X. SERM. we do need light and direction in our doubts, or strength against temptations, or comfort in our distresses) be assured of finding requisite assistance and relief. We should therefore, upon all exigencies, address ourselves to God, not with the fear of slaves, nor with the suspicion of strangers, but with dispositions of heart suitable to children, with a reverent love, and humble confidence, and cheerful hope. 9. Lastly, considering this point will direct and prompt us how to behave ourselves towards all God's creatures, according to their respective natures and capacities: if God be the Father of all things, they are all thence in some sort our brethren, and so may claim from us a fraternal affection and demeanour answerable thereto. Shall we then scorn, abuse, trample or tyrannise over any of them? doth it become us to do so? will our common Father like it, or endure it? If we are all branches sprouting from one stock, or streams issuing from the same source of Divine beneficence and fecundity; if we are members of one body, of one commonwealth, of one family, we are then surely obliged to an universal benevolence; to be kind and compassionate, to be helpful and beneficial unto all, so far as our capacity reacheth; we are to endeavour, as we can, to preserve the order and promote the welfare of the world, and of all things in it: even upon this score the meanest of God's creatures is not to be despised, the vilest worm is not to be misused by us; since even it is the work of his hands, and the subject of his care, Ps. cxlv. 9. yea the object of his kindness, who, as the Psalmist telleth us, is good unto all, and whose tender mercies are over all his works: but especially toward those beings, who according to a more peculiar and 16. X. excellent sense are entitled the sons of our Father, SERM. and to whom we are more nearly allied by our better part, (that Divine breath, which both they and we drew from God,) toward all intellectual beings, we do learn hence our respective duties: of love and respect toward those our elder brethren, the angels, (those of them, which have not degenerated from their nature, and apostatized from their duty;) of charity and good-will toward each other; ewhich if we do not maintain, we may consider that we thereby are first undutiful and unkind to God our common Father, and then even to ourselves; we do hate and harm both God's relations and our own (God's children, and our brethren) by hating or harming any man whatever; especially any good man, any Christian brother; who by other more peculiar bands is straitly tied to us; who upon so many better and higher accounts standeth related unto God and to ourselves. Aristotle saith that all men, upon grounds of natural cognation and similitude, are naturally friends to one another; much more are all good men so by participation of a more excellent nature, and by a nobler resemblance; whence it is St. Paul's precept to Christians, that Rom. xii. they should be τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ, εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι, · Συγγενὲς πᾶν τὸ λογικόν. Ant. iii. 4. Συγγενὴς, οὐχὶ αἵματος, καὶ σπέρματος τοῦ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ νοῦ, καὶ θείας ἀπομοίρας μέτοχος. Ant. ii. i. e Si ab uno Deo inspirati omnes, et animati sumus, quid aliud quam fratres sumus, et quidem conjunctiores quod animis, quam qui corporibus: ergo pro belluis immanibus habendi sunt, qui hominibus nocent. Lact. x. 6. * Ανδράποδον, οὐκ ἀνέξῃ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου, ὃς ἔχει Δία πρόγονον. Epict. Arr. i. 13. 8 Οἰκεῖον ἅπας, ἄνθρωπος ἀνθρώπῳ, καὶ φίλον. Arist. Eth. viii. 1. 10. SERM. that they should bear a natural affection each to X. other in brotherly love: Christians are in a more peculiar and eminent manner styled brethren; and that charity, which in respect to others is called philanthropy, (or humanity,) in regard to them is named philadelphy, (or brotherly affection:) hence to perform all fraternal offices toward every Christian, to wish heartily and earnestly to promote his good, to compassionate and, as we are able, to relieve his evils, to bear his infirmities, and to comport with unkindnesses from him, and the like duties, are incumbent on us, as peculiar to our profession. These are the principal uses which the consideration of this point suggesteth. Now God Almighty, the great Father of all things, and especially our gracious Father in Christ Jesus, grant that by his holy grace we may perform all filial duty toward him, (rendering unto him all love and reverence, all praise and thanks, all worship and obedience, together with all faith and hope in him,) that we may behave ourselves in all things as becometh this relation, that we may resemble him in all goodness, that we may persist here continually in his favour, and obtain hereafter the blessed inheritance from him; this he of infinite mercy vouchsafe unto us, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom for ever be all glory and praise. Amen. Even to God the Father, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, the Author and Donor of all good; to God the Son, the Redeemer of all the world, and foundation of all spiritual blessings; to God the Holy Ghost, the fountain of all true goodness, joy, and comfort, be for ever and ever all glory and praise. Amen. The Father Almighty, SERMON XI. REV. xi. 17. O Lord God Almighty. XI. EVERY attribute of God is a proper and useful SERM. object of our consideration; as being apt to mind us of our duty, and to excite us to the practice thereof; to beget in us those dispositions of mind (that love and reverence toward God, that faith and hope in him) which we ought to have; and to draw from us real performances of obedience to him: each of them doth ground obligations to piety, and yieldeth arguments to the practice thereof; to which purposes, that considering this divine attribute, Almighty, (mentioned in our text,) doth much avail, and that it therefore well deserveth to be pressed upon us, will appear more distinctly from the application we shall make thereof: at present we may perceive how considerable it is, by observing in gross; 1. That it is frequently in holy scripture singled forth, as most proper to God; as most fully expressive of his glorious excellency and majesty; particularly the most illuminate ministers of God's praise, the seraphims in Isaiah, the four wights (or Isa. vi. 3. XI. SERM. living creatures) in this book; and the twenty-four elders in this place, do therefore use it. 2. It is that Rev. iv. 8. attribute, which is alone most expressly set down in our Creed, as especially necessary to be believed and considered: we say therein, I believe in God the Father Almightp. 3. It is that with which we daily address our devotions unto God; in our prayers we say, Almighty and most merciful Father; in our praises we cry, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, or (which is the same) Lord God of Sabaoth. It seems therefore fit and useful, that we should well understand the proper and full meaning thereof, together with the obligations grounded thereon, and the inducements it affordeth to good practice; that so when we hear it used in scripture, when we profess to believe it, when we apply it to God in our devotions, we may so reflect thereupon, as to be admonished of our duty, and moved to the performance thereof. First therefore I will endeavour somewhat to explain it; then shall make a practical application thereof. The title, epithet, or attribute avтoкρáτρ, which we (finding no other word more properly and fully to express it) do render Almighty, or omnipotent, is frequently in a manner peculiar and characteristical ascribed to God: the use thereof in the New Testament is, by citation or imitation, transferred from the Greek of the Old, where it serveth to express "O those two famous and usual names of God, Sabaoth and Shaddai: especially it answereth to the former; for the latter is only rendered thereby in some places of the Book of Job: but the former, Sabaoth, (when interpreted and not left in its own sound,) is constantly rendered паνтокράтшρ. I call Sabaoth a name of εις, οἷς Σαβαώθ νόον ἐσθλὸν ἔδω V. Vers. Sibyl. lib. I. |