contrary to the laws of Chrift; fuch as thofe of being SERM, meek and charitable toward all men; living peaceably XXXIII. ourselves, and endeavouring to promote peace among others; abstaining from rash and hard cenfures, from reviling and defaming others; paying reverence and obedience to fuperiors; and the like laws of Chrift, not only exprefs and manifeft, but even of the highest rank and confequence among them; being mainly conducing to that which our Lord especially tenders, the public welfare and benefit of mankind; the violation whereof cannot be justified by pretending any special regard whatever to Christ, or any collateral performances done, whether truly or seemingly, in his name. We do but deceive ourselves, if we conceit, that, because we think much, or speak much of Jefus, or have a zeal for fomething good, all our actions are done in his name: no, it only can be juftly impressed upon, can warrant and fanctify actions truly good and agreeable to his law; it were an abuse and forgery to do it, like ftamping the king's name or image on counterfeit metal; upon brass or tin, instead of gold or filver. Good intention and good principles are indeed, as it were, the form and foul of good actions; but their being just and lawful are the body and matter of them; neceffarily alfo concurring to their effence and integrity; they cannot fubfift without it, but muft pafs, as it were, for ghosts and fhadows. We are therefore concerned in all our doings to have an efpecial regard to Chrift's law as their rule; that will render them capable of Christ's name, and denominate them Chriftian.

IV. Hereto we may add, that what we do in imitation of Jefus, and in conformity to his practice, (that living rule and copy proposed to us,) we may be faid peculiarly to do in his name. As a picture useth to bear his name, whom it was made to reprefent, and whom it resembles; fo if we fet Chrift's example before us, and endeavour to tranfcribe it; if our life, in the principal lineaments of fanctity and goodness, do resemble his holy life; they may well bear his name. But if our practice be unlike and unfuitable to his, we cannot affix his name thereto with

SERM. out great presumption and abuse; fuch as would be comXXXIII. mitted, if to a draught of foul hue and ugly features, we fhould attribute the name of fome moft handsome and goodly perfon, of high worth and quality. To do thus in Jefus's name (with such a regard to him) is a duty often prescribed to us, not only as relating to fome cafes and actions, (as when his charity, his patience, his humility, his meekness, are fignally commended to our imitation,) Eph.v. 1, 2. but generally, He, that faith he abideth in him, ought as he walked, fo himself also to walk; that is, whoever profefles 12, 13, 14. himself a Christian ought to conform the whole tenor of John xii. his converfation to that of Jefus; to endeavour in every imitable perfection to refemble him. So that whenever 1 Pet. ii. 21. we undertake any action, we should do well to look upon 1 John ii. 6. this pattern; thus, as it were, examining and inquiring of

1 Cor. x. 1.

John xv.

Heb. xii. 2.

15.

Phil. ii. 5.

Ev Tv

ματι. LXX.

24.

22.

Mark ix.38.

ourselves: What did my Master in this or the like case? Do I do the fame thing, do I act from the fame principles, do I proceed in the fame manner as he did? Am I herein his disciple and follower? If so, in his name let me go on cheerfully; if not, let me forbear. Doing thus will not be only according to our duty, but an especial help and furtherance of good practice.

V. To do in another's name doth fometimes import doing by any power derived or virtue imparted by another; for that a thing fo done may be imputed, fhould be afcribed to that other. So, Through thee, faith the Pfal. xliv. Pfalmift, will we push down our enemies; in thy name will 5. lxxxix. we throw down thofe that hate us: (through thee and in Matt. vii. thy name fignify the same thing.) So did the Apostles caft out devils, and perform their other miracles, in Jefus's A&ts iii. 6. name, (dià të óvóμatos, by his name, it is fometime exJohn xvii. preffed,) that is, by a divine virtue imparted from him. To this I add another acception, fcarce different (at leaft as to our purpose) from that, according to which doing in another's name fignifies doing it in truft, or confidence reposed upon another, with expectation of aid, or hope of 2 Chron. good fuccefs from another. So, We reft on thee, faid good king Afa, and in thy name we go against this multitude; in thy name, that is, hoping for affiftance and

iv. 10, 30.

11.

χίν. 11.

fuccefs from thee. And thus it is faid, that David went SERM. out against Goliath in the name of the Lord of hofts; that XXXIII. is, confiding in God's help, as his only weapon and de- 1 Sam.xvii. fence: thus alfo did the holy Apoftles work their mira- 45. cles in Jesus's name, éxì tỹ nisei toũ óvóμatos aútoũ, by faith Acts iii. 16. in his name, faith St. Peter, his name hath made this man firong; that is, we did only trust in his divine power, and it was that power of his which restored that weak perfon to his ftrength. And thus alfo is it our duty to do all things in our Saviour's name; with faith and hope in him; wholly relying upon him for direction and affiftance; expecting from him only a bleffing and happy iffue of our undertakings. What we do in confidence of our own wisdom or ability, or in affiance upon the help of any other person or thing, we do in our own name, or in the name of that thing (or that person) in whom we fo confide; to ourselves, or to fuch auxiliaries, we fhall be ready to attribute the fuccefs, and to render the glory of the performance; glorying in our own arm, and facrificing to Hab. i. 16. our net. But what we undertake only depending upon our Lord for ability and fuccefs, may therefore bear his name, because our faith derives the power from him, which enables us happily to perform it; fo that the performance may truly be attributed to him, and to him we shall be apt to ascribe it. And thus, I fay, we are certainly obliged to do every thing in his name, (in his name alone,) retaining a conftant fenfe both of our own infirmity, and of the impotency of all other created things, and confequently a total diffidence both in ourselves and in them; but repofing all our truft in the direction and affistance of our all-wife and almighty Lord; of Jesus, to whom all power in heaven and earth is given, (who indeed Mat.xxviii, had it originally by nature as God; but alfo farther hath 18: acquired it by defert and purchase;) into whofe hands all xiii. 8. xvii. things are given; and all things are put under his feet; Heb. i. 2. who hath obtained this power in defign to use it for our ii. 8. good; and is thereby always ready to help us in our if we have recourse unto him, and rely upon him; ing him what St. Paul ftyles him, our hope; our

John iii. 35.

2.

Eph. i 22. need, 1 Cor. xv. mak- 27: only Apoc.v 12.

Phil. ii. 9.

1 Tim. i. 1.

6.

SERM. hope; renouncing all other confidences not fubordinate XXXIII. to him. To do fo is a duty evidently grounded as well upon the reafon of the thing, as upon the will and command of God; to do otherwife is no less a palpable folly, than a manifeft injury to God. For, in truth, neither have we nor any other created thing any power, other than fuch as he is pleased freely to difpenfe h; and which is not continually both for its being and its efficacy subject to him, fo that he may at his pleasure fubtract it, or obftruct its effect: No king is faved by the multitude of an hoft; a mighty man is not delivered by much ftrength; a horfe is a vain thing for fafety: whence it is plain that we cannot upon any created power ground a folid affurance of fucIfa. xxxvi. cefs in any undertaking; it will be leaning upon a broken reed, (which cannot fupport us, and will pierce our hands,) both a vain and a mifchievous confidence; that will abufe us, bringing both difappointment and guilt upon us; the guilt of wronging our Lord many ways, by arrogating to ourselves, or affigning to others, what he only doth truly deferve, and what peculiarly of right belongs to him; withdrawing the same from him; implying him unable or unwilling to affift us, and do us good; neglecting to use that ftrength which he fo dearly purchafed and fo graciously tenders; so disappointing him, and defeating, as it were, his purposes of favour and mercy towards us. On the other fide, trufting only upon our Saviour, we act wifely and justly, gratefully and officioufly; for that, in doing fo, we build our hopes upon moft fure grounds; upon a wifdom that cannot be deceived; upon a ftrength that cannot be withstood; upon a goodness that hath no limits; upon a fidelity that can never fail. For that we act with an humility and fobriety of mind suitable to our condition, and to the reafon of things; for that we thereby declare our good opinion of him, as only able, and very

h Eccl. ix. 11. The race is not to the fwift, nor the battle to the ftrong. By ftrength shall no man prevail. 1 Sam. ii. 9. Pfal. xxxiii. 17. cxlvi. 3. xliv. 3.

i Ifa. xliii. 11. Befide me there is no Saviour. Hof. xiii. 4. 10. Pfal. cv. 21. Jer. xiv. 8.

XXXIII.

5. xl. 4.

cxlvii. 11.

1.

xxxi. 19.

4.

from Ixi. 4. xci. and 1. cxviii. 8. the lxvi. 2.

lxxviii. 22.

cxii. 7.

not Ifa. li. 5.

xxvi. 3.

willing to do us good; for that we render him his juft SERM. honour and due; we comply with his earnest defires, we promote his gracious defigns of mercy and kindness toward us. Hence is it that every where in holy Scripture Pfal. cxlvi. God fo highly commends, fo greatly encourages this duty xliv. 6. of trufting alone in him; that he fo ill refents, and fo xxxiii. 18. ftrongly deters from the breach or omiffion thereof: xxxiv. 22. Thus faith the Lord, Curfed be the man that trufteth in man, CXXV. and maketh flesh his arm, and whofe heart departeth the Lord: for he shall be like the heath in the defert, fhall not fee when good cometh; but shall inhabit parched places in the wilderness, in a falt land, and inhabited. Bleed is the man that trufteth in the Lord, lvii. 13.1.7. and whofe hope the Lord is: for he shall be as a tree planted Jer. xiv. 8. by the waters, and that Spreadeth out her roots by the river, xvii. 5, 6, and fhall not fee when heat cometh; but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall ceafe from yielding fruit: thus in that place, thus in innumerable others we are threatened not only with difappointment and bad fuccefs in our undertakings, but with fevere punishment, if we betake ourselves to other fuccours, and neglect or diftruft, or, in fo doing, defert God; but are encouraged, not only with affurance of profperous fuccefs, but of additional rewards, if entirely in our proceedings we depend upon and adhere to God. Thus we fhould do in all, even our most common and ordinary affairs, which no less than the reft are subject to his power, and governed by his care. For you know how St. James doth reprehend it as a piece of Matt. x. 29, naughty boafting and arrogance, to say, The morrow we Jam. iv. 13. will go to this city, and flay there a year, and trade and gain: inftead of faying, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that; that is, to refolve upon, undertake, or profecute any affair, without fubmiffion to God's will, and dependence on his providence: but especially we ought, in matters and actions more fpiritual, to practise this duty; for that to the performing of these we have of ourselves a peculiar impotence and unfitnefs; needing therefore a more especial affistance from our Lord; that

30.