Christian sobriety: being eight sermons on Titus II. 6. Preached with a special view to the benefit of the young men usually attending the public worship at the West Church in Boston. : Published more particularly at their desire, and dedicated to them. / By Jonathan Mayhew, D.D. Pastor of the said Church.

SERMON. VII.

Young Men exhorted to Sobriety, from other Considerations, viz. (8.) Of their temporal Advantage. (9.) Of their Use|fulness in the World. (10.) Of those Persons whom they will please hereby. (11.) Of those whom they will gratify by the contrary. (12.) Of one End of Christ's coming into the World, namely, to "purify unto himself a peculiar people," &c.

TITUS II. 6.

YOUNG MEN likewise exhort to be sober-minded.

MY young brethren, in the preceeding discourse you were exhorted to be so|ber-minded, by divers considerations and motives, which need not now be mentioned. I shall therefore, without any repetition, proceed in this exhortation, by laying before you some other arguments; all, of real, tho' not of equal

weight: Hoping that, for your own sakes, you will give such an attention to them, as they may reasonably demand. Wherefore,

VIII. TO be sober-minded will be most for your advantage in this world; most for the health of your bodies, and for your outward prosperity in all other respects. How this tends to the peace and comfort of your minds, and also to your reputation in the world, was shewn in the foregoing discourse. And it may answer a valuable end, if I can now make it appear to you, that your temporal felicity in other respects, very much depends upon your being truly religious. Tho' this is not an argument of the greatest weight; yet it is of considerable importance, as it may remove some prejudices against religion, ari|sing from a false supposition, that it is preju|dicial to your worldly felicity. And I shall insist the longer upon this argument, because, as I apprehend, it is not so frequently and particularly discussed in the pulpit, as might be for the credit, and thereby for the interest of religion.

BUT you will observe, that when I speak of it as being for your interest to be sober-minded, in conformity to the principles and precepts of christianity, I speak with particu|lar reference to the age and country in which you live; wherein this religion is publicly countenanced, and generally professed. For, no regard being had to these circumstances, it is supposeable that the belief, profession and

practice of the christian religion, might be very detrimental to a person's credit and worldly interest, in that sense of them which is here intended. If you lived in an age and country, wherein the name of Christ was ge|nerally odious, his religion not publicly tole|rated, and his disciples, as such, reproached, persecuted, subjected to the confiscation of goods, to bonds and imprisonment; or even, wherein they were not allowed the privileges and liberties common to other subjects; up|on this supposition, I say, your godly and christian sobriety would manifestly tend to hurt your reputation and interest, instead of promoting them. This was the condition, this the situation, these the circumstances of christians, for about three hundred years after Christ; till the days of the Emperor Con|stantine the Great. The public voice con|demned them as an odious, impious sect; the laws were against them; their enemies were inveterate, and had all the power in their hands. The consequence was, that they were denied the common privileges of men; and "whosoever would live godly in Christ Jesus, suffered persecution" in one or other, and sometimes many of its hateful forms. Christians, in those sad times, besides being reproached for the name of Christ, were often called to suffer the loss of all things; they were haled before kings, governors and other magistrates; they were imprisoned, thrown into dungeons, stoned, impaled, crucified,

slain with the sword, sawn in sunder; and forced to suffer unnumber'd indignities and tortures, merely as christians; not accept|ing deliverance, on the condition of renoun|cing the faith, and blaspheming the name of Christ "that they might obtain a better resur|rection." And though the persecution did not rage against them in the same degree of fury, during the long period before-mention|ed; yet in any part thereof, it was apparent|ly contrary to a man's worldly reputation and interest, to be a christian: As it may be even at this day, in countries where the laws and people in general, are against the religion and disciples of Christ; and as it may be for protestants in roman-catholic countries, or any others called christian, where there is not a general toleration.

BUT with respect to ourselves, and to this happy country of liberty, the case is quite otherwise. Christianity is commonly profes|sed; the laws countenance and support it; the government is in the hands of christians, and christians enjoy some privileges which others do not. There is here a general liber|ty and toleration for all to worship God ac|cording to their consciences (not a little griev|ous to some particular persons of dark, con|tracted and groveling minds.) And it is in general a very reputable thing amongst us, to be a pious, virtuous and good man. Now, under these circumstances, I say, and you may easily perceive, it is most for your

worldly interest to be sober-minded; far more so, in all respects, than it would be to be pro|fligate and impious. Let me more particu|larly observe a few things here, in order to set the present argument in a proper light.

And,

1. AS, in these circumstances, virtue and religion will be a recommendation of you to the esteem of people, it manifestly tends to your interest in this respect; I mean, to what is commonly called worldly gain or profit. For people in general, good and bad, some few cases being excepted, would much rather trust, and have connexions in business with a sober, honest man, of an established good character, than with a vicious and profligate one, of a contrary character. And this evi|dently tends to a person's interest, whatever be his station or calling in life; especially when it is considered, that the wiser and better part, and those who ordinarily have it most in their power to serve and befriend you, will be more particularly disposed to do so, from real regard; while others, for their own in|terest, will rather employ, or have concerns with an honest main, caeteris paribus, than with one of no religion, or of bad morals.

2. AS to public posts of honor or emolu|ment, for which some of you, perhaps, ei|ther do, or may in time stand as candidates; it is to be hoped that, all other circumstances being alike, your known integrity, and good behaviour in life, would be some recommen|dation

of you, and procure a preference. Certainly it would, under any tolerably wise and good administration of government; es|pecially in those governments which have a great mixture of the popular form, and in countries where there are no iniquitous tests; as in our own. Let me add, that if we have formerly, in certain instances, known persons of infamous characters preferred to magis|tracies, or to other honourable and lucrative offices, to the neglect of virtue and merit; yet I should be extremely loth to suppose that this is either now a common thing amongst us, or will be so hereafter.

3. IF we suppose the providence of God governs the world, in the manner declared in the holy scriptures; those who love and serve him in sincerity, have much more rea|son to expect his blessing upon their honest designs and undertakings, in order to obtain a competency of the good things of this life, than impious and profligate men have, to hope for his blessing upon their's; especially upon such designs as are in their nature dis|honest and criminal. This is the least that can be said with reference to what may be expected from divine providence, in the or|dinary course of it, according to very nume|rous representations in scripture; which are rather confirmed than contradicted by expe|rience. Tho', as we do not certainly know the hearts of men, and may be deceived as to their characters; we must needs be very in|adequate

judges, when the conduct of provi|dence is, or is not, strictly agreeable to these representations. And tho' there may be some exceptions here, as under other general rules; yet it is not improbable, that these may be much fewer in the present case, than is com|monly supposed. The examples of wicked men prospered in this world, are indeed very numerous, and indisputable: For God is good to the unthankful and to the evil. But it is not, neither can it be, so certain to us on the other hand, that the good are often forsaken, or left destitute by him. And it is not unworthy of remark, that in that psalm wherein the prosperity of some wicked men, is set forth more amply than in any other part of scripture, the inspired psalmist makes the following declaration, so much to the honor of divine providence:

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he de|lighteth in his way. Tho' he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: For the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

† 1.1

4. IT should be observed, that many of those virtues which belong to the head of christian sobriety, have, in their very nature, a direct tendency to promote your temporal interest and happiness. For example; dili|gence in your worldly callings, temperance

in meat and drink, and a virtuous moderation in other respects, have a plain, direct tenden|cy to secure and advance your wealth, your health and ease; and to prolong your lives. In comformity whereto, Solomon says of wisdom, that "length of days is in her right hand, and in her left, riches and honor."

On the other hand,

5. MOST of those vices and excesses, which are repugnant to sobriety, have as direct and apparent a tendency to prejudice your worldly interest and happiness. For is not this evi|dently true of idleness, intemperance, pride and luxury—of wasting your time, and squandering away your money in riotous living, in leudness and debauchery, in the fopperies of dress, in frequent and expensive diversions, and the like? These are all cost|ly and impoverishing vices: And some of them are as prejudicial to the health of your bodies, as they are to your purses and your souls. How many sad examples have there been of people, particularly of young men, that have, by these and such-like follies and excesses, absolutely destroyed themselves as to this world?—their reputation, their es|tates, their health, their lives!—"Be not over much wicked," says the wise man; "neither be thou foolish: Why shouldest thou die before thy time?" But when or where did you ever know a young man ruin and destroy himself by his wisdom or sobriety, his virtue and religion!

6. IF it should be said, that a man has sometimes an opportunity to increase his riches by dishonest means;—for example, by lying, perjury, extortion, taking bribes, theft, fraud, or lawless violence and robbery: And that, if he foregoes these tempting and precious opportunities for the sake of religion and a good conscience, his virtue is then prejudicial to his interest: I will not "speak wickedly for God," by absolutely denying that any man ever did, or can, increase his wealth by such unjust means: Even our own age and country might furnish some examples of this kind. But let me make a few queries here. Do you not think, there are many more people, who hurt their worldly interest in the end by dishonesty; by losing their credit, character and business, than there are who prejudice it by a strict adherence to truth and justice, and a steady perseverance in honest courses? I think this will admit of no doubt: So that the advantage, upon the whole, is still on the side of virtue and sobriety. But, admitting that you were absolutely sure, as you cannot be, of bettering your worldly circumstances in the end, by any iniquitous means; let me next ask, How much you think it is honestly worth to be a knave; a liar, cheat, or per|jured villain? I conclude, you would not for|feit your honor and conscience for a very tri|fling sum, as many have done. For how much then, do you think it would really be worth while to do it? Even Balaam, who secretly

loved the wages of unrighteousness, could not but say in his calm reflexions, when Balak the King of Moab offered, him a large sum to do a wicked thing—

If Balak would give me his house-full of silver and gold, I can|not go beyond the commandment of the Lord, to do good or bad.

* 1.2—Now, was this a reasonable reflexion, or was it not? You cannot deny it to be so. And can you hope, by any unrighteous means, to get more than a royal palace-full of silver and gold? And if you could, yet would not these un|godly gains be over-ballanced by the uneasy reflexions in your own minds? Would not your real happiness in this world be rather obstructed than promoted, by these unrighte|ous, tho' gainful practices? But such great gains of iniquity and fraud, as these, are wholly imaginary, unless perhaps, you were kings or princes, or their chief ministers and favourites,—If you are dishonest, or ever so wicked and avaritious; yet you must play at far smaller games than these. Nay, according to the ordinary, established course of things, interest is actually on the side of virtue and honesty. Tho' religion, honor and conscience were wholly out of the question; yet any common man would run a most imprudent risque in becoming a knave and villain, with a view to worldly gain. Almost all per|sons, except a few great men and their tools, hurt their, in crest at last, instead of serving it, by

injustice and oppression, fraud and violence. How often do men utterly ruin their credit, and with it, their temporal interest, by be|ing greedy of gain, and using lawless means to obtain it? Yea, how often do they hereby procure infamous punishment, with the loss of all, from the hands of civil justice? and even capital punishment? It is therefore evi|dent, upon the whole, according to the good old proverb, that honesty is the best policy; tho' we confine our views intirely to worldly gain and profit.

An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning, says the wise man, but the end thereof shall not be blessed.

—And again:

Envy not the oppressor, and and chuse none of his ways—The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just.

And God declareth by the prophet Jeremiah, That

as the partridge fitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days; and at his end shall be a fool.

7. BUT you will say, perhaps, that giving alms to the poor is one of the duties of reli|gion; and that this is directly contrary to a person's worldly interest, and tends to pover|ty. Let me briefly hint a few things, re|lative to this objection. And, first; in giving alms every man is bound in reason to have some consideration of his own ability, circum|stances, real occasions, and the obligations of

justice to his family, and to others. No per|son, except in some very uncommon cases, is obliged to give more than he can afford with|out much difficulty, or streightning himself; never, more than is consistent with the obli|gations which he is under to others in point of justice. In the next place, if you are in|dustrious, and avoid all foolish, extravagant and sinful expences, as religion obliges you to be and do, you may the better afford to give something to the necessitous sick and poor. A quarter part of what many con|sume in their expensive follies and vices, both to the hurt of themselves and others, might make them tolerable good christians in point of alms-giving, if employed in that way, from a good principle. Tho' you should discharge this christian duty, as far as could in reason be expected of you, yet it would probably be much less expensive to you than those vices, follies and excesses, which are common a|mongst young men: And you would, at the same time, have a rational and solid satisfaction therein; whereas shame and remorse are the natural fruits of intemperance and luxury, riot and debauchery. Again: Though you were wholly destitute of christian sobriety; yet if you had but common humanity, you would not refuse an alms, once in a while, to a miserable fellow-creature ready to perish with cold or hunger, when it was in your power to relieve him. So that your being truly religious, and giving alms from a chri|stian

principle, might not, perhaps, be the occasion of any great addition to your expen|ces of this sort: I mean, unless you were o|therwise to be hardened to a great degree in|deed; so as to be destitute of the common feelings of pity and compassion, as well as of the love of God. You must get rid of all sympathy and humanity, and be worse than barbarians; I mean, become misers, if you would save all expences of this kind; for, mere|ly being destitute of christianity, will not an|swer the end. Moreover; you may reasona|bly expect the blessing of God abundantly to make up to you whatever you bestow in dis|crete and well-timed charity to the poor, ac|cording to his commandments. There are many passages of scripture, directly to this purpose. I have time to remind you of two or three only, from the writings of Solomon—Honor the Lord with thy substance;—so

shall thy barns be filled with plenty—He that giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord; and that which he giveth, he will surely repay him.

And very observable is the following passage:

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth: And there is that with-holdeth more than is meet; but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made sat; and he that watereth, shall also be watered himself.

* 1.3 You can then have no reasonable objection against religion, on account of its tendency to impoverish you in the way of alms-giving: But this objection

stands in great force against irreligion, oppres|sion, uncharitableness, sloth, luxury, riot, and every kind of vicious excess.

UPON laying together what has been said under this, and some preceding heads of ar|gument, there is one general, and very im|portant reflection in favour of religion, which naturally arises. It is this, that as a sober, re|ligious life is the only reasonable one; so it is by far the happiest, and, in all respects, the most for your advantage in this world. If you place happiness in having peace of mind; that has been shewn to be the genuine fruit of religion; as disquietude within, is the in|variable consequence of irreligion, vice and folly. If you place it in reputation, or the good opinion of others; that is the natural at|tendant of virtue and sobriety; as contempt and disgrace are of the contrary. If you place it in bodily health and long life; these are most effectually promoted by sobriety; as sickness, pains and a premature death, are the frequent effects of intemperance, and profli|gate morals. If you place it in worldly riches; religion and virtue are very friendly to it in this view: Whereas there are many vices which tend directly to poverty; much more so, than any one virtue that can be named. These things are not only certain, but obvi|ous; they lie level to all capacites. And is it not a great recommendation of religion to your judgment, your reason, that it is the most sure and effectual means imaginable,

same extraordinary cases being excepted, to promote your temporal felicity in all these respects?—your peace of mind, your reputa|tion and honor, your health with length of days, and your interest, in the most usual sense of this word? This is strict truth, ac|cording to the established course of things, at least in all countries where the true religi|on is publickly countenanced, and generally professed. So that tho' "gain is not godliness," as some may imagine; yet we have the best authority to say, that

godliness is profitable unto ALL things; having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. This is a faithful saying.‡ 1.4

WHAT then are all those imaginations which young people commonly entertain a|bout religion, as if it were unfriendly to their temporal interest and felicity? What are all such imaginations, I say, but idle fancies, chimeras and hobgoblins, which mere fiction, or the father of lies has invented, to impose upon your credulity, and deceive you to your destruction? As if the ways of wisdom, of virtue and of God, were gloomy, joyless, hard and disagreeable; and those of folly, vice and satan, easy, profitable, delightful, and truly happy! What a reproach is it to human nature, that such bugbears as these;—conceits, so contrary to all probability and sense, to the word of God, and to the experi|ence of all wise and good men, should ever

gain the least credit, so as to frighten either the old or young from being sober-minded; and to make them believe that true happiness is the fruit of error, folly and vice!

IT is probable that some well-meaning men have contributed largely to the carrying on so strange and pernicious a delusion, not only by their own gloomy, and over-austere be|haviour; but by abridging the innocent plea|sures and liberties of youth, in divers respects; particularly by representing all recreations and pastimes as inconsistent with pure and unde|filed religion, instead of being content with guarding against the abuses of them. There is ground to think that these irrational and unscriptural severities, have been a fatal stum|bling-block to many young people; and made them dread the very thoughts of religion, as if it were an irreconcileable foe to all tempo|ral happiness. But as it is incumbent upon the teachers of religion, utterly to discounte|nance every thing that is unreasonable, and contrary to the laws of God; they ought doubtless, on the other hand, to allow and permit to all, particularly to the young, all those innocent liberties and amusements, which the word of God allows or permits. He that adds to the commandments, by for|bidding what God has not forbidden, is as presumptuous and criminal as he that dimi|nishes from them, by nullifying some of his precepts. In many cases the former is of as bad consequence as the latter, to the interest

of virtue and religion in the world. It is so particularly in this case, when the young are deterred from being sober-minded, by being unwarrantably abridged of those recreations and amusements, which God has not prohi|bited, and which human nature, in it's pre|sent state, seems to require. Nor are the "teaching for doctrine the commandments of men," and laying "heavy burdens, grie|vous to be borne, on men's shoulders," the slightest accusations which our Lord brought against those grave, austere, proud, solemn-fac'd hypocrites, the ancient scribes and pharisees.* 1.5 There is, in short, no one pleasure or satis|faction in life, that is proper to the nature of man, but what may be enjoyed in far greater perfection, within the limits and laws of a truly christian sobriety, than it can possibly be enjoyed in the violation of them, or in the ways of folly, vice and criminal excess. The ways of wisdom are, in the highest sense, ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. This you will experimentally know, whenever you, in earnest, make the experi|ment. To proceed,

IX. YOUR future usefulness, as well as your own honor, interest and happiness in the world, greatly depends upon your sobriety and good conduct. He that lives soberly, righteously and godly in the world, cannot be a mischievous member of society: Nay,

he cannot but be serviceable, and a real ornament to it in his station, whether high or low; as every member of the natural body, in the regu|lar discharge of its particular office, contributes to the good and perfection of the body. But can the same be said with equal truth and pro|priety, of irreligious, wicked and profligate men? It cannot.

IT is indeed owned, that bad men sometimes do much good in the world. But this is either, first, only accidentally; as we say good may be brought out of evil. Or, secondly, the good which they do, is by such of their actions as are in their nature good, lawful and right, externally considered; not by their wicked and unrighteous deeds. Or, lastly, they may do good to the world by serving as examples and warnings to it, of the shame and misery which are the natural consequence of vice and folly: So that, by their means, others are deterred from pursuing those courses which are ruinous and destructive. Thus, in the first case, the pride, luxury and debauchery of the rich, may be the occasion of dispersing their wealth, and feeding the poor. In the second case, a vicious man who is diligent in his lawful worldly business, who fights bravely for his king and country, or who discharges any civil office tolerably well, may thereby do good. Any of these things may be done by a very wicked man; but yet he that thus serves his country, does it not by his wickedness; but by that part of his conduct which is lawful and right. And in the third case mentioned, the thief, robber, or other

malefactor, benefits his country by being hang'd; and serving for a terror and warning to evil-doers. In these three senses, very wicked men may be serviceable to the world. But how much mis|chief is commonly done by them in other re|spects? What sore scourges? what curses, have many wicked men been to the world, especially in high stations?—to whole provinces, countries and kingdoms?—yea, to several kingdoms at once? And other wicked men commonly do mis|chief in the world, in some proportion to their station, and the sphere in which they act. Con|sider, on the other hand, what great and exten|sive blessings many good men have been to the world, especially in high stations;—to their coun|try, nation, and divers nations at once: And other good men in a lower degree, according to their situation, power and influence. Which good they do directly, with design; not acci|dentally, as the wicked may do it in some in|stances and degrees.

NOW, my young brethren, if you have the least ingenuity, or generosity of mind, you would chuse to be blessings, and not curses to the world. You would chuse to fill up your respective sta|tions in life, at once with honor to yourselves, and benefit to society: Both which you will do the most effectually by being truly virtuous and sober-minded. Can you, without pain or regret, think of living rather as common nusances, than to the advantage of those with whom you are connected?—or even, of living and dying use|less?—Or, if not intirely useless; yet would you

be willing that what good you do, should be as it were by accident, as the indirect consequence of your behaviour, instead of being done inten|tionally and uprightly; so that it may be said to be the proper consequence of a virtuous and lau|dable behaviour? Or would you be willing to benefit society, only by being sad examples and warnings to it, of the disgrace and misery in which vice naturally terminates; and so making other men wise and cautious, virtuous and happy at your expence?—especially at so dear a rate, as your own infamy and destruction! If you well digest these thoughts in your minds, they will fill you with an ardent, a truly noble desire to do good in your day; to be serviceable in your res|pective places, instead of hurtful; and therefore to be wise and virtuous: Especially when you consider, that this will be, beyond all compari|son, the most honourable, profitable and delight|ful to yourselves.

X. IT should be an argument of no small weight with you to be sober-minded, that you will hereby please your best friends; whereas, by the contrary, you will displease, grieve and of|fend them. Do you ask, who these good, these best friends are? I answer, in the first place,

GOD, your Father in heaven. He, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, who is "good to all, and whose tender mercies are over all his works;" He, I say, will unques|tionably be pleased by your being truly pious and virtuous—"Ye have received of us," says the apostle, "how ye ought to walk, and to please

God." If God invites, if he encourages, if he requires you to believe in, to love him, to walk in his righteous ways, certainly he will be pleas|ed with your doing so; and displeased if you do otherwise. Has he not said, "I love them that love me, and they that seek me early, shall find me?" Is not his holy Spirit said to "strive with men," to this end? and to be "grieved" with these that resist and oppose him?—with them that abuse his goodness and oppose his light and truth; chusing to walk in the paths of darkness and error, vice and misery? What com|passion did God of old express towards Ephraim? what pleasure at his repentance, and return to him?—assuming, as it were, all the passion and tenderness of an earthly father.—

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus—I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the re|proach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.

† 1.6 Consider also the well known parable of the prodigal son, as it is commonly called; one principal design of which was, to represent the love and compassion of our heavenly Father; and his pleasure in those that return to him. It is said, that when the foolish, unhappy youth was on his return home, but while he was "yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."

And presently after, the father is introduced, saying to the elder brother, "It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad; for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." Thus compassionate is God, to those who err from his truth and ways; and thus pleased when they repent and return. This is also the principal scope of two other parables in the same chapter:‡ 1.7 One of which our Lord him|self explains and applies in these words:—"Like|wise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth;"—and the other of them, in words to the same purpose. "Like as a father pitieth his children," says the psalmist, "so the Lord pitieth them that fear him." And, surely, you have no friend equally good and great as the God and Father of all; none whom you are un|der such strong obligations to please; none, whom you ought, from a principle of ingenuity and gratitude, to be so cautious of offending.

ANOTHER of those good friends, whom you will please by your sobriety, is the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ; who loved you so well as to come down from heaven, to live a mise|rable life on earth, and to die an ignominious, accursed death upon a cross, for your redemption. This you may be positively assured of: For "he gave himself a ransom for ALL;"—"tasted death for EVERY man," and is the "propitiation for the sins of the WHOLE world." In the days of his flesh, he shewed the tenderest love and kindness, not only to young men, as is re|corded upon several occasions, but even to little

children; taking them up in his arms, blessing them, and saying, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Our com|passionate Saviour is said to have been grieved for the hardness of their hearts, who refused to receive his heavenly instructions, counsels and warnings, designed for their good. And how tenderly did he lament the folly, the impeni|tence, and the approaching destruction of Jeru|salem, when he beheld the city, and

wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hidden from thine eyes.† 1.8 And again: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

‡ 1.9 What a lively representation is this, of his compassion even for obdurate sinners? The Lord Jesus Christ, tho' set down in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, has the like love, the like pity, the like tenderness for you all in general, now, that he had of old for Jerusalem. His goodness is unchanged; he can still have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; being a merciful, as well as faithful high priest, in things pertaining unto God. And will you displease, will you grieve, will you offend such a Friend, by persevering in sin and folly?—One, who has laid you under such immense obligations!

THE holy angels, tho' unseen and unknown by you, are other, and truly excellent friends to you; whom you would highly please and delight, by obeying their Lord and our's; and whom you displease by persevering in your sinful ways. They are all ministring spirits, sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation: And it is particularly declared by our Saviour, that "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." Surely then, you will, on the other hand, give them trouble and sorrow, if sorrow can touch those pure and blessed intelligencies, by resisting and disobeying the truth. And does it become you to grieve these benevolent spirits, who are as it were your appointed guardians; who delight in doing good offices for you, in conformity to their charge; and who would be so rejoiced at your conversion to God?

OTHER of your friends, some of whom were probably once known to you, tho' now removed out of your sight, and whom you would please by being sober-minded, are "just men made perfect;" the noble army of martyrs, and the whole church of the first born, which are writ|ten in heaven. Amongst these are all your pious ancestors, who have died in the Lord; and who now live with him, beholding his face in righ|teousness. Amongst them are also, probably, some of your other near relations, and cotempo|raries; those whom you lately knew and con|versed with. All, all these, as well as the "innumerable company of angels," wish to see

you truly wise and virtuous; that so, in due time, they may hail you to those blissful regions; and that you may be forever associated with them in one glorious society, "a kingdom that cannot be shaken." Yea, my young brethren, methinks, almost, I hear them now calling to you from the coelestial mansions, in the same words which the two witnesses heard from heaven, when a great voice came to them, saying, "COME UP HITHER!"† 1.10—For the bride, the Lamb's wife, [the church triumphant] as well as the Spirit, saith, "COME. And let him that heareth say, COME. And let him that is athirst, COME: And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."‡ 1.11

YOUR best friends on earth, as well as in heaven, will be rejoiced to see you wise and virtuous; and grieved to see you foolish and profligate. I may here particularly mention your pious and good parents, who have done so much for you, and whose love you cannot doubt. "A wise son," says Solomon, "maketh a glad father; but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother." Every virtuous and good parent, could sincerely address his child in the language of the same wise king—

My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine; yea, my reins shall rejoice.—

‖ 1.12 All good men had far rather see their children sober-minded, the friends and followers of Jesus Christ, than beautiful, rich and prosperous in this world. And whom, upon earth, should you be so desirous to please and gratify, or so

loth to grieve and disquiet, as those to whom, under God, you owe your very being?—those who have brought you up with so much care and tenderness, taking unwearied pains for you; and whose chief worldly concern is probably, to see you well provided for, virtuous and happy?

BUT you have many good friends besides your parents, who would sincerely rejoice to see you truly religious. All your acquaintance in gene|ral, that fear God, would be pleased to have pro|per evidence of your doing the same: And I know of One in particular, that would be so. He shall be nameless: Only I may tell you, he is One that, if his own mediocrity of years would allow him to use the paternal stile with reference to you, could, with great sincerity, adopt those words of the apostle John in his third epistle—

I have no greater joy, than to hear that my children walk in the truth.

Let me just add, that he is One who claims some sort of interest in you; as hoping to have you for his joy, glory and crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus—

THESE then, my beloved young brethren, are the friends whom you will certainly please by being sober-minded, and displease by going on in the paths of folly and vanity, vice and misery. Think, whether they are not such as you ought to be studious of gratifying in every reasonable way; and very loth to disoblige, of|fend or grieve, by any ungrateful and unreason|able conduct.

XI. CONSIDER, in the next place, who those persons are, whom you will please by a foolish, criminal and profligate behaviour; that so, upon a fair comparison, you may judge whether you ought to gratify the latter, or the former: For you cannot please both; their views, dispositions and interests being directly opposite to each other; just as opposite as light and darkness, Christ and belial, heaven and hell.

AND here a certain ancient, famous Prince, who has far more subjects than the greatest earth|ly Monarch, claims the inglorious precedence. I mean, "the Prince of the devils"—"the Prince of the power of the air," the wicked spirit that worketh in all the children of disobedience. You will, without doubt, highly gratify him and his angels, by continuing in your sins. He made himself famous of old, by stirring up rebellion in heaven; and afterwards on earth, by deluding and betraying our first parents; by usurping a kind of dominion over mankind; by deceiving almost the whole world for many ages; by his enmity and opposition to the Son of God, when he came to rescue mankind from his cruel tyranny, and to destroy the works of the devil. This wicked One has, ever since, excited the children of darkness and disobedience to oppose the truth, and the kingdom of God on earth; endeavouring by all means to deceive, to hurt and to destroy mankind; in which he has suc|ceeded to admiration. "Your adversary the devil," says the apostle, "goeth about continually as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

NOW you cannot in the least doubt, but that you will highly gratify the devil and his angels, by rejecting the truth of God; by denying and blaspheming Jesus Christ; by neglecting the wor|ship of God, despising the ordinances of the gos|pel, and living wicked lives. These are the very things which they aim at; which they have all along been, and are still temping you to do, not in vain; the very things in which they place their joy, triumph and glory. Every time you set yourselves to oppose the truth; every time you take God's name in vain; every time you turn your backs with contempt upon Christ's in|stitutions; every time you speak falsely, or do any wicked thing, then it is that you please the devil; and the farther you are from all sobriety of mind, the more dear will you be to him. You cannot more disoblige these apostate spirits, than by a gracious reception of the gospel, and bring|ing forth fruits meet for repentance. They have a fixed aversion to all sobriety, all truth, all god|liness, righteousness, humility, charity and tem|perance. Besides: Whenever any person, old or young, repents and returns to God, the devil is enraged at the thoughts of losing a subject; he considers such a One as a rebel and traitor to himself, and is sorely vexed at having the prey which he was on the point of devouring, snatch|ed as it were out of his jaws. These envious and malicious spirits cannot endure that any of the earth-born sons of Adam, should be eternal|ly happy in those glorious mansions, from which themselves were banished for their pride, their

sedition, and rebellion against the King of hea|ven. So that there is not one of the angels of darkness, numerous as they are, but what you will gratify by continuing in sin and folly, and highly displease by being sober-minded.

BUT what has satan ever done for you, that you should be desirous or willing to please him? Is he your maker? No. Does he preserve and take care of you? No. Did he die for you? No; and is angry even to rage, that Another did. Has he laid you under any sort of obligation to please him? No. Has he any encouragement to give you for pleasing him? No. He will afterwards only upbraid and torment you for your folly therein. Did he ever intend you the least good in any one respect? No; nothing but mischief. Will you then gratify your inveterate adversary, "that old serpent called the devil, and satan," or his angels?—especially when you consider that, by doing so, you will displease the God that made and loves you; Jesus Christ who died for you; and grieve the good Spirit of God, as well as all those holy angels that "kept their first es|tate," and are daily employed in offices of kind|ness for you!

BUT besides the devil and his angels, you may perhaps, by your sin and folly, please great mul|titudes of the human race, both old and young, that have lived and died in their sins, and are now in the place of torment. It seems not im|probable, that these miserable souls might chuse to have other persons tread in their steps, and share their fate, instead of being sober, wise and

happy. This is the way in which envy and wick|edness, disappointment and despair, commonly work; I mean in this world. Tho' it seems in some measure doubtful, whether you would please even those self-destroying persons, when we con|sider our Saviour's parable, commonly called the parable of Dives and Lazarus. According to which, when the rich fool died, and lift up his eyes in hell, he requested that warning might be sent from the invisible world to his brethren on earth, lest they also should come into that place of torment. When I consider this part of the parable, I cannot be confident that you would please those wretched souls in darkness and de|spair, by following their example, and having your portion with them; tho' there are some other passages of scripture, which seem to favor this supposition; particularly the following—

Hell from beneath is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy coming: It stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth

† 1.13—But supposing it were certain, that you would gratify all the wicked that are already in the re|gions of woe, by being vicious and impious; yet there can be no reason why you should be desi|rous to please them at all; especially at so dear a rate; and when you consider, that you cannot do this without displeasing the "spirits of just men made perfect," who wish well to you, and long for an opportunity to welcome and congra|tulate your safe arrival at the mansions of joy and glory. But,

LASTLY here, By continuing in your sins, you will probably please some of the most foolish and abandoned of mankind, both male and fe|male. Such persons as these, may be in some measure kept in countenance, and perhaps other|wise gratified, by having you for their compa|nions in folly and wickedness. And, on the other hand, should you become virtuous and so|ber, they might be disgusted thereat; looking upon your reformation and good conduct as a tacit reproach to themselves for their continued profligacy, and depraved manners. But would it be any ways proper for you to please such foolish and wicked persons as these, who do not sincerely wish well to you, whatever they may pretend? Especially, when by that means you will certainly displease and trouble many wise and virtuous people; your parents and others, who are unquestionably your friends. Let me here remind you of a passage in the Proverbs of Solomon, relating to the enticements of evil companions; not merely because it is directly to the point in hand, but because I have not any where else, perhaps, so particularly warned you as to this matter, as would have been proper.

My son, says the wise man, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us—Cast in thy lot among us—my son, walk not in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil—and they lay wait for their own blood.

† 1.14

THUS you have seen on one hand, whom you will certainly please by being sober-minded; and on the other hand, whom you will, or may possibly gratify by the contrary. By it you will please God, your Maker and compassionate Father; the Lord Jesus Christ, who laid down his life for you; the good spirit of God, which is striving with you; the holy angels, who are daily ministring unto you; the noble army of martyrs, and all the saints in heaven, who long to hail your arrival there; your parents, and many other wise and good men on earth, who sincerely wish well to you. But then, on the other hand, you will not hereby gratify, but displease the god of this world, the devil and his angels, who seek your destruction; and, perhaps, the wicked already in a state of torment; as well as a few profligate, abandon'd rakes of both sexes, on earth;—some of the most foolish, wicked and infamous of the human race, who may either desire you as their associates in vice and folly, or might consider your repentance and reformation as a tacit reproof of their im|piety, impudence, and profligate lives. This, I think, is summing up the present argument fairly and impartially: Nor will I call in question the goodness of your understandings so much, my young brethren, as to suppose it possible for you to doubt in any degree, whether it becomes you to gratify the former or the latter. One of them you must needs please, and displease the other: You cannot gratify both. It there|fore only remains for you to make your choice!

XII. IF you should continue in the practice of vice, folly and wickedness, one principal end of Christ's coming into the world;—of his teaching, life and death, will, as to you, be intirely frustrated. The important end which I have here in view, is your recovery to a sound mind; your deliverance from your natural darkness and depravity, your lusts, and sinful practices; by being brought to the knowledge, love and practice of true virtue, godliness, and all good works. That this was a principal end of Christ's mediation, is very clearly and forcibly declared in the same chapter with my text, as an argu|ment for sobriety and good works.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men, [so it might be rendered] hath appeared; teaching us that, denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righ|teously and godly in this present world.

And again afterwards;

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Now what do these expressions imply, either more or less than this, That one great design of Christ's mediation, and of the grace of God appearing in the gospel, was, that we might be sober-minded in that comprehensive sense, in which these terms were explained in some preceeding discourses? The whole evangelical history, wherein we have an account of our Lord's doctrine, example and precepts; and all the apostolical writings in general, are a clear, incontestible proof of the

same thing. And does it not from hence as plainly appear, that if you continue to live unsoberly, unrighteously and ungodly in the world, you will thereby counteract and defeat one principal end of Christ's manifesta|tion in the flesh? Let me add, that if this design of his mediation is frustrated as to you, it will be in vain for you to expect, that the other important ends thereof will be answe|red; such as, your being pardoned and justified, and being finally happy in the kingdom of heaven. For without that repentance and faith, which are the principle and beginning of a sober, righteous and godly life, there is no forgiveness of sins, no justification with God, no title to future glory, honor and im|mortality.

IF you pay any regard at all to the chris|tian revelation, as I presume you do, you can|not, surely, but be in some measure concer|ned, that the design of Christ's mediation in general, and particularly this essential and important part thereof, may be answered as to yourselves. One would think, you must be greatly shocked at the thought of its being frustrated by your persevering in the ways of vice and folly; as tho' the Son and grace of God had never appeared, bringing salvation to all that will thankfully accept of it. What! did the Son of God, the brightness of his glo|ry, and "in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily;" did the Son of God, I say, give himself for you, that he might re|deem

you from all iniquity,—from the pow|er, as well as the guilt of fin; and will you, notwithstanding this, live in the practice of sin, of ungodliness and worldly lusts! Hath such grace appeared, and has the Lord from heaven preached and died, that he might pu|rify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works; and will you still do the works of darkness, the works of the devil, those evil works which God abhorreth! I am astonished, and even tremble, as you may well do, to think of your thus counteracting the design of the glorious gospel. What the con|sequence of this will be, may appear more particularly in my next discourse. In the mean time, let me exhort you seriously to consider of the matter; and to bear in mind those words of the apostle, with which I conclude for the present—

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience re|ceived a just recompence of reward: How shall we escape if we neglect so great sal|vation, which at the first began to be spo|ken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bear|ing them witness, both with signs and won|ders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

† 1.15

Notes

• † 1.1

  Psalm XXXVII. 23, 24, 25.
• * 1.2

  Psalm XXIV
• * 1.3

  Prov. XI. 24, 25.
• ‡ 1.4

  Tim. IV. 8, 9.
• * 1.5

  Of the lawfulness and the abuses of Recreations, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Serm. IV. page 143—150 inclusive.
• † 1.6

  Jer. Ch. XXXI.
• ‡ 1.7

  Luke Ch. XV.
• † 1.8

  Luke XIX. 42.
• ‡ 1.9

  Matt. XXIII. 37.
• † 1.10

  Revel. XI. 12.
• ‡ 1.11

  Ch. XXII. 17.
• ‖ 1.12

  Prov. Ch. XXIII.
• † 1.13

  Isai. XIV. 9.
• † 1.14

  Prov. Ch. 1.
• † 1.15

  Heb. II. 1.—4.