Part 1

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THE

WORKS

OF

RICHARD HURD, D.D.

LORD BISHOP OF WORCESTER.

VOL. VI.

Printed by J. Nichols and Son, Red Lion Passage, Fleet Street, London.

THE

WORKS

OF

RICHARD HURD, D.D.

LORD BISHOP OF WORCESTER.

IN EIGHT VOLUMES.

VOL. VI.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR T. CADELL AND W. DAVIES, STRAND.

1811.

THEOLOGICAL WORKS.

VOL. II.

SERMONS

PREACHED AT

LINCOLN’S-INN,

BETWEEN THE YEARS 1765 AND 1776:

WITH

A LARGER DISCOURSE,

ON

CHRIST’S DRIVING THE MERCHANTS OUT OF THE TEMPLE;

IN WHICH THE NATURE AND END OF THAT FAMOUS

TRANSACTION IS EXPLAINED.

SATIS ME VIXISSE ARBITRABOR, ET OFFICIUM HOMINIS IMPLESSE, SI LABOR MEUS ALIQUOS HOMINES, AB ERRORIBUS LIBERATOS, AD ITER CŒLESTE DIREXERIT. LACTANTIUS.

TO THE

MASTERS OF THE BENCH

OF THE HONOURABLE SOCIETY OF

LINCOLN’S INN,

THE FOLLOWING SERMONS,

IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THEIR MANY AND

GREAT FAVOURS,

ARE BY THE AUTHOR

MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED.

CONTENTS

OF

THE SIXTH VOLUME.

SERMON I. Preached Feb. 3, 1771.

MAT. xiii. 51, 52.

_Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old._ 1

SERMON II. Preached Nov. 8, 1767.

1 COR. x. 15.

_I speak as to wise men: judge ye what I say._ 23

SERMON III. Preached May 17, 1767.

ROM. ii. 14, 15.

_When the Gentiles, which have not the Law_, DO _by Nature the things contained in the Law, these, having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves: which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts, their_ CONSCIENCE _also bearing witness, and their thoughts in the mean while_ ACCUSING _or else_ EXCUSING _one another_. 37

SERMON IV. Preached May 24, 1767.

GAL. iii. 19.

_Wherefore then serveth the Law?_ 52

SERMON V. Preached May 1, 1768.

HEB. ii. 3.

_How shall we escape, if we neglect so great Salvation?_ 67

SERMON VI. Preached Nov. 16, 1766.

JOHN xiv. 8.

_Philip saith to him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us._ 83

SERMON VII. Preached in the year 1771.

JAMES iv. 1.

_From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?_ 101

SERMON VIII. Preached April 29, 1770.

1 TIM. i. 5.

_The end of the Commandment is Charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned._ 116

SERMON IX. Preached Nov. 9, 1766.

ROM. xii. 10.

—_In honour preferring one another._ 130

SERMON X. Preached May 6, 1770.

JOHN xiii. 8.

—_Jesus answered him, if I wash thee not, thou host no part with me._ 143

SERMON XI. Preached June 20, 1773.

MARK ix. 49.

_For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt._ 160

SERMON XII. Preached Feb. 9, 1766.

GAL. vi. 3.

_If a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself._ 174

SERMON XIII. Preached May 16, 1773.

2 COR. x. 12.

_We dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves, with some that commend themselves: But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise._ 187

SERMON XIV. Preached April 27, 1766.

St. MARK iv. 24.

_Take heed what ye hear._

Or, as the equivalent phrase is in

St. LUKE, viii. 18.

_Take heed_ HOW _ye hear_. 201

SERMON XV. Preached Nov. 24, 1765.

ROM. xvi. 19.

_I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil._ 215

SERMON XVI. Preached Dec. 1, 1765.

ROM. xvi. 19.

_I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil._ 230

SERMON XVII. Preached Nov. 22, 1772.

JOHN v. 44.

_How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh of God only?_ 245

SERMON XVIII. Preached April 23, 1769.

JOHN ix. 41.

_Jesus saith to them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin; but now ye say, we see; therefore your sin remaineth._ 260

SERMON XIX. Preached May 12, 1771.

1 COR. viii. 1.

_Knowledge puffeth up; but Charity edifieth._ 276

SERMON XX. Preached Nov. 19, 1769.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES xxvi. 9.

_I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth._ 290

SERMON XXI. Preached May 10, 1767.

St. LUKE vi. 26.

_Woe unto you, when all men speak well of you._ 304

SERMON XXII. Preached Feb. 6, 1774.

St. JOHN viii. 11.

_Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn thee; Go, and sin no more._ 319

SERMON XXIII. Preached March 1, 1772.

St. MATTHEW xi. 29.

_Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls._ 333

SERMON XXIV. Preached April 30, 1769.

LUKE xvi. 14.

_And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all those things: and they derided him._ 350

SERMON XXV. Preached June 25, 1775.

ECCLESIASTES v. 10.

_He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver._ 366

SERMON XXVI. Preached Feb. 21, 1773.

1 COR. vi. 20.

_Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s._ 378

SERMON XXVII. Preached March 13, 1774.

JOB xiii. 26.

_Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth._ 393

SERMON XXVIII. Preached May 28, 1769.

ECCLESIASTES vii. 21, 22.

_Take no heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee. For oftentimes, also, thine own heart knoweth, that thou thyself, likewise, hast cursed others._ 407

SERMON I.

PREACHED FEBRUARY 3, 1771.

ST. MATTH. xiii. 51, 52.

_Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old._

If there be any difficulty in these words, it will be removed by considering the _manners_ of that time, in which Jesus lived, and the _ideas_ of those persons, to whom he addressed himself.

The Israelites were a plain, frugal people; abundantly supplied with all things needful to the convenient support of life, but very sparingly with such as come under the notion of ornaments or superfluities. They drew their means of subsistence chiefly from pasturage, agriculture, and other rural occupations. Gold and Silver was scarce among the ancient Jews; and the less necessary to them, as they had little traffic among themselves, and still less with their pagan neighbours; the wisdom of their Law having purposely restrained, and, upon the matter, prohibited, all the gainful ways of commerce.

Now, to a people, thus circumstanced, unfurnished, in a good degree, with arts and manufactures, and but slenderly provided with the _means of exchange_ for the commodities they produce; management, thrift, and what we call _good husbandry_, must have been a capital virtue. _Householders_ were especially concerned to hoard up, and keep by them, in readiness, all such things as might be requisite either to cloath or feed their respective families. And therefore, as they were continually making fresh additions to their stock, so they carefully preserved what things they had, provided they were of a nature to be preserved, although time and use had impaired the grace, or diminished the value, of them. Thus, they had things _new and old_ laid up in their store-house, or _treasury_ (for these provisions were indeed their _treasure_), which, as the text says, they could _bring forth_, on any emergency that called for them.

And to this Jewish _Householder_, thus furnished and prepared for all occasions, our Lord compares _the scribe, instructed unto the kingdom of heaven_, in other words, the minister, or preacher of the Gospel. Every such _scribe_ was to be suitably provided with what might be serviceable to those committed to his charge: And the Text delivers it, as _a general inference_ from the example of Christ himself (who, from a variety of topics, some _new_, some _old_, had been instructing his disciples in this chapter), that WE, the teachers of his religion, should likewise have in store a variety of knowledge for the supply of his church, and that we should not be backward or sparing, as we see occasion, in the use of it. THEREFORE, says he, that is, _for this end_[1] that your respective charges may be well and perfectly instructed by you, as you have been by me, _every scribe, which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old_.

It is true, if this instruction of our Lord and Master had concerned _only_ the preachers of the word, I might have found a fitter place and occasion for a discourse upon it. But the case is much otherwise; and it concerns _all_ the faithful to understand what the duty of those is, who are intrusted to dispense the word of life, lest they take offence at the ministry, without cause, and so deprive themselves of the fruit which they might otherwise reap from it.

Let me therefore lay before you some plain considerations on the aphorism in the text; and submit it to yourselves how far they may deserve the notice of all Christians.

It would be ridiculous, no doubt, to torture a meer figure of speech; and to pursue a metaphor through all the minute applications, which an ordinary imagination might find or invent for it. But I shall not be suspected of trifling in this sort, when I only conclude, from the comparison of a _Christian Scribe_ to the _Jewish Householder_;

I. That all the treasures of knowledge, which the MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL may have laid up in his mind, are destined, _not to the purposes of vanity, but to the use of his charge_; for such must have been the intention of a reasonable _Householder_, in the stock of provisions he had so carefully collected:

II. That such use must be estimated from the apparent _wants of those, to whom this knowledge is dispensed_; for so the frugal _householder_ expends his provisions on those who evidently stand in need of them: And

III. Lastly, That among these wants, some, at certain conjunctures, may be _more general_, or _more pressing_, than ordinary; and then his first care must be to relieve these, though other real, and perhaps considerable wants, be, for the present, neglected by him: just, again, as the discreet _householder_ is anxious to provide against an uncommon distress that befalls his whole family, or the greater part of it, or that threatens the immediate destruction of those whom it befalls, though he suspend his care, for a season, of particular, or less momentous distresses.

In these THREE respects, then, I propose to illustrate and enforce the comparison of the Text, without any apprehension of being thought to do violence to it.

I. The knowledge of a _well-instructed Scribe_ must be directed to the edification of his charge, and not at all to the gratification of his own vanity.

This conclusion results immediately from the _subject_ of the comparison. For the _Christian Scribe_ is not compared to a _prince_, who is allowed, and even expected, to consult his own state and magnificence; or, to one of those popular _magistrates_ in ancient times, whose office it was to exhibit splendid shews, and furnish expensive entertainments, to their fellow-citizens: but to a plain Jewish _householder_, who had nothing to regard beyond the necessary, or, at most, decent accommodation of his family.

And the comparison is _aptly_ made, as we shall see if we consider, either the _end_ of a preacher’s office, or the _decorum_ of his character.

His OFFICE obliges him to intend the most essential interests of mankind, the reformation of their lives, and the salvation of their souls. And when the object of his care is so important, what wonder if all inferior considerations fall before it?

Besides, the Christian preacher has a _commission_ to discharge, a divine _message_ to deliver. And in such a case, men look not for ingenuity, but fidelity. An ancient, or a modern sophist may make what excursions he thinks fit into the wide fields of science; and may entertain us with his learning, or his wit, as he finds himself able. He _may_, I say, do this; for he has only to recommend himself to our esteem, and to acquire a little popular reputation. But WE have a _dispensation_ committed to us, _a form of sound words_, from which we must not depart, _a doctrine_, which we are to deliver with _uncorruptness_, _gravity_, _sincerity_[2]. We please not men, but God; or if men, _to their good_, only, _to edification_[3].

The DECORUM of our character requires, too, that we be superior to all the arts of vanity and ostentation. Even in secular professions, it is expected that this rule of propriety be observed. A _Physician_ would be ridiculous, that was more curious in penning a prescription, than in weighing the matter of it: and the _Advocate_ would be little esteemed, that should be more solicitous to display himself, than to serve his client. How much more then may it be expected from _a preacher of righteousness_, that HE should forget his own personal importance amid the high concerns of his profession!

And such was indeed the conduct of our best guides, in the ministry. The ancient Fathers were, many of them, richly furnished with all the endowments, that might be required to set themselves off to the utmost advantage. Yet we find them, in their homilies and discourses to the people, inattentive to every thing but their main end; delivering themselves, with an energy indeed, but a plainness and even negligence of expression[4], that tempts frivolous readers, sometimes, to make a doubt of their real, and, from other monuments of their skill and pains, unquestioned abilities.

And, in this contempt of secular fame, they did but copy the example of St. Paul himself, the great Apostle of the Gentiles; who, though distinguished by the sublimest parts, though profound in his knowledge of the Law, and not unacquainted with Gentile learning, affected no display either of his natural or acquired talents, but, as he tells us himself (and his writings attest the truth of his declaration), _determined to know nothing_, among the faithful, _save Jesus Christ, and him crucified_[5].

Not that what abilities we have, are always to lie concealed. There are occasions, no doubt, when they may properly, that is, usefully, be exerted. But the minister of the Gospel does not go in quest of such occasions: he only adapts himself to them, when they come in his way; and then pursues them no farther than the end, he has in view, the edification of others, not his own credit, demands from him.

By this rule, the preachers of the word are to conduct themselves. By the same rule, it will, therefore, be but just to estimate their charitable labours; and, when we see nothing to admire in them, to conclude, That this plainness of character may not be always owing to incapacity, but sometimes, at least, to discretion and the higher regards of duty.

And this candour, as liable as it is to misinterpretation, will not be thought excessive, if you reflect, that, as, in general, they are bound to consult the good of their charge, and to deliver nothing to their auditors, but what they foresee, or presume at least, will be _useful_ to them: So

II. In the next place, The _degree_ of that utility must be regarded by the prudent dispenser of God’s word, and can only be estimated by the apparent _wants_ of those, to whom his instructions are addressed.

It is an especial part of the _householder’s_ prudence to take care, that his treasure be laid out on those, who have most need of it. He has enough to do, perhaps, to satisfy the more pressing demands of his domestics; and the rules of a good œconomy require that he regard those, before their humourous inclinations, or even their more tolerable necessities. To speak in Jewish ideas, He, that wants a _coat_, to defend himself from the injuries of the weather, must be supplied with that necessary garment, though he go without a _cloak_; or, when a piece of _bread_ is called for, it must be administered to the hungry, though others be made to wait for their delicacies of _milk_ and _honey_; or, a lamb from the fold may be served up at an ordinary feast, while the _fatted calf_ is reserved for some more solemn occasion.

Just thus it is in the dispensation of the word. We apply ourselves, first and principally, to relieve the more importunate demands of our hearers; and, not being able, at the same time, to provide for all, we prefer the case of those who are starving for the want of necessary instruction, to that of others who are in a condition to subsist on what hath already been imparted to them.

Hence it is, that we are most frequent in pressing the fundamental truths of the Gospel: as well knowing, that very many have yet to learn, or at least to digest, the first principles of their religion; and that few, in comparison, are either prepared, or enough disposed, _to go on to perfection_.

There are those, perhaps, who expect us to clear up some nice point of casuistry, or to lay open to them the grounds and reasons of some obnoxious article in the Christian Creed: in a word, they would take it kindly of us, if, dropping the common topics, which have been long and much worn in the service of religion, we provided some fresh ones, for their entertainment; and instead of the stale fragments, which are always at hand, and lie open to all the family, we served up to them something of better taste from the inner rooms of our store-house, where our choicest viands are laid up. All this is extremely well: and in due season, so far as is fitting, the charitable dispenser of God’s word will not be wanting to their expectations; for he has gathered nothing, however rare or exquisite, in the course of his _household_ industry, of which he does not wish them to partake. But, for the present, he finds this indulgence to be out of place: he sees, that the plainest duties of life, and the most unquestioned articles of the faith, are, first of all, to be inculcated: he perceives, that numbers want to be put in mind of old practical truths; and perhaps he understands, that even those, who are the most forward to call out for novelties in speculation, do not make this demand with the best grace. He could amuse them, it may be, with a curious theological Lecture: but what if their sense of divine things be dead? what if they want to have their minds stimulated by the admonitions, and their consciences alarmed with the terrors, of the Gospel?

The question is not put at hazard. For so, the Roman Governor was impatient _to hear St. Paul concerning the faith in Christ_; when yet the Apostle chose to _reason_ with him _of righteousness, temperance, and judgement to come_: plain moral topics, such as had often been discussed before him in the schools of philosophy, but were now resumed to good purpose; for in the end, we are told, _Felix trembled_.

Even, in the case of those, who may be decent in their lives, who are enough instructed in what is called morality, nay, and would take it ill to be thought wanting in a competent share of religious knowledge, a discourse on _the elements of the faith_ may not be, altogether, unseasonable. For there are, of these, who exclude _Religion_, from their scheme of morality; or _Christianity_, from their scheme of religion; or who, professing Christianity, scarce know what _Redemption_ means: who are yet to learn with what awful, yet filial piety, they are to look up to God _the Father_; who reflect not, what transcendant honour is due from them to God _the Son_; and who have scarce, perhaps, heared, or have little regarded, whether there _be any Holy Ghost_.

If any such attend our assemblies, think not much that we are ready to impart to them the plainest, the commonest, because the most _necessary_, instruction: and, though we would consult the wants of all, you are not to be surprized, or disgusted, if we run to the relief of those first, who want our assistance most; and, like the good _householder_, bestow our _old things_ on the needy and indigent, before we expend our _new_ on the curious and delicate; who might, we will say, be better accommodated with them, but are not, in the mean time, destitute of what is needful to their spiritual life. But

III. This care is more especially required of the Christian Scribe, when his charge is exposed, in certain conjunctures, to new and extraordinary wants, which, if not relieved in the instant, may grow to be ruinous, and absolutely fatal: then, above all, he is to consider, not what instruction is most acceptable to his hearers, but what their critical situation demands.

For, here again, the example of the watchful and beneficent _householder_, is our direction. The season may be uncommonly severe and inclement: or, a dangerous, perhaps a contagious disease, afflicts his family; and then the warmest, although the coarsest, clothing must be sought out for the _naked_; and not the most palatable, but the most wholesome food, must be administered to the _sick_.

Disasters, like these, sometimes befall the household of Christ. A cold atheistic spirit prevails, and chills the vital principles of all virtue, as well as religion: or a pestilent heresy spreads its venom through the church, and turns the medicine of life itself, the salutary instruction of God’s word, unless prepared and applied by skilful hands, into a deadly poison. Then it is that the well-appointed Scribe emulates the generous care and pains of the good _householder_; and whatever he has in store, of ancient or modern collection, whether of philosophy or criticism, whether of eloquent persuasion or sound logic, all must be brought forth, to warm the piety, or to purify the faith, of his hearers.

We, of this nation, have not been so happy as to want examples of such distresses.