SERMON I. PREACHED BEFORE THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS AT WESTMINSTER, MARCH 31, 1647. Εὐσέβει, ὦ τέκνον· ὁ γὰρ Εὐσεβῶν ἄκρως Χριστιανίζει. TO THE HONOURABLE HOUSE OF COMMONS. THE scope of this sermon, which not long since exercised your patience, worthy senators, was not to contend for this or that opinion, but only to persuade men to the life of Christ, as the pith and kernel of all religion; without which, I may boldly say, all the several forms of religion, though we please ourselves never so much in them, are but so many several dreams. And those many opinions about religion, that are every where so eagerly contended for on all sides, where this doth not lie at the bottom, are but so many shadows fighting with one another: so that I may well of the true Christian, that is indeed possessed of the life of Christianity, in opposition to all those that are but lightly tinctured with the opinions of it, in the language of the poet : VOL. IV. Οἷος πέπνυται, τοὶ δ ̓ ὡς σκιαὶ ἀΐσσουσι. U say Wherefore I could not think any thing else, either more necessary for Christians in general, or more seasonable at this time, than to stir them up to the real establishment of the righteousness of God in their hearts, and that participation of the Divine nature, which the apostle speaketh of. That so they might not content themselves with mere fancies and conceits of Christ, without the Spirit of Christ really dwelling in them, and Christ himself inwardly formed in their hearts; nor satisfy themselves with the mere holding of right and orthodox opinions, as they conceive, whilst they are utterly devoid within of that Divine life, which Christ came to kindle in men's souls; and therefore are so apt to spend all their zeal upon a violent obtruding of their own opinions and apprehensions upon others, which cannot give entertainment to them: which, besides its repugnancy to the doctrine and example of Christ himself, is like to be the bellows, that will blow a fire of discord and contention in Christian commonwealths; whilst in the mean time, these hungry and starved opinions devour all the life and substance of religion, as the lean kine in Pharaoh's dream did eat up the fat. Nor, lastly, please themselves only in the violent opposing of other men's superstitions, according to the genius of the present times, without substituting in the room of them an inward principle of spirit and life in their own souls. For I fear many of us, that pull down idols in churches, may set them up in our hearts; and whilst we quarrel with painted glass, make no scruple at all of entertaining many foul lusts in our souls, and committing continual idolatry with them. This, in general, was the design of this following discourse, which you were pleased, noble senators, not only to express your good acceptance of, but also to give a real signification of your great undeserved favour to the author of it. Who therefore cannot but, as the least expression of his thankfulness, humbly devote it to you; presenting it here again to your eye in the same form in which it was delivered to your ear. Desirous of nothing more, than that it might be some way useful to you, to kindle in you the life and heat of that which is endeavoured here to be described upon paper; that you may express it, both in your pri vate conversations, and likewise in all your public employments for the commonwealth. That you may, by your kindly influence, effectually encourage all goodness; and by virtue of your power and authority (to use the phrase of Solomon) "scatter away all evil with your eye," as the sun by his beams scattereth the mists and vapours. That from you "judgment may run down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream," to refresh this whole land, that thirsteth after them: which, whilst you distribute them plentifully to others, will bestow both strength and honour to yourselves. For justice and righteousness are the establishment of every throne, of all civil power and authority; and if these should once forsake it, though there be lions to support it, it could not stand long. These, together with a good peace, well settled in a commonwealth, are all the outward felicity we can expect, till that happy time come, which the prophet foretel, leth, and is therefore more than a Platonical idea; |