Immagini della pagina
PDF
ePub

i

[ocr errors]

CCXI.

12. "For the eyes of the LORD are over the righte- SERM, ous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but, "the face of the LORD is against them that do evil." And that this would alfo be the best way to reconcile men to us, and to gain their good-will, and to prevent injuries and affronts from them, ver. 13. "And who is he that will harm you?" &c.

In thefe words we have, firft, a qualification fuppofed, "If ye be followers of that which is good."

Secondly, the benefit and advantage we may rea fonably expect from it, viz. fecurity from the ill ufage and injuries of men. "Who is he that will harm you?"

First, the qualification fuppofed is, that we be "fol"lowers of that which is good." But what is that? The apostle takes it for granted, that every body knows it, and he had given inftances of it before. He does not go about to define or explain it, but appeals to every man's mind and confcience, to tell him what it is. It is not any thing that is difputed and controverted, which fome men call good, and others evil; but that which all are agreed in, and which is univerfally approved and commended by heathens as well as Chriftians; that which is fubftantially good, and that which is unquestionably fo. It is not zeal for leffer things, about the ritual and ceremonial part of religion, and a great strictness about the external parts of it, and much nicety and fcrupuloufnefs about things of no moment, as the Pharifees "tything of mint," &c. about meats and drinks," and "the observa"tion of days," and the like; but a pursuit of " the "weightier things of the law," a care of the great duties of religion, " mercy, and juftice, and fidelity," thofe things "wherein the kingdom of GoD confifts, "righteoufnefs and peace." Such as these the apoAle had inftanced in, as fubftantial and unquestionable

parts

SER M. parts of goodness, things which admit of no difpute, CCXI. but do approve themselves to the reason and confci

ence of all mankind; and the practice of these he calls " following of that which is good *.”

"Be ye followers of that which is good:" the word is μunlal, "If ye imitate the good you fee in others;" in one copy the word is nλalai, "If ye be zealous "of that which is good." And this is not amifs. Zeal about leffer and difputable things is very unfuitable and misbecoming: but we cannot be to earnest and zealous in the purfuit of things which are substantially and unquestionably good; it is good, and will become us to be zealously affected about fuch things. Some things will not bear much zeal, and the more earnest we are about them, the less we recommend ourselves to the approbation of fober and confiderate men. Great zeal about little and doubtful things, is an argument of a weak mind, infatuated by fuperftition, or over-heated by enthusiasm: but nothing more becomes a wife man, than the ferious and earneft pursuit of thofe things which are agreed on all hands to be good, and have an univerfal approbation among all parties and profeffions of men, how wide foever their differences may be in other matters. This for the qualification fuppofed, "If ye be followers "of that which is good." I proceed to the

Second thing in the text, the benefit and advantage which may be reasonably expected from it, and that is, fecurity from the ill ufage and injuries of men. "Who is he that will harm you ?" &c. The apostle doth not abfolutely fay, none will do it; but he fpeaks of it as a thing fo very unreasonable, and upon all accounts fo unlikely and improbable, that we may reasonably prefume, that it will not ordinarily and of

See more of this, vol. VI. ferm. CII. p. 314.

ten

CCXI.

ten happen. Not but that good men are liable to be S ERM. affronted and perfecuted, and no man's virtues, how bright and unblemished foever, will at all times, and in all cafes, exempt him from all manner of injury and ill treatment: but the "following of that which is "good" (as I have explain'd it) doth in it's own nature tend to fecure us from the malice and mischief of men, and very frequently does it, and, all things confider'd, is a much more effectual means to this end, than any other course we can take; and this the apoftle means when he says, "Who is he that will harm you?" &c.

And this will appear, whether we confider the nature of virtue and goodness; or the nature of man, even when it is very much depraved and corrupted; or the providence of God.

I. If we confider the nature of virtue and goodness, which is apt to gain upon the affections of men, and fecretly to win their love and efteem. True goodness is inwardly esteemed by bad men, and many times. had in very great esteem and admiration, even by thofe who are very far from the practice of it; it carries an awe and majefty with it; fo that bad men are very often with-held and reftrained from harming the good, by that fecret and inward reverence which they bear to goodness.

There are feveral virtues, which are apt in their own nature to prevent injuries and affronts from others. Humility takes away all occafion of infolence from the proud and haughty; it baffles pride, and puts it out of countenance. Meeknefs pacifies wrath, and blunts the edge of injury and violence. Suffering evil for good is apt to allay and extinguifh enmity, to fubdue the rougheft difpofitions, and to conquer even malice itself. And there are other virtues, which are apt in their own nature to oblige men, and gain their goodVOL. XI.

D

will,

SER M. will, and make them our friends, and to tie their affec

CCXI. tions strongly to us; as courtesy and charity, kind

nefs and compassion, and a readiness to do all good offices to all men: and the friendship and good will of others is a powerful defence against injuries. Every man will cry shame of those who fhall fall foul upon him that hurts no body. He that obligeth many, fhall have many to take his part when he is affaulted, to rife up in his defence and rescue, and to interpose between him and danger. "For a good man," fays the apoftle, "fome would even dare to die."

Besides, it is very confiderable, that none of thefe virtues expofe men to any danger and trouble from human laws. When chriftianity was perfecuted, becaufe it differ'd from, and oppofed the received religion and fuperftition of the world, it was commonly acknowledged by the heathen (as Tertullian tells us) that the Chriftians were very good men in all other things, faving that they were Chriftians. When the laws were most severe against Christians for their meetings, which they called feditious, and for their refufal to comply with the received fuperftition of the world, which they called contempt of the gods; yet there were all this while no laws made against modefty, and humility, and meeknefs, and kindness, and charity, and peaceableness, and forgiveness of injuries. These virtues are in their nature of fo unalterable goodness, that they could not poffibly be made matter of accufation; no government ever had the face to make laws against them. And this the apostle takes notice of as a fingular commendation and great teftimony to the immutable goodness of these things, that in the experience of all ages and nations, there was never any fuch inconvenience found in any of them, as to give " But occafion to a law againft them, Gal. v. 22, 23.

the

CCXI.

"the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-fuf- SER M. "fering, gentleness, fidelity, meekness, temperance.

Against fuch things there is no law." So that goodness from its own nature hath this fecurity, that it brings men under the danger of no law.

II. If we confider the nature of man, even where it is very much depraved and corrupted. There is fomething that is apt to restrain bad men from injuring those that are remarkably good; a reverence for goodnefs, and the inward convictions of their own mind, that those whom they are going about to injure, are better and more righteous than themselves; the fear of GOD, and of bringing down his vengeance upon their heads, by their ill treatment of his friends and followers; and many times the fear of men, who though they be not good themselves, yet have an esteem for those that are so, and cannot endure to see them wronged and oppressed, especially if they have been obliged by them, and have found the real effects of their goodnefs in good offices done by them to themselves.

Befides that bad men are feldom bad for nought, without any cause given, without any manner of temptation and provocation to be fo. Who will hurt a harmless man, and injure the innocent? For what caufe, or for what end fhould he do it? He must love mischief for itself, that will do it to thofe who never offered him any occafion and provocation.

III. If we confider the providence of GOD, which is particularly concerned for the protection of innocency and goodness. "For the righteous LORD lov"eth righteousness, and his countenance will behold "the upright." This the apoftle takes notice of, in the verse before the text, as the great fecurity of good men against violence and injury; "The eyes of the "LORD are over the righteous, and his ears are open

[blocks in formation]
« IndietroContinua »