of a contemplative and active mind that leads us thorough sensible apartments into the presence of the invisible God and by acquainting us first with his Existence brings us by gentle steps to the study of his Nature and to the imitation and enjoyment of it I say when we reflect considerately and duly upon these things we are then plainly and certainly convinced not only that God is and that he is a Being at rest within himself that there are no Storms no Billows in his Notion no Troubles or Anxieties belong to his Idea but also in the language of the Psalmist that his mercy is over all his works and that the Emanations of that mercy upon his Creatures in proportion to their respective capacity to be the Objects of it are every whit as kind and gracious with respect to them as the reflex acts of his own eternal mind the sense and self-enjoyment of his immortal Nature are kind and propitious and happy to himself Lastly when we consider attentively with our selves that these things are not thus peradventure or by chance or at certain times and seasons like the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea or the encrease and waining of the Moon as it were some lucid intervals of the Divine goodness some certain fits of mercy and compassion which have rather the appearance of infirmity than perfection but that they are all of them regular and constant and that his Providence goes on in an uninterrupted course thorough all Times and Ages to let us know and feel that his mercy is everlasting and that his truth endureth from generation to generation from hence we learn that his goodness is every whit as steady and as constant as it is diffusive and large that in the Ancient of days there is no vicissitude no decay of Nature but that he is the same yesterday to day and for ever in whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning that he is not a being of Arbitrary Will and Power but that Goodness is rooted and riveted in his Nature and that it is altogether inseparable from it nay that it is his Essence his very Life and Being according to that expression of St. John that God is love he that loveth not saith he knoweth not God for God is love He is not Arbitrary undetermind's power indifferent either to cruelty or mercy unaccountable to himself as well as to his Creatures He is not giddy humour or alterable fancy or wavering and uncertain caprice but though he be infinite in himself yet he hath measures of Action and Governs himself in all things by eternal Rules from which he can no more Divaricate or flinch than he can cease to be himself or bid a long farewell to all his Brightness Blessedness and Perfection He is Mercy he is Kindness he is all over Love he is at once the most lovely and the most loving Nature and with an equal stream of never failing Goodness he waters his Creatures and enjoys Himself O God who is like unto thee gracious and merciful long suffering and plenteous in goodness and truth as the Hart panteth after the water brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God the Fountain of Pleasure the everspringing Well of Living waters and the Eternal source of inexhaustible Mercy There are two things required to the happiness of any being whatsoever the first is an indolency and tranquillity a calm and quiet sense within it self not discomposed by turbulent and uneasie passions nor tost too and fro without any conduct or steerage of it self by infinite and uncertain desires The Second is that every thing without have so far at least a Congruity harmony and agreement with it that nothing may disturb or shake this inward sense So that the whole being with relation to it self and with respect to objects that are external to it is to be like a smooth Sea upon a still and silent Evening where Tritons dance and Dolphins play and Sirens all around rejoyce and Sing and all the Sea Nymphs revel and caress each other upon the gladsome surface of the great Abysse which drinks in nothing but light and peace from without and is surrounded by nothing but a serene and Azure Sky But wherever there is an aversion or antipathy of one Being to another whether it proceed out of fickleness uncertainty and vicissitude of Nature or out of fear or out of some peculiar and unaccountable hatred which it cannot exempt or deliver it self from the first of these argues so great a want of Judgment which proceeds upon immutable and certain reasons the Second so great weakness and infirmity and the Third is in it self so troublesome and tormenting wherever it is found that all these are perfectly inconsistent with the happyness of any Being and therefore must not be ascribed to God who is infinitely wise and therefore cannot be mistaken as to his judgment of things and infinitely powerful so that he need not fear any cross or dangerous event and who must be happy if any such thing there be because all perfection is contained in himself and happyness without question is the best Accomplishment that can belong to any Being whatsoever it is that without which Existence it self would be a burthen and all other attributes whatsoever they are even Power Wisdom Justice and Goodness themselves would be but a rack and torment to the Possessor And who can dwell with Everlasting burnings What Being could be so miserable as the Supream and self-existent if any fastidious aversion or dislike any desperate animosity or inconciliable hatred which in so great a Mind must be proportion'd to it had the power Eternally to disturb him It is true indeed that in Scripture we find a frequent mention of his wrath his indignation his fierce anger and his sore displeasure and his jealousie that burns like fire and the like but yet these things do not argue him to be of a passible Nature but only first they refer to those punishments of our sins which in the course of his Providence are inflicted upon us or which are denounced against us by such expressions as these in case we do not Repent and according to the proportion the greater or lesser weight and heaviness of these Punishments so in an humane way of speaking we say because it is usually so in cases of revenge and animosity among Men that he is more or less angry or displeased not that he is more or less happy than he was before or that any impressions can be made upon him that can unsettle or discompose the equality of his mind but only he beholds every foolish and unreasonable Action which is the very nature and notion of all Sin with an impassible contempt and with a dislike that hath no other effect upon him but only to move him upon reasons of Justice to Punish the Offence as it deserves for the Good of the World and for an Example to others Very frequently in our own
this comely Frame which if it had not been for that would still have been a disorderly and confused Chaos and without its help and assistance every moment would immediately return into it And I am very sensible there is a great deal of truth and weight in what they say but yet it is much more true of the Moral and Intellectual than of the Natural World that it is supported by Love it is supported by Divine Love from without as well as the other but even this would hardly do as powerful as it is without a Principle of Love within it self I should now as I promised under the Second general Head proceed to shew in what Instances and to what Degrees this Duty of mutual Kindness and Good-will is to exert it self but this having been already sufficiently done in my Discourse upon the former Head as opportunity presented it self I may excuse my self and you from any farther trouble upon that account and betake my self very briefly to the last thing proposed which was of the Advantages redounding from this happy Temper the bare Enumeration of which since it is so that my Time will give me leave to do no more may supply the place of an Exhortation to it And the First thing I shall mention is That it is in general the most blessed Constitution of the Soul of Man which it is capable of being endued withal For certainly the most pleasing Disposition of the Soul is Love if all the World be not very widely mistaken in their Sense and Sentiment of things and the most eligible Estate which it can wish for it self is to converse with Objects which it delights in and such this Temper this sweet and amiable Habit of the Mind makes every Object more or less to be Secondly It is not only a Temper the most blessed in it self it is not only an imitation of God who is the best Example as hath been already shewn but it also draws down the Influences of his Spirit upon us which have a natural and a vital congruity to the charitable Man It is effectually at the same time a participation of the Divine Nature and brings us into an intimate and close Communion with the Supreme Love which is glad of every suitable occasion to diffuse and enlarge it self and so St. John at large represents the matter Beloved saith he let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love No man hath seen God at any time If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit that is the Spirit of Love of Charity and Good-will of which he had been speaking before Thirdly By keeping our Minds cool and disengaged from any turbulent and uneasie Passions This Temper is perhaps the best natural Judge of Controversies in the World and if it could universally obtain by bringing all things to the arbitrage of Reason it would soon put an end to our religions Broils or at least it would hinder those particular Differences in Opinion from being dangerous to our Peace and Welfare Fourthly By preserving our Souls as it is naturally disposed to do in their true sagacity clearness and untainted strength it prevents those entanglements and perplexities of thought which are the cause of most of those Ills to which Mankind is usually exposed which run us very frequently upon desperate Courses and bring us in the end to Misery and Confusion Fifthly and Lastly It is not only the best preparation to the Joys and Glories of another World but when in the end of our Days we arrive happily at the end of our Hopes the salvation of our precious and immortal Souls it will be the greatest part of their Fruition and Enjoyment which consists mainly if not altogether in the love God and his Angels and of one another To which most happy and eternally blessed State God of his infinite Mercy bring us all by the Merits and Mediation of his Son our Saviour the ever blessed Jesus To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be ascribed all Glory for ever Amen NOTES P. 2. SO Homer describes his Poetical Olympus After the same manner Lucretius also describes those blessed and peaceful Places though he reject them as fabulous at the same time and he takes the Copy of his Description manifestly from Homer Illud item non est ut possis credere sedes Esse Deûm sanctas in mundi partibus ullis Quas neque concutiunt venti neque nubila nimbis Aspergunt neque nix acri concreta pruina Cana cadens violat semperque innubilus aether Integit largè diffuso lumine ridet P. 18. The Publicans were indifferently chosen The Administration of the Vectigalia or Customs of the Roman State was primarily in all the Provinces in the Hands of the Romans themselves but under them certain of the Natives of the respective Provinces were employed as being best acquainted with their own Nation and so best able to manage the Collection of the Tribute in it That it was so among the Jews is evident by the Instances of Matthew Levi and Zaccheus in the Gospels the two first of which are mentioned as Sitting at the Receipt of Custom and the last is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief of the Publicans or Customers that is to say among the Jews And from this I will take occasion to correct as I conceive a very great Mistake which hath hitherto generally obtained among Learned Men as if Levi and Matthew were the same only because they are both mentioned by several Evangelists as Sitting at the Receipt of Custom and out of this number I do not except Grotius himself whereas indeed they are the Names of two several and distinct Publicans as appears by Matth. 10. 3. where there is distinct mention made of Matthew the Publican and of Lebbaeus whose surname was Thaddaeus which Lebbaeus by the change of the V Consonant into a double B the Greeks having no such Letter as the V Consonant in use among them but always expressing it either by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with Levi and Levi is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chivi is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emori 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chitti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the like and when it is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose Surname was Thaddaeus This Surname is to be understood of his Roman Name as the other is of his Jewish as there is mention made of John whose Surname was Mark Acts 12. 12 25. and cap. 15. 37. where John is Jochanan the Jewish Name as Mark is the Roman So that it seems it was familiar in those Times when Judea was a Roman Province for Men to have two Names the one a Jewish by which they were better known to their own Countrymen and Kinsfolks being the Name that was given them at their Circumcision and the other a Roman or rather in this Instance a Greek though at that time very familiar among the Romans who called this Lebbaeus by the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a contraction of Theodosius who is by Claudian somewhere called Theudosius as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Epaphroditus and many others of the like nature and of one that was called by this Name express mention is made Acts 5. 36. which Name by the Jews was corruptly called Thaddai as Dositheus they call Dosthai Prolomaeus Talmai after a barbarous and corrupt manner and indeed all Proper Names of Foreign Nations the Jews who were a very ignorant unletter'd People were used to corrupt after a strange rate as Drusius conjectures the Jewish Terphon or Tarphon to have been the same with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Justin Martyr And I make no question but Baithos who was the fabulous Companion of Sadoc the Founder of the Saducean Sect or Heresie among the Jews is the same with the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence is the Latin Name Boethius signifying an Helper or Assistant And they who by St. Paul are called Jannes and Jambres who are said to have withstood Moses and the Truth are by the Rabbins corruptly named sometimes Jonos and Jombros and at others Jochanna and Mamre And other Instances might be given as well in Appellative as Proper Names but these are sufficient for my purpose And I hope by this time it is sufficiently clear that Matthew and Levi are two distinct Persons notwithstanding the general cry of Expositors to the contrary who having taken a false scent from one another are never like to find out the truth V. Drus de trib Sect. lib. 2. cap. 2. lib. 3. cap. 4. Bâ—xt Lex Talmud in Talmai pag. 2598. in Jochanna pag. 945 c. P. 20. And though I bestow all my Goods to feed the Poor and though I give my Body to be burned These are very proper and genuine Effects of that Charity which the Apostle describes but it seems without Charity it self unless they proceed out of an inward Principle of Love to God on the one hand and our Neighbour on the other the bare Acts considered by themselves will be of no profit or avail to us P. 27. Aristophanes Hesiod Parmenides and others The particular Testimonies to this purpose you may see in Grotius in his Learned Notes upon his Book De V. R. C. and in Dr. Cudworth in his Intellectual System and those others whom I mean are Simmias the Rhodian and Orpheus the Writer of the Argonautiques whose Testimonies are likewise produced by Dr. C. FINIS
it the Badg and Character of his Disciples who were tied and linked more closely to one another by supernatural assistances of Divine grace by the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace By this shall all Men know saith he that ye are my Disciples if ye have Love one to another In my Discourse upon which words I shall do these Three things First I shall shew upon what Reasons or Principles the Obligation to mutual Charity and good Will is Founded Secondly In what Instances and to what Degrees it is to exert it self And Thirdly What are the great and glorious Advantages that may be reaped from it I begin with the First of these Upon what Reasons or Principles the Obligation to mutual Charity and good Will is Founded and they are these Three First The Love Imitation and Fear of God Secondly The Example and Command of Christ our Saviour And Thirdly The undoubted Interest and Advantage of any humane Society whatsoever First The Love Imitation and Fear of God That God is a Being infinitely Lovely he being the Source and Fountain of all Created perfection which in himself is contained in an infinitely more Eminent and Transcendent manner hath been already represented and this loveliness of his for the great Excellence and Perfection of his Nature is that which is the proper food of a reasonable mind to Meditate and Exercise it self upon there being nothing else that will afford it either so suitable or so lasting entertainment and it is likewise undoubtedly the noblest object for its Imitation so far as humane frailty is capable of aspiring to the Glory and Excellence of so Illustrious and bright a Pattern The Nature of God after whose Image and Resemblance the Soul of Man was Created is that which if it were not for the Cloggs and Impediments of the Corporeal part if we were not dazled by the Pomps and Gaieties carried away Captive by the false enticements and blinded by the steams of sense through which our finer part is weakned and refracted to which we should always naturally desire to be more closely and intimately united it is that in the study and contemplation of which when our minds are once fitted and prepared for so sublime an Employment we find the most perfect joy and satisfaction and it is impossible for us to think him as we always do when our thoughts are at leisure from prejudice and passion and have emerged out of the sink of Bodily entertainments to be so very excellent a Being to love him according to that loveliness with which he then displaies and manifests his Nature to us but at the same time we must be studying to be like him and to Copy out every day more and more exactly those Beauties in our selves which we Contemplate and Adore in him But if the Love of God will not perswade us to endeavour to be like him if the Excellence of his Nature will not entice and Charme us into an humble Imitation of it let his Terrours engage us let his Vengeance affright us let the consideration of his Omnipotence compel and force us let our Flesh tremble for fear of him and let us be afraid of his judgments who expects and requires from us that as he hath been so Gracious and Merciful towards us so we should be Kind and Charitable and Helpful to each other For God is not only the Maker but he is also the great Guardian and Protector of the World he is the King of the Vniverse and it his peace that is broken or in a way of tendency towards a breach and rupture by all uncharitable habits and dispositions of Mind and therefore it belongs to his Government it is included in the notion of his Providence and is a part of that great task and business which he hath imposed perpetually upon himself for the preserving by his Goodness the effects of his Power and for the Good more especially of the rational and intellectual Creation which is more peculiarly the object of his care not to suffer ill tempers and mischievous inclinations morose contentious and uncharitable Spirits so far as we Indulge and Cherish them in our selves to go unpunish'd either in this World or the other unless by a timely and sincere Repentance we return to the Love of God and of our Neighbour But Secondly The second Reason or Principle upon which the Obligation to mutual Love is Founded is the Example and Command of Christ our Saviour which with us who pretend to embrace his holy Profession and to have listed our selves as true and faithful Soldiers under his Spiritual Banner ought certainly to have very great Authority and Weight For his Example there is nothing more clear than that his whole Life was nothing else but one continued course of Patience Humility Meekness Condescention Charity Constancy and Equability of Mind of doing Good to others and of forgiving Injuries done to himself and for his Doctrin what a mighty stress he laid upon these excellent Virtues will appear undeniably by these Four particulars First That he sums up the whole Duty of Man under these Two general Heads the Love of God and our Neighbour Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Mind this is the First and Great Commandment and the Second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy Neigbour as thy self on these Two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets Secondly In summing up the Duties of the Second Table he reduces them all under this single Aphorism Whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you do ye even so to them For this is the Law and the Prophets And under this general Precept there is no question to be made but all the instances of Charity and good Will are comprised for there is no Man certainly by his own consent that would be Injur'd or Defam'd that would be Kill'd or Murther'd Wounded or Beaten that would be Censur'd too severely Watch'd too narrowly Interpreted too hardly Punisht with a rigour altogether disproportion'd to the guilt and heinousness of his Crime there is no Man if it were at all times perfectly at his own Choice but he would be well thought of well spoken of kindly courteously and favourably entreated and therefore this Precept obliges us not only not to do any injustice but in all cases whatsoever to shew as much Mercy as the thing will bear to shew the same Friendship Gentleness and good Nature in all the particular instances that can happen which we our selves in such circumstances should reasonably expect or should be glad to receive and to interpret all Men not by particular Prejudices and Passions of our own but with an universal Justice Ingenuity and Candour Thirdly he gives it us in charge in his Holy Gospel not only in general terms to approve our selves as Men of Candid Courteous and Merciful Dispositions but to be so towards our very