in it, for this very Purpofe, upon a Recommendation of our good Deligns, by Her Majefties moft Gracious Letters. If fewer Gifts and Legacies have been made by wealthy Citizens to this excellent Purpose, than might have been expected; it must have proceded from the want of Information, not from the want of Spirit and Confcience towards fo good and glorious a Work, which, when better understood, will be ftill better encou raged and more fuccefsfully carried on. Think, how did it move the Compaffion of our Lord, to fee a Feople featter'd as Sheep having no Shepherd! (Mark VI. 34.) Believe, that wherefoever the Gofpel shall be preached throughout the whole World, whatever ye do toward it, fhall be Spoken of for a Memorial of you, (Mark XIV. 9.) Remember, that when the Gofpel of the Kingdom is preach'd in all the World, for a Witness unto all Nations, then fhall the End come, (Matth. XXIV. 14.) and before the Son of Man fhall be gathered all Nations; and then they who fed hungry Souls, and cloathed the Naked, and took in the Strangers, and vifited the Spirits in Prifon; they fhall inherit the Kingdom prepared from the Foundations of the World, where they that be wife (or Teachers of the Wifdom of Salvation) fhall fhine as the Brightness of the Firmament; and they that turn many to Righteoufnefs, as the Stars for ever and ever. Amen. FINI S. Parish-Church of S. Mary-le-Bow On Friday the 17th of February, 1715. By THOMAS SHERLOCK, D. D. Dean of Chichester, Master of the Temple, and Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majefty. LONDON, Printed by 3. Downing, in Bartholomew-Clofe, for 7. Pemberton, at the Golden-Buck, overagainst St. Dunftan's-Church in Fleetstreet, 1716. 2) February 17. 1715. At the Anniversary Meeting of the Society. Rder'd that the Thanks of the the Dean of Chichester, for his Sermon preached this Day before the Society and that he be defired to Print the. fame. D. HUMPHREYS, Secretary. 3 St. Matthew iv. Ver. 17. From that Time Jefus began to preach, and to Jay, Repent, for the King dom of Heaven is at hand. r HE Defign of this Meeting being to promote the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts; and the Success of this Work depending on fuch Methods as Humane Prudence can fuggeft, now left deftitute of thofe miraculous Affiftances, which the Church of Chrift in her Infancy enjoyed; The Occasion will naturally fuggest to your Thoughts, the Confideration of the Encou ragements and Difficulties which attend this Undertaking; and of the Methods proper to attain this End, fo much to be defired by eve ry good and pious Chriftian: But yet, fince I fucced much abler Men, who have gone before me in the Performance of this Duty, and have with great Judgment confidered thefe neceffary Points; fince alfo I ftand at prefent before fo many much abler, whose Thoughts have long dwelt upon this important Subject; I beg leave to decline the unequal Task, and to spend the Time alotted me, in confidering upon what Foot the Gofpel firft fet out in the World, when it was published by our bleffed Saviour and his Apotles; and what it had to recommend it to i the Reason of Mankind, abftracted from thofe Signs and Wonders, which were wrought by the Hand of God for its Confirmation.. The Holy Evangelift tells us, that the first Doctrine which our Bleffed Lord taught, was that of Repentance; From that Time Jefus began to preach, and to fay, Repent: that he taught it as neceffary to qualify Men for the Kingdom of Heaven; Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand. What is to be understood by the Kingdom of Heaven's being at Hand, may be learnt from the parallel Place in St. Mark, Chap. i. Ver. 14, 15. Now after that! John was put in Prifon, Jefus came into Galilee, I preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and Jaying, the Time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at Hand: Repent ye, and believe the Gofpel. Now whatever we understand by the Kingdom of Heaven, 'tis plain that the Rea fon |