THE Bishop of BATH and Wells' SERMON Before the KING and QUEEN At WHITEHALL, March 12. 1692. A SERMON Preached before the King and Queen AT WHITEHALL, MARCH 12. 1692. Being the Second Sunday in Lent. BY RICHARD, Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells. Published by Their Majesty's Special Command. LONDON, Printed by J. H. for Brab. Aylmer at the Three Pigeons in Cornhill. 1693. Matth. V 43,44. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you. THese Words are a part of our Saviour's Sermon on the Mount. In which Sermon Jesus puts his Followers upon a greater pitch of Holiness and Perfection than what the bare Letter of the Law of Moses, and the interpretation of the Jewish Doctors exacted from them. This appears abundantly from what our Saviour hath said before with respect to those Laws of Moses which forbidden Murder, Adultery and Perjury, and which allowed an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. He tells us here how we ought to be affected towards our Enemies, and what he requires more of his Followers than was required by the Letter of the Law of Moses. And First, He lays before us what provision was made in the Law of Moses. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. Secondly, He lets them know what he requires of all his Followers. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, etc. I. Jesus lays before us the Law of Moses. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. For the former part of the words, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, we find it expressly said, Leu. nineteen. 18. For the latter part, And hate thine enemy, we are to seek. Here ariseth a difficulty that must be removed. A late Jewish Writer R. Isaac, Chizuk Emun. l. ij. c. 11. objects this against St. Matthew as a falsifier. For these words are not to be found in all the Old Testament. So far are they from being a Precept of the Law of Moses, that by that Law the Jews were obliged to do kindnesses to their very Enemies. E. g. Exod. twenty-three. 4,5. If thou meet thine ENEMY'S Ox or Ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou seest the Ass of him that HATETH thee lying under his burden, and wouldst forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him. How then can Jesus be justified for citing these words, And hate thine Enemy, as a Law of Moses, when he is so far from having such a Precept that he expressly Commands the contrary? I have given the Objection its entire force. And it seems at first sight a considerable difficulty, and will require an answer. In removing of which I will use no manner of artifice, nor lay hold of any thing that looks like a Subterfuge. I will not say that Jesus does not quote the Law of Moses for these words, And hate thine Enemy. And yet Jesus does not say, 'Tis written in your Law. He does not use his foregoing Style (where he citys the Law) It hath been said by them of old time. All that Jesus says here is, Ye have heard that it hath been said. I pass this by; Let the Jew or any other make the most of the Objection. I will suppose Jesus to quote the Law of Moses: Yet will this be of no force against the Credit of the Holy Gospel. And this will be Evident to him who shall duly consider the following particulars. I. That the Sense of these words, Hate thine Enemy, is found in the Law of Moses. If the substance of the thing be there, 'tis no matter whether the formal words be there or not. The Prophet Ezekiel tells us what God said to the Israelites when He undertook to deliver them out of Egypt, (which is as manifest a quotation of the History as the words of Jesus are of the Law of Moses) Ezek. xx. 7. Cast ye away every man the Abominations of his Eyes, and defile not yourselves with the Idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God? 'Tis expressly said that God said thus unto them. Let any Jew show where this is said in so many words. If it be enough that the substance of this is said, 'twill be sufficient to justify Jesus to show that the substance of what he says, was said in the Law of Moses. And that so it is, is evident beyond all exception. 'Tis well known what Law the Jews were under as to the Seven Nations. They were forbid to make any Covenant, or to contract any affinity with them: Exod. xxxiv. 12,16. Deut. seven. 2,3. They were commanded to smite and to destroy them utterly and forbidden to show them mercy. And for the Amalekites they were obliged to blot out their remembrance from under Heaven, and expressly charged to remember and not to forget it. Deut. xxv. 17,19. Exod. xvij. Hence might Jesus truly say it had been said, Hate thine Enemy. II. For the pretence of the Jew, that they were obliged by their Law to show kindness to their Enemies, it will be found to be of no force if that Law be duly examined. For the Enemy mentioned in that Law extends no farther than to one of their own Nation or Religion, to an Israelite or Proselyte at farthest. This will appear by comparing Exod. twenty-three. 4. with Deut. xxij. 1,2,3. He that in one place is called an Enemy, is in the other called a Brother three times together. And 'tis plain from the Context that that Law could not be extended to Forainers. The Jew was not obliged to bring the strayed Ox to the Dwelling of a Foreigner. Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against THE CHILDREN OF THY PEOPLE; and than it follows, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, Leu. nineteen. v. 18. where Neighbour is restrained to the Jew by Nation or Religion at most. Thus was the kindness limited and determined. The Seventh year was a year of release; The Jew might not then exact his debt from his Neighbour or Brother, of a Foreigner he might. Deut. xv. 2,3. They might not lend upon Usury to a Brother, to a Stranger they might. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo l. de Charitate. Deut. twenty-three. 19,20. By a Brother they meant an Israelite. He that stealeth a man, etc. says the Law of Moses, shall surely be put to death, Exod. xxj. 16. Onkelos, the Chaldee Paraphrast, V Onkel. & Targ. Jonath. adds something to the Text. He that stealeth a man of the children of Israel, says He; nor does he deserve any blame for it. For we find the Law so explained in a parallel place. If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, etc. That Thief shall die, Deut. xxiv. 7. The oppression of an hired Servant is indeed forbidden, but then this is to be understood of that Servant only who was an Israelite or Proselyte (v. 14.) III. Agreeably hereunto have the Jewish Doctors and Casuists taught in their books. Bava Kama c. 4. §. 3. cum Rambam. Maimon. H. Deoth. c. 6. §. 3. Bechai in legem fol. 78. col. 3. They allow kindness due to one another, but they have advanced in their Writings such propositions as have plainly shown they have been little concerned for the Lives or Estates of those of another Nation or Religion. And no wonder, when neighbour signifies no more with them than an Israelite, and stranger no more than a Proselyte: For kindness they are put upon towards their neighbours and towards strangers, will not be thought due to men of another Nation and Religion. These men must not expect kindness, 'Twill be well if they meet with common justice from them. iv The Practice of the Jews confirms this their sense of the Law of Moses: They were very morose towards strangers, and particularly towards the Samaritans who were placed in their neighbourhood. John iv. 9 They were Enemies to those of another Nation and Religion; They refused to show common civilities to them, and those offices which we judge due to humanity wherever we meet with it. This surly disposition of theirs was taken notice of by Heathen Writers. Juven. Non monstrare vias eadem nisi sacra colenti; Quaesitum ad fontem Solos deducere Verpos. They would not direct a Traveller, of another Nation or Religion, in his way; nor show him common civilities. Tacitus Histor. l. v. takes notice of their Enmity and Hatred towards all Strangers, Et quia apud ipsos fides obstinata, misericordia in promptu: SED ADVERSUS OMNES ALIOS HOSTILE ODIUM. This is sufficient to justify our Blessed Saviour, and may also be of use to the better understanding the Law of Moses. The Jews we see were obliged to destroy some people, and for the kindness to be showed it was to their Brethren, i. e. Men of their own Nation or Religion. It cannot be denied that there are in the Laws of Moses many Precepts of Mercy and Beneficence, that speak a merciful regard to the poor and miserable, and commend Humanity and . This Philo observes and calls it Philanthropy, and the Cousin, the Sister and Twin of Godliness: That Author hath written a book on that Subject, and observes that it was much commended in the Law of Moses. And certain it is that that Law did oblige the Jews to kindness to strangers, it did forbid oppression and malice: It did provide for the Poor, the Widow and Fatherless; For Servants, and Labourers; They might not detain the wages of the hireling, nor keep the poor man's garment as a pledge, nor take the millstone as such. There were great provisions for the needy from the Laws concerning the forgotten sheaf, the gleaning, the corner of the Field, and remainder of the Vineyard. Deut. xv. 7. xxiv. 19 The Law of the Third years Tithe, of the Sabbatical Year and that of Jubilee were very merciful provisions also for the necessitous. Several other Laws there were which tended to preserve Friendship and among each other. The appearing of the several Tribes three times a year at Jerusalem (as Josephus observes) Antiq. l. iv. c. 8. and feasting together preserved Friendship. And that Law which required men not to keep by them the flesh of their Peace-offerings, Leu. seven. 15,16. but to eat it in such a time, constrained them to Hospitality and Bounty, as one of the Ancients hath well observed. Theodoret in Levit. qu. vj. But all that hath been said amounts to no more than this, That they were obliged to be kind to one another, and were at the same time obliged to be in a state of War and Enmity with other people. Their neighbour and the stranger took in the Israelite and Proselyte, but did not reach to all the race of mankind. Thus we see how this matter stood under the Law of Moses. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate, etc. II. I proceed now to consider what Jesus requires of his Followers. But I say unto you, Love your Enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that bate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you. I. Before I proceed any farther, I cannot but observe the Extent of a Christian's Charity: It is directed to our Enemies, to them that curse, that hate us, that despitefully use and persecute us. That is, to the whole race of mankind; To those who are not of our Religion, of our Kindred, or our Nation. The Jewish kindness was confined, and limited. Their Charity began and ended at home. He was neighbour to the Jew, who was himself a Jew, as ye have heard. But our Saviour hath enlarged our Charity and Kindness: Every other man is the Christian's neighbour according to the Doctrine of Jesus. This appears from the Answer He gave to the Question of the Lawyer: He said unto Jesus, being willing to justify himself, Luk. x. 29. Who is my neighbour? Our Saviour's answer settles this matter, and extends the notion of it as far as to every other man. St. Paul, who well understood the Christian Doctrine, teacheth the same Doctrine. Rom. xiij. 8,9. He interprets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, i. e. Neighbour by every other man. This is (not the Jewish indeed, but) the Christian notion of it. 'Tis a mean thing to love our friends and relations, our own tribe and party. A Publican can do it, and deserves no praise on that account. He would be a monster that should not do this. The Christian Charity extends to the whole race of mankind. And this is that Charity that is truly Divine; That our Holy Religion commends, and this Benignity and Philanthropy adorns our Holy Institution. To love none but our Tribe and Sect is an argument of a stingy and narrow Soul. We must love our Neighbour for God's sake, and because he bears his Image. And as this is an excellent Principle, so it extends our Charity to the whole race of mankind. For every man hath something of the Image of God. But 'tis but reasonable to love him for our own sakes, as he shares with us in the Common nature. And this Consideration obligeth us to this Universal Kindness. The Jews Sanedr. c. 4. §. 5. inquire into the reasons why God made but one man to be the Common parent of mankind, and did not Create some number of men to be the several Heads of distinct Families: I know no better reason than this, that we should be kindly affected to one another as Coming all from the same root and stock. Besides what hath been said, 'Tis certain that Jesus took our nature upon him, He Hebr. ij. 9 tasted death for every man. 'Twas a love to mankind that he manifested when he became Man and when he died on the Cross, which Consideration is of mighty force to engage us to this Extensive Charity. He loved his Enemies, he prayed and died for them. And God (as Jesus tells us) causeth his Sun to rise on the evil as well as the good. That is, He does good to his Enemies that we might think ourselves obliged to do good to ours. II. In the next place I consider the Degree of this extended Charity. It does not only extend to our Enemies, to them that curse and hate us, that despitefully use, and persecute us, but it does this in a great degree. We must love them, bless them, do them good and pray for them. For our Enemies we ought not indeed to study revenge upon them, and we are apt to think we acquit ourselves fairly if we do not, but our Lord carries it farther; But I say unto you, Love your Enemies. For them that curse us, it is not enough that we forbear to curse them; our Lord says, Bless them that curse you. For them that hate us, it is well indeed that we do them no harm; but our Lord goes farther, Do good to them that hate you. For those who despitefully use us and persecute us, we do well not to imitate them, and not to return upon them with spiteful injuries, and ill turns. (Thus far the best of the Heathen Philosophy directs us.) But our Lord carries it higher still; Pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you. This is the greatest pitch and the highest flight of Charity. This is above the rate and measure of any other Philosophy or Institution; We shall be apt to say as, upon alike occasion, the Apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. This extent and degree of Charity does speak it Christian, and does distinguish it from the limited and less Charity required by the Letter of the Law of Moses. And as this is required by Jesus, so what hath been said upon this occasion will help us to understand our Saviour's words: I mean those words of his; John xiij. 34. A new Commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye love one another. Here our Lord requires both the greatest extent and the highest pitch of Charity. And now it will be very easy to understand why Jesus (who elsewhere calls it the great Commandment, Matt. xxij. 39 and his Commandment) should call it a New Commandment. John xv. 12. It is true indeed that, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, was a Precept as old as Moses: And yet this Precept, as required by Jesus, is a New Commandment, because it extends to new objects, and requires an higher pitch, besides that the motive from whence it stands commended to us is new also. As I have loved you, that ye love one another. What St. John says elsewhere is no objection against this account of our Saviour's words. 'Tis true, when he speaks of this Precept, He tells us that it is not a new Commandment but an old Commandment, and which we heard from the beginning. 1 John ij. 7. with 2 Ep. v. 5. & 1 Ep. iij. 2. There is no difficulty arising hence; For it was no new Commandment to Christians at that time when St. John wrote those Epistles. For as the Precept itself was old (even as old as Moses) so they had been acquainted with the extent and degree of it, from the beginning, i. e. from our Saviour and the beginning of Christianity. For that expression imports no more in that place and in that sense it is also used, 1 John ij. 24. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that, which ye have heard from the beginning, shall remain in you, ye shall also continue in the son and in the father. The beginning here imports the beginning of Christianity, as is evident from the Context. And so it signifies in those words, This is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 1 John iij. 11. These Holy Precepts are not hard to be understood. There's no difficulty appears as to that matter if we look them over severally. To love our Enemies imports Benevolence and a disposition to do them kindnesses: Bless them that curse you; This is explained sufficiently by St. Peter. 1 Pet. iij. 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; But contrariwise Blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto called. For the next, Do good to them that hate you, tho' it be plain enough without a Comment, yet St. Paul gives us a short Paraphrase upon it. Rom. xij. 20,21. If thine enemy hunger, feed him: If he thirst, give him drink.— Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. For what follows, Pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you, nothing is more easy to be understood. And the dying words of our Lord, and of St. Stephen, are most conspicuous Exemplifications of it. These Precepts also, as they stand commended to us in our Holy Religion, are very reasonable and just. We have no cause to complain of them, or find any fault with them. The practice of them is very much for the Peace of Societies and Communities, and will prevent innumerable mischiefs which follow from malice, revenge, and rendering evil for evil. Besides, the practice of these lessons is commended from the most powerful Considerations, and such they are as speak our Obedience reasonable and render it easy also. And they are such as these. (1.) The Example of God himself. God is kind to his Enemies, and therefore 'tis very fit we should be so to ours. 'Tis our Saviour's argument in the words next following the words of my Text. Matt. v. 45. That ye may be the children of your father which is in Heaven: For he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain upon the just and upon the unjust. God feeds and preserves, and heaps his Benefits upon those who deny his Being or his Providence, and that call not upon his Name. (2.) Our Blessed Saviour loved his Enemies, he died for them, and prayed for them even when they were putting him to death. Rom. v. 8. Father forgive them— God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. This is a very powerful Consideration to every sincere Disciple of Jesus. (3.) Forgiveness of Enemies is made the condition of our own pardon and acceptance with God. Matt. v. 23,24. vj. 14,15. xviij. 35. And now 'tis not only our duty but our interest, which generally lays the surest hold of Mankind. To which I may add (4.) That we are all very obnoxious to God. We need great forgiveness. Who can understand his Errors? In many things we offend all. There is no kind of proportion between our many and aggravated Sins against God, and the little injuries and trespasses which we do to each other. The first are expressed by Talents, the other by Pence. Matt. 18.24.25. The first by the number of Ten thousand, the other of an Hundred. 'Tis not hard to remit a small Sum when we need the remission of so vast an one. He cannot find any difficulty to forgive a small debt that so much needs to be forgiven the greatest. In a word, to love our Enemies is an imitation of God, and our dear Master: 'Tis an argument of a great and generous Mind. 'Tis equally our duty and our interest. 'Tis for the good of this lower. World, and the way to a better. 'Tis the Ornament of our Religion, and speaks the perfection of our Nature, and an high degree and pitch of Virtue. As to the latter part of the words of my Text, Pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you. That will require a more particular and separate Consideration. For tho' those words are-easie to be understood, and our duty from them was commended by the Example of our Saviour; Yet it may still be demanded if all manner of Prayer against our Enemies be there strictly forbid? Obj. For we find the Psalmist frequently praying against his Enemies. And the book of Psalms makes up a considerable part of our public Service, and we commonly bear a part in our Responses therein. And yet we find there a great many Curses and Imprecations, which we repere in our daily Service, without any scruple or remorse. Thus we find him praying, Psal. vj. 10. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed; And, x. 2. Let them be taken in the devices— Again, Psal. xxxv. 4. Let all them be confounded and part to shame, etc. xl. 8. Let the sentence of guiltiness proteed against him: lv. 16. And now that he lieth, let him rise up no more. Again, lviij. 6,7. Let death come hastily upon them, and let them go down quick into Hell. lix. 5. Let them be rooted out; and consume away like a snail. We elsewhere find him speaking of seeing his desire upon his Enemies. cxviij. 7. To which I answer in the following particulars. I. That it is certain that the Hebrews have no such thing in their Language as an optative Mood. And therefore we cannot from the bare formation of the Verb conclude the desire or wish of him that speaks. For the truth of this, I appeal to those who are best skilled in that language. II. That however they have a way by which they express their wish or desire that a thing should come to pass. This the Psalmist does by two words which express the desire of the speaker. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus, Psal. xiv. 7. liij. 6. O that the Salvation of Israel were come out of Zion. And, lv. 6. O that I had wings like a Dove, etc. After this manner does the Psalmist express his wish or desire. But he nowhere useth this expression where he is supposed to pray against his Enemies. III. That it is very evident that the Psalmist was far removed from that Spirit of revenge supposed in the Objection. Psal. seven. 3,4. O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands: If I have rewarded Evil to him that is at peace with me: (yea, I have delivered him that without cause was mine Enemy.) Again, Psal xxxv. 13. They rewarded me evil for good, to the spoiling of my soul. But as for me when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into mine own bosom; I behaved myself as tho' he had been my friend or brother. I howed down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother. The Psalmist elsewhere tells how he was affected as to his Enemy. lv. 12. It was not an Enemy that reproached me, than I could have born it. David might well say so. He did with singular meekness bear the Reproaches and Curses of Shimei, and the causeless Persecutions of Saul without rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing. It is not then very credible that he should curse his Enemies in his prayers and solemn devotions, and which he wrote by Divine Inspiration. iv That the Verbs in the Hebrew, in the places above cited, and elsewhere, are in the future tense. And if some there be of the imperative mood, it altars not the Case, because the Hebrew Grammarians agree that the imperative is but another future. R. Mos. Kimchi Grammat. cum L'Empereur. There is not in any one of these places any Expression that imports any wish or desire. And then these Expressions are rather predictions than prayers, and tell us what shall come to pass rather than what the Psalmist desires. This is no new opinion, nor without ground. Non optat sed praevidet. Prophetia est praenunciantis, non votum maledicentis. August. This agrees well with the Psalmist's manner of speech elsewhere. Psal. i. 5,6. ix. 3. xcij 9 xciv. 23. He tells us that the ungodly shall not stand in judgement; that their way shall perish; that his Enemies shall fall, and that all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered, and that He shall cut them off in their own wickedness. In these places our Interpreters have kept to the future: They had the same reason to have done it elsewhere, especially in those words, Let his days be few, and let another take his office. They might as well have rendered them, His days shall be few, and another shall take his office. cix. 8. with Act. i 16. 'Tis certain this contains a prediction of the fate of Judas, and St. Peter mentions this Scripture as a Prophecy not as a Prayer. He tells us that this Scripture must needs be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David SPOKE BEFORE concerning Judas. And if this be so, no man can blame the Psalmist for denouncing Evil against Evil men, any more than he ought to blame the Prophets for Prophesying Evils against the greatest Sinners and Persecutors of God's Church and People. V It is farther to be considered, that many of those places in the book of Psalms are to be understood of the Enemies of God and of his Church. Psal. v. 10. x. 2. lxix. 22. lxxix. 12. lxxxiij. 13. cix 8. cxxix. 5. And therefore the Psalmist is not to be supposed to indulge himself the liberty of Imprecations and Curses against his private and particular Enemies, when he denounceth Woes against the Enemies of God and his Truth. Besides, 'tis certainly lawful to pray against the Enemies of God, and of the truth and public peace, and those whom gentle means are not likely to reduce; and such there are many times who are incorrigible. We have an antecedent obligation to God and to the Community whereof we are members, and where our Cause is righteous, and Truth is oppressed. We may lawfully appeal to God by War, and consequently pray to him for success, and desire him to abate the Pride and confound the Devices of the Common Enemy. This does not clash at all with the Precept in my Text. For in this case the Enemies are not considered as our Enemies so much, as the Common Enemies of God and of his Truth. VI After all, if we consider the places singly and separately, we shall not find them import so much harm as may be supposed at the first sight. That our Enemies should be ashamed, and confounded; that their way should be dark and slippery, in short comes but to thus much, that they may be disappointed in their Evil attempts. I have not time to descend to particulars. Thus much is certain, that some places sound harsh, and appear very severely in our Version, when they do not so in the Original. I will give an instance or two. Psal. lv. 16. Let death come hastily upon them, and let them go down quick into Hell. Here the word we render Hell commonly signifies no more but the Grave or place of the dead. And he that looks on the words as they lie in the Hebrew, can infer no more than this, that the Psalmist predicts the sudden death of men in whose dwellings is wickedness: There is nothing farther that the words do import. Again, where we read of the good man's seeing his desire upon his Enemies: The expression is indeed Elliptical, but his desire is added to supply the Ellipsis, 'tis not in the Original Text. Psal. cxij 8. cxviij. 7. I shall now proceed to make some application of what hath been said. I. If we stand obliged by the Law of Jesus to love our Enemies, etc. And Jesus hath in this Law obliged us to a greater extent and degree of Charity and Kindness than the Letter of the Law of Moses. How inexcusable are those men, who instead of obeying these Precepts of Jesus, come short of what Moses requited. These men certainly deserve reproof, and are very unworthy of the title of Christians. There are two sorts of these. First, Those who are so far from loving their Enemies that they do not love one another. They are so far from coming up to the pitch of Charity which Jesus requires, that they come short of the lowest measure which was taught by Moses. By the Law of Moses the Jews were obliged to love those of their own Nation and Religion, tho' otherwise they were Enemies. I wish we went thus far; I am sure our Saviour goes higher; And we must do so too as we hope to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Secondly, There are others who are so far from loving their Enemies as our Saviour requires, that they are Enemies, without any cause at all to their Brethren. Instead of loving our Enemies, blessing them that curse us, doing good to them that hate us, praying for our Persecutors; there are those who hate, who curse, who injure, who reproach those who have done them no harm. They speak Evil of them of whom they know none: They contend with those that are for Peace. They are so far from obeying Jesus, that they have not complied with Solomon's easy lesson. Prov. iij. 30. Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. These are so far from the Christian and Divine Charity that they come short of the Jewish. So far are they from loving their Enemies, that they hate the most conspicuous Virtue, and the greatest Benefactors to mankind. No Virtue can be a security against such as these. These men can hardly love those that love them: They are so far from the Jewish and Christian, that they hardly arrive at the unrewardable Charity of the Publican. Matt. v. 46. These men are in the Gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity. God open their eyes and turn their hearts. II. Let me exhort you to the practice of the lesson laid before us in the words of my Text. Love your Enemies, etc. We shall never want an occasion to exercise this virtue. Our Saviour that gives us this Rule, gave us also the greatest Example of it. Hence it is most powerfully commended to us. It may be thought difficult; but we may be reconciled to it, when we consider that He who requires it, did Himself practise it also. We call him Lord, and 'tis fit we should obey and follow him. We need God's pardon; and if we have a due sense of what that imports, and that this is the way to obtain it, we shall not think much to forgive one another. Let me speak in the Apostles words; Eph. iv. 31,32. v. 1,2. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children; And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God— To God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, be all honour and praise. Amen. FINIS. BOOKS Writ by RICHARD Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells. A Demonstration of the Messiah: in which the Truth of the Christian Religion is proved, especially against the Jews. The Judgement of Private Discretion in Matters of Religion defended, in a Sermon on 1 Thess. V 21. Preached at St. Paul's Covent-Garden, Feb. 23.— 86. A Sermon preached before the Lord Mayor at S. Sepulchers Church on Easter Tuesday, Apr. 21. 1690. A Sermon preached before the House of Peers on January 30. 1691/ 2. The Charge of Richard Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells, to the Clergy of his Diocese, at his Primary Visitation begun at Axebridge, June 2. 1692. A Sermon preached before the King and Queen at Whitehall, March 12. 1692. being the Second Sunday in Lent. Newly published Four Sermons concerning the Divinity and Incarnation of our Blessed Saviour: by his Grace John Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, in 8ᵒ. Of Industry, in five Discourses: Viz. In General; In our General Calling, as Christians; In our Particular Calling, as Gentlemen; In our Particular Calling, as Scholars: By Isaac Barrow, D.D. late Master of Trinity-College in Cambridge. Published by his Grace John Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. All sold by B. Aylmer.