with Garbs and Civilities is but the pageant of a Friend They that own having but one Soul and seem to clasp as if they would have but one Body too cannot keep such distinct and separate proprieties in other little things as not to have communication one from the other And Secondly The friendship of these benefits is rated by the measures of our need of them When Midas was ready to dye for hunger his God was kinder to him in a little bread than in making all that he touch't turn into Gold Great things engage but little where there is but little use of them And all these Thirdly Are endeered by the Affection they are given with Good turns done with design what need soever I have of them are hire and not friendship it is the kindness onely that obligeth the gift without the love does but upbraid and scorn my want Now to measure the Friend here in the Text by these were an impossible undertaking whose Friendship did exceed all bounds and measures I shall do no more towards it but read the words before my Text which were the occasion of it Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his Friends and then it follows Ye are my Friends The token therefore of his Friendship the gift he gave them was his life rather that was the least he gave He gave his glory first that so he might be qualified to give his life for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2. 7. He lessened himself from the condition of being Lord of all into that of a Servant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. 9. being diminished made lower meaner than his Creatures for the suffering of Death Now with the price of such Divine essential glory to buy onely a life rather onely a possibility of Death that after he might give that life for us and with his Death purchase us an immortal life is such a gift as no Romance of friendship ever fancied or did aim at We may have heard of two Companions that would dye for one another that never quarrelled in their lives but for this who should suffer first to save the other and strave onely for Execution But for a Person of the Trinity to leave his Heaven to come down to us to dwell with agonies that he might be at one with us and be tyed to the Cross that he might be united to us this is a friendship fit for Ecstasies of apprehension Of all the things that court thy kindness here below that spread snares and lay baits for thy friendship if any bid so fair so temptingly if any will give such a price in Gods name let it have thy love I shall not blame him that engageth his Affection there But sure Heaven cannot give a greater gift than this for what can God give greater than himself Yea I may say God could not give so much for he must be Man too to give his life and this saith he he gave for his Friends even in our stead who must have perisht else eternally which intimates the second thing the need we had of this A need great as the gift necessity invincible that could break into Heaven rifle the Trinity to serve it self throw Death into those Regions of Immortality and which would not be satisfied but with the Blood of God And now is not the kindness and the condescension of Friendship in his expressions too when he saith greater love than this hath no man which was the third endearment There never were such wounds of Love as those that tore this Heart never such meltings of Affection as dissolv'd this Lover into sweats of Blood There was no motive to all this but his meer love For all this he designed to us before we were and therefore sure before we were deserving And O our God! thou that from all Eternity didst lay Contrivances to give thy Life for us so to redeem and then to glorifie us what were we then that thou shouldst do this for us what were we then when we were not and yet that thou from the Abysse of Everlastingness shouldst think thoughts of such kindness to us and such blessedness for us who then were not and deserved nothing and who since we were have deserved nothing but Damnation And as there was no other motive to all this design but love so neither was there any thing but love in the fulfilling Look on your Saviour in the Garden and upon Mount Calvary and you shall find him there in as great agonies of Affection as Torment and hanging down his head upon the Cross with languishments of kindness more than weakness His Arms stretched out and rack't as if on purpose to the posture of receiving you to his embraces and his side opened not only to shed Blood for you but to make you a passage to his very Heart Look on him offering up his Tears his Prayers and his Soul for Sin and in the midst of all projecting happiness to you as it were praying O my Father here I charge my self with all the guilt of those my Friends I thy onely Son God one with thee am content to suffer Torments that they all may be acquitted Here I lay down my Life that they may have eternal Life let me be Crucified so they be Glorified Which was the purchase and the gift of this his Passion to all his Friends even to those that do what he Commands which is the first Condition that entitles to his friendship and my next part Ye are my Friends if ye do what I command you I shall not urge that Great-men upon Earth will not take any to their Friendship but upon these terms nor will I plead the reasonablenesse of this in Christ there being no cause why he should be a Friend to any that will daily disoblige him and dishonour him Nor will I press the whole Oeconomy of Scripture which sayes all the advantages Christ ever gave or meant us and all the acts of Friendship that he ever did for us were with this design He gave his grace that brings salvation to save us into an estate of sober virtue Tit. 2. v. 11 12. He gave himself also to Ransom us from our own evil doings and to redeem us into his obedience Tit. 2. v. 14. Without which no dependance on him will avail Mat. 7. 21. He will own no acquaintance with nor services from them who have friendship with sin though they have cast out Devils in his Name if they retain their vices though they do miracles if they do wickedly he will bid them depart professe he never knew them v. 22. 23. He will not let such have a bare relation to his Name nor have the friendship of a Title 2 Tim. 2. 19. All his Rewards also that he will give are promised to none other but them that do what he commands Apoc. 22. 14. that is do Evangellically heartily and faithfully endeavour it and do this with
all diligence exprest by words that import all strife imaginable as Running Wrestling Fighting Warring And persevere also by patient continuance in well doing Rom. 2. 7. and he hath nothing else but vengeance for all others 2 Thes. 1. 8. and we have neither Christ nor Gospel nor Religion but with these terms But I shall wave all this and bound my self within the present words Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his Life for his Friends Ye are my Friends if ye do what I command you When Christ is boasting of his love making comparisons and vying friendships with mankind nay more contriving heights and depths of Mercy such as Man hath no comprehension nor fathom for when he was preparing to do an act of compassion almost equal to his Divinity when he had resolutions of so much kindness as to give his life that he might shew kindness Yet could he not then find in his heart to offer or declare one jot of kindness to the men that will not do what he commands but in the midst of such agonies of compassion he thought of nothing but infinite indignation and eternal vengeance to the disobedient I have but now given my Body and my Blood even to the Traitor Judas to one who is a Devil I am going to give my life even for my Enemies for the World But I will give no love to any have no friendship with any but the virtuous no though they be my own Disciples ye are my Friends ye my companions and Apostles are my Friends onely on this condition if ye do what I command you And then is it not matter of Astonishment to see men fancy they have a right in all Christ's Actions and Sufferings presume upon his favour and their own happy condition though they do nothing or but very little towards this and the main of their life be disobedience as if all Christ's commands appointed them to do no commands and Christianity were but a liberty from virtue To pass by those that do nothing but Evil that which the Devil does suggest or their flesh dictate and to consider the Demurer sort of Christians that pretend a respect to Christ and to Religion and see what they will do Why sometimes you may find them troubled at their vices and themselves and those troubles breath out in Sighs and in warm wishes that they could do that which Christ prescribes to will is sometimes strongly present with them but to perform they know not how Alas Christ does not tell you that you are his Friends if you wish well to him and his Commands but he requires that you shall do them These are but vapours of a troubled Soul which howsoever they may chance rise warm catch a strong suddain heat breath up in flashing thoughts They are but meteors little shooting flames that onely do catch fire and fall and dye shew fair but they warm nothing And so these thoughts do never heat the heart into Devotions and holy resolutions the fire is not strong nor does it live enough to melt and work away the filthinesses of the Soul No though they grow to aversations For you may find such men when wearied with the pursuite of their sins hating their customes and the engagements to the practise of them complaining thus I know 't is ill and 't is against my heart that I obey the motions of my passions or Lusts The incitations of my Appetite the usance of the World the obligations of civility or mistaken honour do indeed prevail upon me but 't is with great reluctancy of mind that I yeild to them but I cannot avoid it There are not few that satisfie themselves with this condition Now sure Christ does not say Ye cannot be my Friends except you sin against me and against your Knowledge and your Conscience too 'T is strange that men should think the Heathen instance of a Witch that cryed Video meliora proboque Deteriora sequor I know and do approve of better things but cannot choose but follow these that are the worser strange that this Fury that had the Devil for Familiar should make Christ a friend that this should be the state of Gospel Saints and of Gods favourites 'T is possible some therefore go yet further to good purposes towards Obedience and have holy Intentions but this is not sufficient neither if to do his Commands be necessary for to purpose and intend to do them is not certainly to do them Yet where are any that do aim at doing any more and there is none of these but does presume upon his interest in Christ and satisfies himself and is secure Yet is it hard to find a ground of this their confidence unlesse it rise from the unhappy use they make of Gods preserving Mercies and his kindness to them in the concernments of this life They see without their cares and upon very weak intreaties indeed against all provocations both of God and danger yet his protections secure them although they neither mind the asking them nor mind the walking worthy of them The man whose Sins not Prayers prepare him for his Bed he sleeps well perhaps more soundly than he who at his Bedside throws himself on his face into Gods arms and there bequeaths himself to the Securities of the Almighty And he whose Sleeps onely refresh him for returns to Sin does often live as long as safely and as merrily as he that daily most Religiously does beg Protections from above And others that afford the Lord some little homages themselves some Prayers when their pleasures or occasions permit God hath a care of them and their desires flow into them all does succeed well with them Now they take confidence hence to conclude these are the tokens of Gods friendship and all his mercies will come in at the like easie rates that such a short petition as committed them to the refreshments of the night and after which they wak't into renewed strengths and pleasures such another shall lay them down in safety to the sleeps of that long night that afterwards will break in happy Resurrection For why God will not sure fail his own mercies but be as friendly to their Souls as he is to their Bodies And thus God's Preservations here in meer defiance of our provocations which are the arts of his long suffering his strivings of Compassion meerly to give us opportunities of being reconciled to him and to invite us to be so while we make them occasions of carelesness and security they are so far from being pledges of his Friendship that they have all the aggravations of affronted goodnesse become temptations and degrees of Ruin 'T were fine indeed if Christ's eternal preparations for his Friends would come in to us without care or doing any thing as an accession to our pleasures if when we had lived many years as in a Garden our dayes all flower'd with delight we might expire into
Paradise and in soft airs of Musick breath into Hallelujah's But alas the smooth easie way leads down the Hill and the must strive and pant that will get up into the Mansions and the Bosome of his Saviour and whosoever will be his Friend must do what he commands But is there nothing lesse indeed will qualify The Scripture saith that Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness and he was called the Friend of God James 2. 23. and then is Christ more inaccessible and harder to be made a Friend Why truely God and Christ both are so much Friends to all true Believers that the Life of Christ was given for them for God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. Nor are there any qualities more signally peculiar to friendship more engaging than confidence and trust dependance and relying embosoming my self in him Now these are but the excercise of Faith and 't is most certain if we heartily endeavour to do what he commands there is employment then for all this work of Faith place for its applications and assurances My Text does make this good But when his friendship is made over on Conditions as 't is not onely in these words but every where in Scripture there being not one promise absolute that does concern Gods favour justification and eternal Life he does not once offer Remission of sins but to those that amend their lives nay does express as if he could not give it otherwise peradventure they will repent that I may forgive them Jer. 36. 3. The promises therefore being conditionali Faith must be answerable to the Promises that it does rest on and apply and at the most can be but an assurance that you shall be partaker of what 's promised that is to say partaker of the favour and the life of Christ if ye do his commands But then if I perform not this condition to trust upon his friendship which I am not qualified for to think by Faith to receive a Pardon which in that case I am was never offered me to apply to my self promises which were never made me for none were ever made to them that do not do and to assure my self Christ will transgress his everlasting Covenant for my Vices sake meerly to give me leave to enjoy my sins will do that which God may not do forgive one that will not repent If I believe thus against promise and against Decree am confident whether Christ will or no and will rely upon him in despite of him if such a faith will make us friends affronts do reconcile This is indeed to lay violent hands on his favour and to invade his friendship and without metaphor take Heaven by force But sure I am that this is not the Faith made Abraham be called the friend of God in that place of S. James but a Faith that was perfected by doing v. 22. of that Chapter a Faith that made him offer up his onely Son upon the Altar v. 21. 'T is true he did in hope believe against all hope Rom. 4. 18. So that his faith was stronger than a contradiction but yet his resolutions of obedience seem stronger than his faith for he did that even to the cutting off the grounds of all his faith and hope He trusted God would make his promise good to him make all the Nations of the Earth be blessed in the seed of Isaac though Isaac had no seed nor could have if he should be slain And he resolved at Gods command himself to slay that Isaac so to make him have no seed His Faith indeed did not dispute the great impossibility but his obedience caused it He did not question how can God perform with me when I have offered up my Son I cannot look that a large Progeny should rise out of the Ashes on the Altar nor will those Flames that devour all my Seed at once make my seed numerous lasting and glorious as the Stars in Heaven which he promised me But much less did he question why should I obey in this He that does his commands can but expect what he hath promised but if I should do this Command and slay my Son I make his Promise void and destroy my own expectations And if I disobey I can but suffer what he bids me do my own obedience will execute all that his Indignation would threaten to my disobedience Though Abraham had three dayes time and journey to the Altar that Nature might have leisure the mean while to reason with the Precept thus and his Affection might struggle with his Duty yet he goes on resolves to tear out his own Bowels and cut off his hopes will Sacrifice his onely Son and Sacrifice Gods Promises to his Commands And then he that will trust to Abraham's example of believing yet will not follow him at all in doing will obey no Commands that is so far from offering up an onely Son he will not slay an onely evil Custome nor part with one out of the herd of all his vicious habits will not give up the satisfaction to any of his carnal worldly or ambitious appetites not Sacrifice a passion or a lust to all the Obligations that God and Christ can urge him with he hath nor faith nor friendship no nor forehead 'T is true indeed he that hath Abraham's faith may well assure himself he is Christs Friend but 't is onely on this account because he that believes as Abraham believed he will not stick to do whatever Christ commands which is that universality of obedience that is the next condition that entitles to Christs friendship and my last part Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I Command you There is no quality so necessary to a Friend or so appropriate to friendship as sincerity They that have but one Soul they can have no reserves from one another But disobedience to one Precept is inconsistent with sincerity that hath respect unto all the Commandements and he that will not do whatever Christ prescribes hath reserves of affection for some darling sin and is false to his Saviour He is an Enemy indeed so that there is no friendship on either side S. Paul sayes so of any of one kind the minding of the flesh saith he whether it be providing for the Belly or any other of the organs of Carnality is desperate incurable Rebellion Now such a Rebel is we know the worst of Enemies S. James does say as much of any of those vicious affections that are set on the world Whosoever will be a Friend of the World is an Enemy of God James 4. 4. And he calls them Adulteresses and Adulterers who think to joyn great strict Religion to some little by love of an Honour or a profit of this world Such men are like a Wife that not contented with the partner of her Bed takes in
another now and then she must not count her self her Husbands Friend though she give him the greatest share in her affections no she is but a bosome Enemy And so any one vice allowed is a paramour sin is whoredom against Christ and our pretended friendship to him in all other obediences is but the kindness and the caresses of an Adulteress the meer hypocrisie and treachery of love If it be necessary to the gaining of Christ's friendship that thou do his commands 't is necessary that thou do them all that thou divorce thy self from thy beloved sin as well as any other Because his Friendship does no more require other obedience than it does that but is as inconsistent with thy own peculiar vice as with the rest Indeed it is impossible that it should bear with any they being all his murderers If thou canst find one sin that had no hand in putting Christ to Death one vice that did not come into the garden nor upon Mount Calvary that did not help to assassin thy Saviour even take thy fill of that But if each had a stab at him if no one of thy vices could have been forgiven had not thy Jesus dyed for it canst thou expect he should have kindness for his Agony or friendship for the man that entertains his Crucifiers in his heart If worldly cares which he calls Thorns fill thy head with Contrivances of Wealth and Greatness of filling Coffers and of platting Coronets for thee as the thorns did make him a Crown too wouldst thou have him receive thee and these in his bosome to gore his Heart as they did pierce his Head If thou delight in that intemperance which filled his deadly Cup which Vomited Gall into it can he delight in thee That Cup which made him fall upon his face to deprecate will he partake in as the pledge of mutuall love He that sunk under could not bear this load of thine when it was in his Cross upon his shoulders will he bear it and thee in his armes when thou fallest under it When thou wilt cast a shameful spewing on his glory too if he own such a Friend Thou that art so familiar with his Name as thou wer't more his Friend than any in the world whose Oaths and imprecations Moses sayes strike through that Name which they so often call upon thou mayst as well think his heart did attract the Spear that pierced it and the Wound close upon its head with unions of Love as that he hath kindness for thee If Christ may make Friendship with him that does allow himself a sin he may have fellowship with Belial For him to dwell in any heart that cherisheth a vice were to descend to Hell again But as far as those Regions of Darkness are from his Habitation of Glory and the Black Spirits of that place from being any of his Guard of holy Myriads so far is he from dwelling with or being friend to him that is a friend to any wickedness to him that will not do whatever he commands And now if these conditions seem hard if any do not care to be his Friend upon these terms they may betake themselves to others Let such make themselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse A Friend indeed that hath not so much of the insincerities as many great ones have For this will furnish them with all that heart or lust can wish for all that necessity or wantonnesse proposeth to it self to dress out pomp or vice But yet when with enjoyment the affections grow and become so unquiet work them so as not to let their thoughts or actions rest make them quicken themselves and like the motions of all things that go downwards tending to the Earth increase by the continuance grow stronger and more violent towards the end then when they are most passionate it fails them And having filled their life with most unsatisfied tormenting cares it leaves them nothing but the guilt of all When their great Wealth shall shrink into a single sheet no more of it be left but a thin shroud and all their vast Inheritances but six foot of earth be gone yet the iniquity of all will stick close to them and this false Friend that does it Self forsake them will neither go along nor will let its pomp follow them raises a cry on them as high as Gods Tribunal the cry of all the Blood all the oppressed rights that bribery till then had stifled the groans of all those Poor that greatness covetousness or extortion had groun'd and crush't the yellings of those Souls that were starv'd for want of the Bread of life which yet they payed for and the price of it made those heaps which will that day appear against their Friends and Masters and prove their Adversaries to eternal Death Let others joy in Friends that Wine does get them such as have no qualification to endear them but this that they will not refuse to sin and to be sick with their Companions Men that do onely drink in their affections as full of friendship as of liquor and probably they do unload themselves of both at once part with their dearness and their drink together and alike I know not whether it be heats of mutual kindness that inflame these draughts and the desires of them so as if they did drink thirst but sure I am that these hot draughts begin the Lake of fire Let others please themselves in an affection that Carnality cements These are warm friendships I confess but Solomon will tell us whence they have their heat Her house saith he doth open into Hell and Brimstone kindles those libidinous flames There are strait bands fetters in those affections indeed for the same Wiseman sayes The Closets of that sinner are the Chambers of Death That none that go unto her return again or take hold of the paths of life it seems she is a friend that takes most irreversible dead hold she is not onely as insatiate but as inexorable as the Grave and the Eternal Chains of Fate are in those her embraces But God keep us from making such strict Covenants with Death from being at friendship with Hell or in a word that I say all at once with any that are good Companions onely in sinning Such men having no virtue in themselves must needs hate it in others as being a reproach to them and therefore they are still besieging it using all arts and stratagems to undermine it and having nothing else to recommend them into mens affections but their managery of vice no way to Merit but by serving iniquity they not onely comply with our own evil Inclinations that so they may be grateful and insinuate into us but they provoke too and inflame those tendencies that they may be more useful to us having no other means to work their ends And then such friends by the same reason must be false and treacherous and all that we declaime
fire without Metaphor So that desire alone without its satisfaction is so much of Hell and yet this is the worldly sensual mans estate exactly here on Earth for he hath nothing but desires and lusts and his condition is not easier at all for how is Tantalus more wretched than a Midas or than any covetous wretch who in the midst of affluence and heaps hungers as much as Midas did for meat and for Gold too and can touch neither for his uses so that the Worlds delights are very like the miserys of Hell and men with so much eager and impatient pursuit do but anticipate their torments and invade Damnation here And if the case be so sure there is no great self-denyal in our Psalmist here when he resolves to desire nothing upon Earth in comparison of his God 'T is no such glorious conquest of my Appetite to make it not pursue a present Hell and an eternal one annext to it before a Saviour Yet the world does so Some there are that desire Money rather and although when Judas did so this desire could not bear it self but cast all back again and though it did disgorge it burst him too the Sin it self supply'd the Law and his guilt was his Execution Yet this will not terrifie men will do the like betray a Master and a Saviour and a God onely not for so little money peradventure Others when the Lord paid his own Blood for their Redemption yet if their wrath thirsts for his Blood that does offend them their revenge makes their Enemies the sweeter blood though their own Soul bleed to death in his stream To others the deservings of the partner of an unclean moment are much greater than all that the Lord Jesus knew to merit at their hands or purchase for them And it is no wonder they are so ungrateful to their Saviour when they are so barbarous to themselves as to choose not to have present Divine Possessions rather than not suffer the vengeance of their own Appetites choose meerly to desire here though that be to do what they do in Hell rather than have in Heaven O thou my Soul if thou wilt needs desire propose at least some satisfaction to thy Appetite do not covet onely needs thirst for a feaver and desire meerly to inflame desire and Torments But seek there where all thy wants will find an infinite happy supply even in thy Saviour covet the riches of his Grace and Goodnesse thirst for the fountain opened for transgression for the waters of the well of Life desire him that is the desire of all Nations yet why should we desire even him when we have him in Heaven and we have nothing upon Earth left to desire but that God who hath exalted him unto his Kingdom in Heaven would in his due time exalt us also to the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone before To whom c. SERMON VII VVHITE-HALL Third Wednesday in LENT 1663 4. MARK I. 3. Prepare ye the way of the Lord. I Shall not break this single short Command asunder into Parts but shall instead of doing that observe three Advents of our Saviour in this Life before that last to Judgment For each of which as it must concern us there must be preparation made by us In pressing which I do not mean to urge you to do that which none but God can do It is not in man to direct his own wayes much lesse the Lords The very preparations of the Heart are from Him Therefore supposing the preventings of his Graces I shall subjoyn that the Comporting with those graces the using of his strengths to the rooting out of our selves all aversation to Virtue and all love of Vice and planting other inclinations even Resolutions of good life is the onely thing that can make way for Christ and for his benefits Now of those Advents the First was when he came Commission'd by God to reveal his Will to propose the Gospel to our belief the coming of Christ as a Prophet which particularly is intended in the Text. The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it is written prepare ye the way of the Lord. The Second was that coming which the Prophet Isay did foresee and in the astonishment of Vision askt Who is this that comes from Edom with dy'd garments from Bozrah travelling in the greatness of his Strength Why is he red in his Apparrel and his garments like him that treadeth in the Wine-fat And it was the prospect of him when he came to tread the Wine press of the Wrath of God to Sacrifice himself for us upon the Crosse his coming as a Priest The Third is when he comes to visit for Iniquity coming coercively as a King with his Iron Rod to execute his threats on the rebellious those that will not have him reign over them This coming also was considered in my Text for in the parallel place of S. Matth. it is said Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand for this is he of whom it was spoken by the Prophet Esaias saying the Voyce of one crying in the Wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord. For each of these in order I shall shew you what prepares his way beginning with the first His coming as a Prophet appearing in the World to reveal his Father's Will the Gospel Now the Preparative for this Appearance is discovered easily we find both in this Chapter and the parallel places that John came to make way for it by the Baptism and Preaching of Repentance and it was Prophecied of him that he should go before him in the Spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the Fathers with the Children and the Disobedient to the Wisdom of the Just to the minding of just things so to make ready a people prepared for the Lord Luke 1. 17. And this is a preparative so necessary that the Nation of the Jewes affirm it is meerly for the want of this that he does yet deferr his coming And though the appointed time for it be past yet because of their sinfulnesse and impenitence he does not appear adding If Israel Repent but one day presently the Messias cometh And it is thus far true that though it hindred not his coming yet it hindred his receiving although it did not make him stay it made him be refus'd I may lay all down in this Proposition Where there is not the preparation of Repentance where there are not inclinations and desires for Virtue if Christ come with the glad tidings of the Gospel He is sure to be rejected his Religion disbeliev'd If the Word of the Son of God might be taken in his own case this would be soon evinc't for when He came unto his own they were so far from preparing his way that they received him not but did reject and would not entertain him as one sent from God of all this he onely
'T is said indeed the Covetous man is an Idolater And here we see the God he does do homage to and worship The Devil does require that those whom he gives wealth to now 't is he that gives it to the Covetous to all indeed that get it with injustice or with greediness he requires I say that these should pay all their Religion to Himself And the Ambitious in however high a place he sets them must fall down to him And truly these two dispositions can give worship to no other God but such an one as is Abaddon the Destroyer of Mankind For all the great Commotions of the World all those Convulsions that tear Provinces and Empires all Seditions and Rebellions with those armies of iniquities that attend them and that wage their designs which are upheld by legions of villanies as well as men all the Disturbances of States and Church are but attempts of Covetous and Ambitious spirits men that are unsatisfied with their condition and desire a change and care not how they compass it They can charge through seas of Blood and Sin over the face of men and Conscience to get out of that condition which they therefore are not well content with because something they like better beckens their ambitious and their covetous desires Would you see what one of these will venture at When Christ our Saviour was to be betrayed when a Person of the Godhead was to be delivered up and Crucified the Devil had no passion to imploy on that design so fit as the desire of getting money and when that desire was once entertain'd we see he enters really in person and possesses such a Soul and when he is there he designs no farther but to warm and stir that passion 'T is sufficient fruit of his possession he hath done enough in such an heart wherein he dwells if he but keep alive that desire of Money For he knows that will make the man adventure upon any guilt for it made Judas undertake to betray Christ. And as for the other passion which the Devil did design the glories of his prospect to give fire to though he could not stir it in our Saviour yet he knew it vanquisht him himself when he was Angel What height is there which Amibtion will not flie at since it made this spirit aim at an equality with the Most High Heaven it self was not sufficient to content him while there was a God above him in it And since this affection peopled Hell with Devils 't is no wonder if it people Earth with Miseries and Vices 5. The remaining Trial with which Satan did assault our Saviour when he tempted him with Scripture and God's Promises and sought to ruine him with his own priviledges with that also 6. His being a lying spirit in the mouth of all the Prophets by which long ago he did destroy an Ahah in the 1 Kings 22. 22. But fince by sad experience we know he ruined the best King purest Church and most flourishing State by the same Strategem But these with those other which S. Paul does call his wiles I must omit sufficient hath been said already to inforce the necessity of resisting which is the Duty and the next confiderable Resist the Devil That is do not you consent to his Temptations for there is no more required of us but this onely not to be willing to be taken and led captive by him For let him suggest incite assault and storm us no impression can be made upon us till we yield and till we give consent no hurt is done It is not here as in our other wars In those no resolution can secure the Victory but notwithstanding all resistance possible we may be vanquisht yea sometime men are overprest and die with Conquering and the Victor onely gains a Monument is but buried in the heaps of his slain Trophies But in these wars with the Devil whosoever is unwilling to be vanquisht never can be For he must first give consent to it and will the ruine for men do not sin against their wills Onely here we must distinguish betwixt Will and thin Velleity and Woulding For let no man think when he commits deliberate iniquity with aversenesse and reluctancy of mind allows not what he does but does the evil that he would not what he hates that he does that this is not to be imputed to the Will that in this case he is not willing but here the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak and yields through meer infirmity For on the contrary the Devil finds the Flesh so strong in this case that with it alone he does assault the mind and breaks through its reluctancies and aversations bears down all its resolutions triumphs over all that does pretend to God or Vertue in him Where 't is thus let no man flatter or perswade himself he does what he would not when it is plain he does impetuously will the doing it Let him not think that he allows not but hates that which he does when it is certain in that moment that he does commit not to allow that which he does resolve and pitch upon and chuse to hate what with complacency he acts or to do that unwillingly which he is wrought on by his own Concupiscence to do and by his inward incitations by the mutiny of his own affections which the Devil raises and when it is the meer height and prevailency of his appetite that does make him do it as it must be where there is reluctancy before he do it his desires and affections there are evidently too strong for him or at last to hate the doing that which 't is his too much love to that makes him do are all impossibilities the same things as to will against the will desire against appetite But do but keep thy self sincerely and in truth from being willing and thou must be safe For God expects no more but that we should not voluntarily yield to our undoing He hath furnisht us with his own compleat Armour for no farther uses of a War but to encourage us to stand Take unto you the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil And again Put ye on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand There is no need to do more than this not to be willing and consent to fall for no man can be beaten down but he that will fall It were very easie for me to prescribe you how to fortifie against those Engines of the Devils battery which I produced to you But that I may not stay upon particulars directing those whom he prevails upon through want of Imployment to find out honest occasions not to be idle and sure it is the most unhappy thing in the world for any man to be necessitated to be vicious by his having nothing
that God does seem to condescend as far in this his Treaty as in coming down from Godhead into Flesh there is Exinanition in his yieldings and complyance He sent his Son to move us to be reconciled as if he did acknowledge us the offended party and as if he meant to give us satisfaction in his Blood he dyes upon the Crosse to effect that reconciliation When our Saviour would magnify a love he thus expresses it Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friend But behold here is greater love for Christ commended his love to us in that when we were Enemies he dyed for us onely out of hopes to make us friends Love strong as death indeed that brought him to the grave who could not dye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affection violent as Hell that brought God to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and made him descend to Hell For so low he stoopt thus he humbled himself to perswade us to be reconcil'd and to prevail with us to be at peace with God And is a Reconciliation with the Lord so hateful to us that we will be Enemies to the Crosse that works it are we so assur'd of worsting God Almighty that we will resist whatever makes towards a peace with him are the sinners expectations so tempting do we look for such advantage from the Covenant we have made with Death and the agreement we are at with Hell that we will have the League defensive and offensive will be foes to their foes and will have War with God because he is their Enemy are we thus resolv'd to be reveng'd upon the Triumphs of the Crosse and because our Saviour spoyled Principalities and Powers triumphing over them on it therefore set our selves against that Trophee of his Victories over our friends the Devil and his Fiends is the love of Christ so injurious to us that we will be Enemies to the Expresses of it and when his affection threw him down so low for our sakes humbled him to Hell to beg and to procure our friendship will we go to trample on him there rather than not go thither and rather than we will not be for ever there Was it not for this O blessed Saviour that thou didst pray against thy Cup so earnestly because of Man's ingrateful enmity to it because thou wast to suffer God Almightys Indignation in it and the Sinners hatred for it because it was the Cup of the Lords fury and Man 's also God squeezed into it all the dregs of his Wrath and man scornfully spits into it and when the one will make thee drink it up the other throws it in thy face was it not because thou wert to take a Crosse up which thou couldst not bear the Torments of and Man will not endure the Blessings of but most despitefully treads down that Cross while thou art sinking under it laden with their weight This is alas a state so sad that neither S. Pauls tears nor Christ's Blood hath sufficient compassion for And yet though one wept the other dyed for them these men have neither tears nor pitty for themselves Yet one would think this were a subject worthy of them 'T is storied of Xerxes that when he took a view of his vast Army which he went to Conquer Greece with an Army such as the Sun never saw and it could scarce see that which the Historian sayes did Coelo minitari tenebras as it cover'd and drank up the Sea and took up and devour'd the Earth so it did seem to darken Heaven too An Army which consisted saith Herodotus when muster'd at Thermopylae of Five Millions two hundred eighty three thousand two hundred and twenty Men besides Laundresses Harlots and Horses and it had Twelve hundred Gallies for Sea fight besides Twenty hundred Ships for carriage when upon this view he had for a while gloryed in his happinesse to behold and Command so many Nations and so Powerfull a Fleet and Army notwithstanding on a sudden he burst into Tears on this Consideration that in one Hundred years there should not one survive of that great marvellous multitude And truely through his folly in one hundred weeks scarce any one but was the prey of Enemies and Death and Infamy But 't is a sadder Contemplation to reflect on the far greater Armie of the Enemies of the Crosse who if they do not end that quarrel will in fewer years be all dead and in Hell I know not whether such a sad reflexion called out S. Paul's Tears but sure I am it does deserve their own And there is nothing will avail in their behalf without their tears It may be tears are piteous things for such brave Sinners But then what will these insulting Enemies of the Cross do when they shall see that Sign of the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven When this Crosse shall usher in the great Assize When they shall look on him that they have pierced and Crucified upon it And when that Crucified offended Enemy shall come there to be their Judge That takes himself to be offended much more in his kindnesse than his Person and will judge this more severely that we would not let his Crosse and Passion do us any good than that we Crucified him on it Let us then be caution'd in the fear of God to be no longer Enemies to that which is to reconcile our Judge to us If we have his Friendship on the Crosse we may be sure to have it on the Judgment Seat He that on the Crosse parted with Godhead and with Life for us will on the Bench adjudge us that Inheritance which his Crosse did purchase for us He sits there to pronounce Happinesse upon all faithful sincere Christians to proclaim Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you To which c. SERMON XV. WHITE-HALL Novemb. 15. 1668. MARKE X. 15. Verily I say unto you whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little Child he shall not enter therein THE Kingdom of God especially as it concerns the forepart of the Text signifies nothing else but that of the Messiah or in one word Christianity and that both as to the profession and the practise the Doctrine and the life of it For so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which Theophylact expounds the words the Preaching of the Doctrine is it self called the Kingdom of God by our Saviour Mat. 21. 42. 'T is not delivering of a message onely in weak empty words 't is Jurisdiction and exercise of Soveraignty And the Commission that authoriz'd to it was the delegation of the Powers of Omnipotence All Power saith our Lord is given to me both in Heaven and in Earth and which the Syriack adds in that place also as my Father sent me so send I you go ye therefore and teach all Nations teaching them to observe whatsoever I have Commanded you As if this were
the discoveries of the earth assure himself our constant Navigations which perswade us 't is a Globe inhabited on both sides bring home from the Indies nothing else but false relations and that indeed there are no Indies I need not urge how Christianity approves it self even to the reasoning of the sober part of mankind and the morality of it had the suffrage of the world before it self appeared for while the evidence stands good if the matter of fact be true the doctrine must be true and the commands obey'd and to use such arguings to refell such matter of fact is just like that which Zeno did attempt namely by subtilties to prove it was impossible there could be any motion while another did disturb his lecture by his motion up and down the Schools it is the same thing as to take a bowle to cut with or the vessels of the Danaid's to carry water in for such reasonings are alike improper for that work And indeed these arguings are not the exceptions of reason but the struglings of mens vices against Religion And it must be impossible so many thousands would give up their bodies rather then their Bibles to the fire in Dioclesian's days because it is a book which they can find no other pleasure in but that of railling it or helping them with subjects to be prophane upon It must be false that Christ did feed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 small fishes till 12 baskets full of broken pieces did remain yet not so much because they know not how their eating could nourish the victuals so and make it grow as because they are angry with the worker of the miracle who forbids and upbraids the excesses of their luxury which can easily and does daily consume the price of that that would suffice 5000 without miracle on 5 single persons and all that when 't is drest according to the modern mode of eating well dissolved turned into juyces and exalted into the Elixir of the Epicure shall leave alas no broken pieces for the alms-basket this is the quarrel this does make the miracle impossible And yet methinks upon the same account they should allow that at a feast he turned so many pots of water into wine because that seems to gratifie the thirsts of their intemperance In fine we do not live as men prepared or willing to be called to an account of all our doings therefore we have no mind to rise again to give it when we are thus minded it is not hard to meet with difficulties that encourage the opinion that we shall not rise Which difficulties when we look into we cannot find how it is possible we can be raised and 't is easie then to think we cannot that it is impossible especially when it is our will and interest to think so and then it must be false whatever is in Scripture that we shall These are the processes of those that reason against Christianity such the grounds that they dispute upon but their reasons are but Sophisms of lust and interest which will guild and paint whatever they are much in love with and it is no wonder they find colours for it and can think them reasons for they always did so against present evident conviction When Moses by his miracles endeavoured to let Pharaoh know who was the Lord and to persuade him to let Israel go while God permitted the Magicians to counterfeit those miracles it lookt like reasonable indeed that Pharaoh should not be convinced but when they could not imitate but did confess the finger of the Lord and themselves Suffered those plagues which they could not either conjure up or down then if Pharaoh will not be persuaded 't is plain nothing but his interests not the wonders which were wrought by the Magicians were the reasons that prevailed with him for those were not reasons against more and greater miracles yet they were effectual with him to the destruction of himself and his nation Again when they who knew the mighty works Christ did and were forewarned by him of false Christs and false Prophets that would come with signs and lying wonders God allowing Sathan leave to struggle at his last gasp and to make a blaze when he was to fall from Heaven as lightning but far beneath the glory of his onely begotten Son when they who knew both these chose yet to follow a Barchocab a false falling Meteor who came indeed with greater shew and not with such strict mortifying Doctrines nor onely with the thin encouragement of after-expectations as Christ did for he gave them hopes of present temporal enjoyments but he did no wonder besides spitting fire S. Jerome says and throwing great stones from his knee as from an engine say his followers which yet could not scare the Souldiers neither did the Roman Eagles which were true-bred fear those flames he spate but destroyed some millions of them Now 't is evident by the comparison of the several signs that Christ and this Barchocab wrought the only reasons that gave efficacy to that sleight imposture and did make it over-power Christs mighty works was their earthly desires and affections which Christs severe Doctrines could not gratifie and therefore they receiving not the love of the truth but having pleasure in unrighteousness gave themselves up to delusions to believe a lie yet still those delusions went for reason with them Once more Tertullian challenging the Heathen says Produce before your judgment sâ—ats some whom you will of those who are inspired by any of your Gods when gaping ore the Altar they have in its fumes according to their custom taken in the Deity till they are great with it ructando conantur while they are in travel with him as it were have belching throws that they burst almost till they are delivered of the inspiration while it is thus let but any Christian adjure them by the name of Christ and if the spirits that they are possest with do not presently confess that they are devils ibidem illius Christiani procacissimi sanguinem fundite let the sawcy petulant Christian lose his life He speaks of this as a known frequent trial And Minutius Felix says their chiefest Gods have been forced out of their Votaries and acknowledged they were evil spirits Now here was reason and experience the miracle was so evident that Tertullian bragging says do not believe it if your eys and ears can suffer you and the reason was more pressing then the fact Nec enim Divinitas deputanda est quae subdita est homini it being most impossible that that should be a God which a man could rule and triumph over so imperiously manage him as with a bare command to force him from his hold and make him shame himself so villainously before both his adorers and his enemies as to say He was a Devil Yet the Heathens still found colours to do out all this conviction and their old acquaintance with their Gods together with the custom
hath almost undone us and truly where it does not better it is the most fearful of Gods Attributes or Plagues for it does harden there S. Paul says so in the forecited place and Origen does prove this very thing did harden Pharaâ—hs heart indulgence was his induration Now induration is the being put in Hell upon the Earth There is the same impenitence in both and judgment is pronounced already on the hardned and the life they lead is but the interval betwixt the Sentence and the Execution and all their sunshine of Prosperity is but kindled Brimstone onely without the stench And then to make the treasures of Gods bounty be treasures of vvrath to us to make his kindness his long-suffering that is S. Peter says salvation condemn us his very goodness be Hell to us But sure so great a goodness as this we have tasted cannot have such deadly issues and it was great indeed so perfectly miraculous in such strange and continued successes resisting our contrivances and our sins too over-coming all opposition of our vices and our own policies that do not comport with it and in despight of all still doing us good it was fatality of goodness Now sure that which is so victorious will not be worsted by us But Oh! have we not reason so much more to fear the goodness The greater and more undeserved it is the more suspicious it is As if it were the last bâ—azâ— of the Candle of the Lord when its light gasps its flâ—sh of shine before it do go out the dying struggles and extream efforts of goodness to see if at the last any thing can be wâ—oughâ— by it And if we did consider how some men menage the present goodness make use of this time of it and take and catch we would believe they did â—ear the departure of it But vet it is in our power to fix it here If we repent Gods gifts then are witâ— out repentance but one of us must change Bâ—ing Piety and Vertue into countenance and fashion and God will dwell among us Nay S. Paul says Goodness to thee if thou continue in his goodness If we our selves do not forsake it and renounce it not fear it so aâ— to flâ—â— from it but with the fears of sinking men that catch anâ— grasp lay fast dead hold upon it if as God promâ—ses he so put his fear in our hearts that vve never depart from it fear that hath love in it and is as unitive as that then it shâ—ll never depart from us but we shall see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living and shall be taken thence to the eternal fulness of it This day shall be the Birth-day of Immortal Life the entring on a Kingdom that cannot be moved A Crown tâ—us beautified is a Crovvn of glory here and shall add weight and splendor to the Crown hereafter A Church thus furnished is a Church Tâ—umphant in this World and such a Government is the Kingdom of Heaven upon Earth and then we shall all reign with him who is the King of Kings and vvho vvashed us in his Blood to make us Kings and Priests to God and his Father To vvhom be glory and dominion for ever Amen FINIS SERMON XVIII AT CHRIST'S-CHURCH in Oxford on St. Steven's Day MATTH V. 44. But I say unto you love your Enemies blesse them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you I Need no Artifice to tie this Subject and this Day together The Saint whose memory we celebrate was the Martyr of this Text and 't is impossible to keep the Feast but by a resolution of obeying these Commands you being call'd together on this day to beseech God to grant that you by the example of this first Martyr St. Stephen who pray'd for his Murderers may learn to love your Enemies and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you A strange command in an age in which we scarcely can finde men that love their friends nor any thing but that which serves their interests or pleasures that indeed love nothing but themselves nor is it onely injury that works their hate and enmity but difference in opinion divides hearts and men are never to be reconcil'd that have not the same mind in every thing as if one Heaven should not hold them that have not one judgement in all things we see that one Church cannot hold them and they that have but one same God one Redeemer and Saviour one Holy Spirit of Supplication cannot agree yet in one Prayer to him though they have but one same thing to pray for to him will not meet in their Worship because they doe not in some Sentiments and 't is no wonder all Christ's reasonings and upbraidings all the Advantages He does propose to them that love the shames he casts on them that doe not by putting them out of his Train into the condemnation of Publicans 't is no wonder all this does not work with them whom their own sufferings and black Calamities will not convince There is not one of us but knows that thus our miseries began but few years since and yet we that have suffered for and by our Divisions whose quarrels wounded the whole Nation and our selves who have wept so much bloud at once to vent and to bewail our differences are still as full of the same animosities as ever and want nothing but opportunity to confound all again Religion and our selves And in the name of God what did Christ mean when He prescrib'd this Precept when he disputed prest it thus or what doe Christians mean when they doe break and tear this Precept and themselves Though I be farre from any hopes to reconcile our Parties as by Gods help I shall ever be from making any yet I will offer an Expedient to make them not so noxious namely if they will keep the differences of their judgements from breaking out into their affections and actions And though while meekness and obedience to Governours and the whole constellation of Gospel-graces doe not seem to shine so fair as man's own reputation or humor or possibly some strict opinion which they have own'd and the shew of holiness that glitters in it while 't is thus I say we cannot look any party will yield all doe or will believe themselves to be in the right Yet I will give them leave to think so and my prescription shall concern them equally although they be and by addressing my Discourse to them that are so really I shall conclude more forcibly them that are not who ere they be for sure I am none can be more in the right than those whom Christ lays this injunction upon than his Disciples and Apostles as relating to those that would be their Enemies as such yet 't is to them he speaks here I say unto you love your enemies c. The words
wrong From his own eyes this Love too like that in the Poets cannot see yea covers all that is not fit for light suffers onely the graces to be naked near him and not to name all which you may find there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 7. believeth all things however incompatible to love and to be wise have been accounted yet this Love is 8. James his Wisdome that came down from Heaven Cap. 3. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to inâ—erpret any thing to the most favourable sense and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easie to be persuaded still believes the best and where it cannot yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hopes the best Affection while it lives cannot despair for then it must deposite its desires which are onely the warmth of Love and till it die cool not but if all do not answer hopes yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he does wait for it is not discourag'd with relapses and the repetitions of injuries but still expects and suffers all the contradictions of spite and wrong Now if all these acts and the many other there are essential to Love and all be under Obligation and S. Paul says there they are so much Duty that without these performances all Faith and all Graces profit nothing the preaching Rhetorick of men and Angels would be nothing else but tinkling and working Miracles but shewing tricks It follows then these acts must necessarily have a certain object there must be some body that we are bound to love thus and if that Object be our Neighbour as that is most sure 't is clear my Neighbours injury or hate or enmity to me cannot take off nor yet diminish in the least that obligation I have to all those acts but I must love him though he be mine enemy in every of those instances For it is plain his having wrong'd me does not make him cease to be my Neighbour nay more that enâ—ity does formally dispose and quallifie my Neighbour for the object of my love and many of its acts cannot relate but to a man that injures me it must be in respect to provocations that love is said to cool into such a temper as is not easily provokt For men are not provokt with kindnesses I cannot suffer any thing but wrong nor suffer long except there be continuation and frequency of wrongs Nor is it possible I should forgive unlesse it be offences done against me And so for divers of the rest Now it were strange the Enemy should supersede the obligation of that Duty which cannot be a Duty but in order to an Enemy that injury should give me a release from doing that which I can never have cause or occasion to do but in the case of injury that I should have leave not to obey the Command for that meer reason which alone makes it possible to obey it and which alone makes the Command whereas indeed because I must needs love in these expresses therefore he must needs be my Enemy whom I must love But if he be without all provocation very unjustly so if his hate be his sin so that he hath offended God too in it may I not then espouse Gods quarrel thus farre not to love his Enemy if I must mine own not to love the injurious the sinner Vice certainly is the most hatefull thing that is and therefore it must needs render the subject not to be belov'd accordingly 't is said that the ungodly and his ungodliness are both alike hatefull unto God Wisd. 14. 9. and David does comply with God in this Psalm 139. Do not I hate them O Lord that hate Thee yea I hate them with perfect hatred I count them mine enemies And when I reflect on mine under this Noâ—on or if mine be such as set themselves against Religion and the peace and quietnesse of the Church am I bound to love them if so then I may be allow'd to do it with a little regret sure But yet if we consider how these in the Text are designated by that Appropriation your enemies which means those that hate you my Disciples those that in the last words of my Text will persecute you even for your being mine and yet those they are bid to love we may conclude in the next place we may not hate our enemies as Sinners nor yet does enmity with God his Church or his Religion qualifie a person for our aversation or mischiefs I except here Apostacy and utter obduration in it a state that incapacitates for mercy and by consequence for love and kindnesse There is a sin which S. John would not say that we should pray for and the Church thought that there was such a sinner Julian but as to lesse degrees they that are suppos'd to persecute Disciples and in doing so persecute Christ himself may well be granted sinners enemies to God and Christianity but yet says he I say unto you love these your enemies Tertullian understood this so and writing to the Governour of Carthage who threatned all the Christians of that Province with Excision that he might persuade him from his purpose thus began his Proposals We do not write as fearing for our selves or dreading any thing that we are like to suffer for we did enter our Religion on the condition of suffering we covenanted to endure and staked our lives when we began our profession but 't is for you we fear for you our enemies whom our Religion does command us to love and to do good to And though we must hate Vice and do our best to root out Infidelity and Atheisme destroy Profanenesse irreligion and Heresie and Schism these are fit objects for the zeals of Hate and for the feavers of our Passion and if our enemies be such we may meetly endeavour they may have appropriate restraints yet not to exercise the acts of Charity and kindnesse to them we have no allowance no sins can make it lawfull for us to ruine or not to do good to the Sinners In fine the onely persons that the Jews pretended to have ground to hate were Enemies and enemies indeed to their Religion the Idolatrous Gentile-world therefore that being now forbid to us there is no sort of men nor any man whom it is lawfull for a Christian not to love and all the reasons urg'd here by our Saviour do prove that all mankind whether good or bad is the object of a Christians love because God does good to all his methods of Mercies are universall he makes his Clouds drop fatnesse even upon them that consume the encrease on their Lusts and sacrifice it to their Riots making their belly be their God he gives abundance of his good things unto those that love them onely as they advantage Vanity and Sin and that turn Gods store into provision for Vice and for Destruction He gives gold to them that make gold their Idol and bestows large portions of earth on them that are Children of Hell and them who
for the pleasures of that Earth despise his Heaven Yea the whole order of things does teach us this the Creatures do service to the whole kind they acknowledge the man and not the Countrey-man and Friend but alike the rich and poor the good and gratefull the wicked and ungratefull too The Sun does not collect his Rays and shed more day to guild the gaudy and gay person whose Cloaths and Jewels will reflect his light return him as much almost as he sends and vie brightnesse with him then he does to the poor dark sordid raggs that even damp his beams he sheds the same unpall'd Day even on those men that draw such streams of bloud as with their mists endeavour to put out or stain his shine the Ayr gives breath to them that putrifie it as well as those that send it out a Perfume Yea the Creatures of sense and perception do not yet discriminate their Lords but with that same indifference serve all the Oxe knows his Owner and the Asse his Master not his Religion nor his Vertues and then as there is something in man as man which God is kind to something in man as man for which the Creatures serve so there is something in man as he is man which we must love and consequently we must love every man And till thou hast found one so much a Monster that no Creature will fear or obey and such a one as God will shew no kindnesse to at all will not let his Sun shine or his Rain rain upon but while as others are in Goshen sets him in the storm and dark of Egypt till then I say thou hast not found a person whom thou mayst not love no though he be thine enemy in mind and thought in deed for if he Curse thee thou must bless and must do good to him which hates thee which are the particular expresses of the love in the Text the first of which is Bless them that Curse you BLess being here oppos'd to Curse must signifie wish well to them that wish you evil though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also do import speak well of as that is oppos'd to railing 1 Pet. 3. 9. not rendring railing for railing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but contrariwise Blessing And both are the duty of this place which does intend that all sorts of loving words should be the Christians returns to the offences of the tongue whether by Curse or contumely And truly when I do consider how the other way the rendring like for like and giving him that does with or speak evil as good language as he brings is so far from all shadow of compensation that there is really a loss of honour in those dismal imprecating words the anger that does belch them out does swell and stretch and rack the passion blushes at it self the malice drinks those spirits up which it lurks in and the envy that Snake sucks all the blood away leaves nothing but its own pale venim in the stead In a word the very Essence of impatience is vexation and fret and then that men should call that recompence for suffering which is it self a present agony and hath no prospect of any after-good that they should satisfie themselves in that does make that bold assertion of the Râ—manist who says that those in Hell do will and love their being there not strange at all for indeed there is one and the same reason of both that in the paroxysme of a passion whensoever a man is seiz'd by an affection with violence as they in Hell are alwayes and those that speak evil are for the present He does for that time love cherish and pursue the affection and in good earnest if so be that men can please themselves in the extreme impatience of a fruitless choler it looks like demonstration that the damn'd may please themselves in their damnation as to that part of it that which tears the Soul the rage of its own passions when they are loose and unmuzzel'd and the more because we have good reason to believe theirs are the very passions we are now upon Envy and Hate and Shame and they do vent themselves in the same manner too in Blasphemy and Curses and differ nothing but that their's are endless and then let such men please themselves in the returnes of calumny and imprecations we will allow them the delights of Hell in doing so and they do tast those very onely satisfactions that the fiends do in their torments and much good may they do them 'T is true then what the Psalmist says that he who thus delights in Carsing it shall enter into his bowels like water and like oyl into his bones like pleasure and refreshment like water to allay his passionate heats and oyl to make him chearful after his vexation for so indeed the venting of his Curses seems to do but alas if to powre them out do make them enter into him into his bowels and his bones his most substantial parts and his most necessary inwards if it leave nothing there but Curse poysâ—n instead of marrow in the bones and in the bowels fiery indignation for water if this be the effect then if you do resolve not to obey the Text and will not love your Enemy yet for your own sakes out of self-love do not execute your Enemies ill wishes on your selves and in meer spite to him make all his maledictions come to pass upon you but that blessing may not be far from you Bless them that Curse you do good to them that hate you the next part Do good If to do good mean onely those acts of charity that are under general prâ—cept relâ—eve necessities help in needs and the like then it is plain anothers hate to me takes not away my obligation unless it take away his wants and the wrongs he hath done me do not render me not bound to succour him unless it put him in a state that needs no succour For if thâ—ne Enemy hunger thou must feed him if he thirst give him drink Rom. 12. 20 Yea though his hatred be to thy Religion Do good to all the Scripture says and the Father porrig at manum Jupiter accipiet If the heathen Idols that have mouths indeed but as they cannot speak so neither can they eat if they I say could hunger and did ask I would feed them and I would give their God that is the Devil if he wanted But if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie do kindness and favours be good as that means bountiful and full of courtesies and grace be more then merciful by rule and general command which the Gospel calls righteous and truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Tim. 3. 1. does mean a work of excellency in a state of virtue without precept and if it be so here too enmity seems to have advantage above friendship in the Gospel and brings kindness under an obligation graces and favours that in their
notation and effence imploy the being free yet are not so to hatred which hath by Christs Law just pretences to them I will not be too positive in my affirmings yet from the words will offer this that if a kindness lye before me and I have no reason to deny it a man but this because he hates me I must not deny it him and if Christs reasonings do inforce the other it will conclude this too For if we must relieve the wants of them that hate us that we may be children of our Father who does so upon the same account we must be good and kind too to them for he is and he will scarce prove a true lawful issue of this Father who is in this unlike to him that tries and owns his progeny by these resemblances So that what ever strength of argument there is in one the other hath it And truly we have reason to believe that there is more then motive in it when first Christ hath set this principle both to himself and us with what measure you meet it shall be measured to you again Matt. 7. 2. As if the Lord had brought himself into that law of Justice with us men whatsoever ye would that others should do to you do you also to them and it be also whatsoever ye would that God should do unto you do ye also to others and Secondly when he practiseth just at the rates we do for with the froward God learns frowardness and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is kind to the kind so Ps. 18. 25. recals a grace from him that would not do one Matt. 18. from 23 nay thirdly when he gives us leave to beg his kindnesses but just in the proportion we do ours forgive as we forgive we ask no more and praying so we undertake to have endeavoured thus assure God that we practice so and upon that score beg Now he that will forgive to the bounds of necessity but never into favour there he will stay his hand will so much serve his turn from God And can he be content with such a portion Take heed O severe man what thou dost ask when thou dost put up this petition As thou shouldest say I knew that notwithstanding we offend God constantly yet besides all the mercies of his Covenant and that 's a Covenant of Grace his kindness too is over all his works he does not onely furnish our necessities but serves our pleasures and our fancies prevents us with the blessings of his goodness and watches over us and waits to be kind to us in the rescues of his providence and beyond these gives us means of Salvation more than barely sufficient the plenties of his grace the five and ten Talents the expresses of his temporal spiritual and eternal favours towards them that provoke him are as immense and as innumerable as their guilts but all these I shall rather part with then be good and do favours to him that is mine Enemy I will never have any kindness for that man that hates me nor do I beg any of Thee O Lord. And wouldest thou say all this to God if it were put in words at length in thy petition Or dost thou think thou dost not say as much in praying so And thou that makest so ill requests for thy on self how wilt thou pray for them that despitefully use thee persecure thee which is the last particular command Pray for them that dispitefully use you and persecute you As in this character of enemies Christ hath not left out any thing that does express hâ—stility hating in heart cursing in word and persecution in deed and which to some is more provoking than a persecution despiteful usage for persecution may make them serious and look at their demerits the other onely stirs their splâ—en and gall all which all that an enemy canspeak or wish or do must be no â—ar to our affection so to express the unfeignedness of that he hath not left out any exercise of love we must speak well of them but that a crafty passion may do and blessing may be but more plausible and cunning hatred we must therefore also do good to them but this a generous pride may do as knowing it more glorious to raise up a distressed adversary thâ—n to trample on him when he is down and to make him my creature rather then my footstool All this I may do therefore yet love nothing but my vanity or my designs but when I take my enemy into my Closer and into my heart give him a share in the petitions of my soul devide the aâ—ms and interests of my devotion to hâ—m and make my prayers concern'd in the forgivness of his sins as of my own there 's nothing but obedience to my Saviour and the love of my enemy can make a man do this and truly t is a piece of kindness that is as necessary for our selves as those that injure us For them it is very necessary for persecution or despightful usage offending God as by a disobedience to his precept so also by the suffering it does inflict on man to forgive or require which that man hath right God does not use to put the injur'd person by this right or by his paramont Authority assume to pardon the mans part of the wrong but does retain the sin till that either in deed ordesire be satisfied for or remitted there being till then an obstruction to Gods forgivness for till then the man hath not repented but when the sufferer does pray for him in doing so he pleads that that obstruction is remov'd that his part is remitted and so leaves no bar in the way to that pardon which he begs for him of God and which that bar being gone the Lord is us'd to grant with all advantage the prayers of our Martyr in the seventh of the Acts are a demonstration to which the Fathers say the Church did owe not onely her deliverance from all the violent intentions of Soul but all that Christianity which St. Paul planted the dying voice of that petition Lord lay not this sin to their charge was answered by that voyce from Heaven which converted Saul in his career of fury one prayer for a persecuter puts an end to persecution si stephanus non orass et Ecclesia non habuisset Paulum Jobs miserable comforters whose visits prov'd afflictions to him could not at one themselves to God by their burnt offerings but Job must pray for them 42. Chr. 8. seven Bullocks and seven Rams cannot expiate but one petition from the sufferer will do it for him I will accept saith God and he accepted him not for them onely but for himself for the Lord turned the Captivity of Job when he prayed for them vers 10. These intercessions speed sooner then direct supplications and such a petition is heard to ourselves when t is made for others And reason good for such requests lay the condition of our