that general Corruption and Destruction S ER M. of true Christianity, which he forefaw XIII. would for fo many Ages together be the confequence of Want of Chriftian Temper among those who called themselves the Chriftian World. A new Commandment, fays he, I give unto you, that ye love one another, Joh. xiii. 34. A New Commandment; Not that it was not Always mens Duty in general; but that it was to be, in a New and diftinguishing manner, the Character and Badge of Christians ; the Effect and the Support, the Life and Ef fence of true Christianity. The Jews hated the Samaritans, and the Samaritans hated the Jews; and by This means their Schifm was kept up for ever. Chriftians, were to love their Brethren; to love also thofe that differed from them nay, to show all gentleness even towards those that moft fiercely oppofed them ; that, by this godlike behaviour, they might by degrees gain and win all men over to the acknowledgment of the Truth. It was to be their diftinguishing Character, Joh. xiii. 35; By this fhall all men know that ye are my Difciples, if ye But ; SERM. bave Love one to another. As imperious XIII. nefs, and affectation of dominion, and perfecution, is effentially the Spirit of Antichrift; fo the Chriftian Spirit and Temper, is Meeknefs, Charity, Forbearance and Love. The True Difciples of Chrift, are to be diftinguished from false prophets, from wolves in sheep's cloathing; not by mens crying, Lord, Lord; not by their fierceness for what. They call the Temple of God, and which perhaps is nothing but fome Humane Invention : But by their Fruits, fays our Lord, ye shall know them. By their Fruits; that is, by thofe Chriftian Virtues, by thofe Good works, which the Scripture elsewhere ftiles the Fruits of the Spirit. Our Saviour himself, defired to be judged of, by the Goodness as well as by the Greatness of his Works: And therefore, in his parable of a Kingdom divided against itself, the Reason he gives for afferting the unpardonableness of mens afcribing his mighty works to the affistance of the Evil One, is the Goodness and Beneficence of the Works. In ano ther ་ ་ ས་ ་ XIII. ther place, comparing together the Great SER M. and most important Duties of Religion; next to the Love of God, he makes Charity towards Men, the Grand Design of Religion: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart; This, faith he, is the first and great Commandment; And the fecond is like unto it, Thou shall love thy Neighbour as thyself. The Apoftle St John, after his Master's example, lays the fame stress upon this excellent Virtue; declaring, that without this Love towards Men, there can be no fuch thing as a fincere Love towards God; 1 Joh. iv. 20, If a man fay, I love God, and hateth his Brother, he is a Liar; For-This commandment have we from Him, that he who loveth God, love his Brother alfo. His meaning is; All pretences of Love towards God, which produce not true Virtue, and particularly Love and Charity towards our Brethren; are nothing more than mere Enthusiasm. Again he tells us, That without this univerfal Charity, no pretended zeal for Religion can be fincere; ch. ii. 1o, He that loveth his Brother, abideth in the Light; - but he that bateth S.ER M. hateth his Brother, is in darkness, and XIII. walketh in darkness; that is, he is alto gether ignorant of the true Nature and Spirit of Chriftianity. Laftly; That the. want of this Virtue, and the prevalency of the contrary imperious Spirit, is one principal Mark and Character of Antichrift; ch. iii. 10, In this the children of God are manifeft, and the children of the Devil; whofoever doth not righteousness, is not of God, neither he that loveth not his Brother; For this is the Meffage that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. St Peter in like manner, 1 Pet. iv. 8, Above all things, faith he, bave fervent Charity among your felves; for Charity fhall cover the multitude of Sins: The Senfe is; not that any one particular Virtue, fuch as that which we Now call Charity to the Poor, fhall excuse men from the practice of other Duties, or in the practice of any Vices or Immoralities; but that That general Chriftian Temper and good Spirit of Love and fincere Defire of doing good to all men, which he here calls having fervent Charity among your felves, fhall cover Many. Errors, . Errors, many fuch imperfections and fail- SER M. ings, as a truly good Chriftian, who has XIII. this excellent root of Virtue in him, can The very be fuppofed to be guilty of. fo |