Meeknefs, Long-fuffering, the ftricteft Pu- SERM.VI. rity and Chastity. One distinguishing Excellency is, that it guards against the Hopes of compenfating for the habitual Breach of one Commandment, by the Obfervance of others. For it informs us, that he, who habitually and deliberately offends in one Point, does not perform any Duty out of a fincere Regard to God, the only true Principle of Virtue; a very great Truth, but unknown to the Gentile Writers. There was no fuch Thing in the Pagan World, as a rational and determinate Scheme of worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth'; and no fuch Duty enjoined, as Humility in it's full Latitude. No fuch Precept occurs in Heathen Writers, as that we should give Alms in fecret; that our Father which feeth in fecret, may reward us openly. And yet this is the moft fubftantial Test of genuine Virtue. For we ought to be jealous of thofe fhining Qualities, which draw upon us the Admiration of the World, such as Generofity, Valour, &c. because we are often actuated to the Difplay of them by a Principle of Vain-Glory: But the Performance of good Actions in private, when the Stream of our Goodness runs under Ground,

SERM.VI. Ground, ftands clear of all finifter Views, and can only be refolved into a Principle of pleafing our Maker.

Before the Appearance of Christianity, the World had narrowed their Notions of Love, and confined it to the Pale of their Friends, Relations, and Country. A moral Writer of the most extenfive Views, even Socrates himself, expreffeth `himself thus: "When the Grecians and Barbarians fight one against the other, this is properly called Fighting: For they are Enemies by Nature. But if Grecians, "that are Friends by Nature, quarrel with

one another, this is an unnatural Dif"temper*." Thus Socrates recommended an Attachment to his own Country, exclufively of the reft of Mankind, against whom he makes a State of Enmity to be natural. But Chriftianity has enlarged the Sphere of our Affections, as well as opened a wider Field of Truth for the Underftandzing; and enjoined a Love, as extensive as the Light of the Sun, and as active as it's Heat. Then our Affections are prejudicial, when like the Sun-Beams, collected in a burning Glafs, they centre in one Point; * Plato de Repub, Lib. V.:

when

of

when they are widely diffufed, they chear SERM.VI. and refresh all Nature. Christianity has taught us to love every one, but to dread no Man whatever: At the fame Time, that it cherisheth every manly, noble, and exalted Principle, of which human Nature is capable; it fhuts out every little, fervile, and illiberal Paffion. A Love fo extenfive was fit to be enjoined by that Being, who is Love itself, and has in him the Fulnefs every amiable Perfection. Whereas other Writers took Things in too high a Key, and were proud to foar above the Level of common Apprehenfions; the infpired Writers ftoop to the lowest Capacities, at the fame Time, that they enlighten the higheft. Of which the Parables of the uncompaffionate Servant, of the Samaritan, of the prodigal Son, of the poor Man's Ewe Lamb, of the Vineyard in Isaiah, of the barren Tree which cumbered the Ground; are fo many beautiful Inftances. We view moral Truths through the Veil of Allegories and Parables; like fo many Pictures through a tranfparent Glafs, which covers, but does not hide them. Some of the most important fpiritual Sentiments, as particularly in

:

the

SERM.VI.the elegant Parable of the Tares, are madeeafy to us by the most familiar fenfible Images. Thus does Truth, like the great Author of it, ftand confeft in a vifible Shape, receive, as it were, a Body, and become, if I may use the Expreffion, incarnate.

From thefe, few Strictures on the Plan of Morality contained in the Scripture, I proceed to what, was the principal Intention of the facred Writers, the Enforcement of Morality by proper Sanctions and, Encouragements.

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The infpired Penmen have placed Virtue on it's true Foundation, not upon any prefent Complacency, not upon any low temporal Motives of Conveniency; but ́upon beavenly Views, upon the Will of God as our Judge and Rewarder. To follow Virtue difinterestedly, without any Regard to our Happiness here or hereafter, is to purfue it as an empty Idea, and not as a fubftantial Good. To love it for the Sake of prefent Pleasure and Happiness, will never induce an effectual Obligation; because Virtue and Pleasure do not always coincide; and because that reflex Act of the Mind, by which it applauds itself, when it has entertained a generous Sentiment, or done a noble

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noble Action, is eafily over-ruled and dif- SERM.VI. abled by the urgent Solicitation of any boisterous and craving Paffion, and by any uncommon Distress and Anguish. · Fine uninteresting Ideas of Virtue, even in a Soil fufceptible of them, which fome Soils are not, flourish as a Flower of the Field: Which, however delicate and beautiful the Leaves may be, as foon as the Wind (any strong tempestuous Wind) goeth over it, is gone, and the Place thereof, for a Time, knoweth it no more. Besides, whether of the two acts upon nobler Principles, the Man, who cultivates Virtue for the reflex Approbation of his own Mind, or he who practiseth it for the unerring Approbation of his Maker? The Man, who loves Goodness for a much lower, because prefent, Confideration, viz. the Pleasure immediately confequent to a good Action or he, who commands a more Spacious Profpect, has more open and extended Views, and looks beyond this tranfient Scene of Things, to that Fulness of Joy, which is at God's right Hand for evermore?

Be that as it will, an exceeding and eternal Weight of Glory will turn the

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Scales,