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Philosophers imprudently did; nor to let it lie useless by us, nor yet to lavish it away: But out

So that Gaiett to of it, to supply the Wants of other Men, (4) either by giving (b) or lending to those that ask it; the Poor aw (c) as becomes those who believe themselves, not Lordial to be Proprietors of these Things, but only Stenoeth towards and Deputies of the Most High God their Parent; for a Kindness well bestowed, (d) is a Lord Treasure full of Good Hope, against which neither the Wickedness of Thieves, nor Variety of Accidents can prevail any Thing. An admirable Example of which sincere and undissembled Charity, the first Christians afford us; when Things were sent from so great a Distance as (e) Macedonia and Achaia, in order to supply the Want of those in Palestine; as if the whole World had been but one Family. And here this Caution is added also, in the Law of Christ; (f) that no Hope of Recompence or Honour ought to diminish from our Liberality; because, if we' have regard to any Thing else but God, (g) it takes away his Acceptance. And, lest any one should pretend, as is commonly done, to cloke his Sparingness, as if he were afraid he should want what he has, when he comes to be an old Man, or if any Misfortune should befall him the Law promises, (h) that a particular Care shall

(a) Either by giving, &c.] Matt. v. 42. (b) Or lending, &c.] In the same Matt. Luke vi. 35, (c) As becomes those, &c.] 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18. (d) Is a Treasure, &c.] Matt. vi. 20. (e) Macedonia and Achaia, &c.] Rom. xv, 25, 26, and the following Verses. 2 Cor. ix. 1, 2, 3, 4. Philip iv. 18.

(f) That no Hope of Recompence, &c.] Matt. vi. 1, 2. Luke xv, 12.

(g) It takes away his Acceptance, &c.] See the forecited Place in Matt.

(h) That a particular Care, &c.] Matt. vi. 32. Luke xii. 7. xxi. 8.

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be taken of those who keep these Precepts: And, that they may the more rely upon it, reminds them of (a) the remarkable Providence of God, in providing for wild Beasts and Cattle, in adorning Herbs and Flowers; and that it would be an unworthy Thing in us, not to believe so good, so powerful a God, nor to trust him any further than we would do a bad Debtor, of whom we never think ourselves secure without a Pledge.

SECT. XV.

Concerning Oaths.

OTHER Laws forbid Perjury; (b) but this hristian law would have us entirely to abstain from Oaths, ex

cept upon Necessity; and to have so great Regard bidsouths to Truth, in our common Conversation, (c) that Exeed up there should be no Need of requiring an Oath of us.

SECT. XVI.

Concerning other Actions.

AND indeed, there is nothing excellent to be found in the philosophic Writings of the Greeks, or in the Opinions of the Hebrews, or of any other Nation, which is not contained here, and moreover ratified by divine Authority. For Instance; concerning (d) Modesty, (e) Temperance, (f)

(a) The remarkable Providence of God, &c.] Matt. vi. 26,28. (b) But this would have us, &c.] Matt. v. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37. Jam. v. 12.

(c) That there should be no need, tioned Place of Matthew.

(d) Modesty, &c.] 1 Pet. iii. 3. (e) Temperance, &c.] Tit, ii. 12. (f) Goodness, &c.] 2 Cor. vi, 6. 12. Cor. xiii. 4.

&c.] See the foremen

1 Tim. ii. 19.
Gal. v. 22. Coloss. iii.

Goodness,

Great Necesit

Goodness, (a) Moral Virtue, (b) Prudence, (c) the Duty of Governors and Subjects, (d) Parents and Children, (e) Masters and Servants, (f) Husbands and Wives; and, particularly, abstaining from those Vices, which, under a Shew of Virtue, deceived many of the Greeks and Romans, all kind sum of it is wonderful for its Substantial Brevity; viz. (g) the Desire of Honour and Glory. The (h) that we should love God above all Things, of goodness and our Neighbour as ourselves; that is, (i) we au lecomm should do to others, as we would have them do ed towly the to us. Perhaps some may object against what Thirstian land we have now said, of the Excellency of Christ's Commands; the great Difference of Opinions

amongst Christians, from whence have arisen so many various Sects.

(a) Moral Virtue, &c.] Phil. iv. 8. 1 Tim. ii. 2. iii. 4. Tit. ii. Y.

(b) Prudence, &c.] Matt. x. 16. (c) The Duty of Governors, &c.] 1 Pet. ii. 13, 17,

,

(d) Parents and Children, &c.] vi. 1, 2, 3, 4,

(e) Masters and Servants, &c.] 10. Colos, iii. 22, 23, 24, 25.

Ephes. i. 8.

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1 Tim. ii. 2. Rom. xiii.

Colos. iii. 20, 21. Ephes.

Ephes. vi. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,

(f) Husbands and Wives, &c.] Ephes. v. 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 33. Colos. iii. 18, 19. 1 Tim. ii. 2.

(g) The Desire of Honour, &c.] Matt. xviii. 4. xxiii. 12.
Luke xiv. 11. xviii. 14. John v. 44. Ephes. iv. 2. Colos. ii.
18. iii. 23. 1 John ii, 16. Phil. ii. 3. 1 Thess. ii, 6.
i. 24. v. 5.

(h)_That we should love God, &c.]
39. Luke x. 27. Rom. xiii. 9, 10, 11.
ii. 8.

(i) We should do to others, &c.]
31. This was commanded by the

1 Pet.

Matt. ix. 18. xxii. 37,

Gal. v. 14. James

Matt. vii. 12. Luke vi. Emperor Alexander; see

Dion, and he that wrote the Life of this Emperor in Latin.

SECT.

SECT. XVII.

An Answer to the Objection, drawn from the many
Controversies amongst Christians.

1.

BUT the Answer to this is evident: There are scarce any Arts, but the same Thing happens to them, partly through the Weakness of human Nature, and partly because Men's Judgment is hindered by Prejudices: But for the most Part, this Variety of Opinion is limited within certain Bounds, in which Men are agreed; and whereby they determine Doubts: As in the Mathematics, it is a Dispute whether the Circle can be squared or no; but whether, if you take Equals from Equals, the Remainder will be equal; this admits of no Dispute: And thus it is in Natural Philosophy, Physic, and other Arts. So the Difference of Opinions that is amongst Christians, cannot hinder their Agreements in the principal Things; that is, (a) those Commands, by which we have now recommended the Christian Religion: And the Certainty of these appears from hence, and those who being highly home suc enraged against one another, have fought for Matter of Disagreement, never ventured to go so fardenger that as to deny, that these were the Precepts of Christ; no, not even they, who would not direct their Lives according to this Rule. And if any should the Precepts attempt to contradict these, he ought to be looked of Chrich upon to be like those Philosophers who denied. that Snow was white. For as these were confuted

(a) Those Commands, &c.] We may add also, in those Opinions that are necessary, and upon which the Observation of Commands depends; such as are mentioned in the most ancient Creeds, which are extant, in Irenæus and Tertullian, and what we now call the Apostles' Creed, as I have somewhat more fully shewn in that little Piece annexed hereto, concerning the Choice of our Opinion, &c. Sect IV. Le Clerc.

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by their Senses, so are they by the Consent of all Christian Nations, and by those Books which were wrote by the first Christians; and those after cannot als them, who were followed by learned Men; and such who bore Testimony to the Faith of Christ

wegend by their Death. For that which all these ac

knowledge to be the Doctrine of Christ, ought to be accounted so, by all fair and equal Judges; for the same Reason that we believe Plato, Xeno

Jane bell phon, and other Disciples of Socrates; concerning the Opinions of Socrates; and the Schools of the Stoics, for what Zeno delivered.

SECT. XVIII.

The Excellency of the Christian Religion further proved from the Excellency of its Teacher.

THE third Thing wherein we said the Christian Religion exceeds all other Religions that are, or can be imagined, is the Manner in which it was delivered and propagated: In the Consideration of which Particular, the first Thing that offers itself, is the Author of this Doctrine: The Authors of the Grecian Wisdom and Knowledge, themselves confessed, that they alledged scarce any Thing for Certainty; because Truth was sunk, as it were, (a) to the Bottom of a Well; (b) and the Mind, as dim-sighted in Regard to divine Things, as the Eyes of an Owl in the Sunshine. Besides there was hardly any of them, but

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(a) To the Bottom of a Well, &c.] It was a Saying of Democritus, That Truth lay at the Bottom of a Well," as we find in Tully's Academical Questions, and in other Writers.

(b) And the Mind, as dim-sighted, &c.] See Aristotle's Metaphysics, Book II. Chap. 1. "As the Eyes of a Batt are "dazzled at the Light in the Day-time; so is the understand"ing in our Soul confounded at the plainest Things in the "World."

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