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gravity thereof to do so); yet its condescension thereto at any time sufficiently doth authorise a cautious use thereof. When plain declarations will not enlighten people to discern the truth and weight of things, and blunt arguments will not penetrate to convince or persuade them to their duty; then doth reason freely resign its place to wit, allowing it to undertake its work of nstruction and reproof.

3. Facetious discourse, particularly, may be commodious for reproving some vices and reclaiming some persons. Many who will not stand a direct reproof, and cannot abide to be plainly admonished of their fault, will yet endure to be pleasantly rubbed, and will patiently bear a jocund wipe; though they abominate all language purely bitter or sour, yet they can relish discourse having in it a pleasant tartness: you must not chide them as their master, but you may gibe with them as their companion: if you do that, they will take you for pragmatical and haughty; this they may interpret friendship and freedom. Most men are of that temper. They scorn to be formally advised or taught; but they may perhaps be slily laughed and lured into a better mind. Sermons, No. xiv.

Glorying in the Cross.

The willing susception and the cheerful sustenance of the cross is indeed the express condition and the peculiar characteristic of our Christianity. . . . The cross, as the instrument of our peace with God, was wrought as the stage whereon our Lord did act the last part of his marvellous obedience, consummating our redemption, as the field wherein the Captain of our salvation did achieve his noble victories and erect his glorious trophies over all the enemies thereof, was well assumed to be the badge of our profession, the ensign of our spiritual warfare, the pledge of our constant adherence to our crucified Saviour, in relation to whom our chief hope is grounded, our great joy and sole glory doth consist; for God forbid' (saith St. Paul) 'that I should glory, save in the cross of Christ.'

Let it be to the Jews a scandal (or offensive to their fancy, prepossessed with expectations of a Messias flourishing in secular pomp and prosperity), let it be folly to the Greek (or seem absurd to men puffed up and corrupted in mind with fleshly notions and maxims of worldly craft, disposing them to value

nothing which is not grateful to present sense or fancy), that God should put his own beloved Son into so very sad and despicable a condition; that salvation from death and misery should be procured by so miserable a death; that eternal joy, glory, and happiness, should issue from these fountains of sorrow and shame; that a person in external semblance devoted to so opprobrious a usage, should be the Lord and Redeemer of mankind, the King and Judge of all the world: let, I say, this doctrine be scandalous and distasteful to some persons attainted with prejudice; let it be strange and incredible to others blinded with self-conceit; let all the inconsiderate, all the proud, all the profane part of mankind, openly with their mouth, or closely in heart, slight and reject it; to us it is a faithful and most credible proposition worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners in this way of suffering for them: to us, who discern by a clearer light, and are endowed with a purer sense, kindled by the Divine Spirit; from whence we may, with comfortable satisfaction of mind, apprehend and taste that God could not in a higher measure or fitter manner illustrate his glorious attributes of goodness and justice, his infinite grace and mercy toward his poor creatures, his holy displeasure against wickedness, his impartial severity in punishing iniquity and impiety, or in vindicating his own sacred authority, than by thus ordering his only Son, clothed with our nature, to suffer for us; that else true virtue and goodness could not otherwise be taught, be exemplified, be commended and expressed, with greater advantage.

Since thereby indeed a charity and humanity so unparalleled (far transcending theirs who have been celebrated for devoting their lives out of love to their country or kindness to their friends), a meekness so incomparable, a resolution so invincible, a patience so heroical, were manifested for the instruction and direction of men; since never were the vices and the vanities of the world (so prejudicial to the welfare of mankind) so remarkably discountenanced; since never any suffering could pretend to so worthy and beneficial effects, the expiation of the world's sins and reconciliation of mankind to God, the which no other performance, no other sacrifice, did ever aim to procure; since, in fine, no virtue had ever so glorious rewards as sovereign dignity to him that exercised it, and eternal happiness to those that

imitate it; since, I say, there be such excellent uses and fruits of the cross borne by our Saviour; we can have no reason to be offended at it or ashamed of it; but with all reason heartily should approve and humbly adore the deep wisdom of God, together with all other his glorious attributes displayed therein. To whom therefore, as is most due, let us devoutly render all glory and praise. Sermons, No. xxxii.

127. John Tillotson, 1630-1694. (Handbook, pars. 392, 394.) Archbishop of Canterbury. His sermons are remarkable for unaffected clearness, and practical good sense. For his influence on the style of sermonising, see Handbook.

Imprudence of Atheism.

Atheism is imprudent, because it is unsafe in the issue. The atheist contends against the religious man that there is no God; but upon strange inequality and odds, for he ventures his eternal interest; whereas the religious man ventures only the loss of his lusts, which it is much better for him to be without, or at the utmost of some temporal convenience; and all this while is inwardly more contented and happy, and usually more healthful, and perhaps meets with more respect, and faithfuller friends, and lives in a more secure and flourishing condition, and more free from the evils and punishments of this world, than the atheistical person does; however, it is not much that he ventures; and after this life, if there be no God, is as well as he; but if there be a God, is infinitely better, even as much as unspeakable and eternal happiness is better than extreme and endless misery. So that, if the arguments for and against a God were equal, and it were an even question whether there were one or not, yet the hazard and danger are so infinitely unequal, that in point of prudence and interest every man were obliged to incline to the affirmative; and whatever doubts he might have about it, to choose the safest side of the question, and to make that the principle to live by. For he that acts wisely, and is a thoroughly prudent man, will be provided against all events, and will take care to secure the main chance, whatever happens; but the atheist, in case things should fall out contrary to his belief and expectation, hath made no provision for this case. If contrary

to his confidence, it should prove in the issue that there is a God, the man is lost and undone for ever. If the atheist, when he dies, should find that his soul remains after his body, and has only quitted its lodging, how will this man be amazed and blanked, when, contrary to his expectation, he shall find himself in a new and strange place, amidst a world of spirits, entered upon an everlasting and unchangeable state! How sadly will the man be disappointed when he finds all things otherwise than he had stated and determined them in this world! When he comes to appear before that God whom he hath denied, and against whom he hath spoken as despiteful things as he could, who can imagine the pale and guilty looks of this man, and how he will shiver and tremble' for the fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His Majesty? How will he be surprised, with terrors on every side, to find himself thus unexpectedly and irrevocably plunged into a state of ruin and desperation! And thus things may happen for all this man's confidence now. For our belief or disbelief of a thing does not alter the nature of the thing. We cannot fancy things into being, or make them vanish into nothing by the stubborn confidence of our imaginations. Things are as sullen as we are, and will be what they are whatever we think of them. And if there be a God, a man cannot by an obstinate disbelief of Him make Him cease to be, any more than a man can put out the sun by winking.

On Diligence in our Calling.

Sermons.

We must be diligent in our particular calling and charge, in that province and station which God hath appointed us, whatever it be; whether it consists in the labour of our hands or in the improvement of our minds, in order to the gaining of knowledge for our own pleasure and satisfaction, and for the use and benefit of others; whether it lie in the skill of government, and the administration of public justice; or in the management of a great estate, of an honourable rank and quality above others, to the best advantage, for the honour of God, and the benefit and advantage of men, so as, by the influence of our power and estate, and by the authority of our example, to contribute all we can to the welfare and happiness of others.

For it is a great mistake to think any man is without a calling,

and that God does not expect that every one of us should employ himself in doing good in one kind or other. Some persons, indeed, by the privilege of their birth and quality, are above a common trade and profession, but they are not hereby either exempted or excused from all business, because they are so plentifully provided for themselves; nay, on the contrary, they have so much the greater obligation, having the liberty and leisure tc attend the good of others; the higher our character and station is, we have the better opportunities of being publicly useful and beneficial; and the heavier will our account be if we neglect these opportunities. Those who are in a low and private condition can only shine to a few, but they that are advanced a great height above others may, like the heavenly bodies, dispense a general light and influence, and scatter happiness and blessings among all that are below them.

And as they are capable of doing more good than others, so with more ease and effect; that which persons of an infericr rank can hardly bring others to, by all the importunity of counsel and persuasion, as, namely, to the practice of any virtue, and the quitting and abandoning of any vice, a prince and a great man that is good himself may easily gain them to, without ever speaking a word to them, by the silent authority and powerful allurement of his example. So that though every man have not a particular profession, yet the highest among men have some employment allotted to them by God, suitable to their condition, a province which He expects they should administer and adorn with great care.

The great business of the lower part of mankind is to provide for themselves the necessaries of life; and it is well if they can do it with all their care and diligence. But those who are of a higher rank, their proper business and employment is to dispense good to others; which, surely, is a much happier condition and employment, according to that admirable saying of our Saviour mentioned by St. Paul, 'It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive.' Those of meaner condition can only be men to one another; and it were well if they would be so: but he that is highly raised and advanced above others hath the happy opportunity in his hands, if he have but the heart to make use of it, to be a kind of god to men.

Let no man then of what birth, or rank, or quality soever,

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