Sermons, preached partly before His Majesty at White-Hall and partly before Anne Dutchess of York, at the chappel at St. James / by Henry Killigrew ...

The Eighteenth Sermon. (Book 18)

1 PETER iv.8.

And above all things have fervent Cha∣rity among your selves: for Charity covereth the multitude of Sins.

THE Commandment of Charity, if we look to the Birth and Cradle of it, is as ancient as Adam: for this Natural Law, Deal so with others, as you would have them deal with you, which is the radical and original Precept out of which this Gospel one did immediately issue, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self, sprung-up with Nature, and is as old as it; mutual Love beginning with mutual So∣ciety; and affection to one another being exercised, as soon as there was a Pair in the World to keep it up. But the Practice of the Jews in our Saviour's time much thwarted this Precept, Sect was against Sect, the Pharisee against the Sadducee, and the Sad∣ducee against the Pharisee, and both against Christ;

Professions and Offices were made Crimes, Publi∣cans, the Receivers of Tribute, were counted Sin∣ners: again, Revenge was held as lawful as Punish∣ment; Extrajudicial Righting of a man's self, as Ju∣dicial Censures; Do Good to those that do Good to you, and Evil to those that do Evil, was good Ethicks among them, and the Moral Man esteem'd to appear as eminent in practising the last part of this Maxime, as the first. So that the Precept of Charity was, in a manner, wholly extinguish'd among them, so over∣whelmed with the Rubbish of ill Customs, and worse Traditions, that to clear it and make it shine out a∣gain, was a Work as hard, as to introduce something that never before was: Which caus'd our Lord to call this Commandment a New one, I give you a New Commandment, says he, That ye love one another. New, not as if it then first entred the World, but because it was then renew'd to them: as things re∣deem'd from the injury of Age and Oblivion appear fresh and new, when they are brought into Use and Fashion again.

But we may admire, that the World has so much agreed in all Times to abrogate this Law, brought in at first by General Interest, and of so Universal Benefit, that we may say with Tully, Non aquâ, non igne, non aëre, pluribus locis utimur, quàm amicitiâ, we stand not more in need of water, fire, or air in every turn of our Lives, than of Friendship, or the mutual Offices of Love. And if this Law were en∣tertained, it would render all other Laws useless, it would disannul the Commandments, by fulfilling them; it would remove heaps of Legal Cautions and Provisions, the two Tables would be no more neces∣sary to Men, than to Angels; private Grudges, open Wars, Rebellions, Factions, Schisms, would all va∣nish,

every Person would be not only more holy in himself, but would cause others to be more holy; ma∣ny Sins would be amended by a fair Example, many would be extenuated by a candid Interpretation, ma∣ny overcome by a kind and amicable Usage: There∣fore, as the Apostle advises in the foregoing Verses, mortifie your Lusts, be sober and watch unto Prayer, neglect not necessary Duty. But above all things have fervent Charity among your selves: for Charity shall co∣ver the multitude of Sins. In the Words we may ob∣serve these four things:

I. The Habit or Grace that is enjoin'd, Love. Not that Passion which is born with all Sensitive Creatures, and is common to Men and Beasts, but that Theological Vertue which is infus'd into Man on∣ly; 'tis not simply Love, but Christian and Brotherly Love, Have Charity.

II. The Degree of this Habit, the Intenseness of this Divine Quality, and that is Fervency; it is not e∣nough to have a remiss lukewarm Charity, it must burn and glow in us, Have fervent Charity.

III. The Object of this Vertue, that which bounds and terminates it, and is adequately commensurate to it; and that is, All Men in general, the Object is as large as Humane Nature, our Charity is not to be ty'd to Families or Tribes, to Sects or Nations, or whatever Partitions else Policy or Passion have made use of to distinguish and estrange men from one ano∣ther: but it is to be extended to all, not to this or that Man, but to Mankind; as 'tis indefinitely ex∣press'd in my Text, Among your selves.

IV. The Inforcement of the Practice of this Qua∣lity, and that is by the Recommendation of it from its Operation or Effect, it covers Sins: together with the Extent of that Effect, not one or two, but many

and many Sins, For Charity shall cover the Multitude of Sins.

I begin first with the Habit or Vertue it self, con∣tain'd in these Words,

Have Charity.

The Charity or Love here enjoined us, is not, I say, that melting Passion that is common to Men and Beasts, an affection awaken'd in us by the be∣holding of outward Beauty, the comely Structure of the Body, or other Graces of a fair and amiable Per∣son, which is the Child only of an abused Fancy, be∣got through Weakness, and nurs'd up by fond Con∣versation, Musick, Feasts, Comedies, and other the like Genial Sports, and busie Idlenesses of the times, and produces no better Effects than Folly, dissolute Manners, Jealousie, discontent, Madness, &c. This Frenzy has obtain'd too much in being the glorified Theme of Poets and Romance-Writers, who advance it above all other Concerns of Man's Life, whether Secular or Sacred: and while they make it the ad∣mired Subject of many Fables, and the ambitious Pursuit and highest Ornament of their counterfeit Heroes, the gilded Poyson is often swallow'd by the more Sober and Vertuous. Our Apostle is so far from recommending, or in the least degree counte∣nancing of this Dotage, that ver. 3. he ranks it a∣mong the detestable practices of the Heathen, and such things as Christians ought to be asham'd of: For this Sensual Love in those days was not only an Im∣morality or Vice, but a prime Branch of Idolatry; from hence flew all the Cupids, from hence came the Temples dedicated to Venus, the Divinity of Beauty, and the Deities of Women. And happy it were

if we could say, These were not Idols still in the World: for if, as S^t Jerome says, every reigning Lust is an Idol set up in our hearts, Sensual Love is no in∣ferior Deity; Quotcunque habemus Vitia, says the Fa∣ther, quotcunque peccata, tot recentes habemus Deos; iratus sum, ira mihi Deus est; vidi Mulierem & concu∣pivi, Libido mihi Deus est; as many Vices we have, as many Sins, so many Gods we have; I am angry, Anger is a God to me; I see a Woman and lust, my Lust again's a God to me. And the Reason of this is plain: Because none of these things can be in us, but they must be before God in us: for if they can come after God, they can agree with and be re∣concil'd to God, which is impossible; and then be∣ing before or above him, can we say less of them, than that they are Gods in us? 'Tis not the Temple or the Image that constitutes the Idolatry, but the Shrine the Idol has in our hearts, the Adoration and Sacrifice paid to it by our Affections: Neither does God require of us a higher Acknowledgment, than to love him with all our Heart and with all our Mind. The Love therefore recommended here by the Apostle, cannot be any thing that is an Enemy to God, to Man, or to our Selves: Charity or Love carries something Pious and Beneficial in its very Name, and if these things be not in the Nature of it, 'tis a Spurious or Bastard Love.

To come then to the Love recommended by the Apostle, we define it to be A Divine Vertue or Su∣pernatural Grace inspired into us by God's Holy Spi∣rit, a Quality which resides in himself, and which is subject to no perturbation: an Image of it we see in the pious Love of Parents and Children, the religi∣ous Amity between Brethren, Friends, and Neigh∣bours, and the Perfection of it in our Saviour, his A∣postles,

Martyrs, and other Christian Heroes, that follow'd his Example. An Affection it is, but a Se∣vere and Sober one; a Fire that warms the hearts of men, but a pure and sanctify'd one, lifted far above the Softnesses and Wantonnesses of the other Carnal heat, and not kindled by the Deception of the Out∣ward Senses, or flaming from the Fewel of a bright Beauty, but a reflected Beam of our Love to God descending downwards, and glancing on our Bre∣thren, from a Sense of God's Goodness to us, and in obedience to that Commandment of his, that enjoins us to pay to men, as his Proxies and Substitutes on Earth, the Tolls and Tributes due unto himself. So that 'tis not This or That Person that this Love makes court to, but to Mankind; its Addresses are as Uni∣versal as the Image of God in the World, no more regard is had by it of the Handsome, than the De∣formed; of the Young, than the Aged; or if more be had of the one than the other, 'tis of the Party most to be compassioned; the Object of this Love is Want or Misery in any kind, and whoever it can help is its Amata or Beloved.

And as the Object of this Love is no less General than the Distresses of Humane Nature, so its Expres∣sions towards them are as many and various as there are Ways of doing Good, and being Beneficial in any kind. For Charity is not only a Largess of Money, or a Dole of Bread, a feeding of the hungry, and a cloathing the naked, &c. but a parting with our Pas∣sions for the sake of our Brethren, a condescending to their Weakness, a complying with their Temper, and tolerating their Infirmities: 'Tis again, a relie∣ving them with Good Counsel, a Donative of Sea∣sonable Admonition and Reproof; a shewing of Se∣verity, when need requires, as well as Mercy; an Ex∣acting

of Punishment, as well as a remitting of it: for Charity is not that which is always grateful and always pleasing, but which is ever salutary and ever beneficial. The Wanton Love we condemned, is a constant Floud of Sweetness, which flows smoothly into the Ocean of Destruction, a smiling Evil that knows nothing harsh or disagreeable, till it turns all to Harshness and Disagreeableness: But Godly Love is often bitter in the first Taste, and sweet in the af∣ter Relish, a rugged Mercy and an Austere Kindness, a Good transferr'd with Frowns and Severe Disci∣pline: and such are the Corrections of Servants and Children, the Correptions of Friends, the Excommu∣nications of the Church, and the exterminating Sen∣tences of the Law; the Rod and the Stocks, the Hurdle and the Axe, being as instrumental unto Charity, as Money, Food, Raiment, and the like. Open Rebuke, says Solomon, is better than secret Love: and I may say, Open Rebuke has in it much secret Love. And to think the Remissness of Laws, cha∣ritable; and the Execution of them, cruel; is a Shortness of Reasoning, which becomes only Wo∣men and Children, who pity the present Sufferings of the Criminal, but see not the future Good pur∣chased by it. The timely cutting off of a Notori∣ous Malefactor has rescued a Nation from Destructi∣on, Phineas stood up and pray'd, and the Plague ceas'd: his seasonable Execution of two Eminent Offenders preserved the lives of many thousands of the peo∣ple; and holy Writ calls not his Fact, Slaughter, but styles it by the milder Name of Prayer: because it invoked God's Mercy, and propitiated his Wrath. If Pity may bind the hands of Justice, and Charity protect Violence and Outrage, not only one Wolf will worry a whole Flock, but the Flock or Body of

People will in time become Wolves and Tygers: for Religion only perswades men to be Just and Righte∣ous, it does not constrain them to be so; indeed it promises Rewards to Well-doers, and threatens Judgment to Evil-doers, but they are Rewards to come, and Judgments at a great distance, and the Sinner has leave to execute his Wickedness; so that the Terrours of Religion work only upon the Good and Faithful, while the Worst and most of men de∣spise them. But even the boldest and most daring in their Impiety, who count Heaven and Hell only the Parables of Scripture, and the Fictions of Preachers, will boggle in the Cariere of their Sins at the remem∣brance of a severe Judge and an unrelenting Humane Law, and consider whether they can escape, if they commit them; and will not run on madly to trans∣gress, when they see nothing is to be had but Ven∣geance; the Attempt, and their Miscarriage; their Sin, and their certain Death.

Thus we see Severity is not contrary to the Rules of Charity, the Sword in the hand of Justice less in∣strumental to mens Good, than the Scales; that the fear of Punishment is a kind of Grace and Princi∣ple of Obedience in the Hearts of Wicked men, which restrains them from Vice, even when it wins them not to the Part of Vertue. But then though Severity and Punishment are Noble and necessary Branches of Charity, they are not the Natural and Genuine; they relate to it, but as the Prophet Isaiah says they do to God, They are his Works, his strange Works; his Acts, his strange Acts. The Works which Charity delights most in, are those that are mild and gentle; which not only produce Good, but which in themselves are Good; which shew Mercy by the Ways of Mercy, and are no less beneficial in

their Progress, than their End: And these are the O∣perations of Charity which our Apostle chiefly re∣commends here to us: and that we may not erre in so Divine a Grace, or come short in so important a Duty, our best way will be to set before us the Per∣fectest Exemplar of it that ever was, our Lord and Saviour, and himself commands us, John 15.12. to do this. As I have lov'd you, says he, so love one ano∣ther: thus making his Love to us the Rule or Pattern of our Affection to those of our own Kind.

And the first Instance of Christ's Love, which I shall propose for Imitation, is this, That as he lov'd us, Before we lov'd him; lov'd us, without any Me∣rit or Invitation on our part; lov'd us, when we could not love him, when we were wholly benumm'd and dead to all heavenly Affections: So likewise that we love one another, expect not Obligations and In∣vitations from our Brethren, to quicken our Charity towards them; but rather delight to begin and be before-hand in our Expressions of Kindness, and to have it seen that they come from our selves. A na∣tural Spring flows of its own Impulse, unbid, unpro∣voked, and makes its Way through all Oppositions: if it meets a hollow in its Course, it fills it up; if a light Obstacle, it bears it away with its Stream; if a great one, it swells and passes over it, at least pours out still its free Source, till it finds, or makes a Pas∣sage. And thus our Charity must take its Rise, and flow from its self, shew it depends on nought beside, that it cannot be obstructed by the want of any Qua∣lifications, or yet by any Disobligations of our Bre∣thren. Atticus the charitable Bishop of Constantino∣ple, when he sent Money to relieve the Poor in the City of Nice, commanded that no enquiry should be made in the Distribution of it, of what Sect in Re∣ligion

the Poor were, but what their Wants were. He that confers his Benefits upon Consideration only of mens agreeing with him in Opinion, of their Me∣rit, Neighbourhood, former Obligations, or the like, may be just, prudent, or Grateful, but he can∣not be said to be Charitable: for this is a free, unbi∣ass'd, disinterested Vertue, and if it regards ought in the Good it does, beside the Opportunity and Power it has to do it, it changes its Nature, becomes ano∣ther thing, and assumes a New Name. Let no man therefore think he has absolved the Duty of Chari∣ty, if he be Kind only where his Honour is courted and comply'd with; ready to entertain Friendship, when he is sought to; to be reconcil'd, when full A∣mends is made him: But if he will shew this Grace, he must first break the Ice, and lead the way to Concord, Kindness, and Beneficence. And none think this so hard a Saying, as those who would hugely stomach and disdain, in case their Neighbour should precede or take place of them upon any Meet∣ing or Encounter: as if it were Disparagement to them to sit lower than another at the Table, and not to be below him in Vertue; to go after him at a Door, and not to come behind him in all Goodness. If we cannot part with our Passions and Evil Affe∣ctions for the sake of our Brethren, as well as our Money; for go our Pride and Animosities, as well as our Goods; we are Charitable but in part, Merciful but in a Case; and possibly the Vertue may not be only Imperfect and lame in us, but we may be whol∣ly destitute of it: for S^t Paul says, We may bestow all our Goods to feed the Poor, give our Bodies to be burnt, and yet not have the Grace of Charity: Because these things may be done out of Ostentation, and not only so, but without any Profit or Benefit: For put the

Case, our Brother be not low in Fortune, but weak of Undestanding; not indigent of outward things, but of Instruction and Advice; stands in need to be born with, not to be reliev'd; what Good will our Mo∣ney do him in these his Infirmities? It were as sea∣sonable to apply it to a broken Arm, or fester'd Wound, to give it to one starving in a Desart where no Food is to be bought. If we will be Charitable, we must compassionate our Brothers Necessities, of what Nature soever they be; supply his Wants, not gratifie our own Temper.

The second Instance of Christ's Love which I re∣commend to our Imitation, is this, That as he lov'd us not only first and before we lov'd him, but lov'd us when we were Enemies to him; when we were not only Strangers, but Rebels to Heaven; when we exercised all the acts of hatred and hostility against it: So that we love one another, and not think the Obli∣ging and Good Natur'd only worthy of our Kindness, but the Discourteous and Injurious. Some men are contentious with their Neighbours, outrageous to their Children, tyrannical to their Inferiors, insupportable to their Equals, irreconcileable to their Enemies, im∣placable upon every Colour of a Wrong: But the Charitable on the other side can Excuse and pardon the most design'd and study'd Injuries, see something to commiserate and pity even in mens Injustice; can look upon their Malice, as their Mistake or Misfor∣tune, pray for their Enemies, as our Lord did, in the very Article of the Death which they have brought upon them, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. And if we consider rightly, Sinners are Ignorant and Mistaken in what they do, Fools, as the Scripture constantly terms them: for no man can will a Wrong Action, that is not Ignorant

and Mistaken; and whether the Mistake lye in the thing Chosen, or in the Principle by which 'tis cho∣sen, it matters not, if it be still a Mistake; and the grosser the Errour is, the more pitiable still it is: and if we can pardon Fools and Mad Folks, Children and Sick persons, and cannot likewise commiserate the Sick in Sin, the Mad and Foolish in Wickedness, we are as blind in our Anger, as they are in their Acti∣ons. How will that man stand before the Severe Tribunal of God, who weighs every Grain and Scru∣ple in his Brothers Trespasses against him? who shews the exactest and highest Rigour of Justice in his Re∣venges, and perhaps was never just in any other pas∣sage of his Life? how will he be able to excuse his non-payment of the vast Arrears he is indebted to God, who has exacted the utmost Farthing of his Brother? Beloved, we make our Condition in the World to come, according to our Charitableness or Uncharitableness in this; God will love us, or hate us; judge us, or justifie us; enlarge his Mercy, or shut it up to us; as we do these things to others: if we be difficult in remitting our Brothers Faults, he will be difficult in remitting ours; if we forgive on∣ly small Offences, he will not pardon our Great; if we forgive only in part, we shall not be absolv'd in the whole. He shall have Judgment without Mercy, as S^t James says, that shew'd no Mercy. Let no man therefore seek an Excuse, or be glad when he has found a Distinction to take him off from pardoning his Brother: for what profit is there in that Wrath which does but treasure up Wrath against the Day of Wrath? The Fourth Council of Carthage forbad, that the Oblations of Contentious Persons should be received into the Treasury of the Church, for the same reason that the High Priest refus'd to put the

money return'd by Judas into the Treasury of the Temple, because it was the Price of Bloud. So this the Council: Obligationes dissidentium Fratrum neque in Sacrario, neque in Gazophylacio Episcopi recipiant. As there is no place in the Church of God for Uncha∣ritableness, so we may be sure there's as little in the Kingdom of Heaven.

I have not time to set forth all the Instances of Christ's Love: but there is One which I must not o∣mit, and 'tis that which differences and distinguishes Spiritual Love from Worldly and Carnal above all others: and that is Christ's performing all he did, merely for their Sakes for whom he did it. Carnal Love, or Dotage on outward Beauty, can in a mea∣sure imitate the former things we have mentioned, love first, before it be beloved; love without Merit in the Person affected, digest all their Peevishness and Affronts, and hang on still, and leave no means un∣attempted to bring their Mind about: but then they do this not for their sakes, but their own, to attain the Fruition of what they have so much desired. But, Alas! what End, what Design could the Crea∣tor of all things have on his own Creatures? What Advantage could he receive by them? As Christ therefore lov'd us not for his own Good, but ours; as it was our Salvation, our re-estating in Immortali∣ty that he intended, and not his own: so in our Love to our Brethren we must not have an Eye to any Sordid Profit of our own; we must not chaffer Kindness, huckster, as I may say, friendly Offices; Charity requires the mind of a Prince, not of a Mer∣chant; and we must make a difference between Christianity, and Factoring. As I have loved you, so love one another. If it be here objected, That the most Spiritual and Divine Love was never so ab∣stracted,

as to be without all Intuition of Reward, and that our Lord himself, for the joy that was set before him, endur'd the Cross and despised the Shame: It will be enough to say in answer, That as in a Kingdom or Commonwealth they are accounted Disinterested Persons and without all Designs, who pursue only the Publick Interest and Honourable Designs: So in the Kingdom of the Gospel those are counted to love without all Design, who have no base and bye De∣sign; who love God and their Neighbour for Hea∣vens sake, are interpreted to love them purely for their Own sakes. And let this suffice to be said of the Habit or Grace of Love enjoined by the Apostle: I proceed next to speak of the Degree of it.

Have Fervent Charity.

The Word in the Original for Fervent 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sig∣nifies as well the Continuation of Time, as the Ve∣hemence and Intenseness of the Quality; the Con∣stancy that should be in our Love, as well as the Ar∣dour. I shall therefore handle it according to both Senses.

1. In regard of the Time or Constancy of this Quality, our Charity must not be Fantastick, inter∣rupted, and uncertain; there must not be several Weathers in our Affections; they must not change like the Winds, but move like the Heavens in one constant Circumvolution shedding and dispensing their favourable Influences. For he that loves not always, when he does love, loves out of Humour, not Vertue; and we may account all the good Offi∣ces he does, only the Fits and Starts of some momen∣tany Passion, and not the Actions of a settled and radicated Habit. Again, this Vertue must not be taken

up only at the Alarm of a Danger or Sickness, at the approach of a Holy Season, or by way of Pre∣paration to the Communion: for they are far from fulfilling the Law of Charity that lay down their Grudges and Quarrels to their Brethren out of some Affright or Design, but as soon as these are over, reassume them again; imitating the Serpent that casts up her Poyson, when she goes into the Water, and as soon as she comes on dry Land licks it up again. God accepts not those kind of Truces, where Battel ceases, but the hatred does not; where the Weapons rest, but the Affections still rage. Though Charity ought to flourish more eminently at holy Seasons, yet it must live and be exercised all the whole Year. Our Saviour's Example will direct us here in the Continuati∣on of our Love, as formerly it did for the Manner of it; of whom we read, That having loved his own which were in the World, he lov'd them unto the End.

2. In regard of its Degree, our Charity must be Vehement and Intense, it must confess its Part in its Ardour, the Holy Ghost; which is call'd the Spirit of Love, and has appeared oftener to the World in Fire, than under any other Form: Good will without Fervency, is but the Endeavour of an imperfect Ele∣mentary Charity. That we may know therefore the Just Degree, and certain Temper that is required in our Love, the best means will be to bring it to the Test and Tryal of the Rule which is given us to mea∣sure it by, which is, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy Self. And this Commandment makes our Love to our own Selves the Pattern or Standard of that which we ought to bear to other Men: Not that we are obliged to love other men every way Equal to our selves, that is not the meaning of the Rule, it implies not an Equality, but a Similitude; not a

Parity, but a Resemblance of it in Truth and Reali∣ty: Our Love must be as Sincere and Cordial to our Brethren, as to our Selves; we must heat our Affe∣ctions in the same Forge, have the like Zeal, the like Promptness to snatch all Occasions to advance their temporal and spiritual Good, as we would to advance our own: but yet still other mens Concerns ought to be but our second Care; before we preach to others, before we labour for their Salvation, we must take heed with S^t Paul, that we our selves be not Cast-aways.

I shall not need in these days, in which Self-Love so much abounds, and Christian Love so little, to give Cautions against Supererogating and overflow∣ing Charity: but though little will need to be said a∣gainst any Excess in this Grace, yet much may be behoof-ful to prevent the Mistakes of it. For many think that for Friendship-sake they are obliged to en∣gage in all manner of Wickedness, to drink Drunk, and fight Duels, to spend the main of their Life in Gaming, and other dissolute Courses; nay, to enter into treasonable Practices against their Prince and Country. And there are those again that will de∣bauch as highly in matters of Religion: out of their Kindness to a Sect, dip their hands in Bloud, and put a Nation into a Flame and Combustion; for their Love to an ill-taken up Opinion, and a Party they have long adhered to, renounce the Church and Truth, which in effect is God himself; chuse rather to live and dye in Disobedience and a damnable Schism, than seem to be inconstant; and to carry their Flocks along with them in the way of Perditi∣on, than undeceive and grieve them with an Unwel∣come, though Necessary Truth. Such as these are not tender of their Brethrens Peace, but guilty of

their Destruction; and set not so high a Price on their Contentment, as a cheap on their own Consci∣ences: 'tis not possible to be Wicked, and Charita∣ble; to love men, and sooth them in their Sins. What S^t Paul says of the false Teachers among the Galatians, is true of these, They zealously affect you, but not well; yea they would exclude you, that you might affect them; i. e. they had rather their Congregati∣ons should miss of Salvation, than they lose the Inte∣rest they have in them. There may be some Extra∣ordinary Cases in which we ought to prefer our Neighbours Good before our own: as their greater Good before our lesser; their Spiritual before our Temporal, &c. But the Rule holds in General, I am not to destroy my self out of Courtesie; I am not to contract Guilt, to preserve another Innocent; I must love my Neighbour As my self, not Above, not Before my self.

But this Doctrine seems to be oppos'd by the Pra∣ctice of the two greatest Guides of the Jewish and Christian Church, Moses and S^t Paul. The one, Ex∣od. 32.31. when the Israelites had so heinously trans∣gress'd in the Golden Calf, interceded for them in this manner, This people have sinn'd a great Sin, they have made them Gods of Gold: yet now, if thou wilt, forgive their Sin; if not, blot me (I pray thee) out of the Book which thou hast written. And the other, Rom. 9.7. out of his heat of Zeal for the Salvation of the same Seed of Abraham, utters these words, I could wish my self Accursed from Christ for my Brethren. And both these seem to prefer not only the Tempo∣ral, but Spiritual Good of others, before their own: insomuch as to salve their Excess of Charity, some have thought nothing less sufficient, than to say, There are many things done in Scripture by Persons

acted by an Extraordinary and Heroick Spirit, which are not to be brought into Practice by us, who are mov'd by lower Degrees of the Spirit; and though we may admire them, we must not imitate them. Others again, on the other side, have as much depress'd the transcendent Charity of these Great Persons, by pa∣rallelling what they did with like Usages and Cu∣stoms common among the Jews: For, first, they re∣semble Moses's Intercession for the people, to a friend∣ly Complement or Expression of Good-Will famili∣arly used by those of the Circumcision, and possibly first taken up in imitation of Moses's intercession, May I be thy Propitiation or Expiation, my Brother; i. e. may I undergo the Penalty of the Law in thy Stead; to rescue thee from the Divine Displeasure, bear thy temporal Punishment? And after the like manner they parallel S^t Paul's words, (I could wish my self Accursed from Christ) to a like Passage found in Ignatius, who was an Auditor of the Apostles, Let the Punishment of the Devil come upon me, only let me obtain Christ. Where the Punishment of the Devil cannot possibly import the Eternal Torments of Hell, for from thence there is no Redemption, or returning to enjoy Christ: and therefore it must point at Ex∣communication, to the giving up to Satan, and the Punishments he had power to inflict on the Excom∣municated, so frequently mentioned in Scripture, but I shall need to give only one instance of. Deliver such an one unto Satan for the Destruction of the Flesh, that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus, 1 Cor. 5.5.

But there seems here to be no need of these Extra∣ordinary Salvo's, these, however ingenious and learn∣ed, Accommodations. For put the Case we should take the Words of Moses in the strictest literal Sense

they can bear, (and we must take them so, if we will take them, as God's Answer shews he took them, Whosoever has sinn'd against me, says he, him will I blot out of my Book) what would be the Danger or Inconvenience? What did his Intercession import more, than may be thus fairly paraphrased? Lord, let me prevail with thee to revoke thy Sentence of totally destroying this People thou hast done such wonderful things for, or involve me in their Destru∣ction, which is easier for me to bear, than to survive so great a Calamity, and to hear the Heathen insult and blaspheme thy Name on this Occasion. But Mo∣ses's words relate to an Eternal blotting out. Not necessarily, no nor probably: for whatever know∣ledge he might have of another Life, the less 'tis to be supposed, that he should be willing to undergo an Eternal Death, to save the People only from a Tempo∣ral. And as fair an account may be given of S^t Paul's words, who does not say, I do, but I could wish my self accursed from Christ for my Brethren. So that his words are not an anathematizing or devoting himself, but only a Meditation: as if he had said, I could in my Imagination be contented, upon the Condition or Contemplation of an Event so much to God's Glory and the salvation of so many Millions, as the bringing in the body of the Jewish Nation to the Faith of Christ, to whom the Promise was principally made, to be separated or excluded my self from him: as Vatablus excellently expounds, Vnus pro tam multis optarim perire, si liceat, I could wish, as far as 'tis lawful for me, that One ra∣ther than so many might perish. And there is nothing in either of these Passages of Moses or S^t Paul, which every faithful Pastor may not safely imitate; let their Zeal be as much in Earnest, and as right plac'd as theirs, and it will not only be pardonable, but rewardable:

Neither is there any thing in their Practice, if rightly weighed, contrary to this Rule, I must love my Neighbour As my self, not Above, not Before my self. I should proceed to the Object of our Charity, but what remains will be sufficient for another Task.