their Punimhment. If in this Life Punishments cannot be impofed with fufficient Severity; how rigorous and terrible, how much exceeding all the Calamities of this World must be the Torments prepared hereafter? If the highest and most admired Enjoyments here, are not worthy to be conferred as a reward to a Pious Chriftian; we may conclude the Joys of Heaven to be inconceiva ble, and ought to be powerfully influenced by the hopes of them. If the Final Judgment of Men was not to be executed upon Earth, because inconfiftent with the exercise of all more Noble and Chriftian Vertues; we may be then convinced how neceffary they are to fit us for the Judgment hereafter. Lastly, if God would not inflict the deserved Punishments on Sinners here, leaft he should reprefent a Hell on Earth, and affright even Good Men with so dismal a Spectacle, how dreadful must the Torments of Hell be, which may in fome measure even make the Spectators miferable?

Such powerful and forcing Arguments have we to oblige us to a careful practice of our Duty; and yet all this can fcarce induce us even to a ferious Confideration of it. Neither the certain affurance of Death can move, nor the Terrours of Hell affright us, nor the Hopes of Heaven allure us, nor the dread of future Judgment arreft us: And then what if none of all thefe had been; if neither Heaven nor Hell, Death or Judgment had

attended

attended us? If God had not appointed Men once to Die, and we had been permitted to live Immortal Sinners? What Sins fhould we then have fcrupled at, what Violence should we not then have committed? So that even the Final Decree of Death upon all Men is no fmall benefit to Mankind, and, far from being repined at, ought to be gratefully received by us. At least let us take care to improve the knowledge of this Decree to a real Advantage, by continually pre ferving it in our Minds, oppofing it to all Temptations, and acting under a conftant Senfe of it. So fhall we not need to fear the Judgment which fhall follow it; but fhall patiently await it, boldly encounter it, and joyfully receive it: Which God of his infinite Mercy grant, for the Sake and Merits of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift.

216

SERMON VIII.

Preach'd February 10, 1689. at Lambeth Chapel.

1 Tim. I. 17.

Now unto the King, eternal, immortal, invifible, the only wife God, be honour and glory for ever and ever, Amen.

TH

HE Confideration of the Divine Attributes is of fuch excellent use to all Christians, and tendeth fo highly to beget and preferve true Notions of Religion in us; that the Spirit of God hath chofen frequently and upon all occafions to inculcate it in Holy Writ. St. Paul in this place breaks out in Admiration of the Divine Mercy to himself, which he had defcribed in the foregoing Verfes; and then returneth Praise and Thankgiving to him in thefe Words: Words so admirably framed, that they exprefs not only the extreme Gratitude of the Apostle; but

power

powerfully intice us alfo to joyn in the fame Doxology to God, by reprefenting and briefly enumerating his infinite Perfections, upon account of which he deferveth to be adored by

us.

And indeed in this chiefly confists the difference between true and falfe Religions; that in the one, right Notions of the Divine Attributes are entertained, and Worship founded upon them; in the other, erroneous and mean Conceptions of the Deity are taken up, and religious Adoration paid upon Reasons which will not warrant it.

Religion is the Perfection of Man, and therefore ought to be placed upon fuch Foundations, as may fecure the Honour of it, and convince the Confciences of Men of the neceffity and reasonableness of it. God hath indeed, out of his abundant Mercy and Love to Mankind, provided many other Arguments, whereby we may be induced to fear him, to love him, to obey his Commands, and yield Submillion to him. He hath fent his Son into the World to fave Sinners, as we are told in the 15th Verse of this Chapter, that the Senfe of fo wonderful a Benefit might engage us to Gratitude; he fheweth forth his Long-fuffering to them which believe; and to them which do both believe and act agreeably to their Belief, he promiseth everlafting Life, as it follows in the next Verfe.

The

The confideration of these Matters will indeed ftrike us with a lively Concern, we cannot but love the Author of these fignal Benefits, admire his Goodnefs, and fear to displease him, leaft by his displeasure we forfeit the Reward proposed by him. These are indeed powerful Arguments to us to be Religious; but yet we find nothing whereon to place the most effential Act of Religion, Worship and Adoration; we know not how to Form it, nor to whom to give it, till we proceed to confider the Perfections and Attributes of God; till we begin to reflect with the Apoftle, that he is a King, Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the only wife God; and then we cannot but conclude with the Apoftle alfo; to him be Honour, and Glory, for ever and ever, Amen.

The Words therefore prefent us with these two Confiderations, of which I intend to Difcourfe.

I. The Reasons, why Religious Worship and Adoration ought to be referred and paid to God by us, namely, because he is our King, Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, the only wife God.

II. The Nature of this Religious Worship to be paid to him; to him be Honour and Glory, for ever and ever, Amen.

First then, the Reasons why Worship and Adoration ought to be paid to God,

are