A. D. 6o. 25 Likewise also, 25. Again, what was it that ren

was not Rahab the dered the Harlot Rahab so acceptable
harlotjuitified by to God, as to save her Life Not
works, when she had her mere Conviction that the God of
received the messen-
gers, and had sent the Jews was the True God || ; but
them

her actual Reception of the Spies, as out another

his Messengers; as the genuine Ef

fect of such a Perswalion. 26 For as the body 26. From which Instance, as a without the spirit is Confirmation of the Reason of the dead, so faith without Thing itself ; 'tis exceeding plain, works is dead also.

that bare External Privileges, and outward Profession can no more make a true Israelite (much less a true Christian) than a Body without a Soul can make up a Man.

way?

CH A P: III.

The CONTENTS.

q Cbap.i. 19: M‘not many ma

I.

The Jewish Christians are again particularly diswaded

from the Pride and Ambition of being called Doctors,
and Teachers ; and from that Spirit of Contemning,
Reviling, Cursing, and Calumniating, to which the
Jewish

Zealots were so much addicted. The great Ad-
vantage of a gentle and peaceful Temper, and the fatal
Effects of a Cenforious and Unbridled Tongue.
Y brethren, be Have already || observed to you,

not many ma that you can never answer the 7. Rom. ii. fters, knowing that Character of true Chriftians, while we shall receive the

you harbour that Al tion of the greater condemnation.

Jewish Zealots, of imperiously setting up for Teachers ; of Usurping an Authority over the Consciences of others, and be guilty of the Calumny and Censoriousness that is consequent to such Pride and Affectation. Against this notorious Vice I must now more particularly warn you. Consider then, the more Knowledge and Understanding you pretend to, the more hei

1

19, 20.

nous

2

Vo ca

nous are the Faults you commit, and that your Punish- Å. D. 60.
ment for them must be proportionable.
For in many

2. The very best of us have their
things we offend ali. Slips and Failings. But the Liberties
If any man offend not of the Tongue, are what most Men
in word, the same is

are too äpt to transgress in, above all a perfect man,

and

measure. able also to bridle the

And were those Zealots whole body.

but free of the Vices of that very

Member, wherewith they pretend to
teach others, they had much better Pretence to Religious
Perfection than now they have. The Government of the
Tongue has a general good Influence upon the Conduct of
human Life.
3 Behold, we put

3, 4 & 5. And, as Horses are
bits in the horses managed by the Bit, and Ships fteer'd
mouths, that they by the Rudder, that is, but a small
may obey us; and
we turn about their Piece, in Comparison of the Bulk
whole body.

of the Vefsel ; so the whole Conver-
4 Behold also the fation of a Man is, in a manner,
İhips, which though guided and well-ordered by the tem-
they be so great, and perate. Use of that little Member.
are driven of fierce Which, whenever it flies out into
winds, yet are they extravagant, uncharitable and abusive
turned about with a Expressions, becoines like a Spark
very small helm, whi-
thersoever the gover-

amongst combustible Matter ; blows

up and consumes all before it. nour listeth.

5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boafieth great
things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth.

6 And the tongue 6. Well may such a Tongue be
is a fire, a world of compared to Fire, for its desperate
iniquity : fo is the and destructive Quality : It puts the
tongue amongst our whole World into Confufion and
members, that it de.
fileth the whole body, Disorder, and deitroys like a Con-
and setteth on fire the flagration, begun from Hell itself.
course of nature ; and it is set on fire of heil.

ŷ For every kind 7 & 8. When it once obtains, and
of bcaits, and of birds, has got the mastery over a Man's
things in the fea, is conduct, 'tis unruly beyond the most
tamed, and hath been savage Creature we know of : Its
tamed of mankind :

Fierceness exceeds that of the Lion
* But
х

and

A.D.60. 8 But the tongue and Tyger ; and its Venom beyond

can no man tame, it the worst of Serpent's.
is an unruly evil : full
of deadly poison.

9 Therewith bless 9 & 10. It runs Men into Practices we God, even the Fa- the most absurd as well as impious ; ther : and therewith causing them to use that very Memrcurse we men,

which

ber, that was given us to celebrate are made after the fi- the Praises of God, to throw out militude of God.

10 Out of the fame Curses and Imprecations against their mouth proceedeth bles

Brethren that were created like themsing and cursing. My felves, in the Image of God. Blefbrethren, these things sing and Cursing out of the fame ought not so to be.

Mouth ! How irrational and mon

strous a Thing to be guilty of ! i Doth a fountain 11 & 12. A thing as utterly inconfend forth at the fame fistent with true Religion, as it is to place sweet water and suppose the fame Water, from the bitter

fame Part of a Spring, should be 12 Can the fig-tree, salt and fresh at the same Time ; my brethren, olive-berries?' either that a Fig-Tree should bear Olives, a vine, figs ? so can

or a Vine produce Figs, i.e. a perno fountain both yield fect Contradiction in the Nature of salt water and freih.

Things. 13. Who is a wise

13. Whatever Christian Convert, man and endued with or Jewish Zealot, therefore, would knowledge amongst be indeed a Master of religious Wifyou ? let him fhew out dom, let hic show his Wisdom, first of a good conversation his works with in the Suppression of this wretched meekness of wisdom.

Habit, and in reducing himself to a meek and charitable Disposition to

ward his Brethren. 14. But if ye have 14 & 15. For as long as ever this bitter envying and haughty and contentious Spirit in reItrife in your hearts, ligious Disputes, vents it self through glory not, and lie the Tongue, his Boasting is but Vaninot against the truth.

15 This wildom ty, and his Pretences Hypocrisy. descendeth not from

The Wisdom he pretends to, is the above, but is earthly, Effect of nothing but sensual and sensual, devilish.

worldly Principles, and a perfect Imi

tation of the Deviland wicked Spirits. 1-6 For

16. For

17.

16 For where en 16. For nothing but Wickedness A. D. 60.
vying and strife is, and Destruction can be the Result of
there is confusion and a proud, censorious, and contentious
every evil work.

Disposition.
But the wisdom 17. Directly contrary to this, the
that is from above is Wisdom and Temper of true Reli-
first pure, then peace- gion exerts it self in a Freedom from
able, gentle, and easy sensual and worldly Inclinations,
to be intreated, full in rendering a Man mild and cour-
fruits, without parti- teous, and perswadable by Reason,
ality, and without hy. kind and charitable to the Indigents
pocrify.

generous, just, and impartial to all
Mankind, and sincere in all religious

Pretences.
18 And the fruit

18. And whoever is of this peace-
of righteousness is sown able and good Temper, and endea-
in
peace of them that yours to perswade others to it, will

not fail to reap the happy Fruits and
blefled Effects of it.

make peace.

CHAP: IV.

The CONTENT S.
The Apostle illustrates the woeful Effects of a Turbulent and

Malicious Temper, from the then present State and Con-
dition of the Jewish Peoplé. À sad Account of them.
He endeavours to work their Cure, by perswading themi
to Repentance and true Religion. Then difswades the
Christian Converts from the notorious Vice of Slander and
Calumny ; and from an immoderate and confident Pursuit
of Worldly Projects, without any pious Regárd to, or
Reliance upon Divine Providence.
Rom whence come

THat I have * hitherto ob- * Cap.
F
wars, and fight-

served, of the wretched 16. ings among you! Effects of a Turbulent and Contencome they not hence, tious Spirit, is, but too wofully de

X 2

monstrable,

1.

WH

even

not.

A.D.63. even of your lusts, that monftrable, from the present State

war in your mem. and Condition of the Jewish People. bers ?

Let any Jew tell me the real Cause of all those Calamities and Desolations, those Foreign, Civil, and Domestick Broils, that are now the general Plagues of That Nation. What is it, but the Sensual and Ambitious Temper I have been describing? /

2 Ye luft, and have 2. Your Hearts are entirely bent not : ye kill, and de- upon Temporal Pleasure, and 'Temsire to have, and can.

poral Dominion ; you are impatient not obtain : ye fight under the Government Providence has and war, yet ye

have not , because ye ask subjected your Nation to. This puts

you upon Seditious Practices, that

can never gain your Ends; and your intestine Discords make your Cafe still worse. Nor can God be supposed to prosper a People, so estranged from all true Religion and Devotion toward Him.

3 Ye ask, and re. 3. 'Tis true, you keep up the ceive not, because ye External Profession, and the Form ask amiss, that ye may of Worship and Prayer. But this consume it upon your can avail you little, while the Stress lufts.

of your Desires is fixed on Worldly Pleasures, and the View of all your very Prayers is the Gratification of Lustful and Ambitious Principles. 4

Ye adulterers and 4. O faithless and perverse Nation ! adulteresses, know ye How can you be so ignorant, as to not that the friendship imagine, the Love of God and true of the world is enmi- Religion can ever be consistent with ty with God? who this immoderate Thirst after Tempofoever therefore will

ralRiches and Grandeur ? You must
be a friend of the
world, is the enemy

give up one, or the other.
of God.
5 ye
think that

5 & 6. How contrary have the the Scripture faith in Scriptures of the Old Testament devain, The spirit that fcribed the Temper of God's true dwelleth in lusteth

Servants, to that Envious and Conto envy?

6 But he giveth tentious Spirit that now reigns in more grace ; where the Generality of your Nation? Do fore he faith, God re- you perceive any such Disposition filteth

and

* Do