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the Sun, which scorches and burns up the Corn that wanteth depth of Earth, does but cherish and ripen the good Corn. And thus it is with Afflictions: They do not make Men unfincere, but find them fo, and discover them to be fo. The Fire feparates the Drofs from the Gold, but it makes no part Dross, which was not Drofs before. Adverfities are therefore called Tryals, because they bring our Integrity to the Touch. They fhew, whether we ferve God for prefent Profit and Convenience, or for his own fake, and from a well-grounded Perfuafion of their Duty. Hence it is clear, we must not fatisfy our felves with hearing, and confidering, and applying; but must compose our Minds with quiet and contented Submiffion to the good Providence of God, and esteem it our Joy and Crown, when we are counted worthy to fuffer for Chrift and Righteousness-fake. If Christianity required the Conviction of our Judgment only, all who will be content to think and understand impartially, muft be good Chriftians. But, because the Gospel is intended to rule in our Hearts, and to give Law to all our Paffions, and all our Interefts; therefore it is, that fo great Quantities of this Spiritual Seed are fown in vain. And fince no Man answers the End of that Seed, who refuses in Practice, what he allows in Speculation, by letting go his Hopes of Blifs in another World, for the declining any Miferies that can be endured in this World; therefore the Virtue, which faints in the Day of Trial, however profperous and promifing it may appear, is allowed no better a Character, than that of Grain caft upon Stony Ground.

Ὑπομονή.

There is another Senfe of the Word Patience, fit to be taken notice of, as it fignifies Perfeverance, and a contented Waiting for the appointed Weeks of Harvest. Thus the Hearers of this kind will not envy Them, who put forth apace

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and spend themselves too faft; but be content with Conflicts, though they be fharp and long; and to get fome Ground upon their Lufts, though it be won but by Inches. To this purpose we may interpret our Bleffed Lord, when comparing the King

Mark iv. 27. dom of God to Corn that cometh up one knows not how. Its Growth is often not difcernible by Others, fometimes not by our Selves; yet live and grow it does. And, if our Pride and Impatience, or fome other ill Quality check it not, it will in due time produce wholfome and kindly, which is much rather to be chofen, than forward and undigested, Fruit. We muft not therefore be difcouraged, if we cannot be and do, what we defire and ftrive for. Grace, as well as Nature, works gradually, and must be left to its own Methods. And that is true of the Soil of our Hearts, which our Lord hath obferved, to a purpofe not very diftant from this I am upon, that the

Mark iv. 28.

Earth bringeth forth Fruit of her felf, first the Blade, then the Ear, after that the full

Corn in the Ear.

There needs no more to fhew, what Temper is required to bring forth Fruit, and how it comes to pafs, that this is fo feldom done: That the Seed and the Sower are blameless, and all the Defects in the Ground it felf. The Gospel fets both our Duty, and our Danger, before our Eyes. Thefe it is the Minifter's part to urge. He muft apply himself with all his Might, to perfwade, to convince, to awaken, as occafion ferves. But all this our Mafter did in the utmoft Perfection, and yet even He often fowed without any Fruit. And, the Truth is, What can We do? We can recommend Religion to Mens Confideration, and we ought to do it as powerfully as may be. But, after all we have faid, or can fay, it will lie in their own Breafts, whether they will confider or no. And they who do not, are Hearers by

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the Way-fide. We may tell our People, how loofe the World fhould fit about them; that a Good Life should be their main Concern; that they must learn and pra&tife their Duty, all Prejudice and Intereft apart: But it is not in Our Power to difintangle their Hearts, and root out their Prejudices; and till this be done, they are Seed among Thorns. So, lastly, We can excite to Patience, but we cannot infpire it; and They who faint and fall off, are Stony Ground. Confequently, when the Preacher hath done all he can do, and all he ought to do; still the Efficacy and Succefs of his Inftructions will depend upon the Hearers themselves. Inadvertency and Worldly-mindedness, and Impatience, are Obftructions of every One's making, and therefore they must be of every One's removing too. And, where they are not taken out of the way, our Barrennefs, and the whole Guilt of it, can reft no where, but upon our felves.

I have not forgotten to obferve before, how much of this depends upon the Divine Affiftance; and upon what Conditions we may be fure of That, to ftrengthen and to profper our Endeavours. Let us but add to these our hearty Prayers, and the Work will certainly be done; And therefore, That it may please thee to give all thy people increase of Grace, to hear meekly thy Word, and to receive it with pure Affection, and to bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit;

We befeech Thee to hear us, gocd Lord!

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The Sunday called Quinquagefima; Or, the Next Sunday before LENT.

1 Cor. xiii. 1,2,3. xii. 31.

Coloff. iii. 14. ii. 26.

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The COLLECT.

Lord, who haft taught us that all our Doings without Charity are nothing worth, fend thy Holy Ghoft, and pour into our Hearts that moft excellent Gift of Cha rity, the very bond of Peace and of all Virtues, without which whofoever liveth is counted dead before thee. Grant this for

thy only Son Jefus Chrift's fake, Amen.

PARAPHRASE,

1. The Gifts of the 1, Spirit, fo much coveted and envied among you, are yet in no degree fo neceffary for one's felf, or fo useful to others, as the Grace of Charity.

3. Nay, even the moft exalted Acts of Piety and Zeal lofe all

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The EPISTLE,

1 Cor. xiii.

Hough I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and bave not charity, I am become as founding brass or a tinkling cymbal.

2. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and under ftand all myfteries and all knowledge, and though I bave all faith, fo that I could remove mountains, and have not cha◄ rity, I am nothing.

3. And though I beflow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not cha rity, it profiteth me nothing.

their Value, if they do not proceed from this Principle of Charity.

4. Charity fuffereth long, and is kind, Charity envieth not, Charity vaunteth not it felf, is not puf fed up.

5. Doth not bebave it felf unfeemly, fecketh not ber own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6. Rejoyceth not in iniquity, but rejoyceth in the

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5. Doth not think any good Office unfit to be condefcended to, (fo Chryfoft.) does not confine its Endeavours to its own private Good; does not give way to violence of Paffion; meditates no Mischief to (or fufpects no ill of) others: Takes no Satisfaction in the Faults, but the greatest imaginable, in the Virtues and commendable Qualities, of others.

8. The Acts of this Grace are always in feafon, whereas thofe extraordinary Gifts of Prophecy, &c. have

7. Beareth all things, believeth all things, bopeth an things, endureth all things.

8. Charity never faileth; But whether there be Prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they fhall cease; whether there be knowledge, it fall vanish ar way.

their periods and particular occafions.

9: For

9. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

9. For the utmost we know, even when thus

enlightned, is very imperfect, and short of that which we shall know hereafter.

10. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part fhall be done away.

to which thefe Affiftances of the Spirit are vouchfafed,

10. And therefore when that Imperfection and thofe Occafions, shall be at an end, there

is an end of them too. So that they are plainly temporary, and never meant, as Charity is, to continue always.

11. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I underfood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12. For now we fee through a glafs darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then fhall I know, even as alfo I am known.

13. And now abideth Faith, Hope, and Charity, thefe three; but the greateft of thefe is Charity.

13. Nay, even Faith and Hope, tho' excellent Virtues, are not

yet equal to Charity. The prefent State indeed requires and exercises all the three; But, in the future State, the two former will be fuperfeded by Vifion and Enjoyment, and Charity only will then remain.

COMMENT.

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HE Epiftle for this Day is, in fubstance, noconthing else but a Commendation of Charity: filting, Partly in a Preference given to it above other Gifts and Graces; and Partly in a Description of it, by fuch Effects and Properties, as demonftrate the Excellency and Ufefulness of the Virtue it felf. Concerning the First of these I am not at liberty to treat. This being the proper Time for making good a former Promife, of explaining the Nature of Charity, and wherein it truly confifts. Referving Vol. 1. pag. 5.

therefore the Præeminence of this Grace

above the reft, to be fhewn at an Occafion already laid out for that purpofe; I chufe to confine my Thoughts at prefent to thofe Marks and Qualities mentioned in this Chapter, which may give us a juft Notion of the thing, and confequently inable us to form a right Judgment, whether our Souls be of that Frame and R 4

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