[SERM: ing a Difciple a Cup of cold Water in the Name of a Difciple, that is, as he stands related to Chrift, is an excellent Work; but the Excellency of it confifts neither in any Worth of the Disciple confidered in himself, nor in the Value or Seafonableness of the Water for quenching his Thirft; but in the Relation he has to Chrift, as being one of his Difciples; and therefore it is the fuperiour Love to Chrift, which chiefly conftitutes the Dignity of the Duty. So in this Duty of the love of Enemies, there can be no fuch Lovelinefs in the Object of an Enemy, if it were not for God's Command, and for fome good Things in the Enemy with relation to his Service, or at least whatever he is at prefent, that we hope hereafter he may prove a chofen Veffel in God's Service, that we love him; and therefore the Love though immediately directed to our Enemy, terminates in God, and is chiefly on God's Account. From all which we may eafily gather the great Dignity of this Duty, the Love of Enemies; for it includes in it a fortiori both the Love of Friends and Strangers, confequently of all Men, and it includes in it the Love of God; for it is only with an Eye to him, out of regard to his Service, that we can love our Enemies, as we ought.

And as the Dignity of this Duty makes it a principal Part of Chriftian Perfection, fo does the great Difficulty of it: Whether we confider our corrupt Natures, or the depraved Opinions and Customs of the World we must contradict in discharging this Duty, As to corrupt Nature, there is nothing more contrary to Flesh and Blood, than the Love of Enemies; it is plain, if we did not confider more our Duty than our Inclination,

we

we should eagerly run into all Acts of Revenge. Then the wicked Opinions and Customs of the World, blackening Forgiveness of Injuries, and the Love of Enemies as a pufillanimous Thing, and taxing it with the opprobrious Name of Cowardife, it requires a firm and steady Degree of Virtue to comply with the Duty, notwithstanding all these Difcouragements. He must therefore be no Novice, but a well grown Christian, a perfect Man in Chrift Jefus, who can come up to this Duty of loving his Enemies, and of doing good to them that hate him, and of bleffing them that curse him, and of praying for them that despitefully use him and perfecute him.

So much for the firft Sense of Perfection in my Text, as it is reftrained to the Love of Enemies, being a comparative Perfection in respect of the love of Friends and Brethren, which the Jewish Doctors taught.

II. I come next to confider this Duty of Perfection in a larger Senfe, as relating not only to this, but to all other Duties. Where I fhall fhew

1. That the Words will fairly bear this larger Senfe.

2. What is the Duty of Christian Perfection ; as it is enjoined here in Imitation of God.

3. I fhall conclude with an Application to our felves with regard to our either totally neglecting the Duties of Chriftianity, or taking up with lower Degrees of them than are confiftent with Chriftian Perfection.

1. First then, I am to fhew that the Words, Be ye therefore perfect, will fairly bear this larger Senfe; as Perfection is applicable not only to the

[SERM. Love of Enemies, but in general to all other Duties. In order to this let us confider, 1. That fuppofing these Words to have no further Retrospect than the immediate Duty, to which they are adjoined, the Love of Enemies, and the Argument immediately going before, that it became Chrift's Difciples to do fomething more than others; yet there is no Abfurdity at all in it, that our Saviour should take Occafion from thence to recommend the highest Degrees in all Duties, instead of those low scanty Measures of the Scribes and Pharifees, he had been reprehending. But fecondly, it is highly probable that these Words, be ye therefore perfect, being brought in as the Conclufion of that large Discourse, which is infifted on for 28 Verfes together, from the 20th Verse to the End of the Chapter, has Reference to the whole. 9. d. I have now in a great many particulars fhewed you how defective Degrees of Duty the Scribes and Pharifees content themselves to enjoin: And therefore be not fatisfied with their Righteousness which is fo imperfect, but study the highest Degrees of all Duty; for the holier ye are, ye fhall fo much the more resemble your Heavenly Father, God Almighty himself, the only perfect Pattern of Holinefs.

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2. I am to enquire in the next Place what is this Duty of Chriftian Perfection, as it is enjoined here in Imitation of God. Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect: In order to which we are to limit this Perfection to the Subject Matter of Difcourfe, namely, the Duties enjoined by the Moral Law, or Moral Duties. We are not to imagine that by these Words we are called upon to imitate God in all his Perfections

tions whatsoever; for many of God's Perfections are incommunicable to any Creatures, such as his Self-fufficiency and Independency; others of them it is not lawful for Creatures to afpire to, but in fome very limited Measure and Degree, fuch as his Omniscience and Omnipotence. But the Dif course here was concerning fuch Moral Duties as were perverted by the Scribes and Pharifees, and vindicated by our Saviour; these Words of St Peter, 1 Pet. i. 15. explain it very well. As be who hath called you is Holy, fo be ye Holy in all Manner of Converfation. Nor are we to fancy that it was our Saviour's Defign here, to enjoin fuch an high Degree of Perfection in thefe moral Duties as is in God, it being utterly impoffible for Creatures to come near to that. All then that I apprehend to be enjoined in these Words is, that we should aim at as high Degrees of moral Virtue as in this imperfect State we are capable of; and teaching us withal that the higher Measures we attain to in Holinefs, we fhall fo much the more resemble our heavenly Father. But to conclude this Description of Gofpel Perfection; it is not such a Perfection as is capable of no higher Degrees of Holiness; the utmost Degrees of Holiness which the greateft Saints arrive at here upon Earth, being ftill capable of further Increase; as St Paul fays of himfelf, Phil, iii. 12. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: But this one Thing I do, forgetting thofe Things which are behind, and reaching forth unto thofe Things which are before, I prefs towards the Mark for the Prize of the high Calling of God in Chrift Jesus. And he adds, Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded. The Gospel Perfection I take to confift in a finVOL. II. Gg

cere

cere Endeavour to do the Will of God in every Thing, and to abound more and more in all Goodness, carefully watching against Sin, and repenting of it quickly fo foon as we perceive that we have tranfgreffed in Thought, Word or Deed; and doubling our Diligence for the future, to cease to do Evil, and to learn to do well. But precisely to tell what Degrees of this Perfection we may attain to in this Life, is no eafy Matter. That we may by the Grace of God break ourfelves of all Habits, and even Acts of grofs Sins, fo that the Love of God may become the most prevalent in our Hearts, and that we may be enabled by Watchfulness and Prayer to prevent most of the Sins of daily Incurfion, there is little Doubt; tho' there remain ftill the Dregs of Sin to be purged out, and higher Meafures and Degrees of Devotion, and all Virtue to be aimed after.

3. And fo I am come now to the last Thing I propofed, which is to make Application of this Duty to ourselves, with regard to our either totally neglecting the Duties of Christianity, or our taking up with lower Degrees of them, than are confiftent with Chriftian Perfection.

(1.) First then, Does our bleffed Saviour require Perfection in moral Duties from all his Difciples and Followers; a Perfection above and beyond what the best Jewish Doctors required of their Difciples; Be ye therefore perfect? This may ferve to reprehend the vulgar Sort of Chriftians by Profeffion, who are fo far from endeavouring after the highest Degrees of Virtue, asthey are here and elsewhere defcribed by our Saviour and his Apoftles; that they are not as yet got out of the