Sermons preached

But however, be that Complaint true or false, it concerns us to take notice of it, and to prevent all Suspicion of this kind. And therefore we need to press Moralities upon Christians, and that from the true Root, the Love of God; for that is the great Mistake of this Age, to set up a sort of false Morality, and forget the true one, that is built on Faith in Christ, and Love to God.

Now to set down each particular Duty would be tedious. The Life of Man is short, and the Law in all its necessary Explications long and voluminous; and therefore to have a sure Rule, and a short one, would be a very great Advantage to us in this Matter.

And this one Direction, which I have read to you out of the Word of God, will serve instead of all. It is a sure Rule, for Christ gives it us, who is Truth it self; and though it be short, it is full enough for our purpose, for here is the Substance and Quintessence of the Law and Prophets, all drawn into one compendious Rule and Abridgement of our Duty, the best Epitome that ever was. A Sentence this is of such weight, that the Emperor Severus (as Lactantius reporteth out of Lampridius) was so taken with it, that having heard it from some Jew or Christian, he wrote it in his Palace, and caused it to be engraven in Golden Letters in the Courts of Justice, and to be proclaimed at the punishment of Offenders. And therefore I shall briefly discourse of this Rule, and present it to your serious Consideration.

And this one Direction, which I have read to you out of the Word of God, will serve instead of all. It is a sure Rule, for Christ gives it us, who is Truth it self; and though it be short, it is full enough for our purpose, for here is the Substance and Quintessence of the Law and Prophets, all drawn into one compendious Rule and Abridgment of our Duty, the best Epitome that ever was. A Sentence this is of such weight, that the Emperor Severus (as Lactantius reporteth out of Lampridius) was so taken with it, that having heard it from some Iew or Christian, he wrote it in his Palace, and caused it to be engraven in Golden Letters in the Courts of Justice, and to be proclaimed at the punishment of Offenders. And therefore I shall briefly discourse of this Rule, and present it to your serious Consideration.