Heart knows that too often the most specious external Acts may proceed from a false or corrupt Principle and then tho' they may be highly esteem'd and magnify'd in the Opinion of the World they cannot be acceptable to him who is pleas'd with nothing that does not flow from a sincere and truly pious Disposition of the Soul From that Charity which arises from the Love of God which loves him as the Supreme and Original Good and loves every thing else for his sake that admires and adores his infinite Fulness and esteems other things as the Streams and Emanations from that inexhaustible Fountain When we have not a due regard to this Heavenly Standard of our Affections our Love will quickly degenerate into a silly Fondness or a covetous Desire or some turbulent uneasie violent or exorbitant Passion But when the love of God rules in our Hearts when it presides over our very Thoughts and governs the most secret and inward Motions of our Spirits it will keep all steddy and even in a due Composure without any Excess or Irregularity and I may add in a constant readiness to do good Now this is that excellent Principle of Charity which is only able to give any real Value to all other Endowments whatever and which accordingly is described in the next place by some of the most genuine and proper Effects of it to Verse 8. as that it suffereth long that it is kind that it envieth not vaunteth not it self or is not rash is not puffed up doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh to Evil rejoiceth not in Iniquity but rejoiceth in the Truth or with the Truth Beareth all things believeth all things hopeth all things endureth all things Thus it includes Patience Benificence Contentment Humility Decency Generosity Publick-Spiritedness Meekness Temperance Good Nature Piety Devotion Truth Fidelity Joy and Compassion Peace and Union Faith Hope and the bravest Christian Fortitude with all the blessed Fruits of the Holy Spirit yea with all manner of Goodness and Morality to make us both truly wise and happy So next St. Paul commends it from its duration because that all the other Gifts and Abilities how necessary soever they might be for the propagation of the Christian Religion c should yet fail cease and vanish away as things that should be of no farther use in the other World But this alone should never fail but continue with us for ever in that Blessed State of Happiness and Perfection as you may read to my Text wherein now lastly our Apostle mentions the three most eminent Graces Faith Hope and Charity but gives the preference to the last concluding positively the greatest of these is Charity which is evident from the whole Chapter as we have thus far briefly consider'd it From whence now to proceed methodically I shall First illustrate the Words of my Text in short Secondly Endeavour to demonstrate to you this excellent Grace of Charity as comprehensive of all True Religion and Happiness from Scripture and Reason together And so Thirdly I shall manifest some grand Obligations to the due Practice thereof from the Points of Duty Gratitude and Interest First Then consider the Just shall live by Faith Heb. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 We are purify'd sanctify'd justify'd and saved by Faith Acts 15.9 c. 26 18. Rom. 5.1 Eph. 2.8 But then it must be such a Faith as worketh through Love Nothing else availing in Jesus Christ Gal. 5.6 Hope is an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast Heb. 6.19 And by Hope are we comforted and saved Rom 8.24 For this were the Scriptures given that we might have hope Rom. 15.4 which worketh Patience and Assurance unto Life Eternal Tit. 2.13 c. 3 7. Among our Spiritual Armour we are to take for an Helmet the hope of Salvation 1 Thes 5.8 This is our rejoicing and will be our Glory in the Lord Col. 1.27 Heb. 3.6 But yet this must be grounded and rooted in Love and he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as God is pure to be like him in singular Love above all as becometh his Sons 1 Joh. 3.1 2 3. Again Faith is the Substance of things hoped for the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 which gives us all Assurance and some Enjoyment of Heaven upon Earth affords us some Antepasts of Life and Glory But here they end at the Celestial Gate here is the Accomplishment of our Faith and Hope while Charity the very Bond of Perfectness uniteth us to the most Amiable the Divine Nature while Love wings our Souls into the Regions of Bliss and Immortality abides with us there and happily employs us unto all Eternity Thus Charity is the greatest of all Graces and Vertues as influencing and perfecting all nearest resembling the Supreme Deity and glorifying our Natures For Love is of God and God is Love 1 Joh. 4.7 But he that loveth not knoweth not God Verse 8. How can such then hope for Heaven Or like the bold Fiduciary presume upon Faith which only worketh by and is dead and ineffectual without Love Jam. 2.3 4. Love which is the Light that shines before Men to the Glory of our Heavenly Father in all good Works Matth. 5.16 Love which is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 and the New Commandment of the Gospel Joh. 13.34 The true Spirit of all the very distinguishing Badge Cognizance and Characteristick of Christ's true Disciples Which now secondly with all that has hitherto been said may be a sufficient Demonstration of the Comprehensiveness of this excellent unbounded universal beatifying Christian Charity Whereto both Scirpture and Reason give such ample undeniable Testimonies as may yet farther appear from many clean convincing Proofs As there is such an Uniformity and happy Agreement between the Old and New Testament that the one seems to be but the Counter-part of the other or rather the Gospel is both the Improvement and Fulfilling of the Law and an higher advancement of Human Nature than ever it was bless'd with either by its own Light or preceding Revelation So they all concenter together in this one Grace of Charity which carries its own Reward with it in a much more real Sense than the best Philosophers held of Verture This Charity implies the whole of Man both his Duty and Happiness which the Royal wise Preacher concludes with the Fear of God and keeping his Commandments so to be prepared for future Judgment Eccl. 12.13 14. And what is all this but the plain Effect and sure Demonstration of our Love which our Lord so positively requires of us John 14 15. If ye love me keep my Commandments In this therefore does he summ up all the Law and the Prophets from Deut. 6.5 c. 10 12 13. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul with all thy strength and with all thy mind This is the first and great Commandment And the second from Lev.
19.18 is like unto it Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Matth. 22.37 38 39 40. Luke 10.27 This is more than all the plain Hecatombs than all the whole Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices Mark 12.33 Thus Love or Charity includes both all our Divine and Moral Duties and makes us most like and acceptable unto God who is good to all both Just and Unjust whose infinite Perfection herein we may happily imitate and particularly as your Saviour directs us in his great and admirable improvements of the Law Matth. 5. To love our Enemies bless them that curse us do good to them that hate us and pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us v. 44. upon reasons following to the end So has he taught us to Pray and to forgive others or else we must never expect God's forgiveness our selves Matth. 6.14 And so has he shew us in the Parable of the good Samaritan to take every one for our Neighbour that needeth our Mercy Luke 10.30 to v. 38. Whereupon farther we are assur'd of obtaining Mercy as we are Merciful in imitation of our Heavenly Father Matth. 5.7 Luke 6.36 This is that Charity that will cover a multitude of sins Which makes St. Peter exhort us so earnestly above all things to have fervent Charity c. 1 Pet. 4 8 9. This is the very Life and Soul of Christianity This is that solid Principle which goes through all connecting the Duty and Beatitude together as may be manifest entirely from our Saviours most excellent Sermon upon the Mount Matth. 5.6 7 c. Wherefore this must guide and influence our whole Lives and Conversations as we desire to be Wise Good and Happy In short this Charity is in Religion like the Rational Soul in the Body as Aristotle defines it Tota in toto tota in qualibet parte Entire in the whole and undivided in every Part and Duty which our uniform constant Obedience to the Divine Commands will clearly alone demonstrate For the inseperable effect of true Love is to work an identity of Volition as the Schools speak i. e. to conform our Wills to the Will of the Person that we love Now the Will of our God and Saviour is contain'd in his Laws and Precepts which are to it as the Copy to the Original So our due observance thereof does infallibly imply our Love For the necessary effect of a Cause will of necessity follow the being of the true End 'T is upon this Supposition that we our selves expect the same satisfaction All the Formalities of Respect and other Offices of Friendship we account but as so many designs upon us where this Love is wanting In like manner all other Expressions of our Love to God tho' never so plausible to the outward view without this natural demonstrative effect in keeping his Commandments thereupon are but mere Flattery and Collusion and have no other intrinsick Vertue or Goodness in them than as they are means to this end and lead as to the Obedience and Observance of his Laws as true Love certainly will which the common Notions of Mankind can evince from more particular Effects and Properties of Love whereof hereafter And to give you some brief agreeable Instances of Duties both Relative and Personal which both Reason and Experience will declare the happiness attending as nothing's more delightful and easie in Practice For the pleasure and ease of a thing results from the agreement between it and the desire which if we consider narrowly in this case we shall find that nothing can be more adapted than the Duties of Religion to our very Make and Constitution and to our strong impulses after Happiness Nor is any thing I 'm sure more consonant to the best parts of us more advancive of our Natures and more certainly pursuant of our truest Interests both Temporal and Eternal This made the wisest of Men upon its Knowledge and good Experience thus pronounce of that Wisdom or Religion which he so much recommends above all things Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Prov. 3.17 and of this we are assur'd by a greater than Solomon our gracious Lord and loving Master himself thus encouraging our Obedience to his Laws Matth. 11.28 29 30. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meak and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your Soul for my yoke is easie and my burden is light Now this is the Love of God in particular that we keep even all his Commandments and his Commandments are not grievous but undoubtedly very delightful easie and pleasant to the faithful obedient Lovers of God and Christ in meekness and humility overcoming the World hereby 1 John 5.3 4 5 And transforming themselves thro' the Holy Spirit of Love by the renewing of mind to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12.2 Who would not thus Conscientiously and Zealously discharge all his respective Duties to God himself and his Neighbour as first in the Religious Exercises of Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 Of Devout Praise and Prayer of Holiness Publick and Private Worship Reverence of all things Sacred Decent and Orderly Attendance upon the Divine Ordiances the Solemn Administrations of his Word and Sacraments which our Excellent Church most Piously Enjoyns and Celebrates Secondly Exercising Sobriety of Mind and Body in Spiritual Meekness Courage and Temperance to resist the Devil subdue the Flesh and vanquish all the Terrors and the Flatteries the Provocations Dangers and Temptations of a malicious World compleating those victorious Graces and Duties of Patience Modesty Self-denial Mortification taking up the Cross and with the most glorious Passive Valour following the Captain of our Salvation even through a Sea of Blood Rom 8.37 becoming more than Conquerors in Jesus Christ our Lord. Thirdly In Righteous Exercises of Justice and Mercy to all Mankind Which Charity the very bond of Peace and of all Vertues Eph. 4.3 Engages us all too in that golden Rule of do as we would be done by Matth. 7.12 And still endeavouring our utmost to live peaceably with all Men Rom. 12.7 Which with solid Piety and Temperance do only promote and secure the common Welfare of all For what would the World be without these but a Den of Thieves All the orderly Societies and Communities of Men would without a Metaphor be so many Wild Beasts let loose upon one another the strongest Preying upon the weakest and they again with the advantages of greater numbers retaliating the injury of the stronger But where these Rules are Conscientiously practis'd Mens Rights and Possessions are kept inviolate The Poor are then favour'd and defended by the Rich and they mutually aided and assisted by the Poor And all things Administred in that Peace and Order that constitutes a Regular and
and Interest which in other things determine our Choice and Resolution As these are main Topicks of Persuasion great Motives to Action and high Encouragements to Perseverance against all Difficulties and Obstacles in the way So much more should they be to us in our Charitable endeavours in this our Christian Race and Warfare 1st Then we are bound in Duty to the Religious practice of this excellent Catholick Charity because 't is strictly enjoin'd us by the Highest i. e. the Divine Authority from whence all Human Power is deriv'd This is positively requir'd of us by our Lord who hath most Right to our Love and Obedience upon our Creation Redemption and continual Preservation which do World and the Devil which obliges us in Conscience and Honour to continue his faithful Soldiers to our lives end and not cowardly Debase our selves or Dishonour him by Disobedience and Neglect of his Almighty Power like the Reviling Blasphemous Jews who thus Crucify'd the Lord of Life All Sin is contagious in its own Nature but nothing more so than disrespect to Superiors as 't is notoriously plain that the World is apt to follow Example more than Reason in this case So fatal to others as to ur selves will be our Treacherous Rebellious Disobedience As nothing can be more Dishonorable Mischievous and Ungrateful which proceeds from that Earthly Sensual Devilish Wisdom mention'd James 3.15 not regarding the true Wisdom from above so full of this Excessive Universal Charity the very Temper of Heaven the Image of the Divinity which is first Pure then Peaceable Gentle and Easie to be intreated full of Mercy and good Fruits without Partiality and without Hypocrisie and the Fruit of Righteousness is sown in Peace of them that make Peace v. 17.18 which 3dly Shews our Obligations upon Interest Peace Internal External and Eternal flowing from this Principle of Charity is our only real Happiness and consequently our only true Interest Thus for instance the truely Charitable Person beyond all the greatest Heroes of the World is Master of himself has conquer'd his Passions and corrupt Affections humbled his Soul before God and cast out all Devils by Fasting and Prayer is Regenerate and Spiritualiz'd renders to all their due is as faithful to God and his Church or his Ministers as to Caesar and the State matth 17.21 c. 22. v. 21. Wrongs no Man does good to all especially the Houshold of Faith owes no Man any thing but Love Gal. 6.10 Rom. 13.8 provides for his own and uses Hospitality 2 Tim. 5.8 1 Pet. 4.19 depends upon Grace and Providence submits patiently and thankfully to the Divine Will in all things trusts in the Merits of his Saviour and who obtains his blessed Legacy of Peace Joh. 14.17 c. 16. So is he secure from the Strokes either of Justice or Violence None but a Tyrant or Villain indeed would injure such a Person who as one truly speaks is so far from the Designs of Dishonesty c. that his hands are oblig'd to be employ'd in Charity and so far from exasperating others by unruly Provocations that his very Enemies may expect because they must have his Love and those that curse him his Prayers Matth. 5.44 Thus his Life is safe from the Stroke of Justice and Injustice too if Christianity might be admitted to represent unto the Russian the Obligation that she lays on her Disciples to affront no Man However if Barbarity prevails he knows to whom Vengeance belongeth and he is not overcome of Evil but overcomes Evil with Good Rom. 12.19.21 And if he can't heap Coals of Fire on his Enemy's Head to melt him by Charity into Love and Compassion if Love will not beget Love in his hardened Heart yet after the Example of our dying Lord he will charitably forgive and interceed for his very Murtherers Luke 23.34 So he bears good Will to and is in Charity with his most inveterate Foes as he can't be an Enemy to any but is always a Friend and Benefactor to Mankind in general by good Wishes and Prayers at least where 't is not in his Power to act thus charitable may the poorest be So farther he enjoys the continual Feast of a good Conscience and the blessed Peace of Mind both in Time of Adversity and Proserity having plac'd his Treasure and set his Heart and Affections upon things above and not below Col. 3.1 2. avoiding the Snares and Temptations of Riches by doing good with them 2 Tim. 6.9 17 18 19. And being assur'd of God's Protection and Blessing upon the due Improvement of his Talents in Love and Fidelity knowing that he shall not be tempted above that he is able but in all Trials shall happily escape 1 Cor. 10 13. So in the midst of Storms and Tempests Crosses and Afflictions Wars and Desolations he remains unmov'd like an invincible Rock upon stedfast Faith and Hope in the God of his Love Psal 46. Who will certainly deliver him from all Evil the Evil of Sin and Punishment here and hereafter as in all time of Tribulation in all time of Wealth in the Hour of Death and in the Day of Judgment when he 'll be receiv'd into the Joy of his Lord Matth. 25. Which now sufficiently manifests our Obligations upon Interest as well as Duty and Gratitude to exercise this Christian Charity or comprehensive Love in full observance of the Divine Commandments whch is the only demonstration of our Love to Christ that he will accept of For he only that hath his Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth him Joh. 14.21 If therefore as now by way of Christian Application we find this effect in our Actions we may be sure the Cause is within our Hearts But if this alone be wanting all our Pretences to Christianity are vain yea all other Offices of Religion our Prayers our Repentance our Confidence our Fasting our Alms are no manner of Arguments of our Love of God and Christ because they are not used as means to this end which alone can give them the denomination of Religious Actions which plainly signifies the vast difference between Real and Nominal Christians between the faithful and pretended Lovers of Christ who are all known by their Fruits Matth. 7.15 If there were no other way to judge of the Reality of Mens Affections than the Greatness of their own Pretences there might not be devis'd a more impertinent waste of time than in a Christian Congregation to endeavour to perswade Men to love their God and Saviour We call our selves Christians after his Name we build Churches for his Worship where we often appear as on this day with bended Knees and lift up hands to send up our Prayers and Praises to him if we may be believ'd we hate them that hate him as tho' they were our Enemies We fight his Battles and propagate his Religion with the hazard our own Friends and Relations for his sake Our Saviour's Prophecy Luk. 12.51 to 54. has been notoriously verify'd
through the Christian World and as much as any-where in this unhappy Kingdom where the pretended Love of Christ and his Religion has set Father against Son Brother against Brother c. Ver. 53. And this has taken such entire Possession of our Affections that has sadly crowded out all Charity for one another But none of these Pretences are sufficient Proofs of our Love of Christ nay some are the greatest Arguments against it For take it how we will he that pretends to Love God and hates his Brother is justly pronounced a Lyar 1 Joh. 4.20 And it holds not only in the case before-nam'd but in all other Instances whatever where our Pretences to the Love of Christ are not seconded and made out by an entire Obedience to his Commands as himself requires Joh. 14.15 21. Eph. 1. Moreover what an impudent Affront is it to him and contradiction in themselves for the Subjects of the Prince of Peace to be contentious and bloody as for the Disciples of the holy and immaculate Jesus to be prophane and impure yea as too many are worse than all other People and Nation So Christendom is too fatally become the vilest part of the World a Sink of all those Abominations which even Barbarians detest O the Horror and Misery Thus is Christ smitten in the House of his Friends crucify'd by his Votaries his seamless Coat divided by his Disciples his Spouse the Church's Bowels torn out by her own Sons Christianity destroy'd by its base uncharitable Professors and the Gospel subverted by surious pretended Zealots whose Condemnation will be the heavier Whos 's Judgment now of a long time lingreth not and their Damnation slumbreth not For The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations and to reserve the Vnjust unto the day of Judgment to be punished as chiefly the Unclean and Rebellious the Presumptuous and Self-will'd that fear not to speak Evil of Dignities 2 Pet. 2. to v. 11. Among those damnable Hereticks who even deny the Lord that bought them and so bring upon themselves swift Destruction 2 Pet. 2. to v. 11 and so to the end All which proceeds from the want of this solid Principle of real Love or operative Charity Wherein how easie soever 't is to deceive others and what 's more our selves into an Opinion that we love Christ c. when at the same time we do nothing less or how dexterously soever we can put the Cheat upon the World and get the Name of Religious at so cheap a rate as the Trouble of a well dissembled Hypocrisie c. yet Christ sees the Heart and will not be impos'd upon God will not be mocked Gal. 6.7 Neither will all their Professions or Devotions save such Workers of Iniquity Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 7.21 And Luk. 6.46 Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say So was he revil'd by his Crucifiers But what Lord or Governor what Parent or Master would endure such heinous Mockeries and daring Contradictions Can we think then that the great King of Kings and Lord of Lords will bear with the Contradictions of Sinners against himself forever No certainly unless they repent and amend and resolve to do his Will in Love which must be our principal if not only Motive to Obedience Otherwise 't is no Argument that we love him if we do it not for his sake who requires it And because there can be no other Reason given of our Saviour's requiring this Instance of our Love but as 't is the Effect of that Cause If therefore any By-end or Self-Interest such as the getting a Reputation in the World the driving on of secular Designs or Worldly Advantages by that means be the end of our compliance with Christ's Commands He has no reason at all to look upon it as any Argument of our Affection to him or to reward it as such 'T is Carnal or Worldy Policy and not Religion 'T is the Love of Our selves and not of Christ And as its Motives are Worldly so will its Rewards be Such a Man has nothing else to expect for a Retribution of such Services but to attain in the end that for which they were perform'd namely vain Popularity and humane Applause And to what wretched pupose has such a Man been at the Pains to keep the Commandments who has thus literally labour'd for the Wind. As he is no less faulty whose Obedience is Peace-meal and Partial For he that offends in one point is guilty of all James 2.10 Charity is Universal and 't is this grand Principle which is signified in all this Discourse this pure Christian Love which will surely Direct Regulate and Compleat our Obedience and Happiness Wherefore let us practice accordingly and then God will reward such Love both with Temporal and Eternal Blessings as the Scriptures abundantly testifies God sheweth mercy unto thousands of them that love him and keep his Commandments Exod. 20.6 he keepeth Covenant and Mercy for them that love him and observe his Commandments Neh. 1.5 the Lord preserveth all them that love him Psal 145.20 and we know that all things works together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 the same are known of him 1 Cor. 8.3 are without fear and may have boldness in the day of Judgment 1 Joh. 4.18 19. The Lord hath promised a Crown of Life and a Kingdom to to them that love him Jam. 1.12 c. 2.5 and hath prepared glorious Mansions invisible Joys in Heaven for those that love him Joh. 14.2 1 Cor. 2.9 Take good heed therefore unto your selves that ye love the Lord your God Josh 23.11 and in Love let each one both high and low make Joshua's Pious Resolution c. 24.15 As for me and my House we will serve the Lord Which how can we Christians refuse upon consideration of the Divine Infinite Unparallel'd Love to us God the Father Son and Holy Ghost in whose Name we are Baptiz'd Matth. 28.19 Those ever Blessed Sacred Three in One who bear Record in Heaven having so exceedingly lov'd us and left us United Witness on Earth in the Spiritual Ministry of his Word and Sacraments 1 Joh. 5.7 8. all testifying our Redemption by the Son of Love v. 9 c. that only begotten and well-beloved Eternal Son the Brightness of his Father's Glory and the express Image of his Person by whom all things were made and whom all the Angels of God do Worship Heb. 1.1 2 c. that ever living Word Wisdom and God manifest in our Flesh who thus alone could satisfie infinite Justice for us Joh 1.1 c. 1 Cor. 1.24 30. 1 Tim. 3.16 He reliev'd us in our most forlorn Condition and remediless Misery He beyond all the instances of endearing vertuous Friendship beyond all the Examples of Mankind stept in between the just Indignation