SERM. highly difpleafing to God; and it fhews fuch XIV. a bitter malevolent fpirit as provokes him to

treat men with greater feverity than otherwife he would do. On other occafions the fame divine teacher affures us that the fovereign ruler and just judge of the world, whose proceedings are all according to the exacteft rules of equity, will, in the diftribution of recompences to his fervants, have a great regard to the ufage they give their fellow-fervants, as here he exprefly fays, with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.

To divert us from this evil, our Lord points out to us the true, the more proper and profitable ufe, which is to be made of our reflecting powers, our reafon and the fenfe of good and evil which is planted in our minds; and that is, in examining ourselves, our own tempers, and our lives, that we may apply ourfelves carefully to the amending of them. Befides other and greater advantages which would accrue to us from thus employing our thoughts, namely, the perfecting us in all virtue, and preparing us for the highest happiness of our nature, it is a most neceffary qualification for the office of reproving others effectually and fuccesfully. For how

appa

rently

rently unreasonable is it, feverely to condemn SERM. lighter offences in our neighbours while much XIV. greater ones are chargeable upon ourselves? And what fkill can we pretend to in inftructing, what authority in urging others to reformation, while it is notorious we have not wifdom and integrity enough to discover and correct our own greater errors? Here also, as in other parts of the fermon, there feems to be a regard had to the temper and way of the fcribes and pharifees, hypocrites, against which our Saviour would have his disciples very cautious for they were severe in animadverting upon minute failures, as in ritual matters, while they indulged themselves habitually in heinous vices, in pride, covetoufnefs, and oppreffion. Let every man therefore, who fets up for an inftructor, and reformer of others, first caft the beam out of his own eye, and then he will fee clearly to caft out the mote out of his brother's eye. Let him first discharge himself of all ill habits, purify his heart from corrupt affections, and cleaníe his life from vicious practices; then will he be able both with greater understanding and efficacy, to direct others in the neceffary work of reformation.

SERM.

But when all this is done, when men have XIV. fettled accounts with themselves, when their confciences are clear of indulged vices, and their reputation free from any fuch blemishes as would bring them into contempt and render all their admonitions ineffectual, ftill there is difcretion to be used in reproving. Great confideration is to be had of men's tempers, and what probability there is of fuccefs, or what effect any inftructions we can give may have upon them: which is directly the subject of the text; give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither caft ye your pearls before fwine; left they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. It is an excellent difpofition to propagate the knowledge of the true religion and virtue, and one of the best offices we can do, not to fuffer fin to lie upon our brother, but reprove and endeavour to reclaim him: for he that converts a finner from the error of his way faves a foul from death: but at the fame time, this is a work to be gone about with great prudence. In fome cafes, and fome perfons, no attempt at all is to be made, because there is no appearance of any good to be done but hurt. They must be quite unpractifed in the world,

who

-who do not know that there is a great diver- SERM.
fity in the fentiments and difpofitions of men XIV.
towards the things of religion. Some feem
to be very fufceptible of them; their minds
are eafy of access; they have ears to hear
and hearts to receive the inftructions which
even bring their faults to remembrance, and
reproach them with their folly. There are
others who have hardened themselves against
reproof and become altogether impatient of
it they do not care to be troubled any more
with fuch matters, and hold them only as
officious meddlers, the fit objects of their
refentment, who teize them with discourses
of religion.

Now our Saviour's intention here is to
teach his followers how they ought to carry
it to thefe perfons, fo directly oppofite to each
other. The former they have great encou-
ragement to converse with upon religious af-
fairs, and endeavour to amend in them what-
ever they can difcern to be amifs: the other
are not to be meddled with left they become
worfe instead of better, and even return out-
rage for admonition. This is what we are
to understand by that which is holy, and
pearls; the precious doctrine and rules of
religion, which the friends of them ought to

treat

SERM. treat with great caution and tendernefs; not XIV. to throw them out fo promifcuously on all

occafions as may expofe them to contempt: but by all means make a choice of the perfons with whom they have communication upon fuch points, that fo their honour and dignity may be preferved. It is to be obferved, that when the apostles were fent out to preach the gospel, as unconfined as their commiffion was, and they fuitably furnished for executing it with a power of working miracles and extraordinary divine illumination, yet their mafter gives it them in charge to make a diftinction among men in applying to them. They were not immediately to accost all perfons they faw with their, meffage from heaven, but make diligent inquiry in every place they came to, who in it were worthy; that is, who were men of probity and candor, that it might be expected would give a fair hearing to the gofpel of the kingdom of God. Agreeable to this was St. Paul's conduct*, when after fourteen years travels and continual labours in the converfion of the Gentiles, he returned to JeruSalem by revelation, or by the immediate direction of God's fpirit; he communicated the gofpel which he preached, that is, pure Christianity

*Gal. ii.