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XXV.

8, 10.

Col. ii. 13.

in 1 Cor.

duty, yea by his practice far outdo his precept? For, he SERM. who from the brightest glories, from the immenfe riches, from the ineffable joys and felicities of his celeftial kingdom, did willingly ftoop down to affume the garb of a fervant, to be clothed with the infirmities of flesh, to become a man of forrow and acquainted with grief: he who for our fake vouchfafed to live in extreme penury and difgrace, to feel hard want, fore travail, bitter perfecution, most grievous fhame and anguish: he who not only did contentedly bear, but purpofely did choose to be accused, to be flandered, to be reviled, to be mocked, to be tortured, to pour forth his heart-blood upon a cross, Rom. v. 6. for the sake of an unprofitable, an unworthy, an impious, 1Pet. iii. 18. an ingrateful generation; for the falvation of his open Eph. ii. 1. enemies, of base apoftates, of perverfe rebels, of villainous Chryf. in traitors: he who, in the height of his mortal agonies, did Eph. Or.vii. fue for the pardon of his cruel murderers; who did fend Or. xxxii, his Apostles to them, did caufe fo many wonders to be done before them, did furnifh all means requifite to convert and fave them: he that acted and fuffered all this, and more than can be expreffed, with perfect frankness and good-will; did he not fignally love his neighbour as Heb. xii. 2. himself, to the utmost measure? did not in him virtue conquer nature, and charity triumph over felf-love? This he did to feal and imprefs his doctrine; to fhew us what we should do, and what we can do by his grace; to oblige us and to encourage us unto a conformity with him in this respect; for, Walk in love, faith the Apostle, Eph. v. 1. as Chrift hath alfo loved us, and hath given himself for us ; 16. and, This, faith he himfelf, is my commandment, that ye John xv. love one another as I have loved you: and how can I better conclude, than in the recommendation of fuch an example?

1 John iii.

12. xiii. 34.

16.

Now, our Lord Jefus Chrift himself, and God even 2 Theff. ii. our father, who hath loved us, and hath given us everlafting confolation, and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and ftablish you in every good word and work.

SERMON XXVI.

OF THE LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOUR.

XXVI.

MATTH. xxii. 39.

Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

SERM. I HAVE formerly difcourfed on these words, and then fhewed how they do import two obfervable particulars : first a rule of our charity, or that it should be like in nature; then a measure of it, or that it should be equal in degree to the love which we do bear to ourselves. Of this latter interpretation I did affign divers reasons, urging the obfervance of the precept according to that notion: but one material point, fcantinefs of time would not allow me to confider; which is the removal of an exception, to which that interpretation is very liable, and which is apt to difcourage from a ferious application to the practice of this duty fo expounded.

If, it may be faid, the precept be thus understood, as to oblige us to love our neighbours equally with ourselves, it will prove unpracticable, such a charity being merely romantic and imaginary; for who doth, who can love his neighbour in this degree? Nature powerfully doth refift, common fenfe plainly doth forbid that we should do fo: a natural instinct doth prompt us to love ourselves, and we are forcibly driven thereto by an unavoidable fense of pleasure and pain, resulting from the constitution of our body and foul, fo that our own leaft good or evil are very fenfible to us: whereas we have no fuch potent inclination to love others; we have no fenfe or a very

faint one of what another doth enjoy or endure: doth not SERM. therefore nature plainly fuggeft, that our neighbour's XXVI. good cannot be fo confiderable to us as our own? efpecially when charity doth clash with felf-love, or when there is a competition between our neighbour's interest and our own, is it poffible that we should not be partial to our own fide? is not therefore this precept such as if we should be commanded to fly, or to do that which natural propenfion will certainly hinder?

In answer to this exception I fay, first,

1. Be it fo, that we can never attain to love our neighbour altogether so much as ourselves, yet may it be reasonable that we fhould be enjoined to do fo; for

Laws must not be depreffed to our imperfection, nor rules bent to our obliquity: but we muft afcend toward the perfection of them, and ftrive to conform our practice to their exactness. If what is prescribed be according to the reason of things just and fit, it is enough, although our practice will not reach it; for what remaineth may be supplied by repentance and humility in him that should obey, by mercy and pardon in him that doth command.

In the prescription of duty it is juft, that what may be required, even in rigour, should be precifely determined, though in execution of juftice or difpenfation of recompence confideration may be had of our weaknefs; whereby both the authority of our governor may be maintained, and his clemency glorified.

It is of great use, that by comparing the Law with our practice, and in the perfection of the one difcerning the defect of the other, we may be humbled, may be fenfible of our impotency, may thence be forced to feek the helps of grace, and the benefit of mercy.

Were the rule never fo low, our practice would come beneath it; it is therefore expedient that it should be high, that at least we may rife higher in performance than otherwise we fhould do: for the higher we aim, the nearer we fhall go to the due pitch; as he that aimeth at heaven, although he cannot reach it, will

SERM. yet shoot higher than he that aimeth only at the XXVI. houfe-top.

1 Theff. i. 13.

The height of duty doth prevent floth and decay in virtue, keeping us in wholesome exercise and in continual Phil. iii. 12. improvement, while we be always climbing toward the top, and training unto farther attainment: the fincere prosecution of which course, as it will be more profitable unto us, fo it will be no lefs acceptable to God, than if we could thoroughly fulfil the law; for in judgment God will only reckon upon the fincerity and earnestness of our endeavour fo that if we have done our best, it will be Cor. v. 28. taken as if we had done all. Our labour will not be loft in the Lord; for the degrees of performance will be conHeb. vi. 10. fidered, and he that hath done his duty in part fhall be proportionably recompenfed; according to that of St. 1 Cor. iii. 8. Paul, Every man fhall receive his own reward according to Matt. v. 48. his own work. Hence fometimes we are enjoined to be 1 Pet. i. 16. perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, and to be holy Heb. vi. 1. as God is holy; otherw hile to go on to perfection, and to prefs toward the mark; which precepts in effect do import the fame thing; but the latter implieth the former, although in attainment impoffible, yet in attempt very profitable and furely he is likely to write beft, who propofeth to himself the faireft copy for his imitation.

xix. 21.

Col. iv. 12.

Phil. 3.

:

In fine, if we do act what is poffible, or as we can do conform to the rule of duty, we may be fure that no impoffibility of this, or of any other fublime law, can prejudice us.

I fay, of any other law; for it is not only this law to which this exception may be made, but many others, perhaps every one evangelical law, are alike repugnant to corrupt nature, and feem to furmount our ability.

But neither is the performance of this task fo impoffible, or fo defperately hard, (if we take the right course, and use proper means toward it,) as is supposed: as may somewhat appear, if we will weigh the following confiderations.

1. Be it confidered, that we may be mistaken in our account, when we do look on the impoffibility or diffi

culty of fuch a practice, as it appeareth at prefent, before SERM. we have seriously attempted, and in a good method, by XXVI. due means, earnestly laboured to achieve it: for many things cannot be done at firft, or with a fmall practice, which by degrees and a continued endeavour may be effected; divers things are placed at a distance, so that without paffing through the interjacent way we cannot arrive at them; divers things seem hard before trial, which afterward prove very easy it is impoffible to fly up to the top of a steeple, but we may afcend thither by steps; we cannot get to Rome without croffing the feas, and travelling through France or Germany; it is hard to comprehend a fubtile theorem in geometry, if we pitch on it first; but if we begin at the fimple principles, and go forward through the intermediate propofitions, we may easily attain a demonftration of it: it is hard to fwim, to dance, to play on an inftrument; but a little trial, or a competent exercife will render those things eafy to us: fo may the practice of this duty feem impoffible, or infuperably difficult, before we have employed divers means, and voided divers impediments; before we have inured our minds and affections to it; before we have tried our forces in fome inftances thereof, previous to others of a higher strain, and nearer the perfection of it.

If we would fet ourselves to exercise charity in those inftances, whereof we are at firft capable without much reluctancy, and thence proceed toward others of a higher nature, we may find fuch improvement, and tafte fuch content therein, that we may foon arise to incredible degrees thereof; and at length perhaps we may attain to such a pitch, that it will feem to us bafe and vain to confider our own good before that of others, in any fenfible measure; and that nature which now fo mightily doth contest in favour of ourselves, may in time give way to a better nature, born of cuftom, affecting the good of others. Let not therefore a prefent fenfe or experience raise in our minds a prejudice against the poffibility or practicableness of this duty.

2. Let us confider, that in fome refpects, and in divers

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