[2.] To thankfulness to our Redeemer. It was purchased by the blood of Jesus : Heb. x. 19, ' Having therefore, brethren, boldness to
105 SERMONS UPON REVELATION I. 5, 6.
enter into the lioliest by the blood of Jesus.' We may be the more confident of drawing nigh to him in a way of grace, for he hath pur- chased also our entrance into glory: Eph iii. 12, 'In whom we have boldness, and access with confidence by the faith of him.' Use 3. Comfort.
1. Against present weaknesses in duty. There will be a time when we shall more perfectly express our thanksgiving to God.
2. Against troubles and sufferings. It must be so now, that we may be conformed to our head ; but no molestation should be an impedi- ment in our work.
3. Against death. It should make us willing to die, that we may minister before the Lord. If David so longed for the enjoyment of God in the earthly temple : Ps. Ixiii. 1, 2, ' 0 God ! tlix)u art my God ; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land where no water is ; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary ; ' how much more cause have we to long for the time when we shall be made priests to him for ever ?
UPON LEYITICUS XIX. 17.
SEKMON L
Tliou shall not hate thy hrother in thy heart : thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour^ and not suffer sin upon him. — Lev. xix. 17.
I AM to speak to you at this time concerning christian and brotherly- reproof. Our first care should be that we are not sinners ourselves ; our next, that we partake not of the sins of others ; which may not only be by counselling and abetting their evil actions, but also by a faulty connivance and silence, when the glory of God and love to our neigh- bours' souls do loudly call upon us to mind them of their duty and warn them of their danger. To this end I have made choice of this scripture,
* Thou shalt not hate,' &c. Where take notice —
1. Of the removal of the impediment, ' Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart.'
2. An earnest excitement of the duty of reproof, ' Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour.'
3. A reason to enforce it, ' Thou shalt not suffer sin upon him,' or that thou bear not sin for him.
First, A removal of the impediment or hindrance, ' Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart.' Hatred is forbidden when rebuke or reproof is prescribed, for two reasons —
1. Because there is a supposition of wrong done ; that is, when any man hath wronged us in anything, let him not nourish hatred or anger in his bosom, lest by abiding there long, it soureth into malice and revenge ; rather go and show them the evil that they have done, to bring them to repentance. It is said of Absalom, 2 Sam. xiii. 22, that
* Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.' Amnon did the wrong, but Absalom reproved him not, because he hated him. Implacable malice and desire of revenge is hid under silence and dissimulation : ' He spake neither good nor bad to Amnon,' to wit, of that subject of the rape committed upon his sister ; he reproved not the fact, that so he might conceal his malice, till he found occasion to put the same in execution ; and this is the fashion of all that regard the wrong done to themselves, but not the offence done to God. Well, then, since hatred begets close and cunning dissimulation, till it have a full advantage to put forth itself, it is opposite to reproof; it is as fire
108 SERMONS UPON LEVITICUS XIX. 17.
raked under aslies, and reserved till another day. The historian Tacitus observetli it in Tiberius, who being offended by some words spoken in the senate by Haterius and Scaurus, In Haterium statim invecius, Scaurum cui implacabilis irascehatur, silentio transmittit — The one he rebuked, the other, whom he implacably hated, he passed by with silence. Therefore God, well knowing the disposition of man, giveth this direction by his servant Moses, ' Hate not thy brother in thy heart, but rebuke him in any wise.' So that you see it is meant of hatred, rising of offences principally ; wherefore rebuke him, hate him not for such things. Suitable to this is the law of Christ : Luke xvii. 3, ' Take heed to yourselves : if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him ; and if he repent, forgive him.' Do your utmost to reduce any that offendeth, though it be by injuring thee ; do not desire revenge, but seek an opportunity to pardon him upon his reformation : Mat. xviii. 15, ' If tby brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone ; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother ; ' that is, thy charity must be sure to put off all thoughts of revenge against him ; yea, it will oblige thee to use all prudent methods to bring him to a sense of his fault, and the most discreet and gentle ways are first to be essayed. That is the first reason.