acts of worship with an inward fervor and SER M. devotion of mind. The Majefty of him VIII. whom we invoke, and the great importance of his favour to us, fhould prevail with us, for the fake of ourfelves and our own real intereft, not to dally in his prefence, or mock under a pretence of worshipping, by offering him the incenfe only of our lips, and drawing near to him with our mouths, when at the fame time our hearts are far from him. He tries the very hearts and reins, and knows the moft fecret fprings and motions of our breafts. And can it then be imagined, that he should accept of fuch hypocritical divided fervice, or be pleased with the outward worship of our bodies any otherwise, than as it is the genuine result of an inward frame and spirit of devotion? The bending of the knees can be of little value, if the heart be stubborn and untractable; and the lifting up of the hands may be fignificant in prayer, but then they should be holy, without wrath and doubting; they should be guided by a heart cleanfed both from fenfual and worldly luft, actuated by a generous charity towards men, and a lively trust and confidence in God. To him, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, be all honour, &c.

SER

SERMON IX.

JUSTICE in paying DEBTS explained and enforced.

SERM.

IX.

ROм. xiii. 8.

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another, hath fulfilled the law.

T

HE early abuses which were made of that doctrine of Liberty which the gospel proposes, to exempt men from the wholfome reftraint and obligation of laws, and leave every one to do as feemeth right in his own eyes: fuch abuses made it neceffary for the firft Preachers of that gofpel, to free their doctrine from fuch fatal and pernicious confequences, to affert the Divine right of the Magiftrate's authority, who acted as the minifter of God, and to require their converts upon this principle to fubmit to him, not only for wrath, but alfo for confcience fake. By this means they demonftrated the Christian Religion to be

fo

fo far from a fcheme of anarchy and con- SER M. fufion, or aiming to overturn the Rights and IX. destroy the Peace of Mankind, that it is indeed the moft effectual method to fecure them, and establish them upon a fure foundation. For, whilft the outward terrors of human force can reftrain no farther than where there is no opportunity to conceal, or no fufficient power to engage, the inward ftings of confcience, and the terrors of a future judgment, have a farther efficacy, they open us a scene hereafter fufficient to influence our prefent conduct, and make us as much afraid to offend, alone and by ourselves, as tho' we were in the prefence of a thousand witneffes. So that, whatever liberty the gofpel proposes, we have no licence to use it for a cloak of malicioufnefs, but are the more ftrictly engaged to that service of God which is perfect freedom, and to pay all dutiful obedience to those human Powers which are his Ordinance, and fet over us by him.

This duty of fubjection to the civil Magiftrate, is no where more earnestly enforced than by the Apostle, in this chapter, wherein we are at prefent concerned; where, after having firft inferred it from the derivation of his Authority which proceeds from God, and from the beneficial nature of his Office, which was plainly calculated for the good of men, he goes

on

SERM. on to treat of it as a matter of property, IX. and requires that all due refpect, and ftated revenues, fhould be paid the Magiftrate under the notion of a debt. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due, cuftom to whom cuftom, fear to whom fear, bonour to whom honour. And then it follows, in the words of the Text, Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another, bath fulfilled the law. So that these words may

fidered.

be con

I. As they are connected to the former, and imply our duty to discharge those debts and obligations by which we ftand engaged: Owe no man any thing II. As they contain an exception of one debt, which can never be entirely difcharged, but will for ever continue to oblige us, and that is the debt of love or charity: Owe no man any thing, but ...to love one another. And then, III. As they declare the excellence of this mutual love, that it is the completion of the law of God: for be that loveth another, bath fulfilled the law *

*Thefe Three Heads were feverally enlarged on by encarare falling the Author, but the two laft in a great meafure falling in with other Difcourfes heretofore printed (particularly, Vol. I. Serm. i. p. 204.) it was thought advifable to omit them in this place..

As

But in my difcourfe upon this fubject ISER M. fhall confider them only in the former view, IX. as they are connected to what went be-fore, and imply our duty to discharge those debts and obligations by which we stand engaged to one another: Owe no man any thing. Hereby the Apoftle teaches us, that the duty of fubjection to the magiftrate is but one branch of that general law of juftice, which referves to all men their various Rights and Properties. And therefore his Argument to this particular duty, proceeds on the more general notion of our obligation to be faithful and punctual in the payment of our debts. And in order to explain and establish this Obligation as clearly as may be, I would,

I. Lay before

you the true meaning and defign of the Apoftle in these words: Owe no man any thing.

II. Enforce this duty, and fhew whence our obligation rifes to the payment of our debts.

III. Anfwer fuch objections as may seem to lie against it.

IV. Prescribe fuch directions as may lead us to the ftricter obfervation of it. And then,

V. And lastly, Make some due improvement of the whole.

The two first of these will take

up the time allotted to the present discourse. And,

VOL. III.

e I. FIRST,