dangerous a Temper of Mind, as that of a particular forethought Malice. Let us learn so to behave our selves, as it becomes 'those who believe a future Judgment; and let us be Merciful, as we expect to obtain Mercy at that Day; through the Merits and Mediation of Chrift Jesus. To whom, &c.

SER

SERMON XI.

MATT. V. 21.

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old Time, Thou shalt not kill : and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the Judgment.

Ver. 22. But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his Brother without a Cause, shall be in danger of the Judgment: and whosoever Shall fay to his Brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the Council: but whosoever shall fay, Thou Fool, Shall be in danger of Hell-fire.

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The Fourth Sermon on this Text.

ITHOUT troubling you with Repetition of what I have formerly spoke from this Text, I shall only acquaint you, that having already confidered, First, Inward Anger: Secondly, Slight Affronting Words: Thirdly, The higher Provocations of Contumely and Reproach: And Fourthly, the gross Act of Killing: I proceed now to the Fifth Thing I proposed to confider from the Words; namely, The Degrees of Punishment in the other World; which together with the General Obfervation concerning our Saviour's Way of Interpreting the Commandments, is all that remains now to be spoke to from this Text.

V. The Fifth Thing then I proposed to Confider from the Words is, The Degrees of Punish

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ment in the other World, proportioned to the several Degrees of Sin. In Handling of which Point, I shall observe the following plain Method.

1. I shall enquire what Foundation there is for this Doctrine from the Text.

2. I will confider some other Scripture Proofs

for it.

3. I will confider what Ground there is in the Nature and Reason of the Thing for this

Doctrine.

4. I will endeavour to draw fome Inferences from it, for our Edification.

I. First then, Let us enquire what Foundation there is for this Doctrine of several Degrees of Punishments in the other World, from our Text. Where, First, we may observe, that our Saviour faults the short Interpretation of the Scribes and Pharisees, not only as to the Sin of the Sixth Commandment; but likewife as to the Punishment of that Sin. As to the Sin, the Fault he finds with them is, that they understood nothing to be prohibited by it, but the gross Act of Murder. And as to the Punishment, That they understood no Punishment to he threatned, but that of the criminal Courts among themselves : Whosoever shall kill, fhall be liable to the Judgment. Now both these Mistakes of theirs, he corrects in his Interpretation. But I say unto you, &c. For in this his Interpretation, as he affigns three Degrees of Sin, so he affigns likewife as many Degrees of Punishment.

Now that these Punishments do not relate to this Life, but to the Life to come, will, I think, fufficiently appear from the following Confiderations.

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1. From the whole Scope and Purport of this

Sermon on the Mount, it is evident, our Saviour is not instructing Magistrates, but Private Christians; he is not prescribing Laws of human Policy, but directing the Confcience; his Kingdom not being of this World. 2. That our Saviour never took upon him either to inflict, or to prescribe Human Penalties; but thought fit to leave the Governments of the World in the full Poffeffion of their Jurisdiction; and therefore it is no way probable that he is here prescribing the Penalties of Human Courts of Judicature. 3. It is plain from the Sins here described, they are such Sins as fall not under the Cognisance of Human Laws; the first of them being Inward Anger, which, till it breaks out into some-outward Words or Actions, cannot be the Subject of any Rule, but of him who alone is the Searcher of Hearts. The Punishments then here assigned must all relate to the other World. And if so, there being here several Degrees of Punishments affigned, it follows plainly that there are several Degrees of Punishments in the World to come.

But then may fome think, why are not we beforehand acquainted with the several Natures of those Punishments; only barely told that they are greater or lesser, according as the Sins are greater or lesser for which they are inflicted? Perhaps if we were made more sensible of the Nature of them, we should be more afraid of them, especially of those Higher, more terrible Degrees, of which we now understand so little. But for answer, what if the Things in their own Nature are fo far beyond our present Comprehenfion, that we are no more capable of them, than Children

are

are capable of Understanding the Affairs and Policy of Men? But God has thought fit so to condescend to our Understandings, as to illustrate them by Comparisons with such things as fall within our Knowledge and Comprehenfion. As here, where the several Degrees of Punishment in the other World are illustrated by the Punishment of the Sword, and the Punishment of Stoning, and the Burning in the Valley of Hinnom; all which were well known to the Jews.

II. So much for the Foundation of this Doctrine from the Text; Let us next consider, as we proposed, fome other Scripture Proofs of the same Doctrine.

(1) In general, in the Descriptions given us of the Proceedings of the great Day, we are frequently acquainted that God will reward every Man according to his Works. This the Scripture teaches us in a great Variety of Expreffions, Job xxxiv. 11. Elihu says, The Work of a Man shall be render unto him, and cause every Man to find according to his Ways. So Pfalm Ixii. ult. Thou renderest to every Man according to his Work. So Solomon, Prov. xxiv. 12. Doth not he that pondereth the Heart confider it? and he that keepeth thy Soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every Man according to his Works? So the Prophet Jeremiah xxxii. 19. Thine Eyes are upon all the Ways of the Sons of Men, to give every Man according to his Ways, and according to the Fruit of his Doings. The New Teftament goes on in the same Strain, Matt. xvi. 27. The Son of Man shall come in the Glory of his Fa ther, with his Angels; and then he shall reward every Man according to his Works. So St Paul, VOL. II.

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2 Cor.

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