DISCOURSE XLV.

MATTHEW v. 48.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."

PRACTICE is the end of all precepts and exhortations: laws are therefore enacted, that fubjects may obey: exhortations are therefore added, that they may be encouraged to do their duty. It must then be a very great abfurdity to make any thing, in its own nature impracticable, the fubject matter either of command or advice. And does not the text seem liable to this objection? Is there any thing which men have more reason to think impoffible to them, than to arrive at the perfections of the Deity? Why then are we commanded or exhorted to be perfect, even as our Father in heaven is perfect, fince nothing but disappointment can be the iffue of our strongest endeavours after this perfection, from which we stand excluded by the unalterable laws of nature ? This difficulty is too obvious to escape any one's notice. Some therefore tell you, that the text contains only matter of counsel or advice, but not of precept or command, and with this foftening they think the difficulty may be digefted; as if it were

more reasonable, or more becoming an infpired teacher, to advise than to command impoffibilities: whereas the only difference in the case is, that in matters of command we must either obey or fuffer, in matters of counfel only we have a greater latitude allowed us; fo that with refpect to ourselves it is more tolerable to be advised than to be commanded to things impracticable: but, with respect to the lawgiver, it is one and the fame thing, and his reafon and equity can be no more juftified in advising, than in commanding impoffibilities. Others tell you, that it is not equality, but quality of perfections that is enjoined in the text; that is, we are commanded to aim at the fame perfections with God, though not in the fame degree; that, as God is just, and righteous, and merciful, so must we endeavour to be juft, and righteous, and merciful, though not to the fame degree or extent that God is. This expofition avoids the difficulty complained of; for there is nothing extraordinary in commanding men to imitate the perfections of God in a degree fuitable to their own nature and ability. But then this is an expofition, not arifing from the circumftances of the text, which lead us to a more extensive view.

In the 43d verfe our Saviour fays, Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. In the 44th verfe he corrects the partiality of this law; but I fay unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which defpitefully use you, and perfecute you. In the 45th and 46th verses, he confirms his own precept from the example and

authority of God: that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his fun to rife on the evil and on the good, and fendeth rain on the juft and on the unjuft. For, if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the fame? And in the 48th verfe he concludes this argument in the words of the text; Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. From whence it is evident, that the quality or temper of mercy and compaflion was not the thing recommended to us by our bleffed Lord from the example of God, for that he told them even the publicans had in fome degree, for they loved those who loved them; but it is the extent of this mercy and compaffion which was difcernible in the works of providence, which he preffes from this example: your Father in heaven is bountiful to the evil as well as the good; to the unjuft, as well as the just go ye therefore and do likewife, and learn from hence to love your enemies, as well as your friends; to do good to thofe who hate you, as well as to those who love you. This certainly was recommending not only the temper of mercy, which is natural to the Deity, but also that extenfive exercise of it, that perfection of goodness, which fhone forth in all his works.

Since then we can have no relief from expofitions of this kind, we must confider the text in another view, and fee what affiftance we can have from the circumstances of the context, or the general reason in which the precept is founded. And these two inquiries will take in what is neceffary to be known upon this fubject. For, if we confider this precept

as part of the Gospel doctrine, it will be fufficient to know, how far it may be extended upon the authority of the Gospel: or, if we confider it as a general maxim and rule of religion, which had a foundation in reafon antecedent to the promulgation of the Gofpel, it will be fufficient to understand, how far the reafon of the command and how it may be applied to the feveral duties of religion and morality.

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First then, Let us examine the text as it ftands limited by the circumftances of the context.

It is evident from what has been already obferved, that the precept of the text stands applied to the particular cafe of charity and mercy. Had it been otherwife, had our Saviour intended, in eve

ry inftance of our duty, to refer us to the perfection of God, as the proper rule and measure of our obedience, this precept fhould have ftood at the clofe of his fermon, which might have given it a reference to all that had gone before, and not been confined in the middle of his difcourfe to a particular duty. It is farther to be obferved, that the inftance of duty to which this precept is annexed, is illuf·trated by a particular mention of God's dealing with men in like cafes. We are bid to love our enemies, and are told how merciful and compaffionate God is to the evil and unjuft; the natural application of the example lies in the exhortation of the text, that we should aim at that perfection of mercy and goodness, which we may every day fee exercised by God towards us all. But, in other inftances of duty mentioned in this fermon, the example of God is not propofed; and, confidering the connection be

tween the example and the application, there can be no reason to carry the application to other cafes, in which the fame example is not propofed. Nay farther, there are fome points of duty explained and enforced in this fermon on the mount, to which neither the example nor the exhortation can be applied. Such are the duties arifing from the relations which are peculiar to man, and no where else to be found as in the cafe of afflictions and perfecutions, which we ought to bear patiently, not in confideration of the example of the Deity, whom no afflictions can approach, but in confideration of his goodnefs and power, who thinks fit to inflict them on us. In the inftance of mercy and forgiveness, to which the exhortation in the text ftands applied, there can be no greater or properer motive to obedience than the example of our heavenly Father; it cuts off all the pretences which men have for anger or revenge. Has your enemy abufed or affronted you? What then? Are you greater than God, who bears with so much lenity the perpetual abuses and affronts of wicked men? Or are you provoked to revenge the iniquities you behold, and to extirpate the profane and ungodly? Believe at least that God is not unconcerned for his own honour; and therefore, even in this case, you cannot be more fafe or fecure than by following the example which he fets you in the daily administrations of his providence.

Suppofing then that this example is confined to the exercise of love and mercy; yet ftill, can we pretend to be as good and as merciful as God is, or does our Saviour require it of us? If not, where is the limitation to be placed? It must be placed undoubtedly