Imatges de pàgina
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PART III.

SERMON XIII.

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THE Author having difpatched the two general heads, proceeds,

THIRDLY, To fhew that they do moft falfely and abfurdly pretend to the love of an unfeen GOD, who love not their brother whom they do fee. In fpeaking to this it is requifite, 214 I. To fhew in what extent the phrafe of loving our brother is to be understood.

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II. WHENCE it comes to pafs that any fhould take upon them to pretend to love God, who yet have no love to their brother. ibid.

III. THE abfurdity and falfhood of this pre

tence.

ibid.

I. IT is fhewn what is meant by loving our brother.

THE term, brother, explained,

ibid.

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Two extremes to be avoided; particularly, 1. THAT We do not intend the inward principle of love, fo as to cut off the external acts.

2. THAT We lay not the whole stress

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upon it.

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II. IT is inquired whence it is that any fhould pretend love to GOD, and yet be deftitute of love to their brethren.

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1. Ir is more cheap to pretend love to GOD, than really to exercife it to our brother. Befides,

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2. It is more glorious, and makes a more glittering fhew, than the other does.

SERMON XIV.

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III. We now proceed to fhew the falfhood and abfurdity of this pretence of love to GOD, where there is no real love to our brother. 235

1. THIS may be evinced from the ftrict connexion there is between the love of GOD, and our brother in the nature of the things themfelves; particularly with respect to their object, their root and principle, their rule, and their end. 236 2. IT is abfurd for a man to pretend, that he has mastered the greater difficulty, who has not overcome the lefs.

SERMON XV.

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THE application of the third part of this subject is in general to ingage men to reflect upon themselves, and the common practice; and to lament the little love there is towards men as men, or towards Chriftans as Chriftians.

FIRST, Towards men as men.

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I. How little love is to be feen towards men

univerfally confidered? Or

II. CONSIDER men indefinitely, that is

we have to do with. And here,

ibid.

any

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1. SOME things are animadverted upon which are directly repugnant to this love; as morofe

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nefs, an unmerciful difpofition, injustice, rafh anger, and inordinate felf-love.

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2. SOME other violations of this royal law of love are taken notice of 265 Two cafes spoken to; that of those, in the I. PLACE, who think they are not bound to love wicked men. 268

SERMON XVI.

II. THE fecond cafe is that of those, who think they may be difpenfed with, or excufed from loving those that are their enemies. 275

UNDER which head the reasonableness of love to our enemies is evinced from the following confiderations.

1. THAT it is the law and glory of Chriftianity to do fo.

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2. THAT by this means we make ourselves fuperior to our enemies.

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3. THAT this temper carries in it a noble independency on external things.

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4. THAT our enemies may have their excellencies, and on other accounts be worthy perfons. 284

5. THAT if we be unjustly maligned then we have certainly GoD on our fide,

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6. THAT thofe perfons, who injure us, do

firft a great deal more injure GoD.

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7. THAT if they wrong us never fo much, they wrong themselves more.

ibid.

page 8. THAT if they have wronged us, we have one way or other wronged our felves more. 288

9. THAT we fhall do ourselves a great deal more wrong, than it is poftible for them to do ibid.

to us.

10. THAT whatever exercife our love fhall have in this kind it will be to our great advantage.

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Laftly, THAT by this means we may conquer our enemy at last.

SERMON XVII.

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THE Author having lamented the little love there is to be feen towards men, confidered as men; proceeds,

SECONDLY, To treat on that love, which we should have for one another as Chriftians; and to fhew, that it is commonly violated among men, who bear the Chriftian name. 294 I. SOME privative inftances are given of this. As,

1. WHEN the object of this love is mistaken.

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2. WHEN the principle of it languishes. 296 3. WHEN there is an unaptnefs to take care of avoiding offences. And 298

4. A GREAT difficulty either to give, or receive fatisfaction.

ibid.

5. A MUTUAL fhynefs without cause is unfuitable to this affection,

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6. ANOTHFR inftance is neglect of mutual admonition.

And

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7. Of doing kind offices one for another as occafion requires.

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II. THE pofitive inftances of the violation of this law of love to Chriftians are these.

I. HARD thoughts, and rafh cenfures of one another.

2. RASH anger.

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3. INVETERATE grudges are alfo inconfiftent with that love, which we owe to our Chriftian brother.

4. SECRET delight in his harm.

5. Envy at the good of our neighbour.

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6. MOST of all inconfiftent with this duty is

hatred.

And,

ibid.

LASTLY, Bearing hard on one another's conscience in matters relating to religion.

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