_Recommending devotion at twelve o’clock, called, in scripture,
the |sixth hour| of the day. This frequency of devotion,
equally desirable by all orders of people. |Universal love|
is recommended to be the subject of prayer at this hour. Of
intercession, as an act of universal love._
1. IT will, perhaps, be thought by some, that these hours of prayer
come _too thick_, and are only fit for _monasteries_, or such people
as have no more to do in the world than they have.
To this it is answered, this method of devotion is not pressed upon
any as _absolutely necessary_, but recommended to all people, as the
_best_ and the _happiest_ way of life.
And if exemplary devotion is as much the happiness and perfection of a
_merchant_, a _soldier_, or a man of _quality_, as it is the happiness
and perfection of the most _retired_, _contemplative_ life, then it is
as proper to recommend it without any _abatements_ to one order of men
as to another.
Here is therefore no excuse for men of _business_ and _figure_.
_First_, Because it would be to excuse them from that which is the
end of living, to make them _less beneficial_ to themselves, and _less
serviceable_ to God and the world.
*_Secondly_, Because most men of business and figure engage _too far_
in worldly matters; much farther than the reasons of human life, or
the necessities of the world require.
*_Merchants_ and _tradesmen_, for instance, are generally ten times
farther engaged in business than they need; which is so far from being
a reasonable _excuse_ for their want of time for devotion, that it
is their _crime_, and must be censured as a blameable instance of
covetousness and ambition.
_Gentry_, and people of _figure_, either give themselves up to
_state-employments_, or to the gratifications of their _passions_,
in a life of _gaity_ and _debauchery_. And if these things might
be admitted as allowable avocations from devotion, devotion must be
reckoned a poor circumstance of life.
Unless _gentlemen_ can shew, that they have another God, than the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; another nature, than that which is
derived from _Adam_; another religion than the Christian, it is in
vain to plead their state, and dignity, as reasons for not preparing
their souls for God, by a _strict_ and _regular_ devotion.
2. If a _merchant_, having forbore too great business, that he might
quietly attend on the service of God, should die worth _twenty_,
instead _fifty_ thousand pounds, could any one say, he had mistaken
his _calling_, or gone a _loser_ out of the world?
If a _gentleman_ should have killed _fewer foxes_, been less frequent
at _balls_, _gaming_, and _merry meetings_, because stated parts
of his time had been given to _retirement_, to _meditation_, and
_devotion_, could it be thought, that when he left the world, he would
regret the loss of those hours that he had given to the improvement of
his soul?
If a _tradesman_, by aspiring after Christian perfection, and retiring
often from business, should, instead of leaving his children fortunes
to spend in _luxury_ and _idleness_, leave them to live by their own
honest labour; could it be said that he had made a _wrong use_ of the
world, because he had more regard to that which is eternal, than to
this which is so soon to be at an end?
Since therefore devotion is not only the best and most desirable
practice in a _cloyster_, but in _every state_ of life, they that
desire to be excused from it, because they are men of _figure_, and
_estates_, and _business_, are no wiser than those that should desire
to be excused from _health_ and _happiness_, because they were men of
_figure_ and _estates_.
3. I can’t see why every _gentleman_, _merchant_, or _soldier_, should
not put these questions seriously to himself;
_What is the best thing for me to aim at in all my actions? How shall
I do to make the most of human life? What ways shall I wish that I had
taken, when I am leaving the world?_
Now, to be thus wise, seems but a _small_ and _necessary_ piece of
wisdom. For how can we pretend to sense and judgment, if we dare not
seriously consider, and govern our lives by that which such questions
require of us?
Shall a _nobleman_ think his birth too high, to condescend to such
questions as these? Or a _tradesman_ think his business too great, to
take any care about himself?
Now, here is desired no more devotion in any one’s life, than the
answering these _few questions_ requires.
Any devotion that is not to the greater advantage of him that uses
it, than any thing he can do in the _room_ of it; any devotion that
does not procure an _infinitely greater_ good, than can be got by
neglecting it, is yielded up.
But if people will live in so _much ignorance_, as never to put these
questions to themselves, but push on a blind life at all chances, in
quest of they don’t know what, or why; without ever considering the
worth, or value, or tendency of their actions; without considering
what God, _reason_, _eternity_, and their own happiness requires of
them: it is for the honour of devotion that none can neglect it, but
those who are thus inconsiderate, who dare not enquire after that
which is the best and most worthy of their choice.
4. *It is true, _Claudius_, you are a man of _figure_ and _estate_,
and are to act the part of such a station in life; you are not called,
as _Elijah_ was, to be a prophet, or as St. _Paul_, to be an apostle.
But will you therefore not love yourself? Will you not seek and study
your own happiness?
You would think it very absurd for a man not to value his own _health_,
because he was not a ♦_physician_; or the preservation of his _limbs_,
because he was not a _bone-setter_: yet it is more absurd for you,
_Claudius_, to neglect the improvement of your soul, because you are
not an apostle, or a bishop.
♦ ‘physycian’ replaced with ‘physician’
*Consider, _we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ,
that every one may receive the things done in his body, according
to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad_, 2 Cor. v. 10.
Now, if your _estate_ would excuse you from appearing before this
judgment-seat; if your _figure_ could protect you from receiving
according to your works, there would be some pretence for your leaving
devotion to other people: but if you, who are now thus distinguished,
must then appear _naked_ amongst _common souls_, without any other
distinction from others, but such as your virtues or sins give you,
does it not as much concern you, as any _prophet_, or _apostle_, to
make the best provision for that great day?
Consider the words of St. _Peter_, _As he which hath called you is
holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation_, 1 Pet. i. 15.
If therefore, _Claudius_, you are one of those here called, you see
what it is that you are called to. It is not to have so much religion
as suits with your temper, your business, or your pleasures; it is not
a particular sort of piety, that may be sufficient for gentlemen of
figure and estates; but it is, _first_, to be _holy_, _as he which
hath called you is holy_; _secondly_, it is to be _thus holy_ in all
manner of conversation; that is, to carry this spirit and degree of
holiness into every part, and through the whole form of your life.
And the reason the apostle immediately gives, why this spirit of
holiness must be the common spirit of Christians, as such, is very
affecting, and such as equally calls upon all sorts of Christians.
_Forasmuch as ye know, that ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation,――but with
the precious blood of Christ._
As if he had said, forasmuch as ye know ye were made capable of
this state of holiness, entered into a society with Christ, and made
heirs of his glory, not by any human means, but by such a mysterious
instance of love, as infinitely exceeds every thing that can be
thought of in this world; since God has redeemed you to himself, and
your own happiness, at so _great a price_, how base and shameful must
it be, if you don’t henceforth devote yourselves wholly to the glory
of God, and become holy as he who hath called you is holy?
5. Again, the apostle saith, _Know ye not, that your body is the
temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, and ye are not your own? For
ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify |God| in your body, and
in your spirit, which are |God|’s_, 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.
How poorly therefore, _Claudius_, have you read the scripture? How
little do you know of Christianity, if you can talk of your _estate_
and _condition_, as a pretence for a freer kind of life?
Are you any more _your own_, than he that has no estate or dignity in
the world? Must _mean_ and _little_ people preserve their bodies as
temples of the Holy Ghost, by _watching_, _fasting_, and _prayer_;
but may you indulge yours in _idleness_, in _lust_, and _sensuality_,
because you have so much _rent_, or such a _title_ of distinction?
And you must either think thus, or else acknowledge that the holiness
of _saints_, _prophets_, and _apostles_, is the holiness that you are
to labour after with all diligence and care.
And if you leave it to others, to live in such piety and devotion, in
such self-denial, humility, and temperance, as may render them able to
glorify God in their body, and in their spirit; you must leave it to
them also, to have the benefit of the blood of Christ.
6. Thus much being said to shew, that _great devotion_ is not to be
left to any particular sort of people, but to be the _common spirit_
of all Christians; I now proceed to consider the nature of _universal
love_, which is here recommended to be the subject of your devotion at
this hour.
By intercession is meant a praying to God, in behalf of our
fellow-creatures.
Our blessed Lord hath recommended his love to us, as the pattern
of our love to one another. As therefore he is continually making
intercession for us all, so ought we to intercede for one another.
_A new commandment_, saith he, _I give unto you, that ye love one
another, as I have loved you. By this shall all men know that ye are
my disciples, if ye love one another._
The newness of this precept did not consist in this, that men were
commanded to love one another; for this was an old precept, both of
the law of _Moses_, and of nature. But it was new in this respect,
that it was to imitate a new, and, till then, unheard-of example of
love; it was to love one another, as Christ had loved us.
And if men are to know that we are disciples of Christ, by our loving
one another, according to his example; then, if we are void of this
love, we make it plainly known we are none of his disciples.
7. There is no principle more acceptable to God, than an _universal_
fervent love to all mankind, _wishing_ and _praying_ for their
happiness; because there is no principle that makes us more like
God, who is love and goodness itself, and created all beings for the
enjoyment of happiness.
The greatest _idea_ that we can frame of God is, a being of infinite
love and goodness; using infinite wisdom and power for the common good
and happiness of all his creatures.
The highest notion therefore that we can form of man is, when we
conceive him as like God in this respect as he can be; using all his
finite faculties, whether of wisdom, power, or prayers, for the common
good of all his fellow-creatures: heartily desiring they may have all
the happiness they are capable of, and as many assistances from him,
as his condition in the world will permit him to give them.
And, on the other hand, what a _baseness_ and _iniquity_ is there
in all instances of _hatred_, _envy_, _spite_ and _ill will_;
if we consider, that every instance of them, is so far acting in
_opposition_ to God, and intending _mischief_ and _harm_ to those
creatures, which God _favours_, and _protects_, and _preserves_, in
order to their happiness? An _ill-natured_ man amongst God’s creatures,
is the most _perverse_ creature in the world, acting contrary to that
_love_, by which himself _subsists_, and which alone gives subsistence
to all that variety of beings, that enjoy life in any part of the
creation.
8. _Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do unto
them._
Now, though this is a doctrine of _strict justice_, yet it is only an
_universal love_ that can comply with it.
As we have no degrees of spite or ill-will to ourselves, so we cannot
be disposed towards others as we are towards ourselves, till we
_universally_ renounce all instances of spite and ill-will, even in
the _smallest_ degrees.
If we had any imperfection in our _eyes_, that made us see _any one_
thing wrong, for the same reason they would shew us an hundred things
wrong.
So if we have any temper of our hearts, that makes us spiteful,
or ill-natured towards _any one_ man, the same temper will make us
envious, and spiteful, and ill-natured towards a great many more.
If therefore we desire this love, we must exercise our hearts in the
love of _all_, because it is not _Christian_ love, till it is the love
of _all_.
If a man could keep this whole law of love, and yet offend in _one
point_, he would be guilty of all. For as one allowed instance of
injustice destroys the justice of all our other actions; so one
allowed instance of envy, spite, or ill-will, renders all our other
acts of affection nothing worth.
Acts of love, that proceed not from a principle of _universal love_,
are but like acts of justice, that proceed from a heart not disposed
to _universal justice_.
9. Now, the noblest motive to universal tenderness is this, _God is
love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God_.
Who therefore, whose heart has any tendency towards God, would not
aspire after this divine temper.
How should we rejoice in the exercise of this love, which, is an
assurance to us, that we act according to his Spirit, who is love
itself?
God willeth the happiness of all beings, though it is no happiness to
himself; therefore we must desire the happiness of all beings, tho’ no
happiness cometh to us from it.
God equally delighteth in the perfections of all his creatures;
therefore we should rejoice in those perfections wherever we see them,
and be as glad to have other people perfect as ourselves.
10. *God, besides his own great example of love, which ought to draw
all his creatures after it, has so provided for us, and made our
happiness so _common_ to us all, that we have no occasion to envy or
hate one another.
For we cannot stand in one another’s way; or by enjoying our true good,
keep another from his full share of it.
As we cannot be happy, but in the enjoyment of God; so we cannot rob
one another of this happiness.
And as to other things, the _enjoyments_ of this life, they are so
little in themselves, so foreign to our happiness; and generally
speaking, so _contrary_ to that which they appear to be, that they
are no foundation for envy, or hatred.
How silly would it be to envy a man, that was drinking poison out of a
_golden_ cup? And yet who can say, that he is acting wiser than thus,
when he is envying any instance of worldly greatness?
11. *How many _saints_ has adversity sent to heaven? And how many
sinners has prosperity plunged into everlasting misery? A man seems to
be in the most glorious state, when he has conquered, disgraced, and
humbled his enemy; though it may be, that same conquest has saved his
adversary, and undone himself.
_This_ man had perhaps never been debauched, but for his _fortune_ and
_advancement_; _that_ had never been pious, but thro’ his _poverty_
and _disgrace_.
She that is envied for her beauty, may, perchance, owe all her
_misery_ to it; and another may be for ever happy, for having had no
admirers of her _person_.
_One_ man succeeds in every thing, and so loses all: _another_ meets
with nothing but crosses and disappointments, and thereby gains more
than all the world is worth.
This _clergyman_ may be undone by his being made a _bishop_; and
_that_ may save both himself and others by being fixed to his _poor
vicarage_.
How envied was _Alexander_, when conquering the world, he built
_towns_, set up his _statues_, and left marks of his glory in so many
kingdoms!
And how despised was the poor preacher St. _Paul_ when he was _beaten
with rods_! And yet how strangely was the world mistaken in their
judgment! How much to be envied was St. _Paul_! How much to be pitied
was _Alexander_!
These few reflections shew, that the different conditions of this life
have nothing in them to excite our uneasy passions, nothing that can
reasonably interrupt our love and affection to one another.