SERM. cond, that we are fo far to forgive the Per

IX. fon that has injured us, though he do not repent of it, if we will call it Forgiving, We cannot from his Perverfeness plead an Exemption to paying him the Offices of Humanity, fuch as have been described, Befides the Scriptures you have heard before alledged, our Saviour's Commandment is pofitive to the Purpose and unavoidable: I fay unto you, Love your Enemies, do good to them which hate you. No religious Chriftian can think the Doctrine here laid down, is at all ftrained beyond the Gofpel Rule. The only Queftion will be, 'If we are not oblig'd to greater Lengths than I have yet exprefs'd; If it be not too little, to ferve our Enemies where fpecial Opportunities are put into our Hands, and in embracing which our Burden is not great, compar'd with his Suffering if we pafs them by Whether we are not also bound induftriously to feek out Occafions of doing him good, and that at as great an Expence to our own Intereft, as Advantage to his. Neither is this to be answered altogether in the Negative; but only, that we are not bound to thefe Measures towards all Ene

pro

IX.

mies, nor at all Times. Indeed, where SER M. fome great Good is in View, to be cur'd by fuch Kindnefs to an Enemy, as the Honour of Religion, or the publick Quiet; there Charity will dictate to us that Proceeding. Good Men muft, and will, ftudy fuch Cafes; and as they are free from every corrupt Byafs, and acted by the Spirit of Chriftian Love, their Prudence will determine them to what may beft ferve the Glory of God in the Good of their Neighbour. But in general, there can be no Difpute but a Difference should be made in conferring Benefits, on the grateful or ungrateful, the just or injurious, our Friends or our Enemies. A contrary Method would be of no Service to Religion or Morality, as common Senfe perfuades every Man: Neither does the Scripture prescribe it to us. For notwithstanding the numerous Exhortations in it to Love and Tenderness towards Enemies, we find this Difference there authorised. Of this my Text is a moft pregnant Inftance, as appears on the firft Confideration, and may yet more diftinctly in the further Handling. And that of St. Paul, Q4 Gal.

SERM. Gal. vi. 10. ferves to the fame Effect; A IX, we have Opportunity, let us do good unto all

Men, ESPECIALLY unto them that are of the Household of Faith; and much the more, if we compare it with our Lord's Decifion in the Cafe of the Trefpaffer, that would not bear his offended Brother, nor the Church, Let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man and a Publican, Mat. xviii. 17. By this we fee, it is not intended our Beneficence fhould flow equally upon those who correfpond with us in a good and fair Demeanour, and upon the vicious, unjust, and incorrigible. We are indeed prefs'd to Love, and do good to them that hate us, by this Motive, That we may be the Children of our Father which is in Heaven 3 for be maketh his Sun to rife on the Evil and on the Good, and fendeth Rain on the Fuft and on the Unjust, Mat. v. 44, 45. But if we confider attentively, this high Example, to which our Conformity is requir'd, we hall find it furnishes no Argument to exclude a Difference in our Benefactions to the Good and to the Bad: Far otherwife; it juftifies and confirms it. For although the bigbeft be kind unto the untbankful

ntbankful and to the Evil, yet is it clear SERM, by many Proofs of Holy Scripture, that IX. the pious and obedient are the more conftant and fpecial Objects of his Favour, even in the Distribution of this World's Bleffings, The Righteous Lord loveth Righteoufnefs, bis Countenance doth behold the Upright.

Thus I have difcours'd of the two first Points propofed, Actual Revenge, and the forbearing Offices of Humanity; and fhew'd them to be inconfiftent with the Charity we owe even to obftinate Enemies; and this, to prevent Miftakes, left these should be thought of the Number of those Things which the Text requires to be remitted or given up to him only that repents of his having wronged us. Two more remain, The Reparation of Damage already fuftain'd, and Security against the Future; concerning which, the Refolution will in many Cafes be different: But for them another Time is neceffary, as likewise for laying before you the powerful Motives Religion furnishes to enforce the Practice of Forgiveness.

SERMON X

SERM.

X.

If he trefpafs against thee feven Times in a Day, and feven Times in a Day turn again to thee, Saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive bim.

HERE appears a just and neceffary Foundation for the Law of Forgiveness, in the Imperfection of our common Nature; and every Man

that will look into himself must find it.

And being conscious to his own Mind of

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