SERMON UPON PHILIPPIANS IV. 8. 103
ye to do, and not to leave the other undone.' Hypocrites make a busi- ness about small matters, and neglect weighty duties. Yet the sincere, by the discharge of greater duties, are not freed from the obligation to do the smallest duties ; both stand by the same authority.
6. These moralities are not small things ; the glory of God, the safety of his people, the good of human society, and the evidence of our own sincerity being concerned in them. The apostle chargeth atheism and disrespect of God on the neglecters of these things : 1 John iii. 10, ' Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God ; neither he that loveth not his brother ; ' Gal. v. 14, ' For all the law is fulfilled in one word, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.'
Use 1. If religion doth adopt moralities into its frame and consti- tution, we must not leave them out of our practice and conversations ; for ' we are the epistle of Christ,' 2 Cor. iii. 3. We are to ' hold forth the word of life ; ' Phil. ii. 26. That which is just must be suitable to the rule : Titus iii. 8, ' This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works ; these things are good and profitable unto men.' God would not have us omit any part of his will.
Use 2. Here is an answer to those that ask. Wherein must we be holy, and show our obedience unto God ? Besides what concerneth the sanctification of the heart, here we are told plainly what concerneth the regulating of the conversation. When the heart is once renewed, then moralities must have their place and our exact care.
Use 3. That christians should be known to be the best sort of men in the world, abstaining not only from those things which the law of God forbiddeth, but the custom of nations, that no blemish may lie upon our profession.
SEMON UPON LUKE XIX. 14.
But Ms citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We ivill not have this man to reign over us. — Luke xix. 14.
These words are part of a parable uttered by our Lord Jesus when he came nigh to Jerusalem, where they thought he would assume the regal power, and reign among them in great pomp and glory. To prevent this misconceit, he puts forth this parable, wherein by the nobleman he intendeth himself; by his servants, all believers, especially the teachers and ministers of his church ; by the pounds given to them, spiritual gifts and graces ; by his going into a far country to receive a kingdom, his ascension into heaven, and sitting down at the right hand of majesty ; by his own citizens that tumultuated during his absence, the stiff-necked Jews, and by consequence all other people that refuse his government ; by his return, his last coming to judgment, when he shall reward every one according to his works. My purpose only ob- ligeth me to insist upon that clause which expresseth the unwilling- ness of men to be subject to Christ, ' But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him,' &c. In which words take notice of —
1. The crime, ' We will not have this man,' &c.
2. The persons guilty, * His citizens ; ' John i. 11, ' He came to his own, and they received him not.'
3. The internal moving cause, * They hated him.' Hatred is a malicious dislike notwithstanding conviction : John xv. 23, ' He that hateth me, hateth my Father also.' They did disclaim and renounce all subjection to Christ, though they had enough to convince them of his being the Messiah. In carnal and wicked men there is not only a neglect of Christ, but an hatred of Christ ; partly because from neglect the passage is easy to contempt and hatred ; partly because their hearts being bestowed elsewhere, th^y have no affection to him, that would reduce and reclaim them : John iii. 19, ' This is the condemna- tion, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil ; ' and partly because they count him as one that condemneth that course of life which they affect : John iii. 20, * For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.'
4. The manner of expressing their hatred : they ' sent a message after him.' This must be understood with respect to the parable; therefore this message they sent after him is nothing else but the perse-
SERMON UPON LUKE XIX. 14. 105
cution of the christian faith, and the disciples that professed Christ's name, which is as it were an open bidding defiance to Christ in heaven, a sending a message after him. The apostle Paul saith of the Jews, 1 Thes. ii. 15, ' Who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us ; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men.'
5. The crime, which is wilful refusal of subjection to Christ: 'We will not have this man to rule over us ; ' and here —