SERMON III*.

We have spoken already of this proposition,--That there is a state of very great prosperity and tranquillity, for a considerable tract of time, appointed for the church of God on earth. We have offered several things to assert the truth of it: and made some use of it, to recommend it as a fit object to be entertained by our faith; and that we should take encouragement from it against the prevailing atheism and wickedness of this apostate world, which hath borne so much sway in it through many ages, upon that prospect which this truth gives us, of a time and state of things, wherein it shall cease to be so, wherein religion shall lift up the head, and outface the wickedness of a corrupt and depraved race of men; when this very earth itself, that hath been the stage of God's dishonour through so long a tract of time, shall be the stage of his glory.

But here some may be apt to say;"To what purpose is all this, when no hope is given us of seeing any such good state of things in our days? If we are not encouraged to expect, with our own eyes to see such a happy state of things; had not we as good take all our comforts and encouragements from the expectation of a judgment-day to come, and an eternal state? What doth it signify to have any representation made to us of a good state of things on earth, which we are told it is likely we shall fare never the better for?"

*Preached May 22, 1678,

This is a thing, that requires to be distinctly discussed; and therefore I shall spend some time upon it.

1. The exception would lie as much against the putting of any of these things into the Bible, till at least immediately before the time when they should be accomplished and fulfill ed. And so it is an insufferable reflection upon the divine wisdom, that hath thought fit that such an account of things should be given for so long time previous unto their accomplishment or actual taking place. And,

2. It is no prejudice at all, against our receiving encouragement and having our spirits fortified against the atheism of a wicked world by this prospect, that we may receive such encouragement also by the consideration of a judgment to come and an eternal state. For do not we know, that sundry uses may be made of many doctrines, as one and the same truth may be proved by sundry mediums? What prejudice doth it do an honest cause, if one can produce twenty arguments to prove the same truth, and so all result into one conclusion? We reckon the truth is fortified and confirmed by it so much the more. And if there are sundry truths, if never so great a variety of truths, that all meet as it were in one point, and produce the same good frame and temper in our hearts; is that a prejudice to us? I hope it is so much the more an advan tage. But that which I shall mostly insist upon is, that

3. That same question or inquiry, "To what purpose is it, that we should hear of such things, when there is no hope given us to see them, or that they should be brought about in our time?" This question, I say, there is no serious, considering, well-tempered christian, but is best capable of answering it out of his own heart, He doth but need to consult with his own heart, when he is himself and his right mind, and he will see enough even out of his own spirit, from whence to answer the inquiry, and to say all that needs to be said in reference to it.

To make that out: it is obvious to our notice, that there are two extremes, (and therefore both of them bad enough, as all extremes naturally are,) from whence any such inquiry can be supposed to proceed. A man may say, "To what purpose is it?" either from stupidity and unconcernedness, as thinking they need not concern themselves about any thing that is not likely to fall within the compass of their own time: or from fretfulness, a vexatious, discontentful temper of spirit, upon having a prospect of such things set before them, as they have no encouragement it may be to think they shall see. Now a sound and good temper and complexion of soul hath that in itself, which would obviate and avoid both these extremes, and let us

see sufficient reason for these two things in opposition to them," to wit, first, the entertainment of such a truth with due complacency, notwithstanding we have no expectation to see the accomplishment of it in our time; supposing we have no such expectation. And, secondly, to admit the delay of that accomplishment with composedness and quietude of mind, so as not to be disturbed in our own spirits with that delay, though such things may not receive a speedy and sudden accomplishment according to our desire. The former of these would enable us to make a due use of such a truth as this; and the latter would keep us from abusing it. By the former, we should be enabled to savour and relish it with complacency, and so as to get good out of it; and by the latter, to avoid the getting of hurt, have our hearts fenced and fortified against any prejudicial impressions thereby. Wherefore these two things I shall labour to make out to you, that there are certain principles in every gracious and well-complexioned soul, that will, first, enable it to take complacency in such a truth as this, for the substance of it; and that will, secondly, compose, so as not to admit of disturbance by the delay of its accomplishment; even notwithstanding it be supposed that we are never to see it in this world ourselves and with our own eyes.

I. There are such principles as these, that have a tendency to make such a truth savoury to us; not withstanding it be supposed, that we shall not see it fulfilled in this world ourselves.

1. A principle of self-denial. That will signify a great deal to this purpose. And you well know, there is nothing more deeply radical in the whole frame of practical religion and godliness, than that is. But certainly, if a man be of a self-denying spirit, he will be able to take complacency in somewhat else, than what doth respect his own personal concernments. And is it not a most unsufferable thing, if a man should not? What! would I fancy this great world made for me? and that all the mighty wheels of providence, that roll and are kept in motion from time to time, are all moved with reference to me? to give me a gratification and content according to the wish of my heart? What an insolent thing is so private and selfish a spirit as that?

2. A just concern for posterity would make such a truth savoury. And certainly there is no well-tempered soul destitute of that principle. Grace doth in this, as well as it doth in many other things, graft upon the stock of nature, You know it is natural with men, upon a consciousness of mortality and a desire of immortality, when they find they can live no longer

in their persons, to desire to live in their posterity, those that shall come after them: and it is a great solace that they naturally take in the hope. of doing so. Now when grace comes to graft upon this natural stock, would not the spirit of a man be disposed to take a great solace in the hope and expectation, that those that shall come after him shall live in a better state upon religious accounts, than we have done in our days, or may be likely to do? If such a principle as this be not to obtain and take place and have an influence, what would you make of all the promises that were given to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob concerning their seed, so long before the accomplishment of many of them? What can all these promises signify, but upon the supposition of, and in a way of accommodation to, such a principle? You see how savoury and tasteful what God had told David concerning his house and posterity in aftertimes was to him: he was not so stupid, as not to be moved with any thing of that kind; but he is as a person in an ecstacy, a rapture upon it, 2 Sam. 7. 19, 20. "Thou hast spoken concerning thy servant's house for a great while to come; and is this the manner of man, O Lord God? And what can David say more unto thee?" It was a great solace to good Jacob, old Israel, when he was now even next to death, to think of what should ensue in reference to his posterity and seed, when he was gone. "I die, (saith he,) but God shall be with you," Gen. 48. 21. And do not we think it were a good spirit in ourselves, if we could be of the same mind? Why, though we all die, God shall be with them that succeed! If they shall come into that land, which our eyes shall not behold, what! can we so put off man and christian both together, as to take no complacency in the forethoughts of what good those that may come after may behold and enjoy, though we enjoy it not. It was a high pleasure, that seems to be expressed in the contemplation of the future good of following generations, by the Psalmist, in psal. 102. 18. A people, which shall be created, shall praise the Lord. He was very well pleased to think of that, though it were then a time of very great affliction; as you see the title of that psalm doth import; whether the time present, or the time prophesied and foretold of: for the psalm is a prayer of the afflicted, when he pours out his soul to God, as there you have it. While they are languishing in all that affliction and trouble, which they are supposed then to be under; yet they are pleased to think of a generation to come, a people yet to be born, yet to be created, that shall praise God and rejoice in his great goodness.

3. A loyal and dutiful love unto the blessed God himself, and concern for his interest, tends to make such a truth sa

voury, though the accomplishment of it we may perhaps never see in this world. Was that heart ever touched with a dutiful sense of his interest, that would not be pleased to think of his being glorified highly, upon the same stage where he has been so insolently affronted and provoked for so long a time? It was an inexpressible pleasure, that seems to have gone with such expressions, as these that we sometimes meet with; "Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth;" as we find in psalin 108. 5. and in many expressions scattered up and down the Scripture of like import. A truly pious soul would be mightily concerned, that God should at one time or other have the just attribution and revenue of glory paid him, which is to arise out of this part of his creation, this lower, lapsed part. Considering now, how mean and low and wretched a place soever this world is, yet it is a part of the creation of God, and there is a revenue of glory due to him out of it; who would not take complacency in the thoughts of a time, when it shall be gathered up and brought in, when the name of God shall be glorious on the earth, every knee bowing to him, and every tongue confessing to him; that at least it should more generally be so, than it hath hitherto been?

4. A compassionate regard to the souls of men hath still the same tendency to make us relish, with a great deal of pleasure, the forethoughts of such a state; wherein religion, that hath been so much under reproach for so long a tract of time, shall be a creditable thing, lift up the head with honour, and outface insolent atheism and wickedness. If we consider this, as that wherein the souls of men are concerned; it cannot but be highly grateful to us to contemplate such better days to come. For by how manifest experience doth it appear, that such a state of things, wherein religion is a reproach, endangers and ruins multitudes of souls every where? How many are jeered and flouted out of their religion, where there have been only some lighter tinctures of it upon their spirits, or only some half inclinations towards it; while it is reckoned matter of reproach to be a fearer of the great God; when to be a professed devotee unto the Sovereign Majesty of heaven and earth, to avow an awe and dread of invisible powers, is looked upon as an argument of a weak and effeminate mind; and when it goes for pure fanaticism for any to pretend to stand in awe of an invisible Ruler? It is manifest, what multitudes of souls are ensnared unto perdition, even by the shame and reproach and fear of men, that religion hath been assaulted with in many ages, but never more than in our own. And is it not grateful and pleasant, to forethink of such a time and state of things,