those of the meanest condition are not exempted from this endeavour much more then should others make it their care and business who have greater advantages for it and consequently greater engagements to it And according to this more general extent of this duty I intend the prosecution of it The Doctrine I would insist upon is this It is the duty of every Christian so to demean himself in every business condition relation as may adorn the Gospel and win over others to a love of it There is a special care to be had to the comeliness of our actions that they be such and so managed as to bring a reputation to the doctrine we profess and make it seem lovely in the eyes of others I might cite abundance of proofs to this purpose All those admonitions in Scripture 1. Of not giving offence to others But 2. Rather winning them over by our good examples are but other kind of expressions signyfing the same thing with this in the Text. Such are those places which do prohibit the giving an occasion for the name of God and his doctrine to be blasphemed Rom. 2.24 1 Tim. 6.1 Or causing the way of truth to be evil spoken of 2 Pet. 2.2 Or giving occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully 1 Tim. 5.14 Signifying that special care and caution which we ought to use in vindicating the reputation of Religion Men are full of prejudice against the ways of God apt to entertain hard thoughts against them as if they were rough deformed and uneven ready to catch at all occasions of confirming themselves in these prejudices from the haltings and imprudences of those that profess Religion And therefore it should be their endeavour to be very wary of giving any advantages of this kind This was Nehemiahs argument c. 5. v. 9. Ought ye not to walk in the fear of God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies And in this very Chapter of the Text the Apostle exhorteth that their behaviour be as becometh holiness v. 3. that the word of God be not blasphemed v. 5. that he who is of the contrary part may be ashamed having no evil thing to say of you v. 8. So again 1 Pet. 2.12 For this reason ought your conversation to be honest among the Gentiles that whereas they are apt to speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold be brought to glorify God in the day of visitation To this purpose likewise are all those other Scriptures which do mention it as a duty to win over others by our good examples To let our light so shine before men that others seeing our good works may glorify our Father which is in heaven To consider one another to provoke unto love and good works that is so far to study the tempers inclinations interests of those we converse with that thereby we may be able to take the right advantage of doing good upon them If by any means we may provoke them to an honest emulation So Philip. 2.15 That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation amongst whom ye may shine as lights in the world That you may be of as great usefulness and ornament in your several Spheres as the lights in the firmament So Womens conversations ought to be such as to win their Husbands c. 1 Pet. 3.1 2. I shall cite but one Text more for the proof of this and then proceed to the Reasons of it 'T is that known place Philip. 4.8 Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue and if there be any praise think of these things Wherein the Apostle doth by a peculiar strain of Rhetorick inculcate upon the Philippians in the most comprehensive words and the most serious vehement manner all such lovely and desireable qualifications as might serve to adorn their professions Whatsoever things are true That is sincere and real free from all false pretences and appearances Whatsoever things are honest The original word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies properly venerable That is such things as may occasion in others a reverend esteem of you Whatsoever things are just That is free from the suspicion of unworthy partiality or base ends not so much aiming at serving the interest of a Party as doing that which is in it self right and just Whatsoever things are pure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is things that are free from all immodest uncomliness Whatsoever things are lovely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is grateful and benign such as will render a man most acceptable to those with whom he converses free from that asperity and ruggedness which do's so deform some mens carriage Whatsoever things are of good report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are some things that by the consent of Nations are of a good fame and well reputed of the Apostle would have a special care taken of such matters there being nothing of greater consequence to the interest of a Profession than the good name of those that profess it If there be any virtue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Word tho it be most frequent amongst the Philosophers yet 't is very seldom used in Scripture and not any where by St. Paul excepting this place as being perhaps too low an expression for those spiritual Graces which Christians ought chiefly to labour after But yet as for all those things that are commendable amongst the very Heathen which they style by the name of Virtue Christians ought not to be defective in such things or think it below them to imitate such examples If there be any praise whatsoever is counted laudable and comely by the very light of nature ought not to be neglected by them For the further confirmation of this Truth I shall suggest three Reasons to convince the equity of it 1. This doctrine doth adorn us and therefore 't is but reason that we should adorn it We are all of us naturally in a deformed forlorn condition being wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked and 't is alone this Doctrine of the Gospel that doth furnish us with gold and eye-salve and white rayment to enrich and beautfy us We are of our selves children of darkness 't is the Gospel that doth beget us again to a lively hope and make us children of the light and therefore 't is but reason that we should walk worthy of our vocation and as becomes children of the light Ephes. 5.8 Setting forth the virtues of him that called us into his marvailous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Light is one of the most glorious and beautiful creatures in the world and therefore an earthly and sordid carriage will not become that title Those that are raised to
be had to it and the more wise and virtuous any man is the more care will he take to transmit a grateful memory of himself to future times And if he must be spoken of after his departure that he be well spoken of that his name may be as a pretious ointment leaving a perfume behind it that men may rise up at the mention of him and call him blessed 2. 'T is our interest in reference to the avoiding of that mischief which we may otherwise be exposed unto by doing things that will render us despicable I shall mention only two places of Scripture which will afford abundant proof to this purpose One is 1 Sam. 2.17 Where 't is said of the Sons of Eli that they did by their scandalous carriage render themselves vile before all the assembly and caused them to abhor the offerings of the Lord. And 't is worth your special notice that which follows upon this I do not know any more dreadful threats in the whole Bible Chap. 3.11 God tells them that he will execute his vengeance upon them in such a manner as shall strike a dread and horror by the very relation of it and cause both the ears of them that hear it to tingle And again v. 14. I have sworn to the house of Eli that their iniquity shall not be purged with sacrifices nor with offerings for ever i. e. Those very means which were appointed as the remedy and expiation for other mens sins shall be no benefit to them Sacrifices and Offerings were the things about which they had offended by rendering them contemptible causing others to abhor them And therefore no reason for such persons to expect any remedy from them whatsoever their particular repentance might do as to the saving of their souls The offences they had committed were so highly scandalous that God was immutably resolved he had sworn it to execute upon them some signal vengeance in this life that should manifest to the world how much he was concerned for that dishonour which these men had cast upon his Worship Which judgments did afterwards accordingly come to pass in the suddain death of Eli and his two Sons and his Daughter in Law in the rejection of Abiathar from the Priests office and in that Massacre committed by Saul at Nob upon fourscore and five Priests of this family together with their wives and children and servants The other Scripture is that Malach 2. towards the beginning where speaking of such Priests as by their unworthy carriage did render the publick worship contemptible and cause others to stumble at the Law God threatens that he will send a curse upon them and will curse their blessings and spread dung upon their faces and make them contemptible and base before all the people And there is nothing more equal than that those who expose religion to contempt should suffer under it themselves Now to put all this together if we have any ingenuity and desire to do things decent and congruous to our Profession any sense of the duty which we owe to others whom it is our business to persuade or which we owe to our selves in the preservation of that whereby we are to be excited unto virtuous and worthy actions If we have any sense of our own interest in securing to our selves the greatest blessing and avoiding the greatest mischief that this world can afford it will upon all accounts highly concern us that we do not so demean our selves as to deserve to be despised III. I proceed to the third general head proposed namely the means whereby we are to preserve our selves from contempt which are of two kinds Negative and Positive 1. Negative or such things as in order to this we are carefully to avoid All kind of vices whatsoever especially such as have in them a more peculiar deformity and turpitude which are most likely to alienate the minds of others from us I observed before that littleness and impotence is the most proper object of contempt I am small and despised saith David Psal. 119.141 So that all such qualities and actions as will make us appear unto others to be but minute and little things must needs render us despicable Such are Narrowness of mind judging of things and persons by little measures setting up for reputation by zeal in the smallest matters with neglect of the greater Putting the highest value upon those little things of gain and promotion and the favour of men which therefore ought to be esteemed but little because they cannot make us better and we can enjoy them but a little while We must shortly go out of this world when all such things shall be useless to us and therefore ought not to come in competition with those other matters which may conduce to our living with honour and dying with comfort Being subject to immoderate desires fears impatience to be amused and transported with wonder at outward pomp and grandeur All which doth arise from a wrong estimate of things occasioned by our own littleness Magna ista quia parvi sumus credimus These things would not seem great to us if we our selves were not little From whence will follow a servility of spirit a readiness to dissemble flatter revile to bow down to any kind of baseness before such whom we conceive able to assist or to hinder us in our little designs of gain And on the other side demeaning our selves with insolence towards others from whom we can neither hope nor fear any thing in this kind These are blemishes which in all ages the men of our Calling have been accused of And the truth is they are liable to some peculiar temptations in this kind more than others And therefore ought to be more especially careful for the avoiding of them To which I shall only add this one consideration If we of the Clergy would not have others to despise us we must be careful not to despise one another Those in places of dignity and power should not carry it with too great a distance from their brethren The proper notation of the word despise is to look down upon a thing as being much below us And much less should they permit any of their Officers to carry themselves with insolence towards such as are of this sacred Functoin It cannot be but that others will despise us when they see that we despise one another 2. The Positive means to this end are in general all kind of virtue and goodness But there are some things which the Apostle adviseth to as having a more peculiar fitness and tendency to this purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever things are venerable whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue if there be any praise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have these things in account Phil. 4.8 Of these I shall mention only three 1. Wisdom 2. Generosity and largeness of mind 3. Holiness of
life I. Wisdom this makes a mans face to shine and the strength of it to be doubled Eccles. 8.1 Puts a lustre upon a person renders him venerable and amiable conciliates an honour and an awe from those with whom he converseth By wisdom I mean recta ratio agibilium as Aquinas defines it Not only skill in books and things and notions but the art of business directing a man to what is fit and convenient in several cases and circumstances the knowledg of humane nature of the various inclinations tempers interests of men and times 'T is not sufficient for him that would be a Pilot to understand the general Theory of Navigation without the knowledge of particular Coasts and Shelves and Currents and Tydes and Winds 'T is by this virtue of prudence that a man must be enabled to cut off occasion from them that would seek occasion 2 Cor. 11.12 And considering that great variety and inconstancy which there is in the judgments and affections of men the clashings and intanglements of cross interests the several changes and vicissitudes that befall humane affairs I say all these things considered it is not mere integrity without great prudence that can preserve a man in a constant and clear reputation 2. Generosity of mind magnanimity As littleness will render a man despicable so by the rule of contraries this true greatness and largeness of soul must make him venerable By this I mean an inclination of mind to things that are truly great and noble making virtue and true honour the common measure of every thing aiming at that which is great and excellent in every kind of virtue having but a small esteem for any of these external matters because they can add nothing to our inward real worth Every man is endowed with a natural principle inclining him to a state of happiness and hath in some measure both an ability to judge of and a freedom or liberty to apply himself unto those moral actions or duties which are the proper means for the promoting of this end Nor is he upon any other account to be justly praised or blamed but according to the right or wrong use of this natural liberty And therefore according as such a man doth find either in himself or others a constant and firm resolution to make a right use of this so doth he proportion his esteem towards them Preferring this inward greatness this rectitude of mind whereby a man is resolved in every condition to do that which shall appear to be his duty before any kind of external greatness whatsoever And if men did rightly understand their true interests there is nothing more sutable or more advantageous to humane nature than this Magnanimos nos natura produxit ut quibusdam animalibus ferum dedit quibusdam subdolum quibusdam pavidum ita nobis gloriosum excelsum spiritum quaerentem ubi honestissimè non ubi tutissimè vivat We are naturally born with greater and more generous souls than other creatures and therefore for a man to debase himself below the Nobility of his creation may justly expose him to contempt 'T is this that must make a man humble and gentle set him above the common impotences of pride and passion the false disguises of greatness Of which kind of temper it may be truly said non est magnitudo tumor est 'T is this that must keep us from being puffed up with prosperity or dejected with adversity free us from being envious suspitious fearful being secure upon the confidence of our own innocence not being subject to those vehement desires and impatience whereby others are transported Because those things which provoke them seem but little to us and therefore must have but little power over us 'T is this that must make a man prefer an empire over himself before power over others and the opportunity of being helpful to others before the advantage of gaining by them bearing good will to all mankind compassionate affable officious taking all opportunities of doing good to every one Nor is there any other qualification whatsoever that will make a man appear more grateful and lovely even to enemies themselves than this generous frame of mind 3. The third particular I mentioned to this purpose was Holiness of life Which is frequently mentioned in Scripture as a proper means to keep our esteem in the hearts of others and preserve us from being despised They that would be blameless must be harmless carrying themselves as the Sons of God without rebuke Philip. 2.15 And a little before the Text v. 7. The Apostle exhorts Titus to shew himself a pattern of good works that he who is of the contrary part may be ashamed having no evil thing to say of you So again 1 Pet. 3.16 'T is said that a good conversation will make people ashamed to speak evil of us And it was by faith and holiness that the Elders obtained a good report Heb. 11.2 In the 1 Tim. 4.12 There is the same precept with this in the Text. Let no man despise thy youth To which 't is immediately subjoyned as the most proper direction to this purpose but be thou an example of the believers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in purity When a man is careful to say what is good and to do what is honest to speak well and to act better endeavouring to be what he would seem to be avoiding all suspitions and appearances of evil when he is zealous according to his capacity for the promoting of publick good acting sincerely prudently and justly endeavouring to make the times the better for him wherein he lives this will be the most effectual means to make his name honourable and his memory pretious More particularly The demeaning of our selves with all due respect and lowliness to our Superiours is one of those well-doings whereby we are to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 1 Pet. 2.13 15 18. The proportioning of our zeal according to the real worth and importance of things that 's another Apostolical direction to this purpose Rom. 14.15 16. Having said Let not your good be evil spoken of he presently adds For the kingdom of God is not meats and drinks but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost whosoever in these things serveth Christ shall be accepted of God and approved of men Being mild and gentle not boisterous and peremptory having the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit endeavouring as much as in us lies to live in peace with all men as being that which gives opportunity to the more calm benign ingenuous operations of religion in the world Wherever these qualifications are they must and will contract at least a secret reverence even from those that may outwardly pretend to hate and despise us I have now done with the three general Heads proposed it remains that I add something briefly by way of application in answer to this case What 's to be done