X

meekness the ingrafted word." And meekness is the fittest disposition to teach truth; "In meekness," saith St. Paul, instructing those that oppose themselves." "Long-suffering and doctrine must be joined together. Self-willedness and hastiness of passion, are obstructions unto the progress. of truth: else the apostle would not have entered a caveat against them in a bishop: for, saith he, "a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry," &c.

7. To be of a candid judgement; not to widen, but, as much as may be, to narrow differences, and to reduce controversies to as near an agreement as is possible; and in the managing of them, to retain suavity and ingenuity: not to infer, without undeniable evidence, odious and invidious consequences from those doctrines of our brethren which we ourselves dislike; but to believe other men as perspicacious to discern, and as tender to decline, such desperate rocks, as we ourselves. It argues great want of charity towards others, and of humility in ourselves, when, by our perverse disputings, we go about to charge such opinions upon others, as from their own mouths we are assured, and therefore should in charity believe, that they do detest. Pride in ourselves, and prejudice against others, are two great impediments to the healing of divisions.

I shall shut up all with one observation out of the text more, which is this, that what Christ, in the beginning of the verse, did undertake, "I will feed the flock of slaughter," in the latter end thereof he makes it good, "I fed the flock." Christ never undertook more in a way of office, than what he finished; nor more in a way of promise, than what he performed. He undertook a difficult service, to feed his church not only with his doctrine but with his blood; he had a command and commission to do it; and his commission he accepted, "Lo! I come to do thy will, O God." And though it were so hard a duty, that his human nature did shrink, and, as it were, draw back from it," Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me b;" yet he submitted his will to the will of his Father; and was obedient even to

that servile, ignominious, and cursed death, which his human nature so earnestly declined. And, in like manner, what he undertakes to work in us, he will finish ", as well as what he undertook to work for us; he is as the author, so the finisher of our faith when he hath begun a good work in us, he will perform it unto the day of Christ.

k

He promised to send his Spirit upon his disciples; and he did send him. He promised unto them power to cast out devils; and they did so. His name is Amen1, the faithful and true witness; and all the promises of God in him are Yea and Amen. If he promise peace, or grace, or salvation, he will give it: his fidelity, power, honour, love, mercy, oath, and covenant, are so many assurances unto his people, that whatever he hath undertaken to do for, in, or unto them, shall undoubtedly be done. He will do every work of salvation to the uttermost for those that come unto God by him. If he begin faith, he will finish it": if he begin holiness, he will complete it": if he heal, he heals perfectly if he love, he loves to the end P: every work of his is perfect.

There are works of his yet to do, to gather the people of God that are scattered abroad, to destroy the idols utterly, to tread down Satan and death under our feet; and he will do all, before he give up his kingdom to his father.

There are promises of his yet to be fulfilled, to come again and to receive us unto himself', to raise us up at the last days, to bring forth judgement unto victory. And the experience which the church hath had of his love, power, and fidelity in former works and promises, should raise up their hearts to trust in him assuredly, for the accomplishment of those which are yet behind: for "he is yesterday, and today, and the same, for ever." " This we may plead in our prayers," Do as thou hast said." This we may apply in our endeavours towards holiness; he hath said he will sub

• John xvi. 7. Luke b Luke x. 17. m Heb. xii. 1. ¶ John

g Luke ix. 1.

1 Heb. vii. 25.

P John xiii. 2.

xi. 52. Deut. xxxii. 4. Isai. ii. 18. Rom. xvi. 20. 1 Cor. xv. 25.

r John

xiv. 2, 3.

John vi. 40.

* 2 Sam. vii. 25.

t Matth. xii. 20.

a Heb. xiii. 8.

due our iniquities; he will take away a heart of stone, and give a heart of flesh for this end he was manifested, to destroy the works of the devil; and upon this word I will hope. This we may support our drooping and desponding hearts under, in any time of diffidence and discomfort. When I begin to fear that my sins are greater than can be pardoned, stronger than can be mortified, deeper than can be eradicated; his power is ever accompanying his mercy. What he begins, he will finish. He hath said He will abundantly pardon : therefore we may say, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken. He will perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham; his word is an invincible bar to all our fears.

с

A

SERMON

PREACHED BEFORE THE

PEERS,

In the Abbey-Church at Westminster, November 7, 1666. Being a Day of Solemn Humiliation for the Continuing Pestilence.

PHILIP. iv. 5.

moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at

hand.

SOME graces are primary, radical, and fundamental; which, having their proper termination in God and Christ, are, therefore, as to their formal and immediate beauty, invisible to any eye, but His who searcheth the heart, and trieth the reins. So our repentance is said to be towards God,' and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ;' (Acts xx. 21) our faith and hope is said to be in God.' (1 Pet. i. 21) As the root, though the principal seat of life in the tree, is, under ground, unseen, but the fruits, flowing from that life, are visible; or, as the orator saith of a goodly structure, "fastigia spectantur, latent fundamenta;" so the most primitive and vital graces are in themselves known only to God, and to the heart which enjoys them; but in and by their fruits they may, and must be, known unto men. By our works, we must show our faith: (James ii. 18. Acts xix. 18) works, I mean, of transient charity, which properly terminate upon others, without us. In which respect, our Saviour, though he forbid us to do our works to be seen of men, in a way of ostentation, (Matth. vi. 1, 6, 16-18) yet he commandeth us to let our light shine before men, in a way of edification, and

to God's glory: (Matth. v. 16) and in order to the same end, the apostle here requireth us to "let our moderation be known unto all men."

The words contain a serious and weighty doctrine, ó Kúpos ἐγούς. "The Lord is near:"-and a Christian duty from thence inferred, "Let your moderation be known unto all men;" or an exhortation to the exercise of a special grace, and a most solemn argument, because, "The Lord is at hand." In the exhortation is observable, 1. The virtue itself required, expressed by the concrete for the abstract, not without an emphasis, as I take it. Sometimes we find a concrete superlative expressed by an abstract; Jer. 1. 31,

Behold, I am against thee, O pride;" that is, "O thou most proud:"-and here an extensive abstract expressed by a concrete, as if he should have said, "Let your tongue, your hand, your whole conversation show forth to all men, upon all occasions, this excellent and most amiable grace." 2. The peculiarity or characteristical difference of this virtue, intimated in the word uv: not a bare philosophical, but a Christian moderation, such as becomes believers. 3. The conspicuousness thereof, yvwołýrw, let it be really, upon all occasions, "manifested," for the honour of Christ, and credit of religion. 4. The impartiality of it; it must be manifested" to all men;" not only unto good men, but unto the froward; that the mouths of adversaries may be stopped, their prejudices refuted, their enmities broken, and they won by the meek and humble conversation of believers to the obedience of the gospel.

In the argument unto this duty, it is considerable, how many ways the Lord is near unto his servants, for their encouragement in so difficult and excellent a duty: near, ad auxilium,' to help them; near,' ad solatium,' to comfort them; near, ad judicium,' to reward them; near,' per inhabitantem gratiam,' to direct and enable them; near, per exauditionis clementiam,' to hear and answer them; near, 'per providentia economiam,' to support and protect them.

1. Believers are called unto a high and honourable condition, the ovcía and dignity of being the Sons of God:' (John i. 12) and in that condition they may, by the power of corruption and temptation, be in danger to be puffed up with pride and arrogancy, above others, and to a supineness and