fuitable Affections. Or, if this be already the Cafe, and yet vehement Temptations hurry Men on to Sin'; (a very common and very pitiable Condition) Fear may be fo impreffed on the Heart from above, as to overbalance thefe; free the rational Principle from the Oppreffion under which it labours, and enable it to refume its rightful Dominion. Then the Conduct will be reformed, the View of Things gradually brighten, and the more ingenuous Affections of Hope and Gratitude, and unmixed Love, fpring up and flourish; till at length our Duty and our Maker, which at first we regarded unwillingly, on mere Compulfion, will no longer have Need of any other Force than their own native Attraction, to regulate every Thought of our Souls, and every Action of our Lives. Thus then appears the Wisdom and the Goodnefs of thofe various Methods which God hath taken to unite us finally to himself. He hath planted in our Hearts that pure and difinterefted Efteem and Love of moral Perfection, which leads directly to the Efteem and Love of him above all; and without which we should not have been fufceptible of genuine Piety and Virtue. But having placed US, us, with a Nature prone to go wrong, in a World full of Inticements, he hath not left us to the Guidance of this one Principle, which, though the best in itself, would have proved infufficient for our Direction; but hath kindly put us under the Tutorage of fubordinate Affections, to train us up in the Way wherein we should go, till we become enlightened enough to approve the Things that are excellent“, and animated enough to pursue them for their own Sakes. Let us therefore give up ourselves without Scruple to the Influence of every Motive to our Duty, which Reafon or Scripture fets before us, of Pleasure or Terror, of this World or the next, and by Reading, Meditation and Prayer, imprint them ftrongly on our Minds; nor be at all dejected, though perhaps as yet the leaft worthy of them hath the largest Share in our Obedience; as probably it hath for a Time in that which moft Children pay to their earthly Parents, for whofe Perfons and Precepts, notwithstanding, they acquire, by infenfible Steps, the most dutiful and tender Efteem. But • Prov. xxii. 6. d Phil. i. 10. לשמן בא לשמן לעולם יעסוק אדם בתורה ובמצוות אפילו שלא * sw now ¡pw. Sota, fol. zz. col, z. ap. Buxt. Floril. P. 156. whoever whoever would strengthen within himself this bleffed Difpofition towards God, must frequently recollect and inculcate the Conviction, that other Incitements are but the Means, and Love the End of the Commandment': that we improve and grow inwardly better under the heavenly Discipline, only in Proportion as we advance in unfeigned Affection, and are transformed by it into real Likeness to the Supreme Good. Open your Hearts therefore to feel his Goodnefs towards yourfelves, and imitate it towards your Brethren. For God is Love: and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God, and God in him. (1 Tim. i. 5. * 1 John iv, 16. SER [77] SERMON IV. MATTH. Xxii. 39. And the fecond is like unto it, Thou shalt love thỷ Neighbour as thyfelf. HIS is the latter Part of our Saviour's THIS Anfwer to the Queftion, Which is the great Commandment in the Law? He had already answered fufficiently, by faying, it was the Love of God. But moft of the Jews be-` fore whom he spoke, thought the best Proof of their fulfilling that Duty was a fcrupulous Exactnefs in fome, or all, of the ceremonial Precepts that God had enjoined them. And on the Merit of this, they indulged themselves in great Hardness of Heart, even towards their Brethren of the fame Religion; and in utter Difregard, if not implacable Hatred, of all who were of a different Religion, perhaps of a different Sect only. So that, if he had carried his Reply Reply no further, his Hearers, who had a Zeal for God, but not according to Knowledge, would in all probability have understood him according to their own preconceived Notions: and never have suspected him of designing to condemn their Superftition and Uncharitableness. Therefore he immediately fubjoins, from the exprefs Words of Mofes, another Commandment, which, if they misinterpreted the first, might shew them their Mistake; and if they did not, would plainly appear, to any confiderate Perfon, like unto it in its Nature, and second in its Dignity and Ufe; Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyfelf. But this alfo the Jews contrived to explain in a wrong Manner, that they might gratify wrong Inclinations. For which Reason he took an Opportunity to fet them right. And befides the Jews, Multitudes of others, both before and ever fince, have done the fame Thing. Nay fome, not content with perverting, and fo disobeying, have directly found Fault with it. 1 Yet whoever believes in a wife and good Ruler of the World, muft believe it to be his Will, that Humanity fhould be practifed amongst Men: and whoever feels in himself * Rom, X. 2. Lev. xix. 18. kind |