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neighbours, whom we corrupt or feduce; to our-s E R felves, whom we bereave of the best goods, and be- VII: tray to the worst evils.

Beginning to live foberly, we begin to live like men, following the conduct of reafon; beginning to live in charity, we commence the life of angels, enjoying in ourselves moft fweet content, and procuring great benefit to others; but going on in finful voluptuoufnefs, we proceed to live like beafts, wholly guided by fenfe, and fwayed by appetite; being pertinacious in malice, we continue to be like fiends, working torment in ourselves, and mifchief to our neighbours.

Embracing virtue we become wife and fober men, worthy and honourable, beneficial and ufeful to the world; but continuing in vice, we continue to be foolish and vain, to be vile and defpicable, to be worthless and useless.

By our delay to amend, what do we gain? what, but a little flashy and tranfient pleasure, instead of a folid and durable peace; but a little counterfeit profit, instead of real wealth; but a little smoke of deceitful opinion, instead of unquestionably found honour; fhadows of imaginary goods, instead of those which are moft fubftantial and true, a good mind, the love of God, the affured welfare of our fouls. But this field of difcourfe is too fpacious; I fhall only therefore for conclufion fay, that speedily applying ourselves to obedience, and breaking off our fins by repentance, is in effect nothing elfe but, from a prefent hell in trouble, and the danger of a final hell in torment, to be tranflated into a double heaven; one of joyful tranquillity here, another of blissful reft hereafter; unto the which Almighty God in his mercy bring us all, through Jefus Chrift our Lord; to whom for ever be all glory and praise. Amen.

The very God of peace fanctify you wholly; and I pray Theff. v. God your whole fpirit, and foul, and body, be preferved23. blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Amen.

SERMON IX.

No Refpect of Perfons with God.

IT

ROM. ii. 11.

For there is no refpect of perfons with God.

IX.

T is an ordinary conceit, grounded on a fuperfi-s E R M. cial view of things, that Almighty God difpenfeth his gifts with great inequality, and dealeth very partially with men; being lavish in his bounty to fome, but fparing therein to others; flack and indulgent in calling fome to account, but rigorous and fevere in judgment toward others.

Which imagination often hath influence upon the affections and the actions of men; fo that hence fome men do highly prefume, others are much dif- Pfal. Ixxiii. couraged fome are apt to boaft themfelves fpecial". darlings and favourites of heaven; others are tempted to complain of their being quite deferted, or neglected thereby.

But whoever more carefully will obferve things, and weigh them with good confideration, fhall find this to be a great mistake; and that in truth God diftributeth his favours with very equal meafures: he poifeth the fcales of juftice with a moft even hand; fo that reasonably no man fhould be exalted; no man fhould be dejected in mind, upon account of Job xxxi.6.

any

IX.

SER M. any confiderable difference in God's regard towards him, and other perfons; the which is clearly discovered by God, or merely dependeth on his will and providence.

The advantages, which one man hath above another, being estimated morally, in reference to folid felicity and content, are indeed none; or are not abfolutely made by God, but framed by men unto themselves. For

God is indifferently affected toward perfons as fuch, nakedly and privately confidered; or as divested of moral conditions, qualifications, and actions; he in his dealing, whether as benefactor or judge, purely confidereth the reason and exigency of things, the intrinfic worth of perfons, the real merits of each caufe; he maketh no arbitrary or groundless difcriminations; he neither loveth and favoureth, nor loatheth and discountenanceth any perfon unaccountably he doth utterly disclaim partiality, or refpect of perfons, as a calumnious afperfion on him, and a fcandal to his providence.

Such in holy Scriptures he reprefenteth himself, upon various occafions; declaring his perfect impartiality, and that nothing beside the right and reafon of cafes doth fway with him; all other confiderations being impertinent and infignificant to him. For inftance,

It is declared, that he hath no partial refpect to (Rom. x. nations; for the piety of Job, an Edomite; of Mel12. iii. 29.) chifedeck, a Canaanite; of Jethro, a Midianite, were very pleafing to him: he favourably did hear the prayers and accept the alms of Cornelius, a Roman foldier; whereupon St. Peter made this general reActs x. 34, flection: Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of perfons; but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteoufnefs, is accepted with him.

35.

He is declared not to regard the external profeffion of true religion, but real practice according to it: He rendereth, faith St. Paul, to every man accord

vi. 15.

Rom. ii.

ing to his deeds-tribulation and anguish upon every s ER M. foul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of Ix. the Gentile, but glory, honour, and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and alfo to the Gen- (Gal. v. 6. tile; for, addeth the Apoftle, affigning the reafon of this proceeding, there is no refpect of perfons with God. Col. iii. 11. He is faid not to refpect faces, or any exterior ap- 6.9, 10, 11. pearances, however fpecious in the eye of the world; (x. 12. iii. according to that faying of God to Samuel, at the "") choice of David before his brethren: Look not on 1 Sam. xvi. his countenance, or on the height of his ftature, because 17. have refufed him: for the Lord feeth not as man feeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance; but the Lord looketh on the heart.

29.)

It is expreffed, that he hath no refpect to the outward eftate, or worldly rank and dignity of men; but that princes and peasants, mafters and fervants, the honourable or wealthy, and the mean or poor, are of equal confideration with him; He, faith Job, Job xxxiv. accepteth not the perfons of princes, nor regardeth the rich 19. more than the poor; for they are all the work of his bands; and St. Paul biddeth mafters to deal fairly with their fervants, knowing, faith he, that your master Ephef. vi. is alfo in heaven; neither is there refpect of perfons with & bim.

Sap. vi. 7.

9.

Coloff, iii.

25. iv. 1.

We are taught, that he doth not regard even the moft facred offices, or more worthy accomplishments of men, in prejudice to the verity of things, or equity of the cafe; for hence St. Paul maintaineth his refolute behaviour toward thofe great pillars of religion, St. Peter and St. James; Of those who feemed Gal. ii. 6. to be fomewhat, whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person.

It is frequently inculcated, that he hath no confideration of any gifts, of facrifices, of fervices prefented to him with finifter intent, to compound for fin, or excufe from duty, to pervert juftice, or palliate wrong; according to that [declaration of Mofes, The Lord your God is God of Gods, and Lord of Lords, Deut. x. 17. a great

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