So that ye neither need nor ought to anticipate the Cares of the future. CHA P. VII. Ver. 1. Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye fhall be judged: and with what meafure ye mete, it fhall be measured to you again. V ERSE 1. There is one Branch more of the Pharilaical Spirit, against which it is neceffary that ye be cautioned; namely, Cenforiousness and rash judging; a Sin which is commonly punished in the fame kind upon the rafh Cenfurer, both in this World, and in that which is to come. 2. For it is so justly contrived by God, that according to the Degrees of Charitableness or Cenforiousness, with which ye treat your Neighbour; fo God will treat you mercifully or feverely, both in the Difpenfations of his Providence in this World, and in his final Retributions in the World to come. And the World likewife never fails to be revenged of the unjuft Cenfurer in his own Way, by detecting the Falfhood of his Calumnies, and retaliating upon him, by expofing his other Vices, 3. Con 3. And why beholdeft thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but confidereft not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4.Or how wilt thou fay to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and behold, beam is in thine a 5. There muft certainly be a great deal of Pride and Hypocrify lurking under this Temper; for by offering to cenfure your Neighbour's small Faults, ye would make the World believe that ye are Perfons of very blameless Lives your felves. Beware of this Hypocrify, and let your Cenforiousness begin at Home; firft cenfure and amend your own Faults; and then ye will be much better qualified to discharge the Duty of fraternal Correption to others. 6. Only in the Discharge of this Duty, ye must take Care not to obtrude your Admoni tions and Reprehenfions upon Perfons of fierce, implacable D 4 Tenpers, fwine, left they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rent you. Tempers, who, instead of being the better for them, will avenge themselves upon you, and do you all the Mischief lies in their Power; nor upon Perfons of incorrigible, profligate, loofe Lives; for they will only profanely and atheistically ridicule your good Admonitions, and expofe you for adminiftring them. 7. ¶ Ask, and it shall be given you: feek, and ye fball find: knock, and it fhall be opened unto you. 8. For every one that asketh, receiveth: and be that feeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it fhall be opened. 9. Or what nan is there of you I fhall conclude this Difcourfe of Chriftian Duties with Two general Precepts; but fo comprebenfive ones, that they will ferve for a compleat Abridgment of the whole Moral Law, and likewife very much facilitate the Obfervation of it. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. ¶ The First relates to your Duty to God, whom with Love and Complacence ye are to look upon as a kind and loving, not as a hard-hearted, morofe Father, able and ready to help you to all good Things ye apply to him for; and therefore let me exhort you earnestly to be very diligent, affiduous, and importunate in all the Duties of Devotion, more efpecially in begging the Grace and Affiftance of God's Holy Spirit, to enable you to do your Duty. And for your you, whom if his fon ask bread, will give him a ftone? 10. Or if he ask a fifh, will give him a ferpent? 11. If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more fhall your Father which is in beaven give good things to them that ask him? your Encouragement, I do affure you, that God will never deny the importunate Suitor the good Things he wants, and which he knows to be needful for him. Even an earthly Father, tho' otherwise ever fo illnatur'd, can't have the Heart to deny his own Children Neceffaries; or inftead of good Things, to give them what he knows will hurt them. Far lefs will God defpife or elude the Prayers of his Children. For tho' he would have you, like dutiful Children, address him for what ye want, he is more ready to grant you good Things, than ye are to ask them; and there is nothing he is better pleas'd with, than to have you depend upon him, as loving Children on a kind Father, and to come frequently to him with your Petitions and Thanksgivings. This is an Employment which will turn to the best Account, in helping you to a right Senfe of your Duty; in furnishing you with Grace to obferve it; and in procuring you Pardon after Tranfgreffion, upon the penitent Confeffion of your Sins, and fincere Refolutions and Endeavours of Amendment. 12. Now 12. Therefore all things whatfoever ye would that men fhould do to you, do ye even fo to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 12. Now this Love of God to you all as his Children, fhould. induce you not only to love him again, (to be expreffed in your frequent Addreffes to him) but alfo to love one another like Brethren. And this Love will facilitate all the Duties you owe to your Neighbour: Which leads me to the Second General Precept, with which I conclude this Compendium of Moral Duties; namely, that in all Points of Duty ye are to treat your Neighbour after the fame Manner as ye would think reafonable to be treated by him, if ye were in his Circumstances, and he in yours. This Love of your Neighbour, flowing thus from the Love of God, and closely connected with it, is fo comprehenfive a Duty, that it answers all the particular Precepts of the Moral Law, with all the Explications and Enlargements of the Prophets. I have now taught you a very compleat Rule of Duty; but I forefee ye will be under great Temptations to neglect and abandon it: and therefore before I difmifs you, I will lay before you fome of the chief fnares ye will be endangered by, which will be aft to |