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 Fourth Sermon. (Book 4)

DAN. ix.26.

And after threescore and two Weeks Messiah shall be cut off: but not for himself—

THIS is one of the most clear and most Illustrious Predictions of the Passion of our Lord, which is contain'd in Scripture; it com∣prehending not only the several Stages of his drawing near to the World for its Redemption, his Advances and Pauses: but unfolding also the won∣derful Mystery, and seeming Contradiction in it, viz. That the Salvation of the World should be wrought by the Cutting-Off, or Destruction of its Saviour; the Son of God made subject to the Vio∣lence and Out-rages of the Sons of Men. I call'd the Words a Prediction, but I might have styl'd them a Description or Register of all the Passages in that strange and astonishing Transaction; they declaring

the Design and Circumstances, the How, and for Whose behalf, and the precise Time (however ob∣scurely) of the Death of the Messiah.

However therefore at this Day every Child is cate∣chiz'd and perfect in this Point of Chronology, im∣perante Augusto natus est Christus, imperante Tiberio crucifixus est Christus, in the Reign of Augustus Caesar Christ was born, in that of Tiberius he was crucifi'd; and none needs to have recourse to the dark Calcu∣lations of remote Ages for this matter: yet with good Reason we may look back to Prophecies, when they are fulfill'd; and scan Aenigmatical Speeches, even after they are expounded. For though this seems to be seeking of Light in Shades and Dark∣ness; the retiring back again into Night and Obscu∣rity, after the Day-spring from on high hath visited us: yet not only much Confirmation, but much Illustra∣tion of things Believ'd may be fetcht from the remote Springs of Antiquity; for not only the Evangelists write the History of Christ, but also the Law and the Prophets in many things Evangelize: as the Prophet Daniel does in my Text, And after threescore and two Weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself.

We may observe in the Words these two General Parts.

I. The Angels Prediction to Daniel of the Death of the Messiah, or Christ, After threescore and two Weeks Messiah shall be cut off.

II. His Correction of what he had said, or rather Direction for the right understanding of his Predi∣ction, and to prevent misapprehe••••••on,—He shall be cut off, but not for himself.

In the first of these two General Parts, the Angels Prediction, I shall observe more particularly two things: The Substance of it, the Excision of the

Messiah—he shall be cut off. And the Circumstance of the Time of it, when it should come to pass, Af∣ter threescore and two Weeks—I begin first with the Substance of the Prediction,

—He shall be cut off.

This Term of cutting-off does usually imply in Scripture three things. 1. The untimely destroying a Person from the Land of the Living. 2. The de∣stroying him as a Criminal or Malefactor. 3. The destroying him by God himself, and if not always immediately, yet by his Appointment. I shall give but one Proof of this, of the many that might be brought, Exod. 31.14. God gives this Charge by the mouth of Moses, —Every one that defileth my Sabbath, shall surely be put to Death—that Soul shall be Cut-off from among his people. In which Words are exprest the Person's untimely Death, that he dyes as a Criminal, and that God is the Author that dooms him to it.

Now Death is call'd a Cutting-off for two Reasons. First, Because a Cutting-off is the discontinuation of a thing from that to which it was before united: or Secondly, A shortning of it from the Measure it had, or would have arriv'd to. Thus the Untimely Death of a Person is the shortning of the Days he might have liv'd to, and the separating him from the So∣ciety of the Living, of which he was a Member. And however strange and wonderful it is, such was the End of the Messiah: after all the glorious Pro∣phecies and magnificent Elogies relating to his Person and his Kingdom, as that he should be call'd The Wonderful, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, that his Dominion should reach to the

Ends of the Earth, and to the End of Time, he was Cut-off and Extinguisht like a Mortal Man; after the fashion, as the Psalmist speaks, of common Princes, Ye are styled Gods, but ye shall dye like Men. Like Men? nay he dy'd like a Malefactor, and by God's Sentence and Decree. And it was upon the account of his Tragical End, and the misunderstanding of other Predictions of him; especially that one, Christ shall live for ever, that both the Jews of old despi∣sed him, and those of these Days blaspheme him, calling him, from the manner of his Death, and the Structure of his Cross, The Warp and the Woof. It was by reason also of his Ignominious Death, that the Heathen derided and reproach'd our Holy Faith, saying, We believ'd in a hang'd Man.

But neither Jew nor Gentile had any just Cause of Exception against our Lord for his Violent and Un∣timely Death; I say, there was nothing strange, or hard to be digested by either of them in this thing: For 'twas the Practice of them both to sacrifice the Innocent, for the Guilty; the Unoffending Victimes, for Offending Men: Nay, 'twas usual among the Gentiles for the Noblest and most Sacrosanct Per∣sons, their Kings, and Generals, and holy Virgins, to devote themselves to Death for the Preservation of their Country. Why then should the Devoting of Christ for the Salvation of the Whole World be held irrational and foolish by them? Why did they despise in another Religion, what they held Honourable in their own? And the Jews had yet less reason to be scandaliz'd (especially the most Learned among them who were yet only offended) who saw their Messiah daily slain before their Eyes in so many Rites and Mysteries, the Paschal Lamb, the Scape-Goat, the Goat for the Sin-Offering, in a word, all their Expia∣tory

Sacrifices were Prefigurations of Christ's Passion. Beside those, that were Learned, were sensible, That the Way of propitiating God by the Bloud of Beasts, was of it self Irrational, and had no Efficacy in it, but as it related to the Bloud of Christ. The Jews therefore with less reason than the Gentiles disclaimed the Messiah, coming in the Guise of a Sacrifice, and drencht in his own Bloud; when 'twas his Bloud a∣lone that sanctify'd all their Forefathers, and their own Offerings, and distinguisht their Temple from a common Shambles or Slaughter-house.

The reason that the Cross of Christ has given such Scandal in all Times, and that so great a Part of the World have thought it Monstrous, That a Divine Person should undergo an Ignominious Death, arises from the Slight Apprehension Men generally have of Sin, and their ignorance of the Malignity of its Na∣ture; they look upon it as a mere Transient Act, and think that the Guilt of it passes away, as soon as the Fact; they have no Unkindness to their own Wick∣ed Ways, and fansie God has none neither; that any Trifle will make Compensation for them, or that God will pass them by without any Compensation at all. But if they would weigh the Odiousness of Sin to God, by its Contrariety to his Holy Nature, and the fearful Judgments he has denounc'd against it, and that it cannot go unpunisht, if God be just and true, i. e. if God be God: Again, if they would consider, that the Greatness of an Offence arises in proportion to the Greatness of the Person Offended, and then compute what would be a Competent Satis∣faction for offending an Infinite and Eternal Deity, they would not think it monstrous, ut medela respon∣deret morbo, that a Divine Person should be found only worthy to do Right to a Divine Person. Men

may well be astonisht at the Goodness of God, and adore his Mercy, that he vouchsaf'd to give his Son to be a Ransom for Sinners, but none can just∣ly wonder, that he requir'd so Honourable an A∣mends for the Violation of his Majesty; or that a less Sanctity than Christ's was sufficient either to intercede for, or to Counterpoise the Guilt of the Whole World.

But as there are those that despise the Cross of Christ, and count the Bloud of the Covenant, as the A∣postle speaks, an unholy thing: so there are those a∣gain on the other side, who are no less Enemies to it, by ascribing to it what was never the Will or Meaning of our Lord that they should: and these are of two Sorts; Those of the Church of Rome, who Superstitiously and Idolatrously Worship the Cross, ascribe to it the Power of driving away Devils, con∣ferring Divine Graces, and the like. The others are those among us, who teach, That since Christ has Suffer'd, all Guilt and Condemnation for Sin is ta∣ken away in respect of Believers: like those in the Apostles time who affirm'd, That after the Faith of Christ was once entertain'd, all that was necessary for Salvation was perform'd, and men need not be sollicitous for their future Behaviour, whether 'twere Righteous, or Unrighteous. But S^t Paul, Heb. 10.26. stops the mouths of all such as thus pervert the Grace purchas'd by Christ's Death. If we sin wilfully, says he, after we have received the Knowledge of the Truth, there remains no more Sacrifice for Sin, but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment, and fiery In∣dignation. As if he would have said, Although Christ cannot be Cut-off any more in his Person, yet he may and will be Cut-off again in the Fruits and Benefits of his first Cutting-off, from those that abuse them. Which

Words, though spoken of Apostates to the Faith, will hold true also of Subverters of the Faith. And there is a Passage in this Chapter of Daniel before us, well worthy the observation of all those, who sin now presumptuously under the Gospel, which is this: When the Angel had reveal'd to Daniel the Time when the Captivity in Babylon should expire, and that the People should return, and rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple: and not only so, but that the long-promis'd and much-desir'd Messiah should be given them; and the Prophet thought all was now well, and nothing could be added to the Felicity of the Nation; immediately it follows, that after so many Weeks again (for the succeeding Transgressions of the People) the so-long'd-for Prince and Saviour, the Messiah, should be cut-off as if he had never been: So that he should be given in a manner, and not given unto the Nation; but be the Cause of a Second and Greater Destruction, than the foregoing Captivity, even the final Rejection of the House of Israel. And 'tis dreadful to consider, that the giving of a Saviour to many Christians shall have the like Success; that by reason of their Presumption of I know not what Favour and Election of God's, and their Continuance in their Unreform'd Lives, this Blessing shall be turn'd into a Curse; and He that was cut-off For them, shall be again cut off From them; and the Private State of their Souls, like the Publick State of the Jews, shall be much more Cala∣mitous after their Redemption, than before.

And now what Use shall we make of this first Branch, the Substance of the Angels Prediction, the Excision of the Messiah, He shall be cut off—? Shall I exhort you, after the manner of the Church of Rome, to set before you Pictures of our Lord's Passi∣on,

representing his macerated and dilacerated Body hanging on the Cross between two Thieves, and at∣tended by his Virgin Mother fallen into a Swoun, and expect that the like Effects of an o'r-whelming Sorrow may be seen in you? No, I shall rather desire that all such Pageantry and Ostentation of misplaced Grief may be remov'd far from you; and as our Lord directed the Women (who wept for him when he bore his Cross to Mount Calvary) to spend their Tears on the right Object, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for your selves, and your approaching misery: So let me advise you, Not to weep for what Christ suffer'd more than sixteen hun∣dred Years ago for your sakes, seeing he is now at the Right Hand of his Father in Glory; but to weep for your Own Souls, that you have made no more Advantage by his Sufferings. Weep not therefore be∣cause he was mockt, and spit on, and set at nought by the Souldiers, but weep because thou thy self hast despis'd him, set his Gospel at nought, perhaps deri∣ded it. Sigh not because Christ was scourg'd, and crown'd with Thorns, and hung so many hours upon the Cross, but sigh truly and deeply that all these things have not moved thee to forsake one Sin, or to mortifie one Lust; mourn sensibly and pungently that he drunk the bitter Cup of his Passion in vain, as to thee, or for thy greater Condemnation: For if it be a Sad Reflection, that he liv'd a persecuted and afflicted Life, and dy'd a Calamitous Death, 'tis yet a much Sadder, that such his Sufferings do not Expiate, but aggravate thy Guilt and Damnation.

The second Use I shall desire you to make of the painful and ignominious Death of so Divine a Per∣son as the Messiah, is to consider the Malignant Na∣ture of Sin, which (however easily and hourly, re∣gardlesly

and remorslesly we commit) cost our Lord his Heart bloud to expiate; and after we were once infected by it, nothing less than his being Accurs'd, could put us into a Capacity again of being Blest; nothing but his being Cut-off could restore us to Life and Felicity.

Let the third Use we make of the Messiah's Death be, To consider how precious a Thing the Soul of a Man is; that 'tis such a Jewel that the Son of God came down from Heaven to save from perishing; compass'd the Earth, like a greedy Merchant, to pur∣chase; set his Glory and Life at nought to ran∣some! And now 'tis ransom'd at so Immense a Rate, is of more Value than before; and he that sells it now for Gold, or Pleasure, or any other Worldly Consideration, sells not only an Immortal Spirit, but a Divine Purchace; sells his Soul Redeem'd, parts with his Soul and his Messiah too; delivers it up together with the Ransom and Satisfaction, after no more can be expected. When the Devil therefore offers to barter with us his beggarly and deceitful Wares for this Divine Treasure; as the Satyrist said with in∣dignation to a Gluttonous Person, that gave more for a Fish than would have bought the Fisherman, Hoc pretium Squamae? all this Revenue for Finns and Scales? So let us say with no less Indignation, Shall we give our Immortal Souls, the Bloud of Christ, and Eter∣nal Glory, for a little Momentary Pleasure? such as the very Slaves to it set often below a contemptible Summ of Money, even when they have drawn their Purse, and bid for it, put it up again, as thinking it too dear? I proceed to the Circumstance of the Time of the Cutting-off the Messiah.

After threescore and two Weeks.

From what Epocha or Computation of Time these threescore and two Weeks begin to be reckon'd, or in what King's Reign they determin'd, is very diffi∣cult to pronounce, by reason that the Scripture is si∣lent in the Extent or Number of Years of the Reigns of the Kings of Persia, and those Accounts we have from Heathen Writers (however competently pun∣ctual and sutable to their own Chronologies, yet) to make them fall in, and come to a Concurrence with Holy Story, (one reckoning by Lunary Years, and the other by Solary) has been found a very hard Task: insomuch that some that have labour'd over-curiously in this matter, while they have sought to reconcile the Times, have lost much of their own; and instead of giving Satisfaction, have only forfeited their Discretion. I shall not therefore engage in so difficult and ambitious an Undertaking, but content my self to follow the Conclusion of the soberest Expositors, hasting through the ragged Ways and barren Tracts of Chronology and Arith∣metick, as a Traveller that delights not in his Jour∣ney, and not sitting down, and amusing my self in them, as if I took pleasure in the Passage.

The plain Account is this, The Prophet Jeremy, long before our Prophets time, had foretold, that the Captivity of the Jews in Babylon should con∣tinue seventy Years. Now Daniel being a Captive in Babylon about the End of this time, and mindful of Jeremy's Prophecy, besought of God, by fasting and Supplications, an Accomplishment of the promis'd Deliverance: whereupon an Angel was sent to him, with much more Gladsome Tydings than he expect∣ed,

viz. to assure him, that not only at the Expira∣tion of the Seventy Years prefixt, the People should certainly return, but that after Seventy Weeks of Years more, i. e. seventy times seven Weeks (a Week of Years consisting of seven Years) the righteous and glorious Prince Messiah should be sent. And the more to confirm Daniel in this joyful News, the Angel (ac∣cording to the Distribution of the Time for the bring∣ing this Counsel and Determination of God to pass) divides the Seventy Weeks of Years into three Parts, assigns seven Weeks of Years for the rebuilding Jeru∣salem and the Temple, threescore and two from that to the Birth of the Messiah and his Cutting-off, or at least for the Preaching of the Gospel by his Disci∣ples; and one Week of Years remaining for the de∣stroying of Unbelievers: as these things may be col∣lected from ver. 21. to the end of the Chapter.

In which Distribution of Time God's singular Goodness and Wisdom, in chusing the Season for sending his Son into the World, is very remarkable. He sent him not the first seven Weeks, or forty nine Years, after the Jews return from Babylon, that the City and Sanctuary were building, and the Nation re-establishing, for that was a busie and troublesome Time, but sixty two Weeks after that, when they were setled and at Leisure to attend Divine things. And for this Reason God also so order'd it, that Christ should be born in a Calm and Serene Age of the World, in the peaceful Reign of Augustus Caesar, when, as the Historian says, universi terrarum orbis aut pax, aut pactio, that there was either an Universal Peace, or Treaty of Peace through the Whole World. God thus stilling the Noise of Wars, and the Tumults of the Nations, that the Voice of his Son might be heard; gave men nothing to intend,

that they might intend Religion. But though he of∣fer'd the Jews this Opportunity for their Salvation, they laid not hold of it: but when they were disen∣gaged from Civil Affairs, they engaged and immers'd themselves in all manner of Sin and Wickedness; when their Wars ceas'd, their Lusts began to rage; when the Architects and Builders had finish'd their Work, the Contrivers of Iniquity set to plot and contrive theirs. So that few were at leisure to com∣pute how Daniel's Weeks, for the coming of the Messiah, past away, and much less to prepare them∣selves for his Reception; and accordingly when he appear'd, so far they were from paying him Obedi∣ence, that they knew him not; from acknowledging him their King, that they crucifi'd him. They dreamt of a second Joshua for their Messiah, not of a Melchi∣zedeck; of a fighting, not a preaching King: when therefore he rebuk'd their Vices, they conspir'd his Death; and cut him off, instead of cutting off their Sins. 'Twas no wonder therefore, that God allow'd but one Week of Years for the destroying so Carnal, so wicked, so ungrateful a People.

'Tis an Ominous and Fatal Sign, when God has given Eminent Deliverance to a Nation, and allow'd it time for the Re-establishing it self, if at least in the second place it makes not Religion and his Worship its Business: but falls from Secular Employments to Sensual and Sinful; never reflecting either why he did so severely punish them, or why again so Gra∣ciously Restore them. We of this Nation attend not the fulfilling of the Weeks foretold by Daniel, for the Coming of the Messiah in the Flesh, his Cutting off, and the Destruction of Jerusalem, these things are already past: But there are other Weeks in which we are concern'd, which are not yet fulfill'd, viz. the

few Weeks before God may possibly call us to account for the ill Use we have made of his Glorious Resto∣ration of our King and Nation, and his other Illu∣strious Mercies: Or if in his Wisdom he shall think fit to adjourn this Account to the General Audit at the Last Day, then the very few Weeks, before we that are here present shall be seal'd up for that Dreadful Day by our Departure out of this Life. And in the mean time we have daily an Image or representation of that Great Assize of the Whole World, in the Absolution which the Church pronounces to Penitent Sinners, and consequently in binding over to Judg∣ment the Impenitent: For though the Righteous are not juridically and finally absolv'd in this World, nor the Wicked condemn'd; yet the Issue that both are to expect is foreshew'd; and however there seems for a time a Forgetfulness of the one and the other, that the Just appear to go away without their Re∣ward, and the Unjust to be Tenants to an Easie Lord, that will never call them to account: yet they will receive their Recompence according to what they have done in this Life, and find though Christ suffered for Sin, he never suffered or tolerated Sin; but that his Death will prove Effectual for their Condemnati∣tion, for whom it prov'd not Effectual for their Salva∣tion.

The Reason that Men put off the Fear of the Lord's Coming to Judgment, or think his Coming but a Fable, is, because they consider not how far he is already advanc'd on his Way towards them, how many Stages he has past, and how very near he is come. He is advanc'd long since to the Destruction of Jerusalem; there's the first prophesy'd Stage of his Coming, and so many Weeks of Years past. Second∣ly, His Gospel is preach'd through the World: Christ

is arriv'd so much Nearer on his Journey towards us. Thirdly, Anti-Christ is come: the Apostle speaks of him as entred into the World, though as 'twere in∣cognito or conceal'd, in his time: but now for many Years he has shew'd himself openly, and raged in the Church: and there's the Third Sett of Weeks fore∣told for Christ's coming, past: So that there remains but one Parcel of Weeks more, before we shall see him at our very Doors, i. e. coming in the Clouds of Heaven to judge the Quick and the Dead. We have seen three Predictions of his Coming actually fulfill'd, and is it possible our Sins should perswade us, that he will tire by the Way, and that the fourth shall not come to pass? The Night succeeds not the Day, Winter the Summer so certainly, as Christ's Second Coming shall succeed in the time appointed. And seeing these things shall be so, what manner of Per∣sons, as S^t Peter says, ought we to be in all holy Conver∣sation and Godliness? My Text says, Christ was not cut off for Himself, let us take care to be of the Num∣ber of those he was cut off For, and not of those he shall be cut off From. And so I pass to my Se∣cond General Part, the Angel's Direction for the right Understanding of his Prediction,

He shall be cut off, but not for himself.

The Words in the Original [ve en lo] which our Translators render, but not for himself, and in the Margent, and shall have nothing, are so concise and abrupt, that they leave place to several Apprehensi∣ons to add, what they think will best fill up their Sense: But all that is offered being merely conjectu∣ral, and also less edifying than what we read in our own Bibles, I shall not decline what I there find.

And it may be understood in two Respects, That Christ was cut off, and not for Himself.

1. In Respect of any Demerit or Fault of his. There were many that pretended to be the Messiah, that were Thieves and Murderers, and were cut off, but 'twas justly for their Offences. But the Angel pre∣vents here the least Suspicion, that the True Messiah should be a Guilty Person, cut off for his own Crimes. He did no Sin, as S^t Peter says, neither was Guile found in his mouth: But he could make that bold Challenge to all the Nations of the Jews, Which of you convinceth me of Sin? It fared indeed with him, as it did with David, a good King, and his Type, who Psal. the 59^th and the 3^d, complains of his Enemies after this manner, They lye in wait for my Soul, the Mighty are gathered against me; not for My Transgressions, nor for my Sin, O Lord! they run and prepare themselves without my Fault. No: if any man could take away our Messiah, by justly alledging Impiety against him, we would readily deliver him up our selves: But when he was Holy in his Life and Doctrine, when his Righteousness was attested from Heaven before, and in, and after his being in the World, by Prophecies, Miracles, by the Voice, to use S^t Peter's expression, which came to him from the Excel∣lent Glory, saying, This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased: by his Resurrection, Ascension, and sending the Holy Ghost, we may well adhere to such a Saviour, and excuse the seeming Shame of his Cutting off, for those real Glories which none beside himself ever pretended to.

2. Not for himself, in respect of any Benefit he re∣ceived. If the Angel had told the Prophet, That the Cutting off of the Messiah had been for any Personal Advantage of his own, though he had taken

Death in the Way to that Advantage, his Suffering had not been Relative to Others, it had been for Himself. But the Scripture disclaims this, and affirms, 'Twas for our Redemption, our Salvation, our be∣ing Reconcil'd to God and instated in Glory that Messiah suffered. For he being enthron'd already in Heaven, what could he gain to himself by taking our wretched Flesh, and undergoing all the Miseries and Indignities of a Humane Life? His Sufferings, indeed, were antecedent to his Exaltation, but his Ex∣altation was not the End or Reason of his Sufferings; God highly exalted him, and gave him a Name above e∣very Name; that at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in Earth, and things under the Earth: but this was the Result or E∣vent of the Merit of his Humiliation, not the Design of it. And the Joy which, as the Apostle says, was set before him, and made him endure the Cross, and despise the Shame, was a Contemplation of the Re∣demption and Recovery of Lost Man, and of the Glory redounding to God by his Atchievement, more than of his own Glory.

There are but two Sorts of Creatures in the Whole Lump of the Creation, for whom the Excision of the Messiah could possibly be, namely, Angels and Men: but the Scripture excludes the first, He took not upon him the Nature of Angels, but took upon him the Seed of Abraham: and the Ancients interpret, That the Nature that was not assum'd, was not ran∣som'd. The State of the Angels, Good and Bad, immediately after the Fall of those that kept not their Station, was made Immutable, and they are Happy, or Accursed without Change. For Men therefore alone the Benefit was: and it being said for Men indefinitely, it must be understood of

all the Race of Mankind; the Men of all Nations, and of all Times; quocunque sub axe, how remote or in what Clime soever, quocunque sub scelere, how re∣mote from Righteousness, or under what Sins soever; all that Believe, all that Repent, are of the Num∣ber of those for whom Christ was cut off: as S^t John says, He is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for ours only, but for the Sins of the Whole World. None are so much cut off from Goodness, but Christ was cut off to bring them to Righteousness and Salva∣tion.

And now to draw to a Conclusion: What does this Universal, this Wonderful Love of Christ preach to us? Who when he was not capable, as God, to dye for us, as our Condition required, espoused our Nature first, that he might espouse our Miseries af∣ter; and that he might bring us to perfect Felicity, was content to be made perfect by Sufferings, as the A∣postle speaks? As I said before, an affected weeping and sorrowing in remembrance of Christ's Passion, was but an Insignificant Return for his Sufferings: So I may say here, an Empty Admiration of his Love will be as Vain, as Ungrateful, and as unacceptable an Acknowledgment of his Goodness. The Return he expects for his Unspeakable Love is, that we, ac∣cording to our Measures and proportions should shew the like Love to our Brethren. And this is the Con∣sequence S^t John draws from the Love of Christ, If Christ so loved us, we ought to love one another.

But what Kind of Love is it, which is requir'd of us? For the Love commonly practis'd in the World, is but a Confederation for Lust and Pleasure: or an Association (like that of Merchants) for Interest and Profit. Moralists observe three Kinds of Love in regard of the Ends of them, Love for Pleasure

sake, Love for Profit, and Love for Vertues sake. Now the last only of these bears any Resemblance to the Love of Christ, which we are to imitate: and which is more perfectly described by the Pen of S^t Paul, To be, first, a Benevolence or Well-willing to o∣thers, as to our Selves, not excluding our very Ene∣mies; a Candid and favourable Interpretation of all Mens Actions; a Meek Conceit of our selves, and a Lowliness towards others; ready to forgive Injuries, and to overcome Evil with Good, &c. which Love the Apostle prefers even before Martyrdom. Se∣condly, a Mutual Compassion and being affected as our Brethren are, a sorrowing with them that sor∣row, and a rejoycing with them that rejoyce, as the Apostle says, like Members of the same Body, suffering all, if one suffers; and if one be honoured, all rejoycing. Thirdly, a Beneficence or Liberal Contribution to those that need, exprest in these Words, But to do Good and to Contribute forget not. And this Love, it seems, the Church was so happy in in S^t Paul's days, that he thought it superfluous to recommend it a∣mong other Duties to the Thessalonians, But as touch∣ing Brotherly Love, says he, ye need not that I should write unto you. But had the Apostle liv'd in these days, he would have thought it necessary, not only to say, Love one another, love Strangers, love your E∣nemies; but love your Friends, love your Selves. For we see Men destroy their Souls for the love of their Bodies; and their Bodies again for the love of their Lusts. And if any in these days should pretend to love merely for Vertue and Good∣ness sake, to have a Kindness to those that gave them an Opportunity to exercise their Charity, even as unto those that did them a Good Turn, they would be hiss'd at as Hypocrites; and if they should love

their Enemies, and return Good for Evil, they would be lookt on as base and degenerate, despicable and ridiculous persons. But had not Christ been so ridi∣culous, as to do Good to them that hated him; so degenerate, as to lay down both his Life and Glory for his Enemies; none, that now shall be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven, should ever have come there. And he that gave his Soul unto Death for our sakes, looks that we should not only be Believers, but Martyrs for his Sake, if Occasion requires; that we should be ready to be cut off for Him, that was cut off for us; that is, be content to lay down our Lives for the Truth, or the Salvation of our Bre∣thren.

To God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be a∣scribed all Honour, Glory, &c. Amen.