Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

SERMON IV.*

HAVING in the foregoing discourses shewn the nature of,

as well as the secret motives to, a mere profession of religion, attended with vicious practices; and also the vanity of it both with respect to God and man; I shall now by way of use draw some inferences from the whole.

1. That such as make a profession do notwithstanding their flagitious practices highly justify the religion, to which they pretend. All that has been said serves to this purpose, to let you see the excellency of religion; and to this even the very worst of men do give testimony by their profession, how inconsistent soever be their practice.

Wisdom is justified by the actions of her children, and the testimony of her very enemies. The testimony of an enemy is, of all others, the most convincing, and carries the most demonstrative evidence; because that can never be understood to come from inclination. It is a thing which deserves to be well thought of, that the very worst of men have such inward notices and sentiments of things as evidently imports, that the way they hate they cannot but in their judgment approve. Their profession is from an emanation of eternal light and truth, let into their minds and consciences. They are of such a judgment and cannot be otherwise. Light shews itself,

YOL Y.

Preached February 20th, 1680.

3 P.

and cannot but carry evidence with it. Conviction extorts profession from those, who consider the grounds upon which the truth of religion is established. So that by the way it is amazing to think, that men should hate others for practising the very things, which they themselves in their own judgment and conscience approve.

What a justification is this of religion in the sincere professors of it? One might even say it confidently to a wicked, profane, debauched christian, "Thou who hatest such and such for their strict walking, and holy conversation, they do more agree with thee, than thou dost with thyself." Thus do but take the real sentiments of the most vicious man, who is a professor of the Christian religion, and the life and conversation of the godly and virtuous man, and you will find them correspond well enough one with another. The one says in his mind, and judgment, and by his profession also, "I own it to be a very reasonable thing, that God should be loved, feared, and served above all." The other does so, and this is his practice to love and serve and fear the most high God. The one also says; "The wrath of God ought to be greatly more dreaded than the wrath of man; and that it is a matter of greater moment to please God, than all the world beside." The other actually does what the other thinks and judges he ought to do. The wicked professor, if the question be asked, will acknowledge, that it is much more considerable to him to save his soul, than to please the flesh: but the truly good man practises according to this apprehension. So that between the wicked man's notions, and the godly man's practice, there is a fair agreement; but, in the mean time, what a disagreement between the persons themselves! Thus having shewn, that persons who make a profession, do, notwithstanding their flagitious practices, highly justify the religion to which they pretend; I proceed to the next inference.

2. Whilst nominal professors justify those who are real christians, they evidently condemn themselves. Such professors as these must, of all men in the world, be the most self-condemned. "Out of thine own mouth," may it be said of them, "will I condemn thee." Luke 19. 22. And the like condemnation they may expect to hear at least out of the mouth of their Judge. Thou knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent; Thou therefore that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?" says the apostle St. Paul, addressing himself to the Jews of this character. Rom. 2. 18.

It were a hard thing to be resolved, if we should expostulate with such persons, and demand of them; "Pray why do you

make any profession at all? what tolerable account can you give, why you profess to know God; to be of the true religion, or indeed of any religion at all?" It is true, as to some they are of the Christian religion by fate, not by choice. They are thrown upon the religion which they profess. They owe their being christians to the external circumstances of their condition. They were born in such a country, of such parents, it is the religion of the nation where they live, the religion of their ancestors, and it may be they know nothing of another. Many are christians because they cannot help it; but with others it is very plain, that their profession is the emanation of internal light; it is the genuine product of the conviction of their own consciences, that this which they profess must be the true religion. And thus surely all persons must conclude, who ever set themselves to consider seriously and impartially its evidence and internal excellence. But the greater part never do this. Whereas if any man could be brought once to consider this point, his profession would be the product of his inward light. A light perhaps too weak to govern his practice; but too strong to be expelled by force, or extinguished by his own false and delusive reasonings. They profess those things to be true, which they would be glad in their hearts were not so. And their light, though it is too weak to rule them, is not too weak to affright them. In a word, it is too strong to be mastered by any thing they themselves, or others, have to say to the contrary.

I would in this manner appeal to any such person if he hath the common understanding of a man, with reference to the great articles of his own creed. You say, you " believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." And, what! is it not most reasonable, in your own judgment and conscience, that you should do so? It may be you had rather that an article, directly opposite to this, were true. But do you think it more likely, that this world did some time or other rise up of itself, than that it was made by an almighty, wise, invisible Being? You say, you profess to "believe in his Son Jesus Christ your Lord.” And is not this, if the matter be examiired, far more reasonable to believe, that Jesus is the Son of God, and is in right and title your Lord; than that he was mortal, and came into the world to cheat mankind? Is it more likely that the gospel, of which he was the Author, was all a cheat? that his religion, which was sealed by so numerous and glorious miracles, and brought down to our knowledge in such unquestionable records, was an innposture ? Is it likely, when he had witnessed that good confession before Pontius Pilate," that he sealed it with his blood to deceive the world, or that he died only to mock mankind? If men would consider,

their profession would certainly be the emanation of their light, and the conviction they have of the truth of what they profess. They must however be sensible, that this profession is a standing testimony against them. Nay, though they profess they know not what, nor consider the grounds and reasons of it, yet they are self-condemned.

But why do they profess, if they do not understand? Why do they not understand what they may? They profess they know God. Either they do know him, or they know him not. If they do not, why do they profess at all? If they do know him to be God, what a soul-commanding thought should that be!" In Judah is God known, and his name is great in Israel." Psalm 76. 1. Has not Israel known God? A thing not to be imagined, that he should be ignorant of him. We have then, for the most part, the seminal principles of true religion; which only need to be reflected on, to enable us to discern how reasonable and coherent a frame that of the Christian religion is. Which when we come to apprehend it, and consider its excellent nature, the more we find it deserves to be considered; and, of consequence, professing with the more knowledge, the greater must our condemnation be, if our lives are repugnant to it. For can any man believe these two things, that there is a God who made heaven and earth, and that Jesus Christ is his own Son; and after that believe that it is more reasonable to disobey, than to obey that great God; or be subject to him, who bought us with his blood, and purchased to himself a dominion over them and all mankind? I would fain see the man, and hear what he could say for himself, who professing to believe, that there is one Creator of all things, and one Redeemer, who has procured to himself a dominion over all by his death, shall say, "I hold all this; but I will withal hold, that it is a great deal more reasonable to affront than to obey them." What man would dare to say so? Who can believe there is such a God, who, by the right of creation and redemption, claims a governing power over them; and yet imagine that it can be safe for them to live in open hostilities against so rightful a dominion and irresistible power? In a word, who can say, "I believe there is a judgment to come, but I have no need to prepare for it? It is full as safe to put all to the venture, as to prepare that it may go well with me in that day."

All these things considered, what self-condemning creatures must these professors be! especially when the secrets of all hearts must be opened, and all these latent sentiments be exposed to public view! How will men quake when they come to be expostulated with, by so high and indisputable an authority! when terrible majesty shall plead with them, in the

following manner! "Was that religion, which you professed, true, or was it false? If it was false, why did you profess it? If true, why did you not practise it? You either believed there was a God, or that there was none. If you believed the notion of a God was but a fancy, why did you worship him? But if you did believe there was a God, why did you not constantly obey and serve him?" Again, "Either you took Jesus Christ to be an impostor, or a Saviour and Lord. If you took him to be the former, why should you be called after his name? Why did you number yourselves among his deluded followers? But if you took him to be the Son of God, why did you not subject your will, your soul to that government of his, which he founded in his blood?" Oh! then, what a confounded creature must that be, who has lived under such a profession, and in such wickedness at the same time, all along! When such a one shall remember with regret that ever he was a christian, or that he ever heard of the name of Christ! When it shall be the matter of his too late wish, "O that I had been born a Scythian or Barbarian! That I had lived in a den or cave, and had never seen man; or had lived without having an opportunity of ever hearing that there was a God!"

3. We may further take notice, how little there is of shame and modesty left in the world, with reference to the behaviour of men towards God. We find, with relation to human affairs, and transactions with men, there is such a thing as shame; which, as bad as the world is, has a great power and influence over them. If it were not for this, the influence that shame and common decency have in the world, there would be no living; and it would be a great deal worse. it were not a shame to lie openly drunk in the streets, wallowing in one's own vomit; if it were not a shame to commit filthiness in the sight of the sun; if it were not a shame to be unclean, or to be a thief; or if men in general had given over all regard to a good reputation among their fellow-creatures; the world would certainly abound with worse and more numer

ous monsters.

If

And this useful passion evidently influences men in this very matter of professing, as it restrains them from making professions that are not suitable to them. An ignorant plowman would be ashamed to profess himself a statesman; or a cobler, a merchant. But how strange is it, that no modesty or shame have any influence in this case! That is, in the affairs and deportment of men towards God.

The matter is this. In reference to the things which they have to do one with another, men are awake and in their wits; but with relation to God, and the concerns of religion, they

« EdellinenJatka »