Text, that our own Pardon of Sins depends upon our pardoning others their Trefpaffes against

us.

Now to conclude, it appears plainly from this Text, and what has been faid upon it, that a moderate, healing, pardoning Temper, is, in the fight of God, one of the greatest Virtues; and that it is commonly in Conjunction with all fuch other Graces and Virtues, as are requifite to give us full Affurance of God's Favour both here and hereafter: And that, on the contrary, an implacable, immoderate, unrelenting Temper, as it is attended with innumerable ill Confequences in this World, fo if it is not repented of, and amended, it shall infallibly obftruct our Pardon at the Hands of Almighty God, and give us over to the dreadful Effects of Judgment without Mercy, if we cannot be prevailed upon to fhew Mercy to our far lefs offending Brethren.

But after all, it must be confefs'd, this is a difficult Duty; and therefore in the first Place, it is adviseable, if poffible, to live fo peaceably and inoffenfively with all, that we make no Enemies. And if we meet with Enemies for doing of our Duty, which was the ufual Cafe of the primitive Christians, and is too commonly the Cafe of good Men in this World, let us take care not to retaliate Evil for Evil, or Railing for Railing, but contrariwife Bleffing, knowing that we are thereunto called, that we may inherit a Bleffing.

(a) Put on therefore (as the Elect of God, boly and beloved) Bowels of Mercy, Kindness, Humble

(a) Col. iii, 12.

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ness

nefs of Mind, Meekness, Long-fuffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another; if any Man have a Quarrel against any, even as Chrift forgave you, fo alfo do ye.

To him, with the Father, and the Holy Ghoft, be all Praife, Honour, and Glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

SERM.

SERMON XVII.

MATT. VI. 16.

Moreover, when ye faft, be not as the Hypocrites, of a fad Countenance: for they disfigure their Faces, that they may appear unto Men to faft. Verily, I fay unto you, they have their Reward. Ver. 17. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine Head, and wash thy Face:

Ver. 18. That thou appear not unto Men to faft, but unto thy Father which is in fecret: And thy Father which feeth in fecret, shall reward thee openly.

T

HE general Subject treated of by our Saviour from the 20th Verfe of the laft Chapter is, the discovering the Defects of the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharifees, and the exhorting of Chriftians to higher Degrees of Duty, than thofe Jewish Doctors either taught or exemplified. In pursuance of this Subject, the Method our Lord feems to have followed was, first, to take notice of fuch Corruptions as proceeded from their wrong Gloffes and Interpretations of the Law; and this ends with the fifth Chapter. Then he goes on to fome other Corruptions,

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ruptions, which though they pretended no countenance to them from the Law, yet were great Blemishes in their Righteoufnefs; and these were chiefly Pride, Covetoufnefs, and Cenforioufnefs, which they fo intermixed with other commendable Duties, as utterly to mar the Grace of them. He begins with Pride, and traces it through their Righteousness in general, and three noble Duties, Almf-giving, Prayer, and Fafting, in particular, inferting all along feveral proper Inftructions and Directions to his Difciples concerning the right Way of going about those Duties, so as to make them well pleafing to Almighty God.

And having finished his Remarks upon their Alms and Devotions, he proceeds now to the Pride of their Fafting; guarding against it in the fame Manner and with the fame Arguments, he had made use of on those other Subjects, and therefore I fhall need to infift the lefs upon them. Moreover when ye faft, be not as the Hypocrites, &c. In which Words we have these three Things.

I. A commendable Duty obferved by the Scribes and Pharifees; and which our Saviour fuppofes must be likewise observed by his Disciples; namely, the Duty of Fafting.

II. The Abuse of this Duty in those Doctors, to the Ends of Hypocrify, Pride, and Vanity.

III. Our Saviour's Direction and Encouragement to the contrary Exercise of Humility, Secrecy, and Sincerity, in the Practice of this Duty.

I. We have here a commendable Duty obferved by the Scribes and Pharifees, which our Saviour fuppofes must be likewife obferved by his Difci

ples;

Means

ples; namely, the Duty of Fafting, which is either a total Abftinence from Food for a time, or at least the ufing it lefs delicately, or more sparingly, on fome religious Account. More especially, there are these three Accounts on which Fafting is ufeful; the Mortifying of Luft, the Exercise of Repentance, and as an Help to Prayer, and Contemplation of divine Things. And as far as it is used for thofe Ends, it is a religious Duty. 1. First, I fay, for the mortifying of Luft; it is very useful to mortify the Sins of Uncleanness, by withdrawing Fewel from a pampered Body. St Paul tells us (a) He kept his Body under, and brought it into Subjection: Left that by any when he had preached the Gospel to others, he himself fhould be a Caft-away. 2. Secondly, Fafting is proper as an Exercife of Repentance. Thus we find the King of Niniveh ordered a very folemn Fast as one Part of the general Repentance which was then gone about. 3. It is a great Help to Prayer and Contemplation of divine Things: And therefore we find generally these Two, Fasting and Prayer, joined together. Peter was fafting and praying when he had that heavenly Vifion concerning preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, Act. x. And Cornelius on the fame Occafion was Fafting and Praying when he had the heavenly Vifion concerning fending for St Peter, who was to preach the Gospel to him and his Houfe.. And in general indeed in all Cafes of Importance and Difficulty, it has been the Practice of the Church to join Fafting to their Prayers in their

(a) 1. Cor. ix. 27.

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Addreffes