III: UPON the Nature of the Reafons, GoD had to defer the accomplishing of the fatal Predictions, spoken against them. IV. UPON his tender Exhortations to them, and the fervent Prayers he had put up for them. V. UPON the Penalties Go D had threatned him with, in cafe, thro' Condefcenfion, or Timorousness, he had been willing to spare them. VI. UPON the great Intereft of this very People, who infulted, and profecuted him with fo much Rancour, and Barbaroufnefs. SERMON VI. (Of Thanksgiving after having received the Lord's-Supper, from Pfalm ci.) After a Difcuffion on the Occafion of this Hymn, our Author reduces it to two Heads, which he calls, I. General Confiderations, and II. Particular Confiderations upon it. His general Confiderations include likewife two general Reflec-: tions, 1. The Nature of the Virtues the Prophet prescribes to himfelf; and 2. Their Ex tent. ift, THE Prophet does not refolve to feclude himself from Society, He will walk within his Houfe with a perfect Heart, &c. God having created Man a fociable Creature, it is Man's Duty to make the Happiness of bis Fellow-Creatures the Object of bis inceffant Care, &c. p. 204 2dly, THE Extent of the Virtues David: p. 209. prefcribes to himself, is not confined to narrow Limits, but it is univerfal, and respects every Station of his Life, whether as King, or as Prophet, or as Head of a Family. II. MR. S. upon the fecond Head of his Sermon, confiders, in all its Particulars, the Planį which David had formed for the future Conduct of his Life, which was in general, to keep no other Company than that of virtuous Men, and to to cut off all Communication, with the Wicked. p. 219. Here he fhews how Kings are anfwerable to GOD for every one of their Actions, which tho? they may seem to them of little moment, yet are really not fo, when a whole Nation is concerned, and to fuffer by them. P. 225. In p. 225, the Author contends for Ecclefiaftical Power, because the Prophets, and Apofiles made ufe of theirs; and the Clergy being their Succeffors, Ergo, &c. SERMON VII. (Of the new Calamities of the II. How the Practice of this Virtue tallies with the Circumftances poor Mortals are in, and wth the End the Creator did propofe to himfelf when he placed them on Earth. III. THE Author applies thefe general Reflections to the Perfecutions of the Church; and proves, that these are the Times fignified, particularly by the Words of the Text. R. 267. H concludes by fhewing that we, who have the Happiness to live free from Perfecution, are bound to fhare with our perfecuted Brethren abroad, the Afflictions they fuffer; and become Partakers, with them, of the Rewards promised to those who fuffer for Christ's fake.a SERMON VIII. (Of Martyrdom for Morals fake, from Pfalm cxix. 46.) begins by faying that as Religion may be confidered in a double p. 273. Senfe, as fpeculative, and as practical, there are alfo two kinds of Martyrdom, a Martyrdom for Doctrine's-fake, and a Martyrdom for Morals fake 4 In order to encourage his Hearers to the kind of Martyrdom laft mention'd, Mr. S. confiders, 1. THE Authors of it, or rather the Tormentors who inflict it. (Thefe are the Kings, or thofe who govern the People.) II. THE Magnanimity which occafions it. To fpeak of God's Teftimonies before Kings, or Perfons of that Order, cannot be done without being accused by them either of, 1. Rebellion, 1or, 2. An Averfion to fordid Pleasures, such as Adultery, Drunkenness, &c. or, 13. Rufticity, or Pedantry: three Difpofitions of the Mind, which, fays our Author, the GREAT feldom forgive, III. THE Horrors that accompany it. T I P. 279. IV. THE Obligation it engages one to. This confifts in preffing the Duty of a moral Life p. 287 before the GREAT, even at all hazards; but this indeed must be tempered with Prudence. V. THE Glory with which it is crowned. A righteous Man finds his Reward, 1. In the Ideas which right Reafon gives him of Shame, P. 292. and Glory. 2. In the Teftimony of his Confcience. 3. In the Approbation given him by good Men. 4. In the Prerogatives of Martyrdom. " SERMON IX. (preached on New-Year'sDay 1728. Of the Disgust for the World, and Contempt for Life, from Ecclef. ii. 17. I hated Life, because the Work that is cought under the Sun is grievous to me) Our Author taking it for granted, that Solomon is the Author of this Book, P. 303, fupposes he brings in it feveral Persons speaking their Sentiments, which occafions the remark-able Variety obferved in this Book and that the Words of his Textare Solomon's ownWords fpeken after his Converfion, who endeavours to cure Men P. 306. Men of their too great Affection for the World, and for Life. If, fays Mr. S. Men may, thro' a Principle of Wisdom, conceive a Difguft for the World, and a Hatred for Life, these very Sentiments may also be the Effect of bad Principles; fuch as, 1. Melancholy. 2. A general Hatred of Men: 3. Murmurings. 4. A Difguft for the World, and Hatred for Life which may be occafioned by a too great Affection for both. These being, severally, difcuffed, our Author confiders his Text under three general Heads; which are the most enfriaring Allurements of the World, and of Life; and which are each attended with great Anguish, viz. I. THE Excellency of Learning. P. 314 II. THE Sweetness of Friendship. P. 349. III. THE temporal Privileges of Virtue, and Heroifm. ALL which are briefly and well handled. SERMON X. (Of the little Progrefs of the Ministry of Christ, from Rom. x. 21. All day Long I have stretch'd forth my Hands, unto a difobedient and gainfaying People.) After a few Reflections on the Infidelity of the Jews, and their Hardness of Heart, notwithstanding the feveral Prophecies that foretold it and the coming of Chrift, and notwithstanding the numerous Miracles he wrought, and the several Methods he us'd to convert them; after, I fay, fome Reflections on all these things, our Author goes about to prove, I. That the Conduct of the Jews has nothing in it, but what had always been feen before. In the Ild ARTICLE, he fhews, that even in the midft of the Gofpel-Light, there is a very large People that rejects the great Gospel-Truths, by the the fame Theological Principles that made the Jewish Nation do it. In the IIId, HE fhews a still more aftonishing Sight; great Numbers of Chriftians, freed by the Light of Reformation from the Darkness with which Superftition had overfpread the Light of the Gofpel; even thofe Chriftians guilty of the Enormities we deplore in the Jews, and fuperftitious Chriftians. In the IVth, THAT had the Chriftians, before whom he preaches, been in the times of the ancient Jews, they would have done as they did. But as this is but Suppofition, in the Vth, HE fhows what they actually do, and how conformable their Conduct is to that of the ancient Jews. AND then concludes, with fhewing the oppofite Characters of the true, and falfe Chriftian. SERMON XI. (On the Libertines and Unbelievers, from Pfalm xciv. 7-10.) begins with faying that a Man, who loves Truth, will hardly ever make ufe of opprobrious Language in the defence of Truth. It is generally the Recourse of those who pleading an ill Cause, and finding themselves hard preffed by a formidable Adversary, rather than give up their Argument have recourfe to Outrage, and ill Language. This is the Cafe with a Set of Men, who call themselves Free-Thinkers; and, in confequence, either abfolutely deny the Existence of a GOD, or reftrain his Knowledge, and Power, into fuch narrow Limits, that it is much the fame thing as if they denied his Being. In order to prove that 'tis with good reason the Prophet makes ufe of the Expreffions in the Text, Mr. Saurin attacks, 1. THEIR Taste. II. THEIR Policy. P. 377 P. 385. P. 388. IIL |