Eighteen Sermons, Sermon 18

Eighteen Sermons · Sermon 18

p. 315SERMON XVIII. AT CHRIST'S-CHURCH in Oxford on St. Steven's Day.

MATTH. V. 44.

But I say unto you, love your Enemies, blesse them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you.

I Need no Artifice to tie this Subject and this Day together. The Saint Dwhose memory we celebrate was the Martyr of this Text: and 'tis impossible to keep the Feast but by a resolution of obeying these Commands, you being call'd together on this day to beseech God to grant that you by the example of this first Martyr St. Stephen, who pray'd for his Murderers, may Elearn to love your Enemies, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you.

p. 316A strange command in an age, in which we scarcely can finde men that love their friends, nor any thing but that Awhich serves their interests or pleasures, that indeed love nothing but themselves; nor is it onelyonly injury that works their hate and enmity, but difference in opinion divides hearts, and men are never to be reconcil'd that have not the same mind in every thing; as if one Heaven should not hold them that have not one judgement in all things, we see that one Church cannot hold them, and they that have but one same God, one Redeemer and Saviour, one Holy Spirit of Supplication, cannot agree yet in one Prayer to him, though they have but one same thing to pray for to him: will not meet in their Worship because Bthey doe not in some Sentiments; and 'tis no wonder all Christ's reasonings and upbraidings, all the Advantages He does propose to them that love, the shames he casts on them that doe not, by putting them out of his Train into the condemnation of Publicans; 'tis no wonder all this does not work with them whom their own sufferings and black Calamities will not convince. There is not one of us but knows that thus our miseries began but few years since, and yet we that have suffered for and by our Divisions, whose quarrels wounded the whole Nation Cand our selves, who have wept so much bloud at once to vent and to bewail our differences, are still as full of the same animosities as ever, and want nothing but opportunity to confound all again, Religion and our selves: And in the name of God what did Christ mean when He prescrib'd this Precept? when he disputed? prest it thus? or what doe Christians mean when they doe break and tear this Precept and themselves? Though I be farre from any hopes to reconcile our Parties, (as by Gods help I Dshall ever be from making any,) yet I will offer an Expedient to make them not so noxious; namely, if they will keep the differences of their judgements from breaking out into their affections and actions. And though while meekness and obedience to Governours, and the whole constellation of Gospel-graces, doe not seem to shine so fair as man's own reputation, or humor, or possibly some strict opinion which they have own'd, and the shew of holiness that glitters in it, while 'tis thus, I say, we cannot look any party will yield, all doe or will believe themselves Eto be in the right; Yet I will give them leave to think so, and my prescription shall concern them equally p. 317although they be; and by addressing my Discourse to them that are so really, I shall conclude more forcibly them Athat are not, who ere they be; for sure I am none can be more in the right than those whom Christ lays this injunction upon, than his Disciples and Apostles as relating to those that would be their Enemies as such: yet 'tis to them he speaks here; I say unto you, love your enemies, &c.

The words contain a Duty prescrib'd, and the Authority prescribing it: the Prescription and the Authority in these words, I say unto you, the Duty in the rest: where it is set down 1. in general: Love your enemies, and that to be consider'd under a double prospect: 1. As it is plao't in Bopposition to something that was before indulg'd the Jews, or presum'd so to be by them; signified here by the particle But; and then as it stands by itself, in its own positive importance: love your enemies. And secondly, this Duty is particulariz'd in several exercises of the Act commanded, love, in relation to several sorts of the Objects of that Act▪ enemies: as 1. Those that curse you, you must bless: 2. Those that hate you, you must doe good to: 3. Those that use you despitefully and persecute you, you must pray for. These I Cshall treat of in their given order, beginning with the general Duty, and viewing that at once in both the lights that it doth stand in, that one may clear and fortifie the other. But I say unto you, Love your enemies.

Of all the Points of Christian Religion those which did most stagger the faith of some, and check their acceptation of it, or adherence to it, (saith Marcellinus writing to St. Austin) were these 3; The incarnation of our Lord: The meanness of his Miracles, which they thought the works of Apolloni…s equall'd; and thirdly, the prescriptions Din the Text, It seems they lookt upon these Duties as the mysteries of Practice; that spoke as loud a contradiction to their active principles and inclinations, as the other appear'd to doe so, those of Speculation and Discourse, a God made flesh, and flesh and bloud made so lame and passive, sweetned so, being alike impossible to their belief: as if no flesh could certainly be so, except that of which God was made, and the Word incarnate onelyonly could fulfill, these words here in my Text: they lookt upon this as a muchmore mighty work than any of his Miracles; as if 'twere easier to snatch one out of the arms of Fate from the embraces Eof the Grave, than to receive an enemy into ones own: As if Christ had done more when he pray'd for his p. 318Crucifiers then when he prayed Lazarus out of his grave: for their Magicians, they say, vied Miracles with him, but Anone of their Religions or Gods did ever aim at this Prescription, ut quae sit propria bonit…s nostra; saith Tertullian; this being a sort of Piety peculiar to the Christians. Nor did they onelyonly think it unpracticable, but unreasonable; as carrying opposition to all Government, to the prosperity and peace of every Polity; for he that does require that I shall have no return of injuries, but for a wrong, makes me in debt a kindnesse, not onelyonly supersedes judiciary proceedings, but does secure Rapine by Law, and encourage it by Reward; and truly if it were impossible for Bhim that does affect a person to dislike his evil actions, and to desire he may have condigne punishment, such as by Gospel-measures may be satisfaction equal to his fault, and warning to himself and others, these men had reason: but if a Father can at once love and correct his Child; if when I am with indignation displeas'd at my offences against God, and by severities revenge them on my self, I do then love my self most passionately; and if I can pray with all the vigour of my soul for that false Traytor-bosom-enemy, my flesh, while it lies goading me to sin, & with temptation perfecuting Cme to everlasting death, then no reason of State, or of my own Requires I should not doe all these acts of kindness to my Adversary. In that thou hast an exact pattern for thy enmity to them that wrong thee, and thou shalt hate thine enemy as thy self, is a most perfect Gospel-Rule: that being most consistent with and directive of this Duty, love your enemies. But yet there is so great a difference indeed betwixt this Act here and its object (Enemy being constituted such by enmity, that is aversion and hate) that love, and that seem strangely coupled, things that can be put together Donelyonly for a contest, just as heat and cold, to weaken one another, that both the love and enmity may be refracted into a lukewarmnesse. Therefore I shall divide them, handling Love first by its self, viewing the import of that as it is sincere, lest the enemy appearing with it, make it shrink into a very slender Duty: and having done that, secondly, see whether an others enmity; and thirdly, whether enmity with that appropriation here, your enemies, can take off from the Obligation of that Duty, Love.

Now Love shews fairest to our purposes in those dresses which S. Paul present her in, 1 Cor. 1. 13. and 1. foreign v. 4. and foreign; v. 5. it suffers long, if not the dammage, p. 319yet the malice of repeated injuries, as knowing it is Abound to forgive till aaMat. 18. 22.Matt 18:2270 times 7 times: and 'tis not easily provok't, not apt for sudden violent heats, instantly all on fire, quick as lightning. Such heats are from another passion; which though sometimes they do but flash and die, yet oft they have their Thunder-bolt, and most-what do forerun a storm: whereas the heats of Charity are calm as sun-shine, such as do not consume, but cherish: for foreign, in the same verse, Love is kind and gracious, full of humanity: This Vertue is a kind of universal friendship, hath nothing of reserv'd, morose or sour an humour, that Bmakes solitude in the midst of Society, and makes men onelyonly their own company, their Rule, and soope; and such a person Aristotle sayes must be either a God, who can enjoy nothing beside himself, is his own blessed and immortal entertainment, or a wild beast whose nature is unsociable because 'tis savage, whereas Love is a pious complaisance to all, 'tis condescention too; for foreign in the 5. v. does not think any thing unseemly, how contemptible soever, nor unworthy of him, so he may do his Neighbour good; he will debase himself to meanest Offices to work a real kindnesse. Thus Christ, because he lov'd his own, knowing the CJohn 13. 3, 4, 5.John 13:3John 13:4John 13:5Father had given all things into his hand, he took a Towel, and gir…ed himself, and put water in a Ba…n and washt his Disciples feet, making the lowest act of servitude be his Expression, and our Example: that is but slender Charity that will keep State, Heaven could not unite Majesty and Love: but to exercise this, God did descend from Glory into the extremity of Meannesse. 'Tis Bowels that expresse compassion, and tender kindnesse: Now those we know of all parts of the Body are employed in the most low ignoble DOffices; and to such Love condescends, where 'tis true. Again, foreign, it covers all; the naked with a garment, and the deformed, the lepro…s Sinner with a covering too; for bb1 Pet. 4. 8.1 Pet 4:8Charity covers a multitude of sins, hides his own wrong From his own eyes; this Love too like that in the Poets, cannot see, yea covers all that is not fit for light, suffers onelyonly the graces to be naked near him, and not to name all, which you may find there, foreign, ver. 7. believeth all things, however incompatible to love, and to be wise have been accounted, yet this Love is 8. James his Wisdome that came down from Heaven, Cap. 3. 17. foreign, apt to Ein…erpret any thing to the most favourable sense; and foreign, easie to be persuaded, still believes the best, and where it p. 320cannot, yet foreign, hopes the best: Affection while it Alives cannot despair, for then it must deposite its desires, which are onelyonly the warmth of Love, and till it die cool not, but if all do not answer hopes, yet foreign, he does wait for it, is not discourag'd with relapses and the repetitions of injuries, but still expects, and suffers all the contradictions of spite and wrong.

Now if all these acts and the many other there are essential to Love and all be under Obligation; and S. Paul says there, they are so much Duty, that without these performances all Faith and all Graces profit nothing: the preaching Rhetorick of men and Angels would be nothing Belse but tinkling, and working Miracles, but shewing tricks. It follows then these acts must necessarily have a certain object, there must be some body that we are bound to love thus: and if that Object be our Neighbour (as that is most sure) 'tis clear my Neighbours injury, or hate or enmity to me, cannot take off nor yet diminish in the least that obligation I have to all those acts, but I must love him though he be mine enemy in every of those instances. For it is plain his having wrong'd me does not make him Ccease to be my Neighbour; nay more, that en…ity does formally dispose and quallifie my Neighbour for the object of my love: and many of its acts cannot relate but to a man that injures me, it must be in respect to provocations that love is said to cool into such a temper as is not easily provokt; For men are not provokt with kindnesses. I cannot suffer any thing but wrong, nor suffer long except there be continuation and frequency of wrongs. Nor is it possible I should forgive unlesse it be offences done against me. And so for divers of the rest: Now it were strange Dthe Enemy should supersede the obligation of that Duty, which cannot be a Duty but in order to an Enemy; that injury should give me a release, from doing that which I can never have cause or occasion to do but in the case of injury; that I should have leave not to obey the Command for that meer reason which alone makes it possible to obey it, and which alone makes the Command: whereas indeed because I must needs love in these expresses, therefore he must needs be my Enemy whom I must love.

But if he be without all provocation very unjustly so, Eif his hate be his sin, so that he hath offended God too in it, may I not then espouse Gods quarrel thus farre, not to love his Enemy if I must mine own, not to love the injurious, p. 321the sinner? Vice certainly is the most hatefull Athing that is, and therefore it must needs render the subject not to be belov'd; accordingly 'tis said, that the ungodly and his ungodliness are both alike hatefull unto God, Wisd. 14. 9. and David does comply with God in this, Psalm 139. Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate Thee? yea, Verse 21. 22.I hate them with perfect hatred, I count them mine enemies. And when I reflect on mine under this No…on, or if mine be such as set themselves against Religion and the peace and quietnesse of the Church, am I bound to love them? if so, then I may be allow'd to do it with a little regret Bsure. But yet if we consider how these in the Text are designated by that Appropriation, your enemies, which means those that hate you, my Disciples, those that in the last words of my Text, will persecute you even for your being mine; and yet those they are bid to love, we may conclude in the next place we may not hate our enemies as Sinners: nor yet does enmity with God, his Church, or his Religion qualifie a person for our aversation or mischiefs. I except here Apostacy and utter obduration in it; a state that incapacitates for mercy, and by consequence for love and kindnesse. There is a sin which S. John would not Csay that we should pray for, and the Church thought that 1 John v. 16.1 John 5:16there was such a sinner, Julian, but as to lesse degrees; they that are suppos'd to persecute Disciples, and in doing so persecute Christ himself, may well be granted sinners, enemies to God and Christianity; but yet says he, I say unto you, love these your enemies. Tertullian understood this so, and writing to the Governour of Carthage who threatned all the Christians of that Province with Excision, that he might persuade him from his purpose, thus began his Proposals: DWe do not write as fearing for our selves, or dreading any thing that we are like to suffer, for we did enter our Religion on the condition of suffering, we covenanted to endure, and staked our lives when we began our profession; but 'tis for you we fear, for you our enemies, whom our Religion does command us to love and to do good to. And though we must hate Vice, and do our best to root out Infidelity and Atheisme, destroy Profanenesse, irreligion and Heresie and Schism: these are fit objects for the zeals of Hate, and for the feavers of our Passion, and if our enemies be such Ewe may meetly endeavour they may have appropriate restraints, yet not to exercise the acts of Charity and kindnesse to them we have no allowance: no sins can make it p. 322lawfull for us to ruine, or not to do good to the Sinners.

In fine, the onelyonly persons that the Jews pretended to have ground to hate were Enemies, and enemies indeed to their Religion, the Idolatrous Gentile-world, therefore that being now forbid to us, there is no sort of men, nor any man whom it is lawfull for a Christian not to love; and all the reasons urg'd here by our Saviour do prove that all mankind whether good or bad is the object of a Christians love: because God does good to all, his methods of Mercies are universall; he makes his Clouds drop fatnesse even Bupon them that consume the encrease on their Lusts, and sacrifice it to their Riots, making their belly be their God: he gives abundance of his good things unto those that love them onelyonly as they advantage Vanity and Sin, and that turn Gods store into provision for Vice and for Destruction. He gives gold to them that make gold their Idol, and bestows large portions of earth on them that are Children of Hell, and them who for the pleasures of that Earth despise his Heaven. Yea, the whole order of things does teach us this, the Creatures do service to the whole Ckind, they acknowledge the man, and not the Countreyman and Friend; but alike the rich and poor, the good and gratefull, the wicked and ungratefull too. The Sun does not collect his Rays and shed more day to guild the gaudy and gay person whose Cloaths and Jewels will reflect his light, return him as much almost as he sends, and vie brightnesse with him, then he does to the poor dark, sordid raggs that even damp his beams: he sheds the same unpall'd Day even on those men that draw such streams of bloud as with their mists endeavour to put out Dor stain his shine: the Ayr gives breath to them that putrifie it, as well as those that send it out a Perfume. Yea the Creatures of sense and perception do not yet discriminate their Lords, but with that same indifference serve all: the Oxe knows his Owner, and the Asse his Master, not his Religion, Psalm 1. 3.Ps 1:3nor his Vertues; and then as there is something in man as man which God is kind to, something in man as man for which the Creatures serve, so there is something in man as he is man which we must love, and consequently we must love every man. And till thou hast found one so Emuch a Monster that no Creature will fear or obey, and such a one as God will shew no kindnesse to at all, will not let his Sun shine, or his Rain rain upon, but while as others p. 323are in Goshen, sets him in the storm and dark of Egypt, till then, AI say, thou hast not found a person whom thou mayst not love, no, though he be thine enemy in mind, and thought, in deed, for if he Curse thee, thou must bless, and must do good to him which hates thee, which are the particular expresses of the love in the Text, the first of which is,

Bless them that Curse you.

BLess being here oppos'd to Curse, must signifie wish well to Bthem that wish you evil: though foreign, also do import speak well of, as that is oppos'd to railing, 1 Pet. 3. 9. not rendring railing for railing, foreign, but contrariwise Blessing. And both are the duty of this place, which does intend that all sorts of loving words should be the Christians returns to the offences of the tongue, whether by Curse or contumely. And truly when I do consider how the other way, the rendring like for like, and giving him that does with or speak evil as good language as he brings, is so far from all shadow of compensation, that there is really a loss of honour in Cthose dismal imprecating words, the anger that does belch them out, does swell and stretch and rack the passion, blushes at it self, the malice drinks those spirits up which it lurks in, and the envy that Snake, sucks all the blood away, leaves nothing but its own pale venim in the stead: In a word, the very Essence of impatience is vexation and fret; and then that men should call that recompence for suffering which is it self a present agony, and hath no prospect of any after-good, that they should satisfie themselves in that does make that bold assertion of the R… manist, White.who says that those in Hell do will and love their being Dthere not strange at all, for indeed there is one and the same reason of both, that in the paroxysme of a passion, whensoever a man is seiz'd by an affection with violence (as they in Hell are alwayes, and those that speak evil are for the present,) He does for that time love, cherish and pursue the affection: and in good earnest, if so be that men can please themselves in the extreme impatience of a fruitless choler, it looks like demonstration, that the damn'd may please themselves in their damnation; as to that part of it, that which tears the Soul, the rage of its own passions when they are loose and unmuzzel'd, and the more because Ewe have good reason to believe theirs are the very passions we are now upon, Envy, and Hate, and Shame; and they do vent themselves in the same manner too, in Blasphemy and Curses; p. 324and differ nothing, but that their's are endless, and then let such men please themselves in the returnes of calumny and imprecations, Awe will allow them the delights of Hell in doing so, and they do tast those very onelyonly satisfactions that the fiends do in their torments, and much good may they do them. 'Tis true then what the Psalmist says, that he who thus delights in Carsing, Psal. 109. 17. 18.Ps 109:17Ps 109:18it shall enter into his bowels like water, and like oyl into his bones; like pleasure and refreshment, like water to allay his passionate heats, and oyl to make him chearful after his vexation: for so indeed the venting of his Curses seems to do; but alas if to powre them out do make them enter into him, into his bowels and Bhis bones, his most substantial parts, and his most necessary inwards; if it leave nothing there but Curse, poys…n instead of marrow, in the bones, and in the bowels fiery indignation for water, if this be the effect, then if you do resolve not to obey the Text and will not love your Enemy, yet for your own sakes, out of self-love do not execute your Enemies ill wishes on your selves, and in meer spite to him make all his maledictions come to pass upon you, but that blessing may not be far from you, Bless them that Curse you, do good to them that hate you, the next part.

Do good. If to do good, mean onelyonly those acts of charity that are under general pr…cept, rel…eve necessities, help in needs, and the like; then it is plain anothers hate to me takes not away my obligation, unless it take away his wants, and the wrongs he hath done me do not render me not bound to succour him, unless it put him in a state that needs no succour, For if th…ne Enemy hunger, thou must feed him, if he thirst, give him drink, Rom. 12. 20 Yea, though his hatred be to thy Religion: Do good to all, the Scripture says, and the Father porrig at manum Jupiter & accipiet: If the heathen Idols that DGal. 6. 10. Tertul.Gal 6:10have mouths indeed, but as they cannot speak, so neither can they eat, if they, I say, could hunger, and did ask, I would feed them, and I would give their God, that is the Devil if he wanted. But if foreign signifie do kindness and favours, be good, as that means bountiful and full of courtesies and grace, be more then merciful by rule and general command, which the Gospel calls righteous, (and truly foreign in 1 Tim. 3. 1. does mean a work of excellency, in a state of virtue without precept) and if it be so here too, enmity seems to have advantage above friendship in the Gospel, and brings kindness under Ean obligation; graces and favours that in their notation and effence imploy the being free, yet are not so to hatred, which hath by Christs Law just pretences to them. I will not be too positive in my affirmings, yet from the words will offer this, p. 325that if a kindness lye before me, and I have no reason to deny it Aa man, but this because he hates me, I must not deny it him, and if Christs reasonings do inforce the other it will conclude this too. For if we must relieve the wants of them that hate us, that we may be children of our Father who does so, upon the same account we must be good and kind too to them, for he is, and he will scarce prove a true lawful issue of this Father, who is in this unlike to him that tries and owns his progeny by these resemblances. So that what ever strength of argument there is in one, the other hath it. And truly we have reason to believe that there is more then motive in it, when first Christ hath set Bthis principle both to himself and us, with what measure you meet, it shall be measured to you again, Matt. 7. 2. As if the Lord had brought himself into that law of Justice with us men, whatsoever ye would that others should do to you, do you also to them: and it be also, whatsoever ye would that God should do unto you, do ye also to others; and Secondly, when he practiseth just at the rates we do for with the froward God learns frowardness, and foreign and is kind to the kind, so Ps. 18. 25. recals a grace from him that would not do one, Matt. 18. from 23 nay thirdly, when he gives us leave to beg his kindnesses, but just in the proportion we do ours, forgive as we forgive, we ask no Cmore, and praying so, we undertake to have endeavoured thus; assure God that we practice so, and upon that score beg. Now he that will forgive to the bounds of necessity, but never into favour, there he will stay his hand, will so much serve his turn from God? And can he be content with such a portion? Take heed, O severe man, what thou dost ask, when thou dost put up this petition. As thou shouldest say, I knew that notwithstanding we offend God constantly, yet besides all the mercies of his Covenant, (and that's a Covenant of Grace) his kindness too is over all his works; he does not onelyonly furnish our necessities, Dbut serves our pleasures and our fancies, prevents us with the blessings of his goodness, and watches over us, and waits to be kind to us in the rescues of his providence, and beyond these gives us means of Salvation more than barely sufficient, the plenties of his grace, the five and ten Talents, the expresses of his temporal, spiritual and eternal favours towards them that provoke him, are as immense and as innumerable as their guilts, but all these I shall rather part with, then be good and do favours to him that is mine Enemy: I will never have Eany kindness for that man that hates me, nor do I beg any of Thee, O Lord. And wouldest thou say all this to God, if it were put in words at length in thy petition? Or dost thou think thou dost not say as much in praying so? And thou that makest p. 326so ill requests for thy on self, how wilt thou pray for them that despitefully use thee & persecure thee? which is the last particular Acommand. Pray for them that dispitefully use you and persecute you.

As in this character of enemies, Christ hath not left out any thing that does express h…stility, hating in heart, cursing in word, and persecution in deed, and which to some is more provoking than a persecution, despiteful usage: (for persecution may make them serious, and look at their demerits, the other onelyonly stirs their spl…en and gall) all which, all that an enemy canspeak, or wish, or do, must be no …ar to our affection: so to express the unfeignedness of that, he hath not left out any exercise of love, we must speak well of them, but that a crafty Bpassion may do, and blessing may be but more plausible and cunning hatred: we must therefore also do good to them, but this a generous pride may do, as knowing it more glorious to raise up a distressed adversary, th…n to trample on him when he is down, and to make him my creature rather then my footstool: All this I may do therefore yet love nothing but my vanity or my designs: but when I take my enemy into my Closer and into my heart, give him a share in the petitions of my soul, devide the a…ms and interests of my devotion to h…m, and make my prayers Cconcern'd in the forgivness of his sins as of my own, there's nothing but obedience to my Saviour, and the love of my enemy can make a man do this: and truly tis a piece of kindness that is as necessary for our selves, as those that injure us. For them it is very necessary for persecution, or despightful usage, offending God, as by a disobedience to his precept; so also by the suffering it does inflict on man, to forgive or require which that man hath right: God does not use to put the injur'd person by this right, or by his paramont Authority assume to pardon the mans part of the wrong, but does retain the sin till that either in deed Dordesire be satisfied for, or remitted, there being till then an obstruction to Gods forgivness for till then the man hath not repented; but when the sufferer does pray for him, in doing so he pleads that that obstruction is remov'd, that his part is remitted, and so leaves no bar in the way to that pardon which he begs for him of God, and which that bar being gone, the Lord is us'd to grant with all advantage, the prayers of our Martyr, in the seventh of the Acts, are a demonstration, to which the Fathers say the Church did owe not onelyonly her deliverance from all the violent intentions of Soul, but all that Christianity which St. EPaul planted the dying voice of that petition, aaAct. 7. 60.Acts 7:60Lord, lay not this sin to their charge, was answered by that bbAct. 9. 4.Acts 9:4voyce from Heaven, which converted Saul in his career of fury: one prayer for a persecuter, puts an end to persecution, & si stephanus p. 327non orass et Ecclesia non habuisset Paulum. Jobs miserable comforters, Awhose visits prov'd afflictions to him, could not at one themselves to God by their burnt offerings, but Job must pray for them 42. Chr. 8., seven Bullocks and seven Rams cannot expiate, but one petition from the sufferer will do it; for him I will accept, saith God, and he accepted him, not for them onelyonly, but for himself for the Lord turned the Captivity of Job, when he prayed for them. vers 10. These intercessions speed sooner then direct supplications, and such a petition is heard to ourselves, when tis made for others. And reason good, for such requests lay the condition of our pardon before God, making evidence Bof our performance, and they cry, for we forgive, and so call for pardon. And to encourage this procedure, our Saviour before he did commend his own spirit into the hand of his Father, he commended his Executioners to the mercies of his Father: Our Martyr did not so indeed, but first pray'd for himself Lord Jesus receive my spirit, Acts 7. 59. but though Heaven opening he saw that Jesus standing at the right hand of God, as ready to receive it, yet his spirit would not leave his body so, Luk. 23. 34. 46.Luke 23:34Luke 23:46it made him live yet to endure more stoneing from his persecutors, for whom he had not pray'd yet, but when he once fell Con his knees, not beaten down by their storm, but his Charity, and pray'd, Lord lay not this sin to their charge, when he had said so he fell asleep v. 60. his spirit taken hence as it were …sculo pacis, though by the most violent death, and he lyes down in a perpetual rest and peace, that thus lyes down in love. These are requests to breath out a soul into Heaven in, and Heaven it self did open to receive that soul that came so wafted.

And now we are at the top of Christ's Mount, the highest and the steepest point of Christianity, which vies with that to which our Martyrs Spirit did ascend: for it makes perfect as our Dheavenly Father is perfect; it sets our heads within in those higher Mat. 5. 48.Matt 5:48and untroubled Regions, wherein there are no Meteor-fires, the flame of Passion cannot wing it thither, for he that is above the power of injury, discontent cannot look up to him, it is with him as in the upper Orbs, where there is only harmony and shine, all is Peace and Love, the state: of Heaven it self, Now as it does happen to them that look down from great heights, every Object below is dwarf'd: and if the distance of the Prospect be as great as that from Heaven to Earth, they tell us this whole Globe would be but like a spot, all being swallowed in it Eself; so if from this great height of duty, we should look down upon the world of Christianity, would it no… almost wholly disappear and vanish? some thing like a dark spot of it you may perchance behold, stain'd and discolour'd with the p. 328Blood of Christians, which their constant quarrels shed: some Ait may be dye that Blood in colours of Religion, their animosity is Christned zeal; they kill only for Sacrifice, thus they interpret and fulfill Christs precepts, this they call holy love, as if Christ when he bid his Disciples take no Slaves with them, meant they should carry Swords; as if the love he had commanded, we should have for them that are in errour (if our enemies be so indeed) were but to murder them forsooth out of their errours. Next for the kindnesses that Christians do to those that hate them, or have disoblig'd them, they are God knowes so little, that no perspective can shew them from this height we are upon: and Byet 'tis not for want of light we cannot see them, 'tis very rate men do those things in the dark; for if they do not blazon them themselves, the enemy whom they oblige, must do it. The distance also is too great to hear the prayers that are made for those that treat men with despiteful usage; perhaps it is because they are put up in secret; but then what means the yelling of those curses? That ill language that is banded to and fro? While none will be behind in the returns of these: how far soever we are off, like Thunder these are heard: and thence you may behold them also tearing Christs wounds wider to mouth their Cswelling passion: we may see their anger redden with his Blood, and themselves spitting out that Blood by imprecations at the face of him that did provoke them; we may see them raking Hell to word these prayers, sending themselves thither in wishes, that they may express them with more horrour. The Hatreds and Revenges which men act on them that have offended them (hates that seldom ever dye till themselves do, which the Frost of the Grave onelyonly cools, yea, many times they are rak'd up, and keep their heat in the ashes, live in the grave, and are as long liv'd as the families, which for the most part is more careful and renacious Dof them then of their Inheritance.) The executions of these are often writ in characters legible at utmost distance; in this Mount of the Lord they may be seen, but where now are the Christians of my Text and of this day? There's no appearance of them in the face of the whole Globe of our Profession; nay worse, it is scarce possible they should appear, the duties of loving enemies, of returning affro…ts with kindnesses, these are banisht thence; other virtues are practic'd down, but these are scorn'd and quarrel'd down. 'Tis become a base thing and not to be endur'd to be a Christian in these instances: See Epride and passions swoln up to an height, which Christ's Mount cannot reach, and which he must not level by his precepts: for since he was not pleas'd to consider how inconsistent in this last age of the World his rules would be with those of honour, and in p. 329making his Laws, …ook no care of the reputation of a Gentleman, 'tis fit his Laws should give way to the constitutions of some AHectors, and he must …ear the violation of them: and all this must be reasonable too▪ Good God! what prodigy of age is this when Christ the Lo…d cannot be competent to judge either of right, of honour, … of reason? When to be like God, and to be perfect as our Father: … Heaven is perfect, is to be most sordid and unworthy of a Gentl…an? and in the name of God these men that are too great for v…ue, that brave out Religion, and will needs give rules to God, …hat rank do they intend to stand in at Gods Judgment seat on …e last day? Lord God! grant us to stand among the meek, on that …nd with the Sheep, and Bthose that are too poor in spirit to defy their …nemies and thy commands: for however the meek maketh himse… a prey, and is so far from enjoying the promise of inheriting the …th, that the virtue is scarce allow'd to sojourn in the earth, as …it had breath'd it's last in this our Martyrs prayer, took it's flight with his spirit, and those stones that slew him were the Mon…ent of loving enemies, of praying for those that persecure an murder; and such Charity were not to be found among us any more, yet sure I am these charitable persons shall enjoy the friendship and the glories of That Lover, that did Bless, Do good…, Pray, and CDye for Enemies; and these meek men shall reign with the La…b, who was slain, and is worthy to receive power, and riches, and wi… dom, Rev. 5. 12.Rev 5:12and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing, all which be ascribed to him, and to the Father of all mercies, the God of Consolation, and to the Spirit of Love; now and for evermore.

FINIS.