Imatges de pàgina
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the law and the prophets were regularly read, and prayers made every fabbath day. Thefe fervices our Lord himself ftatedly attended, as Luke informs us, ch. iv. 16. "As his cuftom was, he "went into the fynagogue on the fabbath-day." And the fame exercifes were continued by the apoftles in all chriftian churches, which were formed upon the fame general plan, and have been tranfmitted through all ages to this day.

SECTION II.

Of the focial duties.

T would be tedious, and is by no means neceffary

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to go over all the articles of focial duty, as they are explained and enforced in the fcriptures. Whatever I have observed in the first part of these Inftitutes, as the dictate of Nature, is ftrongly inculcated in the books of the Old and New Teftament, and recommended by motives and confiderations peculiar to revelation. I must not omit, however, to obferve that the prophets in the Old Teftament, and our Saviour, and the apostles in the New, do not content themselves with giving inftructions, concerning men's conduct in particular cafes and inftances, but are more especially careful to inculcate the neceffity of cultivating fuch an inward temper

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temper of mind as will form a complete character, which will lead to the obfervance of every particular duty, and make the conftant practice of it easy and delightful.

They more especially recommend the univerfal principle of brotherly love, and a conftant attention to the interests of others. The fecond great commandment of the law, our Saviour fays, is, "Thou "fhalt love thy neighbour as thy felf;" and in this, as the apostle Paul obferves, the whole of the moral law, as far as it relates to fociety, is comprehended. Rom. xii. 8. &c. "Owe no man any "thing, but to love one another: for he that "loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, "Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou fhalt

not kill, Thou shalt not fleal, Thou shalt not bear falfe witnefs, Thou shalt not covet; and "if there be any other commandment, it is briefly

comprehended in this faying, namely, Thou "fhalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love work"eth no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the "fulfilling of the law."

Our Lord and the apoftles, befides this general good-will to all men, ftrongly recommend a more affectionate concern for our fellow-chriftians, hofe who have the fame faith, and the fame hope with ourselves, John xv. 12. "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have lov"ed you." And xiii. 35. "By this shall all men

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"know that ye are my difciples, if ye have love

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one to another." Accordingly the apostle Peter exhorts, 1 Peter i. 22. "See that ye love one "another with a pure heart fervently." The apoftle John, more than any other, recommends this divine principle of brotherly love, and fhews that it is impoffible to love God without it. I John iv. 20. "This commandment have we from him, "that he who loveth God, love his brother alfo." V. II. "Beloved, if God fo loved us, we ought "alfo to love one another. No man hath feen "God at any time. If we love one another, God "dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. v. 16. "He that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in

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God, and God in him." V. 20. << If a man "fay, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is

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a liar for he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath feen, how can he love God, whom he "hath not feen?"

Our Lord is particularly careful to warn his difciples, that they do not confine their attention to outward actions, but to confider the inward temper of their mind, with refpect to every branch of focial duty; and he cenfures the narrowness of the Pharifaical morality for its deficiency in this refpect, upon feveral occafions, and efpecially in his fermon upon the mount. Matt. v. 21. "Ye have

heard that it was faid by them of old time, "Thou shalt not kill; and whofoever shall kill,

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"shall be in danger of the judgment: But I fay "unto you, That whofoever is angry with his "brother without a cause, shall be in danger of "the judgment:" ver. 27. "Ye have heard that "it was faid by them of old time, Thou shalt not "commit adultery: But I fay unto you, That "whofoever looketh on a woman to luft after her, "hath committed adultery with her already in his "heart."

Very proper attention was also given to the temper of mind, and inclination of the heart, in the Old Teftament; an inftance of which we have in the tenth commandment. Ex. xx. 17. "Thou "fhalt not covet thy neighbour's houfe, thou fhalt

not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man"fervant, nor his maid-fervant, nor his ox, nor "his afs, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."

Far from confining our good-will and kind offices to our particular friends and fellow-chriftians, our Lord ftrongly recommends good-will and kindness to all perfons, and even to enemies: Matt. v. 43. &c. "Ye have heard that it hath

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been faid, Thou shalt love they neighbour and "hate thine enemy; but I fay unto you, Love your enemies, blefs them that curfe you, do "good to them that hate you, and pray for them "who defpitefully ufe you and perfecute you; "That ye may be the children of your Father "who is in heaven: for he maketh his fun to rife

"on the evil and on the good, and fendeth rain "on the juft and on the unjuft. For if ye love "them that love you, what reward have ye? do "not even the publicans the fame? Be ye there"fore perfect, even as your Father who is in hea"ven is perfect." The apostle Paul also enjoins us, Rom. xii. 17. &c. " to recompenfe to no man " evil for evil, and not to be overcome of evil, but "to overcome evil with good."

The forgiveness of injuries, about which the heathen moralifts had, as we have feen, great doubts, and which fome of them abfolutely denied to be a duty; but which is certainly a moft amiable and valuable one, is strongly recommended by our Lord and his apoftles. Luke xvii. 3. &c. "If thy "brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and "if he repent, forgive him. And if he trefpafs "against thee feven times in a day, and seven"times in a day turn again to thee, faying, I re66 pent; thou shalt forgive him." He also particularly inforces this advice by the confideration of the divine mercy and clemency. Mat. vi. 14. "If

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ye forgive men their trefpaffes, your heavenly "Father will alfo forgive you: But if ye forgive "not men their trefpaffes, neither will your Fa"ther forgive your trefpaffes." Luke vi. 36. " Be "ye therefore merciful, as your Father alfo is

merciful." To the fame purpose the apostle Paul, Eph. iv. 31. "Let all bitterness, and

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