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XII.

curity. So the wicked Companions or SER M. Leaders, which Men are to be called to abandon, are fuch, generally, as (instead of maintaining or enriching) utterly undo them in this World, in the Way to their being undone for ever in the next.

I should therefore now proceed to put the remaining Cases, that is, fecondly, when the Efteem or Admiration of any Perfon leads another into finful Compliances with him, thirdly, when the Affection of Friendship does it, and fourthly, that of Kindred, or of the highest Relation. But I must referve them to another Time. *

*Note, The Conclufion of this Subject is not found in the Author's Manuscripts.

VOL. I. X

SERM. XIII,

SERM.

XIII.

SERMON XIII.

Of Christian Charity.

PART I.

1

I TIM. i. 5.

Now the End of the Commandment is Charity, out of a pure Heart, and of a good Confcience, and of Faith unfeigned.

T. Paul, purfuing his Evangelical Labours which he extended over a great Part of the World, left his new Chriftians at Ephefus, (both Teachers

and People) to the Direction and Governvernment of Timothy. The Inftructions he gave him at his Departure, he refers

to,

to, repeats, and enforces, by this Epistle, SERM. for the furer Discharge of his high Office XIII. in the Church. As I befought thee to abide Still at Ephefus when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge fome that they teach no other Doctrine, neither give beed to Fables and endless Genealogies, which minifter Questions, rather than godly edifying, which is in Faith: So do. Thus he expreffes in the 3d and 4th Verses, a Part of those Inftructions; and in the Words of the Text fubjoins the strongest Reafon in the World, why the Teachers of Christianity fhould decline troubling themselves and Hearers with fuch Matters: Because the Design and Substance of our holy Religion, upon which they are to infist, are of a quite different Nature : Now the End of the Commandment is Charity, out of a pure Heart, and of a good Confcience, and of Faith unfeigned. The fpecial Caufe for Timothy's Care of this Point, and a Defcription of the Perfons he was by his Authority to restrain, appear in the Words following; From which fome having fwerved, have turned afide to vain jangling; defiring to be Teach

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SERM. ers of the Law, understanding neither what XIII. they fay, nor whereof they affirm. In the beginnings of the Gofpel, many of the Jews, to whom it was first preached, and who faw the Miracles and other Acts of our Lord, embraced it, yet retaining a great Fondness for their Law; as is seen in many Places of the Acts and Epiftles. For they would fain gratify their Pride and vain Hope of fpecial Favour, as the only Children of Abraham, and peculiar People of God. At the fame Time we find, that a great Company of the Priefts were obedient to the Faith.-Acts vi.7. Many of thefe, it is natural to think, became Teachers of Christianity. They must, indeed, in many Refpects, have been better qualified than others for that Service. But fome of the Number, it seems, out of natural Weaknefs or corrupt Defign, went off from the Simplicity of the Chriftian Religion. They were defirous to make Advantage of their Learning, which they had in the Law, and the vain Traditions accompanying it, that they might not be on the Level with other Preachers of the Gofpel. Those Things, therefore, they would incorporate

do upon

with the Doctrine of Chrift; and infifted SERM. mainly upon them, as People are apt to XIII. their Singularities; whereby they at once gain'd a popularity among their Countrymen, and a distinguished Reputation of their own Skill and Abilities.

These Preachers, we read, created many Troubles to St. Paul, and the Gentiles converted by him. Indeed, his Conduct was directly oppofite; who was fo far from valuing himself upon his perfect Education and eminent Proficience in Ju daism, or from ftaining his Gospel with those Mixtures to his own Honour, that he counted all Things but Lofs for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jefus.---Phil. iii. 8. Thus Things stood then; and it is too fure, that in later Times, and in our own Days, Men have made a like ill Ufe of other Learning; have obfcured the Plainness, and weaken'd the main Design of Religion, by philofophic Schemes and curious Speculations, which they have disputed into the Body of it.--But fo much at present shall suffice for the Occafion of the Sentence in my Text; on which I will add no farther Reflexion, till I have explained its full Meaning. X 3

The

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