Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

V.

move peaceably on from one Degree of SERM, Happiness to another, till at laft we flide infenfibly into that Infinitude of Happiness and Pleasure which is at God's Right-Hand for evermore.

Which God of his infinite Mercy grant unto us all for the Sake of his Son Jefus Christ our Lord. To whom, with the Father and Holy Ghoft, be afcribed all Honour, Glory, Might, Majefty, and Dominion, benceforth, and for evermore.

SER

SERM.
VI.

S

SERMON VI.

MATT. X. 34.

Think not that I am come to fend Peace on Earth I came not to fend Peace, but a Sword.

F it were reasonable to judge of the Chriftian Religion by the ill Use that has been made of it, we fhould be forc'd to acknowledge thefe Words to be true in their obvious and literal Meaning. For the Practices of too many of its Profeffors have in all Ages of the World, from the Beginning of Chriftianity to this Time, been agreeable to this Interpretation.

But muft it come to this at laft, after all the Affurances we have, that the whole Defign of our bleffed Saviour's Coming into the World was to make us at Peace with God, and with one another; that Peace

was

was the glad Tidings he brought with him SERM, into the World, and the laft Legacy he VI. left behind him when he went out of it: Muft it, after all, I fay, come to this at laft, that he came not to fend Peace but a Sword?

[ocr errors]

We know that our Saviour's Doctrine teaches People to live better Lives than they were taught to do by any Rules they, had before; and, in particular, to fhew more Love and Benevolence to one another, than the Law of Nature, or that of Mofes requir'd them to do. And indeed if it does not teach us this, what does it teach us? Now, will it not be thought a furprizing Thing, after all this, to find, in the Words. immediately following the Text, that our Saviour fays, he came to Jet a Man against his Father, and the Daughter against the Mother What? Did not People know how to fall out, and be at Variance with one another, without any Directions for fo doing? They knew this too well of themfelves certainly to need any Inftructions a bout it: And therefore, if this is the Doctrine which the Gospel teaches, it deftroys all Religion in the World, even the Re ligion of Nature itself.

But

SERM. But how shocking and inconfiftent foever VI. thefe Words may appear at firft Sight, yet

a little Confideration will give them another Countenance, and fhew that they contain as great a Truth as any in the Scripture, which our perverse Paffions will eafily tell us how to explain.

For tho' without all Difpute our Saviour came to fend Peace upon Earth, and good Will towards Men, yet, as the best Things are most liable to be abus'd, that peaceable and benevolent Spirit has, through the Wickednefs of Mankind, been abus'd into a turbulent evil Spirit of Hatred and Difcord. Not that this is, or can be, the Effect of a peaceable Spirit, but of fuch a Spirit abus'd, and misunderstood. So that, tho' it be never fo good of itself, it may by accident occafion a great deal of Evil. And as long as the Paffions of Men are fuffer'd to controul their Reason and Religion, fo long will there be too much Truth in our Saviour's Words, that he came not to fend Peace, but a Sword, i. e. Tho' the Intent and Design of our Saviour's Coming into the World was not to promote Difcord, but Peace, yet, by means of the Perverseness of Mankind, it would be made an Occasion of Hatred and Discord, and fo would be the

fame

fame, in Effect, as if it had proceeded from SERM. a quite contrary Spirit, and as if he had come VI. not to fend Peace upon Earth, but a Sword. From the Words of the Text I fhall

I. Prove the Truth of our bleffed Saviour's Prediction, and fhew that Chriftianity, tho' it be the moft peaceable Religion in the World, has, by the Wickedness of Men, been made to propagate Hatred, Difcord, and all manner of Cruelty.

II. I fhall fhew the dangerous Confequence of abufing Chriftianity to fuch wicked Purposes.

III. That we ought all of us, who have any Value or Efteem for the Chriftian Religion, to ufe our beft Endeavours, in our feveral Stations, to restore it to its primitive Beauty and Comeliness, and make it appear to be, as it is in itself, a Religion of Peace and Love.

First, then, I am to prove the Truth of our bleffed Saviour's Prediction, and fhew that Christianity, tho' it be the most peaceable Religion in the World, has, by the Wickedness of Men, been made to propaO gate

« FöregåendeFortsätt »