SERM, been very deficient in Skill and Probity,
XVI, they must have exprefly taught, as the

Intendment and Confequence of their Law,
most of the fame Precepts which our Lord
gave for the fulfilling of it. For we ought
by no means think flightly of the Mo-
faical Law, fince he himself, in the xviith
Chapter of St. Matthew, hath declared, it
comprehends the Sum of all Virtue and
Religion, even the Love of God and of our
Neighbour; and therefore, in the Begin-
ning of the Difcourfe I am confidering,
told his Hearers, they fhould not think he
was come to deftroy the Law or the Pro-
phets; and that till Heaven and Earth
paft, one fot or Tittle should in no wife
pafs from the Law. And left fhould
any
doubt of what Law he fpake, in conclu-
ding, at the 12th Verse of the viith Chap-
ter, he returns to mention and distinguish
it: Whatsoever ve would that Men should
do to you, do ye even fo to them: For this is
the Law and the Prophets; thereby fhew-
ing, that he gave that everlasting Autho-
rity, not to the ceremonial, but moral
part, as being of eternal Righteousness and
Equity. But befides the Weakness and

Shortness

Shortness of the Scribes teaching, they are SERM. to be charg❜d with Doctrines directly false, XVI. being found to have confulted with their Pride, Covetoufnefs, and Hypocrify, in forming their Interpretations and Refolutions; indeed of Interpreters and Guar dians, to have turned Corrupters and Makers of the Law.

One Inftance of this, of Forms of Oaths obligatory, and not obligatory; I was obliged by the Course of my Argument to give you before. Another there is in the Matter of their Corban, or Gifts dedicated to the Temple Service, objected to them in the xvth of St. Matthew, and viith of St. Mark; whereby their pretended Zeal for the exterior Worship of God could destroy the plaineft Justice and Gratitude, even the Duty of Children to Parents: in Defiance, as one would think, to the Fifth Commandment.

A third, of like Nature, is found in their condemning Works of Charity on the Sabbath-day. And both of these, I doubt not, fprung from the fame Affectation of falfe Holiness, by which they hop'd to gain the Veneration of the true.

And

SERM. And thefe, because they are not exprefs'd XVI. in this Sermon of our Lord, and because

they are at this Time and in their own Nature, of lefs general Importance, I only mention, and proceed to the fourth, which requires every Man's Attention, and is found at the 43d Verse of this fame Chapter; ye have heard that it hath been faid, thou shalt love thy Neighbour, and bate thine Enemy.

The first Part of the Words is from the Law of God; the fecond from the profefs'd Teachers of it; and overthrows the first.

The Proof of this depends upon a right Answer to the Question which the Lawyer put to our Saviour; And who is my Neighbour? Are we to understand by that Word, him that we dwell nigh unto, our Acquaintance and Friend; or wHOMSOEVER the Divine Providence brings within the Reach of our Opportunities to serve or differve, though foreign, remote, known, or known by Injuries? You have heard of our Lord's Decifion, which he drew, by his Parable, out of the Lawyer's own Mouth, that the Jew and the Sama

ritan were Neighbours, when the Circum- SERM, stances of the former lying naked, wound- XVI. ed, and half dead, implor'd the Humanity of the latter. To thefe it was no Bar, as it ought not to be, that they had never feen each other's Face, and probably never should more; or that the diftreffed Perfon was of a Sect and Nation eminently hated, and hating the others. Let us therefore go and do likewife; imitate the Samaritan, and exceed the Scribes and Pharifees. Let no Distance of Place, or Interefts, or Sentiments, extinguish the Charity and univerfal Neighbourhood, which at any Time God's Difpenfation of human Events fhall call upon us to remember and exert.

But Nothing is fo fufficient to convict the Scribes of falfe Doctrine in this Matter, as if it be try'd by their own Books: Wherefore let us fee if the fame will not appear from Mofes alfo. Levit. xix. 18. you have the general Precept; Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any Grudge against the Children of thy People; but thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy felf. I am the Lord. And left it should be thought, that

the

SERM the Obligation was limited to those of their XVI. own Nation, the 33d and 34th Verfes make it univerfal, applying the very fame Expreffion And if a Stranger Jojourn with thee in the Land, ye shall not vex him. But the Stranger that dwelleth with you, fhall be unto you as one born amongst you; and thou shalt love him as thy Jelf. Then, if the Cafe of Enmity be not largely enough exprefs'd in the fore-recited Words; Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any Grudge against the Children of thy People Read the xxiiid of Exodus, the 4th and 5th Verses; if thou meet thine Enemies Ox or his Afs going aftray, thou shalt furely bring it back to him again. If thou See the Afs of him that hateth thee lying under bis Burden, and wouldeft forbear to help him; thou shalt furely help with him : And compare it with the fame Law repeated in the four first Verses of the xxiid of Deuteronomy, and you will find an Enemy reputed more than a Neighbour; For the Enemy in Exodus, he that hateth us, is in Deuteronomy comprehended under the Title of our Brother. And with this of Mofes agrees the Wife Man, whom

St.