237 OF THE VIRTUES WHICH ADORN RELIGION. TITUS II. 10. That they may adorn the Doctrine of Elative Duties are, of all others, both Rede molt difficult to perform, and the when performed, the best and fureft Trials of true Christianity, and the Power of real Godliness. Difficult they are, because most of the Temptations that affault us are chiefly bent against the careful and confciencious Discharge of these For they fo often come to be put in Practice, that the Devil can never want either Matter or Occafion for his 2 Sugge Suggestions. They are fo interwoven with our Lives, and mingle themselves with all our Actions and Concerns, that it must needs be much harder not to mifcarry here, than it is in other Duties of Religion, which do not fo frequently call upon us; inasmuch as it is far more difficult not to do that negligently,which we are to do always, than that which only now and then requires our Care and Attendance. And our own Experience, I believe, can fufficiently testify, that it is a greater Task, and that we are fain to use more Force and Violence upon our felves, to demean our felves as Christians at Home in our own Families, in our Shops, in our Trades, and daily Employments, than in the Church, and the more folemn and immediate Worship of God. And as Relative Duties are the most difficult; fo are they the most certain and infallible Evidences of true Grace that can be given. For as Perfons ufually wear Masks and Vizards Abroad, but lay them afide when they come Home: So the Hypocrite, however he may be mask'd and difguifed in Duties that are befide his ordinary Courfe of Life; yet when he returns to his Domestick and Ordinary Converse, he will certainly lay aside his Vizard, and appear in the Management of his daily Affairs, to be what indeed he is unjuft and unconscionable. For truly it is almost impoffible to lay fuch a Violence upon Nature, as to perfonate and counterfeit that which must be perpetual and cuftomary. And therefore it fares with fuch as with Players; who, though upon the Stage they act the Parts of Kings and Nobles, yet ftrip off all their Pomp and Oftentation in the Tiring-Room, and return Home to their abject and fordid Life again. Now upon both thefe Accounts, both because they are difficult, and because they are the fureft Testimonies of our Sincerity, we find the Apostle fo often inculcating the Practice of thefe Relative Duties upon Chriftians; neither do I know any one Subject, on which he is either fo large, or fo preffing. We have ample Directions given us concerning our Demeanour in them, I Cor. 7. throughout the whole Chapter; Ephef. 5. from the 228 Verfe to the End; Ephef. 6. from the Ift to the roth Verfe; Colof. 3. from the 18th to the End of the Chapter; and Colof. 4. 1. and 1 Tim. 6. 1, 2. Nay, there is fcarce any Epiftle wherein the Duties of our Relations are not prefs'd upon us as the the greatest Part, and beft Evidence of true Christianity. So in this Chapter of my Text, the Apostle exhorts Titus, who was conftituted Overfeer of the Church of Crete, both to a fedulous Care of performing his own Duty towards them, as standing in that Spiritual Relation; and likewife earnestly to urge upon them the Performance of their Relative Duties, according to the Capacities and Stations wherein they refpected each other. And that he might rightly divide to each their Portion, he directs him what Inftructions he thould give the Aged, Verf. 2, 3. That the Men Should be grave, fober, temperate, found in Faith, in Charity, in Patience: To the Women; that they should not be Falfe Accufers, or Make-bates, fowing Strife and Diffention by idle Tattle, and groundless Rumours; that they should not be given to much Wine, but fhould be Teachers of good Things. To the Younger; Verf. 4, 5, 6. that the Women fhould be fober, and love their Husbands, and their Children; that they should be difcreet, chaft, Keepers at Home, and obedient to their own Husbands. That the Men should be fober-minded, not puff'd up with Vain-Glory, and SelfConceit, the Sins ufually of that Age. And then in the 9th Verfe he defcends to the Duties of Servants, and lays an Injunction Injunction upon him to exhort them, that they be obedient to their own Mafters, pleafing them well in all Things; not answering again when they are reproved; not to purloin from them, but to be faithful in the Truft which is committed to them. These are the Duties which St. Paul gives in Charge, to fo great a Paftor as Titus who was fet over the whole Island of Crete, as the chief Paftor in Dignity, and I think in Authority and Jurifdiction too: Thefe, I fay, are the Duties that fo great an Apoftle enjoins fo great a Pastor earnestly to prefs upon them. But, alas! have we not many fo fuper cilioufly proud, and puff'd up with a vain Conceit of their greater Perfection, who would account that Minifter flat and dull, that should infift upon fuch low Things as these are? Nothing now adays is thought worthy an Auditory, but fome high mystical Speculations, which too often are as far from being intelligible, as they are from being practicable. And for these common and daily Duties of a Christian Life, they undervalue them as below their Attainments, and leave them to honest, moral Men, as fit for fuch only whom they defpife and undervalue too. Let me tell fuch Pharifaical Spirits, that it is not their fublime No R tions, |