performing the condition of repentance? Do we ever go about to make our ſelves capable of receiving this mercy conditionally offer'd us? Nay, do we not by our wilful ſtupidity, and pertinacious continuing in ſin, nullify, in reſpect of us, all that ſatisfaction of Chriſt, and utterly abandon thoſe means which muſt bring home this remiſſion to us? The truth is, our Faith runs only on general terms, we are willing to lay all our ſins on Chriſts ſhoulders, and perſwade our ſelves ſomewhat ſlightly and coldly, that he will bear them in the root, and in the fruit, in the bullion, and in the coyn, in the groſs, and in the retail, i. e. both our original and our actual tranſgreſſions: but we never take any courſe to reſt ſatisfied, that we in particular ſhall participate of this happineſs. This requires the humiliation of the whole man, the ſpirit of bondage for a while, afterwards a ſecond purity and virginity of the Soul recovered by repentance, and then a ſoberly grounded faith and confidence, and an expreſſing of it by our own forgiving of others. And till this piece of our Creed be thus explained and interpreted in our converſation, we remain but confident Atheiſts, not able to perſwade any body that hears us, that indeed we believe what we profeſs.
Sixthly and laſtly, The reſurrection of the body, and its conſequent, everlaſting life, is the cloſe of our Faith, and end, and prop, and encouragement, and conſummation of our hope; and yet we take moſt pains of all, to prove our ſelves Infidels in this: our whole carriage, both in the choice and obſervance of our Religion, ſhew that we do not depend on it, that we put no confidence in the Reſurrection. If we went on this aſſurance, we ſhould contemn any worldly encouragement, and make the ſame thing both the object and end of our ſervice. We ſhould ſcorn to take notice of ſo poor a thing as profit or convenience is, in a matter of ſo high importance, knowing and expecting that our reward ſhall be great in Heaven. This one thought of a Reſurrection, and an infinite reward of any faithful undertaking of ours, would make us diſdain, and almoſt be afraid of any temporal recompence for our worſhip of God, for fear it ſhould, by paying us before-hand, deprive us of that everlaſting one. We ſhould catch and be ambitious of that expreſſion of devotion, which were moſt painful and leaſt profitable as to worldly advantage: and yet we in the ſtupidity of Atheiſtical hearts, are ſo improvidently covetous, ſo haſty and impatient in our Religion, that unleſs ſome preſent gain allure and draw us, we have no manner of life, or ſpirit, or alacrity to this, as we count it, unprofitable ſervice of God. The leaſt incumbrance in the world will fright us from the greateſt forwardneſs, and nimbleneſs, and activity in Religion: and the leaſt appearance of promotion, or other like encouragement, will produce and raiſe in us theſe affections and expreſſions of zeal, which the expectation of the reſurrection could never work in us. Our religion is ſomewhat like that of the Samaritans;Joſ. Ant. Jud. l. 12. c. 7. l. 11.8. before Chriſts time, either Jews or Heathens, according as their King Antiochus would have them; after Chriſts time, were perpetually either Jews or Chriſtians, according as the Romans, their new Lords and Maſters either threatned, or granted priviledge ▪ to the Jews. If there were any thing to be gotten by the profeſſion, they would be as ſolemn Chriſtians as any. So when the Goths and Vandals over-run Italy, and (whether upon good affection or compulſion from God, I know not) ſpared them that fled to the Baſilica in Rome, the place where the Chriſtians exerciſed: then, I ſay, they which formerly perſecuted the Chriſtians, now bore them Company very friendly to their Churches, and to ſave their lives fled to the Temple for a refuge, which before they abomin'd; and made uſe of Chriſtianity for their ſafe-guard, which they would not own for their religion, and hurried to that Sanctuary for their lives, which they would not viſit for their Souls. The condition of our Religion is like that which is upbraided to Ephraim, Hoſ. x.11.Hoſ. x.11. Ephraim is like an Heifer that loveth to tread out the Corn. 'Twas prohibited by the Law to muzzle the Ox or Heifer that treadeth out the Corn; 'twas allowed them to feed as long as they did the work; and that made Ephraim love the toil ſo well, becauſe that at the very time he performed the labour, he enjoy'd the fruit of it; had, as we ſay, his wages in his hand; had ſome preſent emolument that would ingratiate his work to him; was not left to ſuch a tedious expectation, to ſo long a date as to wait for his reward till the Reſurrection: thoſe were too hard terms for him, he could not endure to be ty'd ſo long up to the empty rack, or feed upon the bit. And thus haſty are we in the exacting of our reward for our ſervice of God: we will never ſet our hands to it, unleſs we may make our conditions: we are reſolved not to be ſuch Fools, as to ſerve God for nought, to ſpend the quickeſt of our ſpirits in a ſowre crabbed profeſſion, and expect our thanks at Dooms-day. This plainly demonſtrates, that however our theory be poſſeſt, our practice places no truſt, no confidence, no aſſurance in that part of our Creed, the reſurrection. Again, 'twas an excellent argument to perſwade doubtful Chriſtians in the youth and non-age of the Church, of the certainty of the Reſurrection, that religious men, and thoſe whom undoubtedly God loved, were full of ſufferings in this World, and lived and died many of them without any expreſſion of Gods favour to them, which made them certainly to conclude, that no doubt God hath ſome other courſe to exhibit himſelf in the riches of his mercy to them; and ſeeing there was no hope but in another World, Verily there ſhould be a reward for the righteous, doubtleſs there is a God that judgeth the Earth: and by this argument we may try our ſelves for the ſincerity of our Faith in this buſineſs. If we can be patient to endure afflictions here, and not complain or grumble for a reſpite and deliverance, but keep all our hopes to be accompliſh't, defer all our happineſs to be performed to us at the Reſurrection, and though God kill us, yet truſt in him, and be able to ſee through Death, in a truſt That our Redeemer lives, and that with theſe eyes we ſhall behold him; then may we chear up, and perſwade our ſelves on good grounds, that our hearts and lives do aſſent to the Reſurrection,Ecclus. xxxviii.20. which our tongues brag of; Take no heavineſs to heart, but drive it away and remember the end. But if this conſideration cannot digeſt the leaſt oppreſſion of this life, cannot give us patience for the lighteſt encumbrance, but for all our Creed, we ſtill fly out into all outrages of paſſion and ecſtacies of impatience, we plainly betray our ſelves men of this preſent World, whoſe happineſs or miſery is only that which is temporary, and before our Eyes, are not able by the perſpective of faith to behold that which eaſily we might, all our wants relieved, all our injuries revenged, all our wounds bound up, in the day of the Reſurrection: but all our life long we repine and grumble, and are diſcontented as men without hope; and whilſt we do thus, what do we but act the part of theſe Atheiſts here in my Text, ſcoffing and ſaying, Where is the promiſe …f his coming, in the next Verſe to my Text. This very impatience and want of skill in bearing the brunts of this our warfare, is but a piece of cowardly Atheiſm, either a denying or mocking at the Reſurrection. Every ſigh is a ſcoff, every groan a gibe, every fear a ſly art of laughing at the ſtupidity of thoſe who depend upon the fulfilling of the promiſe of his coming. Laſtly, ſay we what we will, we live as if there were no Reſurrection, as Sadduces, if not as Atheiſts; all our deſigns look no further than this life, all our contrivances are defeated and fruſtrate in the Grave; we mannage our ſelves with ſo little underſtanding, that any Spectator would judge by our actions, that 'tis no injury to compare us to the beaſts that periſh and never return again. Certainly if we had any deſign upon Heaven or another life, we would here make ſome proviſion for it, Make our ſelves friends of our unrighteous Mammon, that when we fail, they may receive us into everlaſting habitations, i. e. uſe thoſe good things that God hath given us, with ſome kind of providence, that they may ſtand us in ſtead when we have need of them, i. e. not only as inſtruments to ſin (for that is to get us more Enemies) but as harbingers to be ſent before us to Heaven. 'Twas a bitter ſarcaſm of the fool to the Abbot on his Death-Bed, that the Abbot deſerved his ſtaff, as being the verier Fool of the two, that being ſtraight to die, to remove his Tent to another World, he had ſent none of his houſhold-ſtuff before him. The truth is, we live generally as men that would be very angry, much diſpleaſed if any ſhould perſwade us there were a Reſurrection, the very mentioning of it to us, might ſeem to upbraid our ordinary practices, which have nothing but the darkneſs of death, and ſilence of the Grave to countenance them. I may juſtly ſay, that many ignorant Heathens, which were confident there was nothing beyond this life, expected certainly with death to be annihilated, and turn again into a perpetual nothing; yet either for the awe they bore to vertue, or fear of diſgrace after death, kept themſelves more regularly, lived more carefully, than many of us Chriſtians. And this is an horrid accuſation, that will lie very heavy upon us, that againſt ſo many illuminated underſtandings, the ignorance of the Gentiles ſhould riſe up in judgment, and the learned Chriſtian be found the moſt deſperate Atheiſt. I have been too large upon ſo rigid a Doctrine as this, and I *hope,love, and pray God I may always have occaſion to come up to this place upon a more merciful ſubject: but I told you even now out of Lev. xix.17. that 'twas no ſmall work of mercy, 'twas the moſt friendly office that could be performed any man, to reprehend, and, as the Text ſaith, Not to ſuffer ſin upon thy neighbour, eſpecially ſo ſly a covert lurking ſin as this of Atheiſm, which few can diſcern in themſelves. I ſhall now come to Application, which, becauſe the whole Doctrine ſpoke morally to your affections, and ſo in a manner prevented Ʋſes, ſhall be only a recapitulation and brief knitting up of what hitherto hath been ſcattered at large.
Seeing that the Devils policy of deluding, and bewitching, and diſtorting our Ʋnderſtandings, either with variety of falſe gods, or Hereſies raiſed upon the true, is now almoſt clearly out-dated, and his skill is all bent to the deforming of the Will, and defacing the character of God, and the expreſſion of the ſincerity of our Faith in our lives; we muſt deal with this Enemy at his own Weapon, learn to order our munition according to the aſſault, and fortify that part moſt impregnably, toward which the tempeſt *bend…binds and threatens. There is not now ſo much danger to be feared from the inrode of Hereticks in opinion, as in practice, not ſo much Atheiſm to be dreaded from the infidelity of our brains, as the Heatheniſm and Gentiliſm of our Luſts, which even in the midſt of a Chriſtian profeſſion, deny God even to his Face. And therefore our chiefeſt Frontiers and Fortifications muſt be ſet up before that part of the Soul, our moſt careful Watch and Sentinel placed upon our affections, leſt the Devil enter there and depopulate the whole Chriſtian, and plant the Atheiſt in his room. To this purpoſe we muſt examine, what Seeds are already ſown, what treachery is a working within; and no doubt, moſt of us at the firſt caſt of the Eye ſhall find great ſtore, unleſs we be partial to our ſelves, and bring in a verdict of mercy, and conſtrue that weakneſs, which indeed ſignifies Atheiſm.
When upon examination we find our lives undermining our belief, our practices denying the authority of Scripture, and no whit forwarder to any Chriſtian duty upon its commands: When we find God's Eſſence and Attributes reviled and ſcoffed at in our converſation, his omnipreſence contemned by our confidence in ſinning, and argued againſt by our baniſhing God out of all our thoughts, his all-ſufficiency doubted of by our diſtruſts, and our ſcorn to depend upon it: When we perceive that our carriages do fall off at this part of our belief in Chriſt, that he ſhall come again to be our Judge, and by our neglect of thoſe works eſpecially of mercy, which he ſhall then require of us, ſhew that indeed we expect him not, or think of him as a Judge, but only as a Saviour: When we obſerve our Wills reſiſting the gifts, and falſifying the Attribute, whilſt our Creed confeſſes the Perſon of the Holy Ghoſt; and ſee how little, how nothing of the ſanctifying ſpirit, of the earneſt of our Regeneration, is in our hearts, and we ſtill ſtupidly ſenſeleſs of the want: When we believe forgiveneſs of ſins, and that only upon condition of repentance, and yet abhor ſo much as to hear or think of the performing of it, or to make good that mercy to others which our ſelves challenge of God: Laſtly, When we prove to our ſelves, and all the World beſide, by our requiring of a preſent reward for all our goodneſs, and ruling our Religion to our Earthly profit, by our impatience of any affliction, by our Heatheniſh neglect, and ſtupidity, and riot, that we do not in earneſt look for the Reſurrection to Life: When, I ſay, by a juſt, but exact ſurvey and inqueſt we find theſe ſo many degrees of ſecret Atheiſm in us; then muſt we ſhrift, and purge, and cleanſe, and rinſe our Souls from theſe dregs of Heatheniſm; then muſt we humble our ſelves below the duſt, and not dare to look the verieſt Gentile in the Face, 'till we have removed this plague from us. And do thou, O Lord, aſſiſt our endeavours, and by the violence of thy Spirit force and raviſh us in our lives, as well as belief, to a ſincere acknowledgment and expreſſion of every minute part of that Religion which is purely Chriſtian, that we may adore thee in our hearts as well as our brains, and being ſanctified throughout, from any tincture, or colour, or ſuſpicion of irreligion in either power of our Soul, we may glorifie thee here, and be glorified by thee hereafter.
Now to him that hath elected us, hath, &c.