DISCOURSE XIII.

MATTHEW V. 48.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect.

P

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RACTICE is the End of all Precepts and Exhortations: Laws are therefore enacted, that Subjects may obey; Exhortations are therefore added, that they may be encouraged to do their Duty, It must then be a very great Abfurdity to make any thing, in its own Nature impracti cable, the Subject-matter either of Command or Advice. And does not the Text feem liable to this Objection? Is there any thing which Men have more Reason to think impoffible to them, than to arrive at the Perfections of the Deity? Why then are we X commanded

VOL. III.

commanded or exhorted to be perfect, even as our Father in Heaven is perfect, fince nothing but Disappointment can be the Iffue of our strongest Endeavours after this Perfection, from which we stand excluded by the unalterable Laws of Nature? This Difficulty is too obvious to escape any one's Notice. Some therefore tell you, that the Text contains only Matter of Counsel or Advice, but not of Precept or Command, and with this Softening they think the Difficulty may be digefted; as if it were more reasonable, or more becoming an infpired Teacher, to advise than to command Impoffibilities: Whereas the only Difference in the Cafe is, that in Matters of Command we must either obey or suffer, in Matters of Counsel only we have a greater Latitude allowed us; fo that with respect to ourselves it is more tolerable to be advised than to be commanded to Things impracticable: But, with respect to the Lawgiver, it is one and the fame Thing, and his Reason and Equity can be no more juftified in advifing, than in commanding Impoffibilities. Others tell you, that it is not Equality, but Quality of Perfections that is enjoined in the Text; that is, we are commanded to aim at the fame Perfections with God, though not in the fame Degree;

that,

that, as God is juft, and righteous, and merciful, fo must we endeavour to be juft, and righteous, and merciful, though not to the fame Degree of Extent that God is. This Expofition avoids the Difficulty complained of; for there is nothing extraordinary in commanding Men to imitate the Perfections of God in a Degree suitable to their own Nature and Ability. But then this is an Expofition, not arifing from the Circumstances' of the Text, which lead us to a more extenfive View.

In the 43d Verfe our Saviour fays, Ye have heard that it hath been faid, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour, and hate thine Enemy. In the 44th Verse he corrects the Partiality of this Law; But I fay unto you, Love your Enemies, bless them that curfe you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which defpitefully ufe you, and perfecute you. In the 45th and 46th Verses, he confirms his own Precept from the Example and Authority of God: That ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven; for he maketh his Sun to rife on the Evil and on the Good, and fendeth Rain on the Fuft and on the Unjust. For, if ye love them which love you, what Reward have ye? Do not even the Publicans the fame? And

commanded or exhorted to be perfect, even as our Father in Heaven is perfect, fince nothing but Disappointment can be the Iffue of our strongest Endeavours after this Perfection, from which we stand excluded by the unalterable Laws of Nature? This Difficulty is too obvious to escape any one's Notice. Some therefore tell you, that the Text contains only Matter of Counsel or Advice, but not of Precept or Command, and with this Softening they think the Difficulty may be digefted; as if it were more reasonable, or more becoming an infpired Teacher, to advise than to command Impoffibilities: Whereas the only Difference in the Cafe is, that in Matters of Command we must either obey or fuffer, in Matters of Counsel only we have a greater Latitude allowed us; fo that with respect to ourselves it is more tolerable to be advised than to be commanded to Things impracticable: But, with respect to the Lawgiver, it is one and the fame Thing, and his Reason and Equity can be no more justified in advifing, than in commanding Impoffibilities. Others tell you, that it is not Equality, but Quality of Perfections that is enjoined in the Text; that is, we are commanded to aim at the fame Perfections with God, though not in the fame Degree;

that,

that, as God is juft, and righteous, and merciful, fo muft we endeavour to be juft, and righteous, and merciful, though not to the fame Degree of Extent that God is. This Expofition avoids the Difficulty complained of; for there is nothing extraordinary in commanding Men to imitate the Perfections of God in a Degree suitable to their own Nature and Ability. But then this is an Expofition, not arifing from the Circumstances of the Text, which lead us to a more extenfive View.

In the 43d Verse our Saviour fays, Ye have heard that it hath been faid, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour, and hate thine Enemy. In the 44th Verse he corrects the Partiality of this Law; But I fay unto you, Love your Enemies, bless them that curfe you, do good to them that bate you, and pray for them which defpitefully ufe you, and perfecute you. In the 45th and 46th Verses, he confirms his own Precept from the Example and Authority of God: That ye may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven; for he maketh his Sun to rife on the Evil and on the Good, and fendeth Rain on the Juft and on the Unjust. For, if ye love them which love you, what Reward have ye? Do not even the Publicans the fame? And