profane in our Lives, what a Number of Souls may we utterly undo, by enfnaring them into the fame Excefs of Riot? How unkind are we to those with whom we are familiar, and what a World of Mischief do we do them? Those that are innocent, by the Force of our Example, we draw into Sin and Mifery; and those that are already vicious, we confirm; we ftrengthen their Hands, and make them bold and impudent in Iniquity. 'Tis certainly a very heinous Crime to caufe but one fingle Person to lose his Innocency, by being an occafion of Sin to him; but how much more heinous is it to feduce many to fin, and to teach and lead on a Multitude to do Evil? A wicked Example is as contagious as the Plague,it scatters Infection and Death around, and sheds its Venom among all within its reach; nay, it docs more Hurt, and is of far worfe Confequence; the Plague murders only Mens Bodies, but this infects and deftroys their Souls too. And what a fad and deplorable State is that Man in, who hath not only the Burthen of his own Sins lying heavy upon his Soul, but alfo the Guilt of all thofe Mens whom he hath betray'd into Sin, and by his own ill Behaviour involv'd in the fame wicked Practice with himself?

Col. i. 10.

Upon these Confiderations, the good and charitable Man, who hath always the Welfare of others at heart, thinks himself oblig'd to have a special Care of his Demeanor, that it be free from all Blame and Offence, that nothing in it but what is decent and becoming, appear to the Eye and Obfervation of Men; he behaves himself wifely in all his Words and in all his Actions, and by both brings Credit and Honour to Religion, and powerfully recommends it to the Minds and Confciences of Men; his Speech is seasoned with Salt, with the Salt of Wisdom and Prudence, and nothing that is vain and frothy, profane and impious, corrupt, or any way unfavoury,comes out of his Mouth; his Actions are all comely and commendable, and such as are well efteem'd and approv'd of by the best and wifeft of Mankind; he walks worthy of the Lord, unto all well-pleafing, and is fruitful in every good Work. And what a lovely Sight is here!

How pleasant is it to behold fuch an excellent Pattern of Virtue and Piety! Nothing in the World is fo taking, or wins fo much upon the Affections of Men, as the Life of a Chriftian, led agreeable to the Rules of his high and holy Calling; all good Men love and admire him, and bad Men too, in their

fober

fober Intervals, have a fecret Refpect and Veneration for fuch an exemplary and confpicuous Goodness. Now fuch a Life as this is the Effect of Charity. And indeed if any of us are guilty of unfeemly and unworthy Behaviour, and are often running into Indecencies of any fort, if we would but examine our Hearts, we fhould find that we have not much Love there, and that the Grace of Charity is wanting in us. For if the heavenly Grace of Charity were a reigning Principle in our Heart, it would direct us to do nothing but what is decent for us to do as Chriftians, it would teach us fo to order our Steps, and to regulate our Goings, that we should walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith we are called, and adorn and beautify our holy Religion by a fuitable and feemly Behaviour. Charity behaveth not itself unfeemly.

Ephef. iv.

I.

CHAP.

VI.

CHAP. VI.

Charity feeketh not her own.

•C

Harity * feeketh not her own. Charity is not selfish and narrow-fpirited, but free and generous; fhe doth not confine her Thoughts and Defires to herself alone, to her own Profit and Advantage, but in all Actions hath a due Regard to the Good and Welfare of others; she will not do the leaft Hurt or Injury to another, tho' thereby fhe might much promote her own Interest; but she is willing for a time to lay afide the Purfuit of her own Benefit, to depart a little from her own Right, and to suffer fome Inconvenience and Damage herself, if she can thereby be helpful and subservient to others,

* Ου ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς. κ ζητεῖ τὸ οἰκεῖον συμφέρον, ἀλλὰ τὸ wangiov. Theophylact. Non ita quærit fua, ut commodum & falutem Proximi negligat; nam inter Christianos partem noftri magnam fibi Proximus vendicat. Grot. Quavis in re haud propriis fed alienis ftudet profectibus. Seb. Meyer. Jure potiùs fuo cedit, quam illud cum Charitatis difpendio profequitur. Med. Non quærit quæ fua funt cum damno aut incommodo Proximi. Tirin.

and

and promote their Intereft. However we are to observe, that this Property of Charity doth not engage us to be fo intent upon the Welfare of others, that we wholly neglect our own, to be fo follicitous about our Neighbour's Advantage, that we throw by all Care for our own Concernments. 'Tis lawful for us to feek our own Things, to employ our Time and our Thoughts about our own Affairs, and to manage them with all the Skill and Prudence we can for our own Profit and Advantage; this our Religion not only allows, but requires of us, and makes it our Duty to do so. * Charity doth by no means prohibit an honeft Care and a prudent Concern for our own Benefit, but it utterly forbids us an eager and inordinate Purfuit after our own Gain, fuch a Purfuit as fixes our Mind and our Labour entirely upon ourselves, and excludes the Regard of our Neighbour's Good. While we are endeavouring to obtain any Benefit to ourfelves, we must have respect to our Neighbour's Advantage; while we are taking care about our own Interest

* Non enim quamlibet noftri curam aut ftudium reprehendit Paulus, fed exceffum, qui provenit ex immodico & cæco noftri amore; exceffus autem in eo eft, fi de nobis cogitantes alios negligimus, aut fi proprii commodi ftudium ab eâ folicitudine, quam de proximis habere nos jubet Deus, nos avocat. Calv.

in