Ver. 14. the 17th Chapter of St. JOHN. 203 Servant shall come and cut him afunder, and appoint him his Portion with the Hypocrites, Mat.24. 49, 5o, 55. When you cry up a Confederacy with wicked Men, to prose- cute your private Differences with more advantage, there is much of the hatred of Godlinefs in it. 6. If you be glad when you find any blemifh whereby to eclipse the lufjre and glory of their Innocency, there is a secret Hatred. You Ihould be affeâed with the Scandal brought upon the Common Caufe. Phil. 3. a8. For many walk, of whom! have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the Enemies of the Croft of Chrif ; not real Chrillians, but Profeffors only. The Chams of the World laugh to fee a Noah drunk. 7t is a sign you hate them becaufe they are Holy, when you are glad of any blemish wherewith to (lain them, efpecially when the Mifcarriages of a few are call upon all. 7. To be at a great distance from this, take heed of the hatred of any Man. We Ihould love all Men with the love of Good -will, tho our delight should be in the Ex- cellent Ones of the Earth, the Saints of God. There is dnivxaTcpfa and &yotirn, 2 Pet, r, 7. Add to Brotherly- /sindnefs, Charity. Live in Enmity and Malice with none, tho you take just offence at their Sins, as Lot's Righteous Soul was vexed from day to day. .2 Pet. 2.8. For that Righteous Man dwelling among them, in feeing and hearing, vexed his Righteous Soul, from day to day, with their unlawful Deeds. It troubled him to fee them. They are ap abomination, by way of caution, for our felves, and just ab- horrence of theirlmpurities, but we must not hate them with a mifchievous hatred ; odio inimicitie. 7..1fe 3. Advice to the People of God. I. Be not amazed at it, if you meet with trouble and oppofition fromWicked Men, even for Goddnefs -fake. s John 3. s3. Marvel not, my. Brethren, if the World hate you. So it bath ever been, and fo it will be. We are furprifed and perplexed at it, as Men ufe to be at fomething that is strange. The Wonder is on the other fide ; if there be any remission of this.Enmity, it were a shrewd fufpicion that we were of Ramp, or complied too much with their Humors, and did fymbolize with. them in carnal Prances: Luke 6. 26. Curled are you when all Men f eak well of you : for fa they did to the falfe Prophets. 22,To walk holily and watchfully; fo to live, that their Religion maybe their only CrimZ ; and to keep up the repute of Godlinefs, that they may not be hated as Evil - Doers, but as Saints. r Pet. 4.55. Let none of you filer as a Murderer, or as a Thief or as an Evil -Doer, or as a Bufy-Body in other Mens Matters. It is a fad thing to be a Martyr to Passion, Interest, vain Glory, and private Conceits and Opinions, to fuffer for your own Shame. The World doth but watch for such an Advantage : their Con- fcience telleth them you do not deferve their Hatred, and therefore they leek other Pre- tences. Do not fuffer for Pride, indifcreet Zeal, and unneceffary Intermedling. It is the Glory of the Christian Religion, always to have Holy Martyrs, and Infamous Per - fecutors, that they Ihould have nothing against them,. but in the Matters of their God. 3. Let not this difcourage you; the Power of Godlinefs, as it is a provoking, fo it is a daunting thing: the Wicked hate you and fear you Mark 6. 20. Herod feared Johh, /snowing that he was a juji Man, and an Holy, and obferved him ; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. He feared him, not only as a zealous Preacher, but as a (hid Man. A Man would think that John had more caufe to fear Herod. And God will refpeâ it, it is his Quarrel, tho you have the management of it you have good Company, Christ fuffereth with you ; i Pet. 4. 53. Rejoice, in as much as ye are Parta/sers of Chrf's Sufrings. You do not only fuffer for him, but with him; in fuch a cafe ye are not only Iook'd upon as His, but Him : they cannot hate you as much as they do Christ ; you are the World's Eye-fore, but God's De- light; you have glorious A(lillance, glorious Hopes, The Spirit of God, and of Glory, refieth upon you, I Pet. 4. 54. 4. Walk wifely towards them that are without, Col. 4.5. How is that ? Not to swerve from the course of a Godly Life, or negle& our Service to God, or to-cool and flack in our Zeal for his Glory, or to conform our (elves to any of their wicked Pra- dices i but to forbear to provoke them without caufe, to live peaceably with all Men, as much as is poffible, Rom. 12. 58. To overcome Evil with Good, VerC 2 I. This was that which Christ bath prefcribed, Mat. 5.44 Love your Enemies, blefs them that curie you, Cccc 2 do
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