Ground, that that they do not think and act alike.

The Reafon of this feems to be, that mighty Afcendant which Ufe and inveterate Habits naturally gain upon us. We can very hardly be perfuaded to change a Practice or Opinion, which we have been educated in, and long accustomed to; or to fuppofe, that other Men fee farther into things, than our felves. The Man therefore who leans more to his own Understanding and Study,than to that Principle of Virtue which fhould difpofe him to an entire Submiffion to Chrift and his Doctrine, is by no means in a condition of having his Mind enlightened by God. For God expects that we fhould be fubject to Him without any Referves, and thinks it fit, that a Religious Love and Obedience fhould take place of our own Reasonings.

of

CHA P. XV.

of Works of Charity.

His is a conftant and univerfal Rule, That no Confideration of any Advantage, no Regard any Perfon whatsoever, muft ever prevail with us to do an Ill Thing: But the Benefit of a Perfon who ftands in need of our Relief, is oftentimes a fufficient Warrant for leaving a Good Thing undone; or for changing our Measures, and chufing to do one Good Thing rather than another.For indeed,properly Ipeaking, this is not fo much an omitting to do well, as a prudent Contrivance to do better. But, let the Thing we do be what it will, it is the Principle upon which we do it, that must recommend it: And, as without Charity, both all we are, and all we do, fignifie nothing; fo, where this is at the bottom, every

thing we do, how mean foever in its felf, is of very valuable Confideration. For God obferves by what Springs we are moved, and measures our Defert, by the Difpofition of the Heart,and not by the Worth of the Gift,or the Quality of the Action.

The Man then, that loves a great deal,does a great deal; the Man that does any thing well, in that one thing does a great deal: And he does well, who prefers the Good of others before his own private. Pleafure or Profit. That which frequently paffes for Charity, is really no better than a selfish and carnal Principle: For how very feldom do Men act upon other Motives, than the gratifying their own Inclinations, the doing their own Will, the prospect of their own Advantage, the expectation of Return or Reward; fo confulting the Convenience, not fo much of others, as themselves?

I Cor. xiii.

Now true and perfect Charity feeks not its own Advantage; and if God, in his Bounty, be pleafed to recompence it, yet this Recompence is not the thing principally in view, but its great Aim and End is the Glory of God. For the fame reafon Charity envieth not; because Envy is a Paffion proceeding from Selfifhnefs and Pride: And therefore the Man who acts upon a Principle fo generous, as neither to feek his own private Intereft, nor to take Satisfaction in himfelf, but places all his Content and Blifs in God alone, is got above Envy, and incapable of fo mean a Paffion. Charity looks upon God as the Sole Beginning and End of all Good; the Source, from whence it flows, and the Immenfe Ocean, in which it is fwallow'd up; the Perfon from whom all the Saints derive their Righteoufnefs, and in the Fruition of whom the Reward of their Righteoufnefs confifts. And therefore the Man poffefs'd of this Principle, fetsno undue Value upon himself or others; He takes no part of the Merit or Honour to himfelf; He is not

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profufe in the Commendation of others, but afcribes the whole Glory of every Virtuous Action to Him, whofe originally and in truth it is. And little need be faid, to fhew, that one thus difpofed, thus perfwaded of God, as the Only, the Univerfal Good, muft have fet his Heart upon things above. For fure the leaft Spark of this Holy Fire will ferve to kindle in our Breafts the Love of Heaven and Spiritual Joys, and fuffice to convince us, that all here below is full of Vanity, and by no means an Object worthy our Affections.

WH

CHA P. XVI.

Of Bearing with other Mens Faults.

Hen you obferve in your felf or others any thing amifs, which you would fain, but cannot cure, your Duty in fuch Cafes is to endure it till God fees fit to order Matters otherwife. And a Duty this is highly reasonable, if you confider, that poffibly it is much wifer and better, that thefe Faults fhould not be amended, than that they fhould. It may be God permits them for the Tryal and Increase of your Patience and Humility, without which all our Virtues are of no great regard in his fight. But at the fame time that you ought to bear, you are no lefs obliged to pray against them; to beg that the ill Example of them may be no hindrance to you in your Chriftian Courfe; and to implore the Affiftance of his Grace, for the bearing them in fuch a manner, that the Provocations arifing thence may never fhake your Temper or betray you to any finful, or fo much as indecent excefs of Paffion.

If a Man refuse to comply with good Advice, or to reform upon Admonitions and Reproofs; you are not, after these Offers of doing him Service have been made and repeated, obliged to contend with him any longer. 'Tis better to commit the whole Affair to God, and endeavour to effect that by your Prayers, which your Difcourfes could not do. Befeech Him therefore, whofe infinite Wisdom knows how to bring Good out of Evil, that his Will may be done, and his Name glorified; and that all who Serve and Worship him, may be led into fuch Actions as most contribute to thefe Ends, and are well-pleafing in his fight. And when you have thus discharged your Part, fet your felf refolutely to bear the greatest Infirmities and Faults of your Brethren without any Disturbance. And, for confirming this Refolution, remember, that You also have many Failings of your own, by which the Patience of other People will have its turn of being exercifed. And if you do, (as certainly you cannot but) fee this, think how unreasonable it is, to expect you fhould make others in all particulars, what you would have them to be; when you cannot fo much as make your felf, what you are fenfible you ought to be. And, indeed, nothing is more common, than to exprefs exceeding Zeal in amending our Neighbours, and mighty Indignation against Their Vices or Imperfections, while at the fame time we neglect the beginning at Home, and either quite overlook, or feem highly contented with our own.

We are

We take a pleasure in being severe upon others, but cannot endure to hear of our own Faults. furprized and uneafy at the Liberties they take with us, and wonder with what Confidence they can pretend fuch Intereft in us; and yet there is nothing fo extravagant, which we do not think we have a Right to expect, and refent it highly to be denied. We fet

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up for Reformers, declaim at the Wickedness of the Age, and are all for fuppreffing and punishing it by rigorous Laws; and yet are unwilling that any Check or Reftraint fhould be put upon our own Freedoms. This fhews, how far we are from obferving that great Rule of Equity, the Loving our Neighbour as our Selves; and meting to Others the fame measure which we are content fhould be meafur'd to us again.

Further yet, Suppofing all Men to be without Faults, fome Excellencies and Virtues must be loft too; What would become of Patience, what of Forgiving and Forbearing one another for Chrift's fake, if there were no Provocations to try our Temper? And fuch there could not be, if every Man were perfect, and did his Duty. But, as the present Condition of the World is ordered, God hath furnifhed us with conftant Occafions of bearing one another's Burthens. For there is no Man lives without his Failings; no Man that is fo happy, as never to give Offence; no Man without his Load of Trouble; no Man fo fufficient, as never to need Affiftance; none fo wife, but the Advice of others may, at fome time or other, be useful and neceffary for him: And therefore we fhould think our felves under the ftrongeft Engagements to comfort and relieve, and inftruct, and admonish, and bear with one another. Befides we fhall do well to reflect, that Afflictions and uneafie Accidents are the cleareft Indication of a Man's Goodness, and the Degrees of his Improvement. For we mistake extreamly, in imagining, that any thing which happens to us from without, is the real Caufe of our doing well or ill; Adverfity does not make Virtue or Vice, but exert and draw them into Practice; it does not change the Man from what he was, but only discover what he really is.

CHAP