[SERM. Savour, fo doth a little Folly him that is in Reputation for Wisdom and Honour, Eccl. x. 1. The World is so envious, cenforious, and uncharitable, that they are glad to spy out any Fault in a good Man; and if they can find any fuch, they make more Use of it to leffen and disparage him, than of all his other Virtues to fet him off and commend him. But fuch was the bright Example of the first and best Christians, that Envy itfelf could find nothing to cenfure in their Lives; or if through Envy wicked Men happened to out with any Cenfures, there was fo little real Ground to fupport them, that they fell of themselves; and their Adverfaries were ashamed of their own groundless and unjustifiable Calumnies: as St. Peter fays, 1 Pet. iii. 16. Having a good Confcience, that whereas they speak evil of you as of Evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falfly accuse your good Converfation in Chrift. He goes upon the fame Notion in the iid Chapter of that Epistle, ver. 12. where he advises them to live fo inoffenfively among the Gentiles, that if any should accuse them as Evil-doers, these very Persons, when the Bufiness should come to be infpected, might be convinced of their Error, and glorify God on their Account. Having your Converfation honeft (or clear and honourable) among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as Evil-doers, they may by your good Works which they shall behold, glorify God in the Day of Vifitation. For this Reason it was, they were fo careful that all among them should do their Duty without Reproach, even to the meanest Servant, that no Dishonour might by their Misbehaviour be fixed on their Religion; as we may fee from St. Paul's Exhortation concern

ing Servants, Tit. ii. 9. Exhort Servants, fays he, to be obedient unto their own Mafters, and to please them well in all Things; not answering again, not purloyning, but fhewing all good Fidelity; that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all Things.

5. A Fifth Thing which fet off the Light of Christians to Advantage, was their extraordinary Diligence. The wonderful Zeal they fhewed in their Master's Service, drew as much the Eyes of the Spectators, as any Thing whatsoever. They were not like the indifferent, lukewarm Christians now-a-days, who are almoft like Gallio, that cared for none of thofe Things; but they were like Men who minded it as the one Thing needful, and as a Thing which they believed would turn to good Account in the End: According to the Advice of the Apostle to the Hebrews, who commending them for their Work and Labour of Love, exhorts them to fhew the fame Diligence, to the full Affurance of Hope unto the End; and that they should not be flothful, but Followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promifes, Heb. vi. 12. Ours are but dim Lights in Comparifon of theirs. They were burning and shining Lights, as our Saviour faid of John the Baptift; burning with Zeal, and shining by the Brightness of their Doctrine and Life. This was to place their Candle to the best Advantage, and to keep it well trimmed and fnuffed, that it might give a bright Light to all Beholders.

6. A Sixth and last Thing I shall mention, as that which fet them off with the greatest Luftre, was the Exactnefs of their Difcipline, managed by such skilful Paftors as the Apostles were, and obey'd

Hh 3

[SERM. obey'd by a People that had the greatest, I add, and justest Veneration for their Pastors that ever People had. No Hypocrite durft intrude into that facred Society. The Example of Ananias and Sapphira convinced the World, that the Apoftles could detect an Hypocrite; this, with the little, or rather no Encouragement there was in those Days to diffemble the Profeffion of Christianity, if they did not really believe the Doctrine, kept the Church in the Hands of fincere Believers; and if any one of them was found in any publick Fault, he was fure to be publickly rebuked, that others alfo might fear. And befides these publick Rebukes, they failed not to exhort one another daily, left any of them should have been hardened through the Deceitfulness of Sin. So that there were always a great many ready and watchful to trim the Lamps, and fnuff the Candles, and to take Care that they fhould give their Light to the beft Advantage.

To all which if we add, that the bright fhining by holy Life and Doctrine not being particular to one or two, but common to the whole Christian Church, this was like a Room full of Lights, which, joining their Splendor together, made one great Illumination, and fo gave full Light to all that were in the House.

O glorious Times, in comparison of ours, where there is but here and there a dim Light burning; and the reft are either never lighted at all, or gone out in a Stink. The Purport of all is, that we endeavour both to have Light in ourselves, and take care to communicate it in the best Manner to others. A terrible Doctrine to them, who, inftead of being Ornaments, are a Scandal and Difgrace to their Profeffion; and who, instead of

trimming their Lamps, that they may shine out bright in all the Splendor and Beauty of a Chriftian Converfation, endeavour rather to extinguish the little Light they have from good Education, and the Principles of natural Confcience, that they may the more freely, and without Controul, follow their vicious and unjust Inclinations. Let us endeavour in thefe degenerate Times to do fomething for the Honour of Christianity, and of our bleffed Lord and Master Christ Jefus, whose Difciples and Servants we profefs ourselves to be. We shall find in the end it will prove our own best Intereft, when all worldly Comforts fail, and we must bid an eternal Adieu both to our Estates and Projects.

God give us all Grace to confider in this our Day, the Things which belong to our everlasting Peace, before the Time come that they be hid from our Eyes. And to this great God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, let us render, as is due, all Praise, Honour, and Glory, Might, Power, and Dominion, for ever and ever.

SERMON XXIX.

MAT. V. 16.

Ver. 16. Let your Light fo fhine before Men, that they may fee your good Works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.

F

The Sixth Sermon on this Text.

OR our better apprehending the Scope and Defign of thefe Words, it will be neceffary to remember, how in the two foregoing Verfes our Lord had compared Chriftians to the Light of the World in general; and more particularly to a City fet on an Hill for their Confpicuity; and to a Candle in a Candlestick, for the Advantage of giving Light to all in the House. The Words I have now read contain the Ufe or Application of these Similitudes: Let your Light fo fhine before Men, &c. q. d. "Ye are not only to endeavour to be good Men in fecret yourselves, but are to have a great Regard to others; and are fo to order your Converfations, "that from them they may be ftruck with Ad"miration and Love of your Example, and fo "reclaimed from a vicious, to a godly and virtu

ous Courfe; which is the greatest Honour and "Service they can do to Almighty God." But

"for