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fulting his own Breast, and that will teach him, in what Manner he is to treat his Neighbour.

Do we not, for Inftance, fo highly value and esteem ourselves, that no Defects obfervable in us, no Mifchances befallen us, no Faults committed by us, can alter the good Opinion we have of ourfelves? This may teach us, what Regard and Value we should ever preferve for our Neighbour. Do we not fincerely endeavour our own Welfare and Advantage of every Kind; wifh good Success to all our Undertakings; and, if we rightly understand ourselves, defire the Health and Happiness of our immortal Souls? This may inform us, what we are to wish and defire for our Neighbour. Have we not a fenfible Complacency in our own Profperity, and are extremely glad to find ourselves thriving and flourishing in Wealth, in Reputation, or any other Accommodation or Ornament of Life? On the other Hand, do we not seriously grieve at our own Disasters and Disappointments, and heartily bemoan and pity ourselves, when fallen into Pain, or Poverty, or any other preffing Calamities? This may inftruct us, what Pleasure we are to feel in our Neighbour's Profperity, and how to condole and commiferate his Misfortunes. Are we eafily angry with ourselves? Do we retain implacable Grudges, or execute malicious Designs against ourfelves? Yea, rather are we not meek and patient towards ourselves, excufing our own Infirmities and Follies, and forgiving ourselves the moft heinous Offences and Outrages against our own Intereft, Honour, and Welfare? Hence we may learn the Leffons of Meeknefs and Patience towards our Neighbour, in bearing his Infirmities, and remitting any Wrongs or Difcourtefies we have received from him. Are we rude in our Deportment, or harsh in our Language towards our

felves,

felves, apt to censure our own Actions, blazon our Defects, and aggravate our Failings, and not rather conceal our Blemishes, and extenuate our Crimes? Do we delight to report, or to hear ill Stories of ourselves, and not rather endeavour, all we can, to stifle them, to tie the Tongues, and stop the Ears of Men against them? Hence we may likewife learn, how civil and courteous in our Behaviour, how fair and ingenuous in our Dealing, how candid and mild in our Judgment or Cenfure, we should be towards our Neighbour. Thus reflecting on ourselves, and making our Practice towards ourselves the Pattern of our Dealing with others, we shall not fail of performing this Duty, and making our Charity commenfurate to our Self-Love.

And, indeed, confidering the near Relation we have to one another, and how, in the neceffary and fubftantial Properties of our Nature, we are all the Jame, and diftinguished only by what is contingent and circumftantial to us, we cannot but perceive the great Reasonableness of loving our Neighbour to this Degree, as he is the exprefs Image of ourfelves, but much more fo, as he is created in the Divine Likeness and Similitude. The Prophet. Malachi has a very wife Obfervation to this Purpose: Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? Why then do we deal treacherously every Man against his Brother? 'Tis barbarous not to love our own Nature, but highly impious to hate or vilify him, in whom God hath formed fome, though weak Refemblances of his own Perfections. How contemptible foever he may be in the Circumstances of his Fortune, yet he has in him an immortal Spirit, that fhall live for ever, and live with God and Angels; he has in him thofe Powers and Faculties, that render him capable of ferving and enjoying his Great Creator; and how dear

and

and valuable he is to God, we may best perceive, by confidering what God has done for him. He has not only made him a little lower than the Angels, and crowned him with Glory and Honour; but, as if this World were too mean, has prepared a more glorious one to receive him: He spares and indulges him, as a tender Parent his beloved Child; guards and provides for him by a kind and wakeful Providence; wooes and courts him by the Sollicitations. of his Holy Spirit; and has provided a standing Propitiation for his Sins, by the Sacrifice of his only beloved Son. In a Word, he rejoices over him, to do him good, and longs, as it were, to have him with him in Heaven: And can we think, that the Almighty loves, where there is no Ground and Foundation for his Love? Herein therefore we have an Example fet us, how we are to love him, whom God loves fo well; and this Commandment we have from him, that he who loveth God, love bis Brother alfo The Fulfilling of which Law, which St James calls the Royal Law, is the great Perfection of our Natures, the Advancement and Enlargement of our Souls, the chief Ornament and Beauty of a great Mind; that which makes us like God, the best, most perfect, and happiest Being; and in that too, which is the prime ExcelJency, and Happiness, and Glory of the Divine Nature.

Of what happy Tendency this univerfal Love and Charity is, to free our Souls from thofe unruly and difquieting Paffions of Anger and Envy, of Malice and Revenge, of Jealousy and Difcontent, which are the great Torments of our Spirits; to make our Minds calm and chearful, and maintain us in the Poffeffion and quiet Enjoyment of ourfelves; to preferve us from many Mischiefs and Inconveniencies, which Enmity and Ill will continually occafion; to gain Friends, and reclaim Enemies,

Enemies, and make every Condition either pleafant, or eafy, or tolerable to us, is verified by every Day's Experience.

Of what particular Note and Obfervation, in the first and best Ages of Religion, the Practice of this Duty was among Chriftians; how it was the Mark and Badge of their Profeffion, and grew into a Proverb among the Heathens, Behold, w thefe Chriftians love one another! how fome of he greatest Enemies of our Profeffion admired it, à l esteemed the Example not unworthy their ow Imitation, is what we are informed of from the Records of Antiquity: And therefore, to conclude this Head in the Words of the bleffed Apostle; If there be any Confolation in Chrift, if any Comfort of Love, if any Fellowship of the Spirit, if any Bowels and Mercies; if any Endearments in our common Nature and common Chriftianity, if any Inducement in the Benefits and Advantages of any Duty, if any Encouragement in the Practice, and Examples of others, then fulfil ye my Joy, that ye be like-minded; and, having the fame Love, be pitiful, be courteous; not rendering Evil for Evil, or Railing for Railing; but, contrariwife, Bleffing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye fhould inherit a Bleffing.

THE

2. Of Loving Enemies.

HE Jews, having read, that their Ancestors were commiffioned by God, as Minifters of his Juftice, utterly to deftroy the feven Nations, that poffeffed the Land of Canaan before them; to blot out the Remembrance of Amalek under Heaven, and to have no Peace with the Ammonites and Moabites, their declared Enemies; confidered not, that these were fpecial Cafes, fixed by the Divine Command, and grounded upon Reasons both of

State

State and Religion, but drew an Inference very falfely from them to their own private and personal Quarrels, and advanced it into a Maxim, that, though in general they were to love their Neighbours, yet they not only might, but ought to hate their Enemies, efpecially fuch, as were Enemies to their Law, and the Manner of their religious Worship. This their Doctors taught with much Aurance, and the People received it with a malicious Readiness, being naturally violent and reyengeful: But our Saviour, in his Sermon on the Mount, endeavours to correct their Mistake, and to preferibe to his Followers the very contrary Habit of Mind Te have heard, that it hath been faid, Thou fhalt love thy Neighbour, and hate thy Enemy; but I fay unto you, love your Enemies, bless them that curfe you, lo good to them that hate you, and pray for them that defpitefully use you, and perfecute you.

Love your Enemies; here the inward Affection is required: Bless them that curfe you, here outward Civility and Affability are enjoined, in Oppofition to all rude and opprobrious Language: Do good to them that hate you; here real Acts of Kindnefs are commanded to be done, even to our bitterest and most malicious Enemies: Pray for them that defpitefully use you, and perfecute you. The highest Expreffions of Enmity that can be imagined, are Calumny and Cruelty, and yet we are commanded to pray for thofe, that touch us in these two tendereft Points of all, our Reputation and our Life: And, to fecure the Sincerity of our Charity towards our Enemies, we are required to exprefs it by our hearty Prayers to God for them : To God, I fay, before whom it is both impious and dangerous to diffemble, and from whom we can expect no Mercy for ourselves, if, with feigned Lips, we beg it of him for others.

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