SERM. 22. Consider these things, all ye that have hitherto been any ways addicted to this heinous vice, and tell me whether it doth not behove and concern you to break it off immediately by a hearty and sincere repentance? I say immediately, lest otherwise ye may happen to die first, and so perish for ever. Wherefore, let me advise and beseech you all, as ye either fear God, or love your own souls, to do it now; now that ye have heard how odious and abominable it is before God and man; now do ye begin to abominate and hate it so, as steadfastly to resolve, by God's assistance, never to commit it any more. And, for that purpose, keep these words of your Blessed Saviour, "I say unto you, Swear not at all;" keep them always fresh in your minds and memories and lest you should forget them, desire your friends, and relations, and acquaintance to put you in mind of them, every time they hear you so much as take the Name of God in vain. And when you hear others do it, be not afraid nor ashamed to rebuke them for it; it is the greatest kindness you can shew them, and they will thank you for it another time, and God will be well pleased with it. And if any be so proud and obstinate as to scorn reproof, and, notwithstanding all that God or man can say, will still retain and practice this execrable vice, let them be unto you as heathens and publicans, keep company no longer with them, but shun and avoid them, as you would do persons infected with the plague, lest you catch it of them. But that you may be sure never to fall into this sin hereafter, keep as far as possibly you can from it, come not near the borders of it, but run from every thing that looks like 1 Thess. 5. swearing; remember the Apostle's words, "Abstain from all appearance of evil." There are many words and phrases commonly used among us, of which some have made a question whether they be oaths or no but whether they be or no, it is your safest way to avoid them. It may be a sin to use them, but can be none not to use them. And there are words and phrases enough, whereby you may express your minds upon all occasions, besides those that look like oaths, whether they be or no. And it is as easy to accustom yourselves to those which are unquestionably lawful, as to such whose lawfulness is by many questioned. This also is most agreeable to our Saviour's will, Who doth not only command you not to swear, but requires that your communication be "yea, yea; nay, nay;" that is, that you only affirm or deny Matt. 5. 37. what is said, without backing it with any thing like an oath; that so every thing you speak may be, at least, harmless and innocent; and, if possible, useful too; according to that excellent rule laid down by the Apostle, " Let no corrupt Eph. 4. 29. communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." But after all, that ye may never have the least occasion to swear, or to confirm what ye say by oaths, ye must be sure to be always firm and constant to your promise, just and righteous in your dealings, true and faithful in all your words, so as never to tell a lie to gain the world; and then your word will be sooner taken than another's oath, and you will both act and talk together as becometh Christians, as becometh the dutiful and obedient servants of the blessed Jesus, careful to observe and do whatsoever He hath bidden you, that so ye may receive that blessed sentence from Him, "Well done, good and faithful servants, enter ye into your Master's joy." SERMON CXXVII. A SPITAL SERMON. SERM. CXXVII. [Heb. 7. 25.] 1 TIM. vi. 17, 18. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to THE great article of Christ's resurrection from the dead is so necessary to be thoroughly considered, and firmly believed, by all that expect Salvation from Him, that the Church doth not think it sufficient to set apart that day only on which it happened, but hath added the two next also, for the annual commemoration of it. And accordingly we have now spent three days together in the exercise of our faith and meditations upon this great truth, that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, having in our nature suffered death upon the Cross for our Redemption, was, upon the third day after, raised again to life, and ever lives to make intercession for us: whereby we are fully assured, that "He is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by Him:" and that we in particular are all capable of obtaining eternal Salvation, by His merits and Mediation for us. But, that we may actually obtain what He hath thus purchased for us, it is necessary to observe whatsoever He hath been pleased to require of us; which would be a very proper meditation for this day. But I shall consider it no further, at present, than as it respects the occasion and end of our assembling here at this time: which is to consider of the most effectual means to excite and stir up those who are able, to a liberal contribution to the relief of the sick and needy; for that this is one of those great duties which Christ our Saviour requires of us, is plain from the words which I have now read, as being dictated by the Spirit of Christ Himself to His Apostle St. Paul, who having ordained Timothy a bishop, and settled him in the see of Ephesus, the chief city of all the proconsular Asia, he, in this Divine Epistle, sends him instructions how to govern the Church, and how to preach and propagate the Gospel which he himself had planted there; and, in the foot of the Epistle, he, in the Name of Christ, lays this command upon him, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, Who giveth us all things richly to enjoy ; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate." Which words, though at first directed only to Timothy, were, in him, intended for all succeeding ministers and preachers of the Gospel: such, I mean, who are solemnly ordained and set apart for that work. We are all obliged, in our preaching, to observe this command; without which For, we can never do any good upon those that hear us. so long as men's minds are set upon riches, and the things of this world, we may preach our hearts out, before we can ever persuade them, in good earnest, to mind that happiness which the Son of God hath procured for them in the world. to come. This St. Paul knew well enough; and therefore hath left this upon record, not only as his advice and counsel, but as a strict command and duty incumbent upon all who are sent to preach the Gospel, that they charge them who are rich, not to be "high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, Who giveth us all things richly to enjoy." Where we may first observe, how we are here enjoined and empowered to "charge them that are rich." A word much to be observed: he doth not say, desire, beseech, counsel, admonish, but rois oudios magáyyeλλe, charge, command the rich:' the word properly signifies such a charge as SERM. judges at an assize or sessions make in the king's name, CXXVII. enjoining his subjects to observe the established laws and statutes of the kingdom. And thus it is that we are here required to charge you, in the Name of our great Lord and Master, the King of all kings, that you "be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, Who giveth us all things richly to enjoy." Neither doth this power, committed to us, extend itself only to the meaner sort of people, who, by reason of their extreme poverty and want, may seem inferior to us, but even to the rich also, " Charge them that are rich in this world." And the reason is, because we come not to you in our own names, but in His that gives you all the riches you have, and can take them away again when He pleaseth, Who makes the poor rich, and the rich poor, as He sees good; so that the rich and the poor are all alike to Him, and equally subject to His authority and power. And, therefore, we preaching only in His Name, as His ministers, or heralds, authorised and commissioned by Him to publish and proclaim His will and pleasure to you, we can make no distinction, but must acquaint all indifferently with what He would have them do. And as for the rich, they are so far from being excepted out of our commission, that we are here commanded to charge several duties upon them; particularly "charge them," saith the Apostle, " that are rich in this world." But who are they? is a question that deserves a serious resolution; for most men, how much soever they have, yet not thinking themselves to have enough, are apt to fancy that they are not the persons whom the Apostle means. But whatsoever we may think of ourselves, I believe there are but few here present, except blue-coats, but who, in a Scripture sense, are "rich in this world;" for whatsoever any of you have, over and above your necessary maintenance in that state of life to which God hath called you, that is properly your riches; as appears plainly from Agur's wish, Prov. 30. 8. "Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me;" from whence it naturally follows, that as nothing but want of convenient food is poverty, so whatsoever any man hath above that, all circumstances consi |