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A65926 A discourse of the duty of shewing forth a good example in our lives deliver'd in a sermon at St. Mary le Bow Church, March the 28th, 1698 / by William Whitfeld ... Whitfeld, William, 1658-1717. 1698 (1698) Wing W2013; ESTC R38611 15,687 32

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vents himself in these Blasphemies of Hell but how strange would this Language appear to sober Men and Serious Christians if Custom had not made it too Familiar to our Ears In like manner may be shown the Dominion of Example over Men's Minds and Actions and our slavish imitation in many Sins of another Nature for there is nothing so Absurd or Wicked to which we may not be led by it Indeed it chiefly takes the Rule when our Reason sits the loosest and therefore governs us more especially in our follies and irregularities but if we consider well we shall find that it is not without Power of giving Laws to the serious and better part of our Life in which therefore the Prevalency of a good Example may be of an inestimable Benefit But yet such is our Natural Propensity to Sin and so much more of Evil than of Good doth this mirror represent unto us in this World that I much fear the disadvantages of a bad Example must be allowed to weigh down the Scale God hath been pleas'd indeed in all Ages of his Church to raise up Persons of an excellent Spirit in times of the most general Corruption Men who not being carried away with the stream of popular Vices make the right use of the Faculties they are indu'd with by Heaven in thinking reasoning and acting for themselves in Justice and Integrity not guided by the Influence of other Men's Example but by the Dictates of Reason and Precepts of Religion Such Persons will always distinguish themselves from a crowd of ill-doers and may by the Blessing of God become the good Genius of the Age they live in But alass in proportion to the great H●●● these leaders in Vertue are but very few and genenerally speaking the Chains of this servile Folly of Imitation in ill things Fetter down the most of Mankind to Corrupt Manners and an Irreligious Life II. And now if the Example of others be thus prevailing it concerns all Christians to be careful that their Light shine before Men and that they set forth themselves Examples of Good both in their publick and in their private Capacities Which is my second particular The Example of a Good Life is so far influential as it can be seen known or read of for so Light directs the Eye as far as ever the Eye possibly can follow it And the Lives of the Apostles and other Holy Men cease not at this day to call upon us to imitate them And herein the Duty of ev'ry Christian may be considered two fold 1. A general Duty to lead a good Life to the End that all Men may be benefited and no one scandaliz'd by the Example an obligation to walk with Sincerity and Uprightness in the view of all Men alike for being our Saviour hath Commanded his Disciples to be the Light of the World the whole World hath an undoubted claim to the benefit of their Light 2. A Particular Duty to which ev'ry Christian is bound from the several Relations he bears to others in this Life either in his private Capacity or from any publick Character that is in any station whatever wherein he is immediately appointed by Almighty God to be exemplary to those under his care or where of themselves any shall be prone to Copy after his Actions Thus whosoever shall commit any Wickedness whereby others are in danger of being corrupted Transgresseth this general Duty but with regard to such who stand more nearly related to him he violates his particular Duty For as a Parent the Authority of his vicious Example is more immediately destructive to his Tender Children as a Master of a Family it easily Commands the obsequious Servants If he shall be the Supreme Magistrate his Example is in the highest degree fatal to his Subjects If a Minister of the Gospel sets himself an Example in any Sin He is no long the Shepherd of his Flock but the Pest and Rotteness of it This shews the Reason of our Obligation to both the parts of this Duty and why we are to set forth ourselves Examples for Good in our private capacities and most retir'd conversation as well as in publick view As Christians we are to enlighten all Mankind but these and several other whether Domestick or Publick Characters do much enhaunce the obligation in respect of those to whom we stand thus related for consider'd only as Christians this Duty lies upon us in Common with all our Fellow-Christians but now from these Relations added to that Consideration a good Example is ev'ry particular Man's particular Duty and the performance of it belongs to no one but himself alone No one in the World bears properly a share with the Parent in the Duty and obligations of a Parent no Man can supply the Example of the Magistrate but the Magistrate nor any the care of the Master of the Family but the Master himself And under some one or other of these like Considerations there is no Person but must acknowledge it his Duty to be pious vertuous and exemplary in his Life for his Condition can never be so obscure nor his Conversation private but that He may be a shining Light in it nor can his Example ever become so profligate and contemptible but that there will be those who may be led astray by it If his Character is not large enough to fill a Country or to be look'd upon by the whole City yet to that House he lives in he may give a good and wholesome Example where-ever the pious Christian converses he is in a capacity of enlightning by his Reproofs and Advice and his Children Servants and Companions will by the Grace of God become the better for those Lessons in Vertue and Patterns of Goodness which he shall set them So on the contrary though thy vicious Habits shall have made thee the Scorn of Mankind in so much that the shame which encircles thee keeps all Wise Men at a distance yet Children and Fools are in danger and thy constant Companions in Sin will still be deprav'd and every day grow worse by thy Vices In short it is hardly possible but that the Example of an holy Life however private and mean it be must do some Good and I 'm sure it is utterly impossible but that a vicious Example though it be to the last Degree contemptible must do hurt to Mankind But then the more eminent the station is the farther will the Example be seen and the wider will its Influence spread if Good so much the more Good it does if Evil so much the more Hurt for the City that is set on an Hill cannot be hid And such have you made yourselves Bretheren by placing yourselves in this Station of overlooking other Man's Lives and of reforming their Manners Here indeed is the proper Sphere for Vertue Piety and Goodness to shine brightly in but on the other hand there is no soil more Fruitful for Sin for that seed falls into good