Ebdomas embolimaios a supplement to the eniautos, or course of sermons for the whole year : being seven sermons explaining the nature of faith and obedience in relation to God and the ecclesiastical and secular powers respectively / all that have been preached and published (since the restauration) by the Right Reverend Father in God Jeremy, Lord Bishop of Down and Connor ; to which is adjoyned, his Advice to the clergy of his diocese.

THE Righteousness Evangelical DESCRIB'D.

MATTH. V. 20.

For I say unto you, that except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

REwards and Punishments are the best Sanction of Laws; and although the Guardi∣ans of Laws strike some∣times with the softest part of the hand in their Execu∣tions of sad Sentences, yet in the Sanction they make no abatements, but so proporti∣on the Duty to the Reward, and the Pu∣nishment to the Crime, that by these we can best tell what Value the Law-giver puts up∣on the Obedience. Joshuah put a great rate upon the taking of Kiriath-Sepher, when the Reward of the Service was his Daughter and a Dower. But when the Young men

ventured to fetch David the waters of Bethle∣hem, they had nothing but the praise of their Boldness, because their Service was no more than the satisfaction of a Curiosity. But as Law-givers by their Rewards declare the va∣lue of the Obedience, so do Subjects also by the grandeur of what they expect set a value on the Law and the Law-giver, and do their Services accordingly.

And therefore the Law of Moses, whose en∣dearment was nothing but temporal goods and transient evils,* 1.1 could never make the com∣ers thereunto perfect: but the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Superinduction of a bet∣ter Hope hath endeared a more perfect Obe∣dience. When Christ brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel, and hath promised to us things greater than all our explicit Desires, bigger than the thoughts of our heart, then 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith the Apostle, then we draw near to God; and by these we are enabled to do all that God requires, and then he requires all that we can do; more Love, and more Obedi∣••nce than he did of those who for want of these Helps, and these Revelations, and these Promises, which we have, but they had not, were but imperfect persons, and could

do but little more than humane Services. Christ hath taught us more, and given us more, and promis'd to us more than ever was in the world known or believ'd before him; and by the strengths and confidence of these, thrusts us forward in a holy and wise Oeconomy, and plainly declares that we must serve him by the measures of a new Love, do him Honour by wise and material Glorifications, be united to God by a new Nature, and made alive by a new Birth, and fulfil all Righteousness; to be humble and meek as Christ, to be merciful as our Hea∣venly Father is, to be pure as God is pure, to be partakers of the Divine Nature, to be wholly renewed in the frame and temper of our mind, to become people of a new heart, a direct new Creation, new Principles and a new Being, to do better than all the world before us ever did, to love God more per∣fectly, to despise the world more generously, to contend for the Faith more earnestly; for all this is but a proper and a just conse∣quent of the great Promises which our Bles∣sed Law-giver came to publish and effect for all the world of Believers and Disciples.

The matter which is here required is cer∣tainly very great; for it is to be more righte∣ous

than the Scribes and Pharisees; more holy than the Doctors of the Law, than the Leaders of the Synagogue, than the wise Princes of the Sanhedrim: more righte∣ous than some that were Prophets and High Priests, than some that kept the Or∣dinances of the Law without blame: men that lay in Sackcloth, and fasted much, and prayed more, and made Religion and the Study of the Law the work of their lives. This was very much; but Christians must do more.

Nunc te marmoreum pro tempore fecimus; at tu, Si foetura gregem suppleverit, aureus esto.

They did well, and we must do better; their houses were Marble, but our roofs must be gilded and fuller of Glory. * But as the matter is very great, so the necessity of it is the greatest in the world. It must be so, or it will be much worse: unless it be thus, we shall never see the glorious Face of God. Here it concerns us to be wise and fearful; for the matter is not a question of an Oaken Garland, or a Circle of Bayes, and a Yel∣low Ribband: it is not a question of Money

or Land, nor of the vainer rewards of po∣pular noises, and the undiscerning Suffrages of the people, who are contingent Judges of good and evil: but it is the great stake of Life Eternal. We cannot be Christians, un∣less we be righteous by the new measures: the Righteousness of the Kingdom is now the only way to enter into it, for the Sen∣tence is fixt, and the Judgement is decreto∣ry, and the Judge infallible, and the De∣cree irreversible: For I say unto you, said Christ, unless your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Hea∣ven.

Here then we have two things to consi∣der. 1. What was the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. 2. How far that is to be exceeded by the Righteousness of Christians.

1. Concerning the First. I will not be so nice in the Observation of these words, as to take notice that Christ does not name the Sadduces, but the Scribes and Pharisees, though there may be something in it: the Sadduces were called Caraim from Cara, to read; for they thought it Religion to spend one third part of their day in reading their

Scriptures, whose fulness they so admired they would admit of no suppletory Traditi∣ons. But the Pharisees were called Than∣naim, that is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they added to the Word of God words of their own, as the Church of Rome does at this day, they and these fell into an equal fate; while they taught far Doctrines the Commandments of men, they prevaricated the righteousness of God. What the Church of Rome to evil purposes hath done in this particular, may be demon∣strated in due time and place; but what false and corrupt glosses under the specious title of the Tradition of their Fathers the Pharisees had introducedour, Blessed Saviour reproves, and are now to be represented as the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that you may see that Righteousness beyond which all they must go that intend that Heaven should be their Journeys end.

1. The Pharisees obeyed the Command∣ments in the Letter, not in the Spirit. They minded what God spake, but not what he intended: they were busie in the outward work of the hand, but incurious of the affe∣ctions and choice of the heart. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, said Justin Martyr to Tryphon the Jew, Ye understand all things carnally;

that is, they rested 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as Na∣zianzen calls it, in the outward work of Piety, which not only Justin Martyr,* 1.2 but St. Paul calls Carnality, not meaning a car∣nal Appetite, but a carnal Service. Their error was plainly this; they never distin∣guished Duties natural from Duties relative; that is, whether it were commanded for it self, or in order to something that was bet∣ter; whether it were a principal Grace, or an instrumental Action. So God was ser∣ved in the Letter, they did not much inquire into his Purpose. And therefore they were curious to wash their hands, but cared not so much to purifie the hearts; They would give Alms, but hate him that received it; they would go to the Temple, but did not revere the Glory of God that dwelt there between the Cherubins: they would fast, but not mortify their Lusts; they would say good Prayers, but not labour for the Grace they prayed for. This was just as if a man should run on his Masters errand, and do no business when he came there. They might easily have thought that by the Soul only a man approaches to God, and draws the Body after it, but that no wash∣ings or corporal Services could unite them

and the Shechinah together, no such thing could make them like to God, who is the Prince of Spirits.* They did as the Dunces in Pythagoras School, who when their Ma∣ster had said, Fabis abstineto, by which he intended they should not ambitiously seek for Ma∣gistracy, they thought themselves good Py∣thagoreans if they did not eat Beans; and they would be sure to put their Right foot first into the shooe, and their Left foot into the water, and supposed they had done enough, though if they had not been Fools they would have understood their Masters mean∣ing to have been, that they should put more affections to labour and travel, and less to their pleasure and recreation; and so it was with the Pharisee. For as the Chaldees taught their Morality by mystick words, and the Aegyp∣tians by Hieroglyphicks, and the Greeks by Fables; so did God by Rites and Ceremo∣nies external; leading them by the Hand to the Purities of the Heart; and by the Servi∣ces of the Body to the Obedience of the Spi∣rit; which because they would not under∣stand, they thought they had done enough in the observation of the Letter.

2. In moral Duties, where God express'd Himselfe more plainly, they made no Com∣mentary

of kindness; but regarded the Pro∣hibition so nakedly, and divested of all An∣tecedents, Consequents, Similitudes and Proportions, that if they stood clear of that hated name which was set down in Moses Tables, they gave themselves liberty in ma∣ny instances of the same kindred & alliance. If they abstained from murder, they thought it very well, though they made no scruple of murdering their Brothers fame; they would not cut his throat, but they would call him Fool, or invent lyes in secret, and publish his disgrace openly; they would not dash out his brains, but they would be extremely and unreasonably angry with him; they would not steal their brothers money, but they would oppress him in crafty and cruel bargains. The Commandment for∣bade them to commit Adultery, but be∣cause Fornication was not named, they made no scruple of that; and being commanded to Honour their Father and their Mother, they would give them good words and fair observances, but because it was not named that they should maintain them in their need, they thought they did well enough to pretend Corban and let their Father starve.

3. The Scribes and Pharisees placed their Righteousness in Negatives; they would not commit what was forbidden; but they car∣ed but little for the included positive, and the omissions of good Actions did not much trouble them; they would not hurt their Brother in a forbidden instance, but neither would they do him good according to the intention of the Commandment; It was a great Innocence if they did not rob the Poor, then they were righteous men; but thought themselves not much concerned to acquire that god-like excellency, a Philanthropy and love to all mankind. Whosoever blasphem'd God was to be put to death; but he that did not glorifie God as he ought, they were unconcerned for him, and let him alone; he that spake against Moses was to dy with∣out mercy; but against the ambitious and the covetous, against the proud man and the unmerciful they made no provisions.

Virtus est vitium fugere, & sapientia pri∣ma Stultitiâ caruisse.

They accounted themselves good, not for do∣ing good, but for doing no evil; that was the sum of their Theology.

4. They had one thing more as bad as all this. They broke Moses Tables into pieces, and gathering up the fragments took to themselves what part of Duty they pleased, and let the rest alone. For it was a Pro∣verb amongst the Jews, Qui operam dat prae∣cepto, liber est à praecepto; that is, If he chu∣ses one positive Commandment for his bu∣siness, he may be less careful in any of the rest. Indeed they said also, Qui multiplicat legem, multiplicat vitam; he that multiplies the Law, increases Life; that is, if he did attend to more good things, it was so much the better; but the other was well enough: but as for Universal Obedience, that was not the measure of their Righteousness; for they taught that God would put our good works and bad into the balance, and accord∣ing to the heavier scale give a portion in the world to come: so that some evil they would allow to themselves and their Disciples; alwayes provided it was less than the good they did. They would devour Widows houses, and make it up by long Prayers; they would love their Nation and hate their Prince, offer Sacrifice and curse Caesar in their heart, advance Judaism and destroy Humanity.

Lastly, St. Austin summ'd up the diffe∣rence between the Pharisaical and Evange∣lical righteousness, in two words; Brevis differentia inter Legem & Evangelium; timor & amor. They serv'd the God of their Fa∣thers in the spirit of Fear, and we worship the Father of our Lord Jesus in the spirit of Love, and by the spirit of Adoption; and as this Slavish principle of theirs was the cause of all their former Imperfections, so it finally and chiefly express'd it self in these two particulars. 1. They would do all that they thought they lawfully could do. 2. They would do nothing but what was expresly commanded.

This was the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees,* 1.3 and their Disciples the Jews, which because our B. Saviour reproves, not only as imperfect then, but as criminal now, calling us on to a new Righteousness, the Righteousness of God, to the Law of the Spirit of Life, to the Kingdom of God and the proper Righteousness thereof, it con∣cerns us in the next place to look after the measures of this, ever remembring that it is infinitely necessary that we should do so; and men do not generally know, or not consider what it is to be a Christian; they

understand not what the Christian Law for∣biddeth or commandeth. But as for this in my Text, it is indeed our great measure: but it is not a question of good and better, but of Good and Evil, Life and Death, Sal∣vation and Damnation; for unless our Righteousness be weighed by new weights, we shall be found too light, when God comes to weigh the actions of all the world: and unless we be more righteous than they, we shall in no wise, that is, upon no other terms in the world enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now concerning this, we shall do very much amiss, if we take our measures by the manners and practises of the many who call themselves Christians; for there are, as Na∣zianzen expresses it, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the old and the new Pharisees. I wish it were no worse amongst us; and that all Christians were indeed Righteous as they were; est aliquid prodire tenus; it would not be just nothing. But I am sure that to bid defiance to the Laws of Christ, to laugh at Religion, to make a merriment at the de∣bauchery and damnation of our Brother, is a state of evil worse than that of the Scribes and Pharisees: and yet even among such

men how impatient would they be, and how unreasonable would they think you to be, if you should tell them, that there is no pre∣sent hopes or possibility that in this state they are in they can be saved.

Omnes videmur nobis esse belluli Et festivi, Saperdae cum simus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

But the world is too full of Christians whose Righteousness is very little, and their Iniquities very great; and now adays, a Christian is a man that comes to Church on Sundays, and on the week following will do shameful things;

Passim corvos sequitur, testâque lutoque Securus quo pes ferat, at que ex tempore vivit,

being according to the Jewish proverbial re∣proof, as so many Mephibosheths: discipuli sa∣pientum qui incessu pudefaciunt praeceptorem su∣um; their Master teaches them to go up∣rightly; but they still show their lame leg, and shame their Master; as if a man might be a Christian, and yet be the vilest person in the world, doing such things for which the Laws of men have provided smart and

shame, and the Laws of God have threat∣ned the intolerable pains of an unsufferable and never ending damnation. Example here cannot be our rule unless men were much better, and as long as men live at the rate they do, it will be to little purpose to talk of exceeding the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees: but because it must be much better with us all, or it will be very much worse with us at the latter end, I shall leave complaining and go to the Rule, and de∣scribe the necessary and unavoidable mea∣sures of the righteousness Evangelical, with∣out which we can never be saved.

1. Therefore when it is said our Righteous∣ness must exceed that of the Scribes and Phari∣sees, let us first take notice by way of prae∣cognition, that it must at least be so much: we must keep the Letter of the whole Moral Law; we must do all that lies before us, all that is in our hand: and therefore 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies to be religious, the Gram∣marians derive 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from reaching forth the hand: the outward work must be done; and it is not enough to say, My heart is right, but my hand went aside. Prudentius saith, that St. Peter wept so bit∣terly, because he did not confess Christ

openly, whom he lov'd secretly.

Flevit negator denique Ex ore prolapsum nefas, Cum mens maneret innocens, Animusque servârit fidem.

A right heart alone will not do it; or rather the heart is not right when the hand is wrong. If a man strikes his Neighbor, and says, Am not I in jest? It is folly and shame to him, said Solomon. For, once for all; Let us remember this, that Christianity is the most profitable, the most useful, and the most bountiful institution in the whole world, and the best definition I can give of it is this; It is the Wisdom of God brought down among us to do good to men; and there∣fore we must not do less than the Pharisees, who did the outward work; at least let us be sure to do all the work that is laid before us in the Commandments. And it is strange that this should be needful to be press'd amongst Christians whose Religion requires so very much more. But so it is, upon a pretence that we must serve God with the mind. Some are such fools as to think that it is enough to have a good meaning. Iniquum

perpol verbum est, bene vult, nisi qui bene facit. And because we must serve God in the Spi∣rit, therefore they will not serve God with their Bodies; and because they are called upon to have the power and the life of God∣liness, they abominate all external works as mere forms; and because the true fast is to abstain from Sin, therefore they will not abstain from meat and drink, even when they are commanded; which is just as if a Pharisee being taught the Circumcision of the heart should refuse to Circumcise his Flesh; and as if a Christian, being instructed in the Excellencies of Spiritual Communion, should wholly neglect the Sacramental; that is, because the Soul is the life of man, there∣fore it is fitting to die in a humour, and lay aside the Body. * This is a taking away the Subject of the Question; for our iniquiry is, How we should keep the Commandments; how we are to do the work that lyes before us, by what Principles, with what Intention, in what Degrees, after what manner, ut bo∣num bene fiat, that the good thing be done well. This therefore must be presupposed; we must take care that even our Bodies bear a part in our Spiritual Services. Our voice and tongue, our hands and our Feet, and

our very bowels must be servants of God, and do the work of the Commandments.

This being ever supposed, our Question is, how much more we must do; and the first measure is this; Whatsoever can be sig∣nified and ministred to by the Body, the Heart and the Spirit of a man must be the principal Actor. We must not give Alms without a charitable Soul, nor suffer Mar∣tyrdom but in Love and in Obedience; and when we say our Prayers, we do but mis∣pend our time unless our mind ascend up to God upon the wings of desire.

Desire is the life of prayer; and if you in∣deed desire what you pray for, you will also labour for what you desire; and if you find it otherwise with your selves, your coming to Church is but like the Pharisees going up to the Temple to pray. If your heart be not present, neither will God; and then there is a found of men and women between a pair of dead walls, from whence because neither God nor your Souls are present, you must needs go home without a Blessing.

But this measure of Evangelical righte∣ousness is of principal remark in all the rites and solemnities of Religion; and in∣tends to say this, that Christian Religion is

something that is not seen, it is the hidden man of the heart; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it is God that dwels within; and true Christians are men, who, as the Chaldee Oracle said, are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, clothed with a great deal of mind. And therefore those words of the Prophet Hosea, Et loquar ad cor ejus,* 1.4 I will speak unto their heart; is a proverbial ex∣pression, signifying to speak spiritual com∣forts, and in the mystical sense signifies 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to preach the Gospel; where the Spirit is the Preacher, and the Heart is the Disciple, and the Sermon is of Righteous∣ness and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost. Our Service to God must not be in outward works and Scenes of Religion, it must be something by which we become like to God; the Divine Prerogative must extend be∣yond the outward man; nay, even beyond the mortification of Corporal vices; the Spirit of God must go in trabis crassitudinem, and molli∣fy all our secret pride, and ingenerate in us a true humility, and a Christian meekness of Spi∣rit, and a Divine Charity. For in the Gospel, when God enjoyns any external Rite or Ce∣remony, the outward work is alwayes the less principal. For there is a bodily and a car∣nal part, an outside and a Cabinet of Reli∣gion

in Christianity it self. When we are baptized, the purpose of God is that we cleanse our selves from all pollution of the Flesh and Spirit, and then we are indeed 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, clean all over. And when we communicate, the Commandment means that we should be made one Spirit with Christ, and should live on him, believing his Word, praying for his Spirit, supported with his Hope, refreshed by his promises, recreated by his Comforts, and wholly and in all things conformable to his Life; that is the true Communion. The Sacraments are not made for Sinners until they do re∣pent; they are the food of our Souls, but our Souls must be alive unto God, or else they cannot eat; It is good to confess our sins, as St. James sayes, and to open our wounds to the Ministers of Religion, but they absolve none but such as are truly peni∣tent.

Solemn Prayers, and the Sacraments, and the Assemblies of the Faithful, and fasting dayes, and acts of external worship, are the solemnities and rites of Religion; but the Religion of a Christian is in the Heart and Spirit. And this is that by which Clemens Alexand••inus defined the Righteousness of a

Christian, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: all the parts & faculties that make up a man, must make up our Religion; but the heart is Domus principalis, it is the Court of the great King; and he is properly served with interior graces and moral Vertues, with a humble and a good mind, with a bountiful heart, and a willing Soul, and these will command the eye, and give laws to the hand, and make the shoulders stoop, but anima cujusque est quisque; a mans soul is the man, and so is his Religion; and so you are bound to understand it.

True it is, God works in us his Graces by the Sacrament; but we must dispose our selves to a reception of the Divine blessing by Moral instruments. The Soul is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it must work together with God, and the body works together with the soul: But no external action can purifie the soul, because its Nature and Operations being Spi∣ritual, it can no more be changed by a Ce∣remony or an external Solemnity, than an Angel can be caressed with sweet Meats, or a Mans belly can be filled with Musick or long Orations. The sum is this: No Chri∣stian does his Duty to God but he that serves him with all his heart: And although it be∣comes

comes us to fulfil all righteousnes, even the ex∣ternal also; yet that which makes us gracious in his Eyes is not the external, it is the love of the heart and the real change of the mind and obedience of the spirit; that's the first great measure of the Righteousness Evangelical.

2. The Righteousness Evangelical must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees by extension of our Obedience to things of the same signification;* 1.5 Leges non ex verbis, sed ex mente intelligendas, sayes the Law. There must be a Commentary of kindness in the understanding the Laws of Christ. We must understand all Gods meaning; we must secure his service, we must be far re∣moved from the dangers of his displeasure. And therefore our Rigteousness must be the purification and the perfection of the Spirit. So that it will be nothing for us not to commit Adultery, unless our Eyes and Hands be chast, and the desires be clean. A Christian must not look upon a woman to lust after her. He must hate Sin in all dimensi∣ons, and in all distance, and in every angle of its reception. A Christian must not sin, and he must not be willing to sin if he durst. He must not be lustful, and therefore he must not feed high, nor drink deep, for

these make provisions for lust: and amongst Christians, great eatings and drinkings are acts of uncleanness as well as of intemperance, and whatever ministers to sin, and is the way of it; it partakes of its nature and its curse.

For it is remarkable that in good and evil the case is greatly different. Mortification (e. g.) is a duty of Christianity; but there is no Law concerning the Instruments of it. We are not commanded to roll our selves on thorns, as St. Benedict did; or to burn our flesh, like St. Martinian; or to tumble in Snows with S. Francis; or in pools of wa∣ter with S Bernard. A man may chew Aloes, or ly upon the ground, or wear sackcloth if he have a mind to it, and if he finds it good in his circumstances and to his purposes of mortification; but it may be he may do it alone by the Instrumentalities of Fear and Love; and so the thing be done, no special Instrument is under a command. * But al∣though the Instruments of vertue are free, yet the Instruments and ministeries of vice are not. Not only the sin is forbidden, but all the wayes that lead to it. The In∣struments of vertue are of themselves indif∣ferent, that is, not naturally, but good on∣ly for their relation sake, and in order to their

end. But the Instruments of vice are of themselves vitious; they are part of the sin, they have a share in the phantastick plea∣sure, and they begin to estrange a mans heart from God, and are directly in the prohibiti∣on. For we are commanded to fly from temptation, to pray against it, to abstain from all appearances of evil, to make a covenant with our eyes, to pluck them out if there be need. And if Christians do not understand the Commandments to this extension of sig∣nification, they will be innocent only by the measures of humane laws, but not by the righteousness of God.

3. Of the same consideration it is also that we understand Christs Commandments to extend our Duty, not only to what is named, and what is not named of the same nature and design; but that we abstain from all such things as are like to sins. * Of this nature there are many. All violences of Passion, Irregularities in Gaming, Pro∣digality of our time, Undecency of action, doing things unworthy of our Birth or our Profession, aptness to go to Law, Ambitus, or a fierce prosecution even of honourable employments; misconstruction of the words and actions of our brother; easiness to be∣lieve

evil of others, willingness to report the evil which we hear; curiosity of Dyet, pee∣vishness toward servants, indiscreet and im∣portune standing for place, and all excess in ornaments; for even this little instance is directly prohibited by the Christian and royal Law of Charity. For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith St. Paul; the word is a word hard to be understood; we render it well enough; Charity vaunteth not it self; and upon this Saint Basil says, that an Ecclesiastick person (and so every Christian in his proportion) ought not to go in splen∣did and vain Ornaments; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Every thing that is not wisely useful or proportioned to the state of the Christian, but ministers only to vanity, is a part of this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it is a vaunting, which the Charity and the Grace of a Chri∣stian, does not well endure. * These things are like to sins, they are of a suspicious na∣ture, and not easily to be reconcil'd to the righteousness Evangelical. It is no wonder if Christianity be nice and curious; it is the cleanness and the purification of the Soul, and Christ intends to present his Church to God 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. N. B. or any such thing. If

there be any irregularity that is less than a wrinkle, the Evangelical righteousness does not allow it. * These are such things which if men will stand to defend, possibly a mo∣dest Reprover will be more ashamed than an impudent Offender. *If I see a person apt to quarrel, to take every thing in an ill sense, to resent an error deeply, to reprove it bit∣terly, to remember it tenaciously, to repeat it frequently, to upbraid it unhandsomly, I think I have great reason to say, that this person does not do what becomes the sweet∣ness of a Christian Spirit. If it be replied, It is no where forbidden to chide an offend∣ing person, and that it cannot be a fault to understand when a thing is said or done a∣miss. I cannot return an answer, but by saying, That suppose nothing of it were a sin, yet that every thing of it is so like a sin, that it is the worse for it; and that it were better not to do so; at least I think so, and so ought you too, if you be curious of your eternal interest: a little more tenderness here would do well, I cannot say that this dress, or this garment, or this standing for place is the direct sin of pride; but I am sure it looks like it in some persons; at least the letting it alone is much better, and is very

like humility. And certain it is, that he is dull of hearing who understands not the voice of God, unless it be clamorous in an express and a loud Commandment, pro∣claimed with Trumpets and Clarions upon mount Sinai; but a willing and an obedient ear understands the still voice of Christ, and is ready to obey his meaning at half a word; and that is the righteousness Evangelical. It not only abstains from Sins named, and sins implied, but from the beginnings and instruments of sin; and from whatsoever is like it. The Jews were so great haters of Swine upon pretensions of the Mosaick rites, that they would not so much as name a Swine, but called it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Daber Acher another thing. And thus the Romans in their Auguries us'd alterum for non bonum. The simile of this St. Paul translates to a Christian duty. Let not fornication be so much as named amongst you, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as is comely amongst Christians, that is, come not near a foul thing; speak not of it, let it be wholly banished from all your conver∣sation; for this niceness and curiosity of duty becometh Saints, and is an instance of the righteousness Evangelical.

I have now done with the first sort of mea∣sures

of the Christian righteousness; these which are the matter of our negative duty; these are the measures of our caution and our first innocence. But there are greater things behind, which although I must croud up in∣to a narrow room, yet I must not wholly omit them: therefore

4. The fourth thing I shall note to you is, that whereas the righteousness of the Phari∣sees was but a fragment of the broken Tables of Moses; the pursuance of some one Grace, lacinia sanctitatis, a piece of the robe of righte∣ousness; the righteousness Evangelical must be like Christs seamless Coat, all of a piece from the top to the bottom; it must invest the whole Soul: Misma, Dumah, Massah, said the Proverb of the Rabbins, It is this, and it is the other, & it must be all, it must be an universal righteousness; not a little knot of holy acti∣ons scattered in our lives, and drawn into a sum at the day of Judgement, but it must be a state of holiness. It was said of the Pa∣phlagonian Pigeons 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, every one of them had two hearts; but that in our mystical Theologie signifies a wicked man.* 1.6 So said Solomon, The perverse or wicked man derachaim he is a man of two ways; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, so S. James expresses an unbelie∣ver;

a man that will and will not; some∣thing he does for God, and something for the world; he hath two mindes, and in a good fit, in his well days he is full of Re∣pentance, and overflows in piety; but the paroxysm will return in the day of tempta∣tion, and then he is gone infallibly. But know this, that in the righteousness Evange∣lical, one duty cannot be exchang'd for ano∣ther, and three vertues will not make a∣mends for one remaining vice. He that op∣presses the poor cannot make amends by gi∣ving good counsel; and if a Priest be Simo∣naical, he cannot be esteemed righteous be∣fore God by preaching well, and taking care of his charge. To be zealous for God and for Religion is good, but that will not legitimate cruelty to our Brother. It is not enough for a man to be a good Citizen, unless he be also a good man. But some men build their houses with half a dozen cross sticks, and turfe is the foundation, and straw is the covering, and they think they dwell secure∣ly; their Religion is made up but of two or three vertues, and they think to commute with God, some good for some bad, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as if one deadly wound were not enough to destroy the most

healthful constitution in the world. De∣ceive not your selves. It is all one on which hand we fall:

Vnum operantur Et calor & frigus, sic hoc, sic illud adurit; Sic tenebrae visum, sic sol contrarius aufert.

The Moon may burn us by night as well as the Sun by day: and a man may be made blind by the light of the Sun as well as by the darkness of the evening, and any one great mischief is enough to destroy one man. Some men are very meek and gentle natu∣rally, and that they serve God withal; they pursue the vertue of their nature: that is, they tye a stone at the bottom of the well, and that's more than needs; the stone will stay there without that trouble; and this good inclination will of it self easily proceed to issue; and therefore our care and caution should be more carefully imployed in morti∣fication of our natures, and acquist of such vertues to which we are more refractory, and then cherish the other too, even as much as we please: but at the same time we are busie in this, it may be we are secret A∣dulterers, and that will spoil our confidences

in the goodness of the other instance: others are greatly bountiful to the poor, and love all mankind, and hurt no body but them∣selves; but it is a thousand pities to see such loving good natured persons to perish infi∣nitely by one crime, and to see such excel∣lent good things thrown away to please an uncontrolled and a stubborn lust; but so do some escape out of a pit, and are taken in a trap at their going forth; and stepping aside to avoid the hoar frost, fall into a val∣ley full of Snow. The Righteousness Evan∣gelical is another kind of thing: it is a holy conversation, a God-like life, an universal obedience, a keeping nothing back from God, a Sanctification of the whole man, and keeps not the body only, but the soul and the spirit unblameable to the coming of the Lord Jesus.

5. And lastly; The Pharisaical righteous∣ness was the product of fear, and therefore what they must, needs do, that they would do; but no more. But the righteousness Evan∣gelical is produced by Love, it is managed by Choice, and cherished by Delight and fair Experiences. Christians are a willing peo∣ple; homines bonae voluntatis, men of good will; arbores Domini. So they are mysti∣cally

represented in Scripture; the Trees of the Lord are full of Sap: among the Hebrews the trees of the Lord did signify such trees as grew of themselves; and all that are of Gods planting, are such as have a vital principle within, and grow without con∣straint, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, one said it of Chri∣stians: they obey the Laws, and by the goodness of their lives exceed the Laws; and certain it is, no man hath the righte∣ousness Evangelical if he resolves alwayes to take all his liberty in every thing that is meerly lawful; or if he purpose to do no more than he must needs, that is, no more than he is just commanded. For the Rea∣sons are plain.

1. The Christian that resolves to do every thing that is lawful, will many times run into danger and inconvenience; because the utmost extremity of lawful is so near to that which is unlawful, that he will often pass into unlawful undiscernably. Vertues and Vices have not in all their instances a great land-mark set between them, like warlike nations separate by prodigious walls, vast seas and portentous hills; but they are oftentimes like the bounds of a Pa∣rish;

men are fain to cut a cross upon the turf, and make little marks and annual per∣ambulations for memorials: so it is in law∣ful and unlawful, by a little mistake a man may be greatly ruined. He that drinks till his tongue is full as a spunge, and his speech a little stammering and tripping, hasty and disorderly, though he be not gone as far as drunkenness, yet he is gone beyond the severity of a Christian; and when he is just past into unlawful, if he disputes too curi∣ously, he will certainly deceive himself for want of a wiser curiosity.

But 2. He that will do all that he thinks he may lawfully, had need have an infallible guide alwayes by him, who should without error be able to answer all cases of Consci∣ence, which will happen every day in a life so careless and insecure; for if he should be mistaken, his error is his crime, and not his excuse. A man in this case had need be very sure of his Proportion; which because he cannot be, in charity to himself, he will quickly find that he is bound to abstain from all things that are uncertainly good, and from all disputable evils, from things which although they may be in themselves lawful, yet accidentally, and that from a

thousand cause may become unlawful, Pa∣vidus quippe & formidolosus est Ch••istianus, saith Salvian,— atque in tantum peccare me∣tuens, ut interdum & non timenda formidet. A Christian is afraid of every little thing: and he sometimes greatly fears that he hath sinned, even then when he hath no other reason to be afraid, but because he would not do so for all the world.

3. He that resolves to use all his liberty cannot be innocent, so long as there are in the world so many bold temptations, and presumptuous actions, so many scandals, and so much ignorance in the things of God, so many things that are suspitious, and so many things that are of evil report; so many ill customs and disguises in the world, with which if we resolve to comply in all that is supposed lawful, a man may be in the regions of death, before he perceive his head to ake; and instead of a staff in his hand, may have a splinter in his Elbow.

4. Besides all this; he that thus stands on his terms with God, and so carefully husbands his duty, and thinks to make so good a market of obedience, that he will quit nothing which he thinks he may law∣fully keep, shall never be exemplar in his

life, and shall never grow in grace, and therefore shall never enter into glory. He therefore that will be righteous by the mea∣sures Evangelical, must consider not only what is lawful, but what is expedient; not only what is barely safe, but what is wor∣thy, that which may secure, and that which may do advantage to that concern that is the greatest in the world.

And 2. The case is very like with them that resolve to do no more good than is com∣manded them. For 1. it is infinitely unpro∣fitable as to our eternal interest, because no man does do all that is commanded at all times; and therefore he that will not some∣times do more, besides that he hath no love, no zeal of duty, no holy fires in his soul; be∣sides this, I say, he can never make any amends towards the reparation of his Con∣science. Let him that stole steal no more; that's well; but that's not well enough, for he must, if he can, make restitution of what he stole, or he shall never be pardoned; and so it is in all our entercourse with God. To do what is commanded is the duty of the present; we are tyed to this in every present, in every period of our lives; but therefore if we never do any more than just the present

duty, who shall supply the deficiences, and fill up the gaps, and redeem what is past? This is a material consideration in the righ∣teousness Evangelical.

But then 2. we must know that in keeping of Gods Commandments every degree or in∣ternal duty is under the Commandments; and therefore whatever we do, we must do it as well as we can. Now he that does his Duty with the biggest affection he can, will also do all that he can; and he can never know that he hath done what is commanded, unless he does all that is in his power. For God hath put no limit but love and possibi∣lity, and therefore whoever says, Hither will I go and no further, This I will do and no more, Thus much will I serve God, but that shall be all, he hath the affections of a Slave, and the religion of a Pharisee, the craft of a Merchant, and the falseness of a Broker; but he hath not the proper measures of the righteousness Evangelical. But so it hap∣pens in the mud and slime of the River Bor∣borus, when the eye of the Sun hath long dwelt upon it, and produces Frogs and Mice which begin to move a little under a thin cover of its own parental matter, and if they can get loose to live half a life, that is all; but

the hinder parts, which are not formed be∣fore the setting of the Sun, stick fast in their beds of mud, and the little moyety of a crea∣ture dies before it could be well said to live; so it is with those Christians, who will do all that they think lawful, and will do no more than what they suppose necessary; they do but peep into the light of the Sun of righte∣ousness; they have the beginnings of life; but their hinder parts, their passions and af∣fections, and the desires of the lower man are still unformed; and he that dwells in this state is just so much of a Christian as a Spunge is of a plant, and a mushrom of a shrub: they may be as sensible as an oyster, and discourse at the rate of a child, but are greatly short of the righteousness Evangeli∣cal.

I have now done with those parts of the Christian righteousness, which were not only an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or excess, but an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to the Pharisaical: but because I ought not to conceal any thing from you that must in∣tegrate our duty, and secure our title to the kingdom of Heaven; there is this to be ad∣ded, that this precept of our blessed Saviour is to be extended to the direct degrees of our duty. We must do more duties, and we

must do them better. And in this, although we can have no positive measures, because they are potentially infinite, yet therefore we ought to take the best, because we are sure the greatest is not too big; and we are not sure that God will accept a worse, when we can do a better. Now although this is to be understood of the internal affection only; because that must never be abated, but God is at all times to be loved and ser∣ved with all our heart, yet concerning the degrees of external duty, as Prayers, and Alms, and the like, we are certainly tyed to a greater excellency in the degree, than was that of the Scribes and Pharisees. I am obliged to speak one word for the determi∣nation of this inquiry, viz. to how much more of external duty Christians are obliged, than was in the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. In order to this, briefly thus.

I remember that Salvian speaking of old men summing up their Repentances, and making amends for the sins of their whole life, exhorts them to Alms and works of Pi∣ety. But inquiring how much they should do towards the redeeming of their Souls, answers with a little Sarcasm, but plainly enough to give a wise man an answer.

A

man, says he, is not bound to give away all his goods, unless peradventure he ows all to God; but in that case I cannot tell what to say; for then the case is altered. A man is not bound to part with all his estate; that is, unless his sins be greater than his estate; but if they be, then he may consider of it again, and consider better. And he need not part with it all, unless pardon be more precious to him than his money, and unless heaven be worth it all, and unless he knows justly how much less will do it. If he does, let him try his skill, and pay just so much and no more than he owes to God: but if he does not know, let him be sure to do enough.

His meaning is this. Not that a man is bound to give all he hath, and leave his children beggars; he is bound from that by another obligation. But as when we are tyed to pray continually, the meaning is, we should consecrate all our time by taking good portions out of all our time for that duty; the devoutest person being like the waters of Siloam,* 1.7 a perpetual spring, but not a perpetual current; that is alwayes in readiness, but actually thrusting forth his waters at certain periods every day.

So out of all our estate we must take for Re∣ligion and Repentance such portions as the whole estate can allow; so much as will consecrate the rest; so much as is fit to bring when we pray for a great pardon, and de∣precate a mighty anger, and turn aside an intolerable fear, and will purchase an ex∣cellent peace, and will reconcile a sinner: Now in this case a Christian is to take his measures according to the rate of his con∣trition and his love, his Religion and his fear, his danger and his expectation, and let him measure his amends wisely; his sorrow pouring in, and his fear thrusting it down, and it were very well, if his love also would make it run over. For deceive not your selves, there is no other measure but this. So much good as a man does, or so much as he would do, if he could, so much of Reli∣gion and so much of repentance he hath, and no more: and a Man cannot ordinarily know that he is in a saveable condition, but by the Testimony which a Divine Philanthro∣py and a good mind alwayes gives, which is to omit no opportunity of doing good in our several proportions and possibilities.

There was an Alms which the Scribes and Pharisees were obliged by the Law to

give the tenth of every third years increase; this they alwayes paid, and this sort of Alms is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Righteousness or Justice, but the Alms which Christians ought to give is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it is grace, and it is love, and it is abundance, and so the old Rabbins told: Justitia propriè dicitur in iis quae jure facimus; benignitas in iis quae prae∣ter jus. It is more than righteousness, it is bounty and benignity, for that's the Chri∣stian measure. And so it is in the other parts and instances of the righteousness E∣vangelical. And therefore it is remarka∣ble, that the Saints in the Old Testament were called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, right men, and the book of Genesis, as we find it twice attested by S. Hierome, was called by the Ancient Hellenists,* 1.8 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the book of right or just men, the book of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But the word for Christians is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, good men, harmless and profitable. Men that are good, and men that do good. In pursuance of which it is further observed by learned men, that the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or vertue, is not in the four Gospels; for the actions of Christs Disciples should not be in gradu virtutis only, vertuous and laudable, such as these Ari∣stotle presses in his Magna Moralia; they must

pass on to a further excellency than so: the same which he calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; they must be sometimes, and as often as we can in gradu heroico, or, that I may use the Chri∣stian style, they must be actions of perfecti∣on. Righteousness was the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for alms in the Old Testament, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or perfection was the word for Alms in the New; as appears by comparing the fifth of S. Matthew, and the sixth of S. Luke together; and that is the full state of this difference in the inquiries of the righteousness Pharisaical and Evangelical.

I have many more things to say, but ye cannot hear them now, because the time is past. One thing indeed were fit to be spo∣ken of, if I had any time left; but I can on∣ly name it, and desire your consideration to make it up. This great Rule that Christ gives us, does also, and that principally too, concern Churches and Common-wealths, as well as every single Christian. Christian Parliaments must exceed the Religion and Government of the Sanhedrim. Your Laws must be more holy, the condition of the Subjects be made more tolerable, the Laws of Christ must be strictly enforced, you must not suffer your great Master to be dishonou∣red,

nor his Religion dismembred by Sects, or disgraced by impiety: you must give no impunity to vitious persons, and you must take care that no great example be greatly corrupted; you must make better provisions for your poor than they did, and take more care even of the external advantages of Christs Religion and his Ministers, than they did of the Priests and Levites; that is, in all things you must be more zealous to promote the kingdom of Christ, than they were for the Ministeries of Moses.

The sum of all is this; The righteousness Evangelical is the same with that which the Ancients called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to live an Apostolical life, that was the measure of Christians, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, men that desired to please God; that is,* 1.9 as Apostolius most admirably describes it, men who are curious of their very eyes, temperate in their tongue, of a mortified body, and a humble spirit, pure in their intentions, masters of their passions. Men who when they are injured return honou∣rable words; when they are lessened in their estates, increase in their charity; when they

are abused, they yet are courteous and give intreaties; when they are hated, they pay love; men that are dull in contentions, and quick in loving kindnesses, swift as the feet of Asahel, and ready as the chariots of Ammi∣nadib. True Christians are such as are cru∣cified with Christ, and dead unto all sin; and finally place their whole love on God, and for his sake upon all mankind: this is the description of a Christian, and the true state of the righteousness Evangelical; so that it was well said of Athenagoras, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.10 no Christian is a wicked man, unless his life be a continual lie, unless he be false to God and his Religion. For the righteousness of the Gospel is in short, nothing else but a transcript of the life of Christ; de matthana nahaliel; de nahaliel Bamoth, said R. Joshua; Christ is the image of God, and every Chri∣stian is the image of Christ, whose example is imitable, but it is the best, and his laws are the most perfect, but the most easie, and the promises by which he invites our greater services are most excellent, but most true; and the rewards shall be hereafter, but they shall abide for ever, and (that I may take notice of the last words of my Text) the

threatnings to them that fall short of this righteousness are most terrible, but most certainly shall come to pass; they shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven; that is, their portion shall be shame and an eternal prison, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a flood of brimstone, and a cohabitation with Devils to eternal ages: and if this consideration will not prevail, there is no place left for perswasion, and there is no use of reason; and the greatest hopes and the greatest fears can be no argu∣ment or sanction of laws; and the greatest good in the world is not considerable, and the greatest evil is not formidable; but if they be, there is no more to be said; if you would have your portion with Christ, you must be righteous by his measures; and these are they that I have told you.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heb. 7.19.
• * 1.2

  Gal. 3.3. & Gal. 6.12.13.

  Philip. 3.34.
• * 1.3

  Sed Belzebu∣lis callida Commenta Christus de∣struit.
• * 1.4

  Hos. 2.14.
• * 1.5

  De legibus l. scire.
• * 1.6

  Prov. 28.14.
• * 1.7

  S. Hier. in comment. Isai. 8. Isidor, l. 13. Orig. cap. 13.
• * 1.8

  Commen. in 12. Isai. & l. 6. in Ezek. cap. 18.
• * 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.10

  Legat. pro Christianis.