rance, which never fail to leave a brutish Dulness and Infatuation behind them. Likewife, let him bear himself above that fordid, and low Thing, that utter Contradiction to all Greatness of Mind, Covetousness; let him difenflave himself from the Pelf of the World, from that Amor fceleratus habendi; for all Love has fomething of Blindness attending it; but the Love of Money efpecially. And, laftly, let him learn fo to look upon the Honours, the Pomp, and Greatness of the World, as to look through them too Fools indeed are apt to be blown up by them, and to facrifice all for them; fometimes venturing their very Heads, only to get a Feather in their Caps. But wife Men inftead of looking above them, chufe rather to look about them and within them, and by fo doing, keep their Eyes always in their Heads: And maintain a noble Clearness in one, and Steadiness in the other. Thefe, I fay, are some of those Ways, and Methods, by which this great and internal Light, the judging Faculty of Conscience, may be preferved in its native Vigour, and Quickness. And to compleat the foregoing Directions by the Addition of one Word more; That we may the more furely prevent our Affections from

work

working too much upon our Judgment, let us wifely beware of all fuch Things as may work too ftrongly upon our Affections.

If the Light, that is in thee, be Darkness, (says our Saviour) how great must that Darkness needs be. That is, how fatal, how deftructive! And therefore I fhall clofe up all with those other Words of our Saviour, John 12. While you have the Light walk in the Light; fo that the Way to have it (we fee) is to walk in it. That is, by the Actions of a pious, innocent, well-govern'd Life, to cherish, heighten, and improve it: For ftill fo much Innocence, fo much Light; and on the other Side to abhor, and loath whatsoever may any Ways difcourage, and eclipse it; as every Degree of Vice assuredly will. And thus by continual feeding and trimming our Lamps, we fhall find that this Blessed Light within us, will grow every Day stronger and ftronger, and flame out brighter and brighter, 'till at length having lead us through this Vale of Darkness and Mortality, it fhall bring us to those happy Manfions where there is Light and Life for

evermore.

G4

Which

Which God (the great Author of both) of his Infinite Mercy vouchsafe to us all; To whom be afcribed, as is most due, all Praife, Might, Majefty, and Dominion, both now, and for evermore. Amen.

89

A

SERMON

Preach'd at

WESTMINSTER-ABBEY,

May 29. 1670.

MATTH. V. 44.

But I fay unto you, Love your Ene

mies.

Efore we defcend to the Profe

B

cution of the Duty enjoin'd in

thefe Words; It is requifite that

we confider the Scheme and Form of them as they stand in Relation to the Context. They are usher'd in with the adverfative Particle [But] which stands as a

Note

Note of Opposition to fomething going before: And that we have in the immediately preceding Verse, Te have heard that it hath been faid, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour, and hate thy Enemy. But I fay unto you, love your Enemies. Which Way of Speaking has given Occasion to an Enquiry, whether the Duty here enjoined by Christ be oppofed to the Mofaick Law, or only to the Doctrine of the Scribes and Pharifees, and their corrupt Gloffes thereupon: Some having made this and the next Chapter, not only a fuller Explication and Vindication of the Mofaick Law, but an Addition of higher and perfecter Rules of Piety and Morality to it.

For the better clearing of which Point, I conceive that the Matter of all the Commandments (the Fourth only, as it determines the time of God's folemn Worship to the seventh Day, excepted,) is of Natural, Moral Right, and by confequence carries with it a neceffary and eternal Obligation; as rifing from the unalterable Relation, that a rational Creature bears either to God, his Neighbour, or himfelf. For there are certain Rules of Deport ment fuggefted by Nature to each of thefe, which to deviate from, or not come up to, would be irrational, and confequently finful,

So