Page images
PDF
EPUB

it impoffible for them, whilst they lie under SERM. that Prepoffeffion to form a right one; for VIII. that will represent to them the weakest Probabilities as the strongest Arguments on the one Side, and the plaineft proof as mere Fallacy on the other.

And as a prejudiced Man seldom judges right, fo he always judges by Appearances; readily pronounces upon mere Probabilities, and believes or difbelieves a thing according as he would or would not have it to be true. Which is judging not by the Understanding, but the Will.

As Appearances then are fo apt to deceive us, as Men are fo prone to take the Shadow for the Subftance, and are fo often imposed upon by external Shew and superficial Views, the Caution and Precept which our Lord gives us in the Text appear to me in a Light of very great Importance, and as fuch demand our particular Attention. I fhall therefore confider each of them diftinctly.

I. Let us confider the Caution or negative Precept which our Lord gives us in the Text; fudge not according to the Appearance.

[ocr errors]

The

SERM.

The Ufefulness and Excellence of this VIII. Rule I propofe to illuftrate, by mentioning a few particulars to which it may be applied; and wherein Men are very apt to deceive themselves, and form a wrong Judgment of things by trusting too much to external Appearances.

1. It is by trufting too much to Appearance that Men are so often deceived in their Opinion of Truth and Falfhood.

I speak not here of natural Truths, or the Phænomena and Events we meet with in the World of nature; of which, if a Man were to judge only by Appearances he would foon be carried very wide of the Truth, and be led into very palpable and ridiculous Miftakes. But what I mean is principally with regard to moral Truth; from which, if we take mere fuperficial appearance for our Guide, we are in great danger of being led aftray; for appearances may, and often do, lie on one fide, and truth on the other. Truth often puts on the Appearance of Falfhood, and Falfhood the Appearance of Truth; especially to hafty and undiftinguishing Minds. I shall give you an Inftance of each of thefe.

It

It is an allowed and established Truth, SERM. that neceffarily flows from the Perfections of VIII, GOD, as the righteous Governor of the World, that under all the various Scenes of his Providence he takes a special care of the Intereft of his faithful Servants,

and will or

This Prin-
the Ap-

yet

der all things for their Good.
ciple, I say, must be true. And
pearance of things oftentimes lies very strong
against it. Were we to confine our views
only to the external Circumftances and Suffer-
ings of good Men, we should be apt to think
them deferted of Heaven; it would feem as
if GOD had forfaken them, had no regard
to their Intereft, nor cared how it went with
them; fince they are often plagued, oppreffed
and afflicted more than other Men. In this
cafe then Appearance lies on the wrong fide;
and were we to judge by it, we should receive
that for Truth which the Word of God,
and the Reafon of things, concur to affure us,
is a very great Mistake.

ар

And as Truth may thus put on the pearance of Falfhood, fo Falfhood may fometimes put on the Appearance of Truth. For Inftance; it is undoubtedly a great Mistake to fuppofe, that GOD will punish any one

man

SERM. man purely for the Sins of another. This VIII. never can be reconciled with the Attributes

[ocr errors]

of his Nature; it reprefents him as an unrighteous Being, and his ways as not equal; and therefore it is impoffible it should be true. And yet, were we to be governed by Appearances only, viz. thofe that offer themselves both in the Providences and the Word of GOD, we must receive this Doctrine as certain Truth; for in the course of his Providence there feem to be many things that favour it, and in his Word many things that affert it; as Exod. xx. 5. Punishing the Iniquities of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Generation of them that hate me. And, Jer. xxxii. 18. Thou recompenfeft the Iniquity of the Fathers into the Bofom of their Children after them. Yet notwithstanding these appearances of it's Truth, we are fure that notion is abfolutely falfe; both because it carries in itself a heavy Impeachment of the divine Juftice, and because GOD himself exprefly difowns, rejects, and declares his Abhorrence of it, and affures us of the direct contrary, Ezek. xviii. 20. The Soul that finneth it shall die, the Son fhall not bear the Iniquity of the Father, neither shall the Father bear the Iniquity of the Son,

2. We are in the fame danger of being SERM. VIII. deceived by Appearances in forming our Judgment of Good and Evil. Children who are mostly under the Government of Sense and Fancy, we know, are often thus impofed upon: preferring a natural Evil because it has the Appearance of Good, and refufing a real Good because it appears to their Sense or Imagination as Evil. The fame childish and injudicious Part do Men oftentimes act with regard to moral Good and Evil: and from the fame Inducement too, the mere Appearances of things; or the force wherewith fome external Circumftances ftrike the Fancy or Imagination, and thereby pervert the Judgment. Hence it is that men fo often mistake Evil for Good, and Good for Evil, call Bitter Sweet, and Sweet Bitter; put Darkness for Light, and Light for Darknefs (a); become wife in their own Eyes, and prudent in their own Sight (b); and whilst they think they know any thing, know nothing yet as they ought to know (c).

I might eafily multiply Inftances under this head, but shall content myself with two very plain ones; one of which fhews how

common

(a) Ifai. v. 20. (b) Ver. 21. (c) Cor. viii. 2.

« PreviousContinue »