' Harmless.' The word signifies simple, without all mixture or com- position ; or else void of hm-t, without horn, as the word imports {e).
The doctrine is, that it is the property of Christians to do no harm. The reason is, because our nature now is changed from that it was ; for by nature we are to one another lions and wolves, as Heb. xi. 33. Now therefore our nature being changed, our actions also become changed. The gospel makes us tame. The Spirit of Christ in all our members is as Christ himself. His miracles were for good, and they were beneficial to men. He did all things well. Those therefore that are led by this Spirit of his do no harm, so far as they are Christ's.
Use. For use note this as a main difl'erence between the Christian and another man. For all other people are harmful creatures. The four monarchies were as so many beasts, because to the poor church of God they were as so many beasts, cruel and devouring. Nay, the civillest man of all, to his neighbours he seems to be harmless, but towards the church none so fierce as they.
On the contrary, Christians are meek as doves. The wicked are as ravenous birds, like eagles' feathers ; | self-love turns all to its own end.
* Cf. above sentiments with those referred to by Bishop Patrick, note ff, Vol. I. page 290, seq. — G. t Qu. ' you ' ?— Ed. t Qu. ' feathered eagles.' Cf. Ezek. xxxix. 17, and Ps. Ixxviii. 27.— G.
24
THE CURISTIAN WORK.
Among the beasts, the Christian is as a lamb, innocent, fruitful ; a common good. ' When lie is exalted the land rejoices,' Prov. xi. 11. Contrarily the wicked are termed lions and bears, and the like. Among the plants wicked men are as briars : a man must be fenced that deals with them, 2 Sam. xxiii. 7 ; the godly as lilies, sweet, not fenced with pricks. Among earthly creatures the godly are as the worm ; the wicked, a generation of vipers and serpents. They will do no right, take no wrong, but a word and a blow ; a word and presently to suit, right Esaus and Ishmaels. Nay, they glory in it. Oh, say they, he is a shrewd man. Hence comes duels, combats, and the like. Men now are come to that pass, they will not put up a word. Nay, those that are innocent, and will pass by injuries, tush ! they are fools. But know, thus to be foolish is to be wise, to be Christian like ; and such fools as these are shall find comfort on their deathbeds, when those wise men shall wish they had been such fools.
Such fools as these are, I mean the innocent, shall have God for their help and shelter, for want whereof these worldly wise men come often to ill ends, and to be made fearful examples. The Psalms are full of encouragements herein : Ps. xviii. 2, ' The Lord is my rock and fortress,' said David ; and so in Ps. XXV. 8, 9, 10, &c. Wicked men have horns, but God is a hammer to break the horns of the wicked. The innocent person, and he that is harmless, brings peace to the land, and a blessing to the place where he lives. Here praj^ers and intercessions are as the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof. Let those things be noted to provoke us unto this duty.
* Sons of God.'
This is the third ground whereby we are incited, to be without murmur- ing and disputing, that you may be ' the sons of God ;' that is, that by this you may appear to your own comfort to be the sons of God, or that herein you may be as the sons of God, in shewing yourselves harmless and blame- less, which may testify it to yourselves and others.
Doct. Therefore Christians that are harmless and blameless indeed, are the sons of God. The ground of this is the love of God, who freely gave his own Son to take our nature nj)on him, and to die to save us from the sting of death ; he became the Son of man to make us the sons of God without rebuke. And as God gave him to us, so by faith doth he give us to him ; and by this God gives us power to be his sons, John i. 12. Our nature is hereby changed ; for whom he makes sons he sanctifies them and makes them new, and thus become we his sons. God hath adopted us, not as natural men, for this or that respect, to an earthly inheritance, but God freely adopts us to an heavenly inheritance that fadeth not ; neither doth God adopt us as men do men in solamen orhitatis* for God hath a Son in whom he is pleased ; neither again can men's adoption make their adopted sons to be good ; but when God adopts us, he makes us as he would have us to be, like himself. Fourthl}', other adopted sons, many of them are not sharers together of the inheritance to one allotted ; but we are made heirs and fellow-heirs with Christ himself. This love of God was such as the apostle could not express in any fit terms ; therefore he saith, ' Behold what love hath the Father shewed us!' 1 John iii. 1. David thought it not to be a small thing to be the son-in-law of an earthly prince, 1 Sam. xviii. 23 ; behold, we are sons of the King of kings. By nature we are sons of the devil, and rebels. Now, that God should freely, out of his own free love, set his love on us, passing over angels and other men, and not sparing his own Son, have vv'e not hence cause to cry, * Behold what love ! ' and * That is, for the solacing of childlessness. — G.