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mined; let those eternal monuments of their piety, their charity, their hospitality, declare and testify. Shall, lastly, the fruits of painful study, the improvement of hopeful parts, the flower of vigorous age and strength spent in the public service, tend only hither, to put a man into a state of struggling with extreme contempt and penury? If this be not, what, I pray you, is monstrous iniquity?

Since therefore it appears (on so many several scores) reasonable that Almighty God should undertake the protection, and assert the honor of his priests, we may not only praise the goodness, but approve also the wisdom of this promise, and by the contemplation thereof strengthen our faith in reliance thereon. To which purpose one consideration more may very much conduce, and withal may provoke our gratitude to celebrate his truth and faithfulness in making good, as well as his goodness and wisdom in making, this promise; viz. the considering how continually hitherto God hath been pleased effectually to 'clothe his priests with salvation,' to provide abundantly for their safety, their accommodation, their respect in this world, and to deliver them from the opposite inconveniences.

If we reflect our thoughts on the first ages of Christianity, (not more dismal for suffering than glorious for piety,) it is admirable to see how sincerely and passionately the Christian people did then love their priests and pastors; how liberally, out of their slender stock and the shipwrecks of their spoiled fortunes, they contributed to their maintenance; what exceeding veneration they bore them; with what incredible alacrity they submitted to the most severe disciplines enjoined by them; how willingly they followed them, though leading into the jaws of death and cruel torture: so that, although it was then necessary for the Christian priests to undergo the greatest hardships, according to the design of Christian religion, (which was to be propagated, not by terror of power, nor by politic artifice, but by the invincible faith, resolution, and patience, of the professors and teachers thereof;) yet never more may they have seemed to thrive and prosper, than in that juncture of time, when they enjoyed the universal good-will and applause of good people, when they unconstrainedly embraced affliction

for righteousness sake, and acquired thereby the certain fruition of a more excellent salvation.

But in the succeeding times, when Christianity, breaking out of the clouds of persecution, began to shine over all with brightest lustre; of the glorious and happy fruits of that illustrious triumph none did partake more fully than they who had sustained the hardest brunts of the foregoing conflict, and had been the principal causes of the success. Then the joyful acclamations of the faithful people resounded in the praise of their victorious champions: then did the emperors themselves, with arms outstretched and hearts enlarged, with affection embrace the authors of their happy conversion: then all laws prejudicial to their welfare were rescinded, and new ones were substituted, abundantly providing for their security, honest livelihood, and due reverence; which in progress of time, not in the Roman empire only, but in all other nations, (that afterwards did entertain Christianity,) were nowise impaired, but were rather ampliated and fortified by the pious favor of princes: the barbarous Goths, and Vandals, and Lombards, being no sooner endued with any degree of civility, or any sense of religion, than possessed with a hearty reverence of their bishops and priests.

And ever since, (which is not to be imputed, as some rashly, if not impiously aver, to the prevalence of antichristian iniquity, but rather to the providence of divine benignity; ever since, I say,) till the late commotions and alterations in Christendom, they have been the guardians of others' safety, not themselves deprived of protection; have abounded with wealth, rather than wanted sustenance; have been the objects of envy, more than of contempt. Princes have loved and cherished them, have relied on their advice, and intrusted them with their highest concernments. Nobles have not been ashamed to yield them place. The sacerdotal robe hath been often dyed with purple; and the sons of mighty monarchs have not thought themselves degraded by entering into their order. And if in some particular places (before or since those changes) their condition hath not been so high and plentiful, yet hath it been (almost ever) tolerable; the countenance of authority and the

respect of the people being in good degree vouchsafed them. Even in those churches, which till this day groan under the oppression of infidel princes, the priests (by the free permission of those princes) retain their jurisdiction in a manner as great as ever; and withal enjoy a maintenance not altogether inconsiderable.

So favorable hitherto hath God been unto his priests, so faithful to his promise: which doth oblige us to thank him; which may encourage us to hope in him; which may arm us with confidence against the present ill-will of those that wish, and against the practices of those that design our ruin.

It is true, this promise is not affixed to all parts of time, to all particularities of place, to all determinate circumstances of things. The priests may, now and then, here and there, in this or that, suffer highly; they may be ejected, be plundered, be degraded, as experience hath showed us. But they may be also soon restored, repossessed, readvanced, and (I had almost said) revenged too, as the like experience doth assure us. It is not impossible, I confess, we may relapse into the same, or into a more calamitous estate; the obstinate disaffections of men threaten it, and our own miscarriages more dangerously: yet the most offensive of these (which many honest men dislike, and most men exclaim against) have been in as bitter terms complained of in almost the first ages. Inhiant possessionibus, prædia excolunt, auro incubant, quæstui per omnia student, said a devout writer* of ecclesiastical history about 1300 years ago. And so much no man (without extreme uncharitableness and falsehood) can in so general terms impute to the present clergy: notwithstanding which, God did continue to vouchsafe his protection to them. They were sometimes, (by the inundations of barbarous people,) and we may again, (by national concussions,) be severely chastised for our faults: yet were not they, nor shall we be (at least every where and for ever) utterly rejected. God may visit our transgressions with the rod, and our iniquity with stripes: nevertheless his lovingkindness will he not utterly take from us, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail. His covenant he will not break, nor alter the

* Sulp. Sev. lib. i. c. 43.

thing that is gone out of his lips.' God may for a time hide his face from us; but he will not for ever turn his back on us: the honor of the priesthood may for a while be overclouded in some part of the world; but shall never totally be eclipsed, nor swallowed up in a perpetual night. While God continues his residence in Sion, and defends his church against the gates of Hell' and 'powers of darkness;' while religion retains any sway in the hearts of men, and truth possesses any room on earth; the priests shall not be left destitute and naked, but everlastingly be clothed with salvation.' Which that it may (to the glory of God and good of his church) more surely come to pass, let us convert this promise into a prayer, and say with Solomon, Now therefore arise, O Lord God, thou and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.' Amen.

SUMMARY OF SERMON XIII.

JAMES, CHAP. III.-VERSE 2.

THE words of the text declare that man to be perfect who offends not in speech; and they consequently imply that we should avoid offending therein. The assertion is to be first briefly explained; then its truth declared; and afterwards the duty or obligation of it pressed. To offend originally signifies to impinge, or to stumble dangerously on somewhat lying across our way: by not offending in word then, we may understand such a restraint and careful guidance of our tongue, that it does not transgress the rules of divine law, nor thwart the proper purposes for which it was framed.

By a perfect man is meant a person accomplished and complete in goodness, who, as to the continual tenor of his life, is free from all notorious defects and heinous faults; walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless: such were Noah, Abraham, and Job. So that in effect the words import this; that a constant government of our speech according to duty and reason, is a special argument of a sincere and solid goodness. The truth of which aphorism may from several considerations appear.

1. A good government of the speech is a strong evidence of a good mind, pure from vicious desires, disorderly passions, and dishonest intentions. For speech is a child of thought, which the mind always travails and teems with, and which, after its birth, is wont in features to resemble its parent: confirmation of this truth from Scripture, &c.

2. From hence, that the use of speech is itself a great in

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