Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

Nay, which is more, Would the Holy Ghost have reprefented the Union between Him and his Church, by that Union between Man and Wife? I urge not here the Conjecture, because but a Conjecture, that this Feaft was for the Marriage of that very Difciple, whom Jefus loved: But I ought not to forbear, and will leave you to apply, that Character given by St. Paul, who, without limitation to Perfons of any Quality, declares, that Forbidding to Marry is one mark of Seducing Spirits, and DoEtrines of Devils.

2 Tim. iv.

Secondly, Let me, after the Example of many, who have treated of this Paffage, exhort all, who enter into that ftate, to imitate thefe Perfons of Cana in Galilee, by inviting Jefus to the Marriage. My meaning I cannot better exprefs, than in the words of the fame Office, that we ought not to undertake fo confiderable an alteration of our Circumftances, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, to fatisfy the carnal appetite; but reverently, difcreetly, advifedly, foberly, and in the fear of God. Which I take to be of that Confequence to the Happiness of Mankind, that scarce any thing can be more. And certainly no body ought to wonder at the Coldnefs, the Indifference, nay it were well if I could ftop there, but I muft fay too, the Variance and Divifions, the fcandalous Separations, and yet the more fcandalous Cohabitings, of the nearest Relations; By which fo many Families are undone in their Fortunes, difhonoured in their Blood, tainted with Difeafes, corrupted in their Education, ruined by domeftick Patterns of Vice. Thefe, I fay, are Confequences which no wife Man can think strange, where fo many Matches are made, in which the true Ends of them are never confulted. Where Wisdom, and Virtue, and Religion, and Agreeableness of Humour, and Modefty of Behaviour are wholly over-look'd; and the Beauty and Fortune

are the only Inducements: This indeed may be to call Mammon, or Venus, but it is perfectly to fhut out Chirst and his Difciples, from the Marriage.

Thirdly, I hope it will not, because I know it ought not, be thought unbecoming my Profeffion, to fay, that this Paffage fhews, how little ground there is, for that stiff and precife Temper, which condemns all outward Expreffions of Mirth, by publick and folemn Entertainments. Our Lord's Example hath

Matth. ix. Mark ii.

xix.

Luke xi, xiv,
John xii.

juftified fuch Meetings of Friends in more Inftances befides this; and indeed his Life throughout is a Pattern of Social Virtues. And, provided the Mirth be innocent, the Converfation inoffenfive, the Enjoyment of God's good Creatures moderate; I think no confidering Man can deny, but that they are capable of ferving many good purposes; and it is plain too, that they do not bring us under any neceffity of Sin. So that, if any fpiritual Inconvenience follow, the blame is not due to the Things, but to the Abuse of them. And this is no more, than every thing else is liable to, as well as these.

Laftly, Let us intreat our merciful Saviour, That he would repeat this Miracle over again, in every one of our Hearts. That he would take compaffion on our Frailties, which render us dead and infipid, weak and unstable as Water: and that he would endue us with a generous and a strong, even with his own heavenly Spirit. That we may get above that Flatness and Coldness, too common in holy Duties; and serve him with Sprightlinefs and Vigour. He, who anfwered at last the Request of his Mother, will most graciously fuffer himfelf to be vanquished by our Importunities. And oh! that We, by the help of his Grace, may be able to draw out fuch good Wine, as the great Governor of the Feaft will condefcend to accept: Even of that Feaft, where He himfelf is the

Bride

Bridegroom, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Fit and prepare us all, Deareft Redeemer, to fit down with thee at thy Table, in thy Kingdom; and then confummate thy Nuptials, and our Happiness. Yea come, Lord Jefus, come quickly. Amen.

A

Amen.

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany.

The COLLECT.

Lmighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our Infirmities, and in all our Dangers and Neceffities ftretch forth thy right hand to help and defend us, through Jefus Christ our Lord.

The EPISTLE.

Rom. xii. 16.

16. BE not wife in your own conceits.

PARAPHRASE

16. Let not a vain opinion of your own

Wisdom blow you up into disdain of others, or dispose you to use them ill.

17. Recompence to no man evil for evil, Provide things boneft in the fight of all men.

17. Nay, if others ufe you fo, do not return it in the fame

kind. In the mean while do nothing unbecoming your Character, nothing that may offend, or give any body any occafion of ufing you so.

18. If it be poffible, as much as lieth in peaceably with all men.

you, liue 18. Live in Love and Peace with every body. And if fome

be fo unreasonable, that after all you can do, they will not live fo with you; be fure that the ground of this Divifion do not begin on your part: and when begun, ufe ali your Endeavours to heal up the Breach again.

19. Dearly beloved, avenge not your felves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, faith the Lord.

19. But I beg of you, by all the tender affection I bear you, take not the matter into

your own Hands by private Revenge, but leave that to God, and wait his leifure to do you right: for you know, the Scripture fays, this belongs to Him, and you must not ufurp what he hath referved to himself,

20. There

20. But repay wrongs with kindness, and relieve the neceffities of them that hate you:

20. Therefore if thine Enemy bunger, feed bim; if be thirst, give bim drink; for in fo doing thou shalt beap coals of fire upon his head.

for this will either melt down your Enemy into Repentance for his faults, to add to his Punishment, if, after fuch meekness and charity, he ftill remain obdurate.

21. Never give any

21. Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil

Man that Advantage with good.

over you, that his do

ing a bafe or unjust thing should prevail with You to do the like. But maintain your Virtue, and get the glory of foftening and vanquishing his ill, by your good, nature.

Α

COMMENT.

Fter thofe Duties, which we are obliged to perform toward our Common Head, as myftical Members of Chrift's Body; After thofe, which more immediately concern our Selves, with regard to the Station and Office, appointed us to hold in that Body; After thofe, to which our Brethren have a right, who feem fenfible of the near Relation between us, and defirous to discharge Their part; The Apostle now proceeds to direct our Behaviour toward fuch, as either are not of that Body, or carry themselves to us, as if they were not. So that the whole of what remains to be faid upon this Chapter, may not unfitly be reduced to that General Topick of Vertue, mentioned only in my laft, but referred to this Dif course, for the Confideration due to it. That, I mean, of Meeknefs, and Conftancy under Perfecutions and Wrongs. In which the Scripture before us gives me a fair occafion to observe, First, The Methods proper for preventing fuch Injuries; and Setondly, The Deportment, which becomes Chriftians, when they have the unhappiness of fuffering under them.

I begin with explaining the Methods, proper for preventing our falling under fuch Injuries and Tryals.

1. The

1. The First of These is a moderate Opinion of our Selves, and our Abilities, exprefs'd by not being wife in our own Conceits: Wisdom is

Ver. 16.

a perfection, peculiar to reasonable Creatures. Which, though all Men are far from declaring their Perfwafion of, by a becoming diligence for attaining it; Yet every Man thus far declares it, as, upon no occafion, to think his Honour more fenfibly wounded, than by Reproaches for want of it. And as no fancied Excellence is apt to blow us up fo much, as thofe, which raise the Opinion of our own Understanding; fo it may be truly faid, that no one Quality difpofes us, either to do, or to refent any Wrongs, comparably to that of entertaining lofty Conceits of our Sufficiency. For all Anger proceeds upon a Notion of Contempt, and the Sting of Provocation lies in the thought of our being treated, not only unjustly, but unworthily; That we are flighted and undervalued, and looked upon, as little, and of no confideration, by them who take the liberty of using us ill. This Reflection chiefly pushes us on to Revenge, that we may make them, to their coft, know what we are, and how much we can do, to vindicate our Selves, and annoy Them. From hence it follows, that Refentments will naturally hold proportion, with that esteem Men have of themselves, and fuppofe they deferve from others. Hence Solomon calls it proud Wrath, and the Perfon that dealeth in it, proud and haughty Scorner. Daily Experience proving, that the better and greater Themselves, and the lefs Other People, are in their Eyes; the more jealous of Affronts, the more peevish and perverfe, the more contentious and fierce Men generally are: more disposed to pick Quarrels, where there is no occafion; and more implacable and averfe to Reconciliation, where there hath been any real occafion given. And, if this be fo, as we plainly find and feel

Prov. xxi. 24.

« PreviousContinue »