humbly confiders himself as not having already attained or being already perfect, but merely as prefing towards the Mark of the Prize of the high Calling of God; and not only uses his own Prayers, but begs theirs also, that, through the Supply of the Spirit of Jefus Chrift, all things may turn to his Salvation. We cannot help honouring such a Character: but, if we hope to be the better for it, we must also imitate it. And therefore let us examine with this View, that Defcription of it which I have read to you. Had the feveral Phrafes, ufed in it, been as nearly as poffible equivalent, and accumulated only to convey the intended Meaning more fully and ftrongly, this would have been warranted by the Example of the great Roman Orator: who profeffes to have done the fame Thing on a like Occafion. But there is a fuperior Accuracy and Beauty in the Words of the Apostle. Each of them fingly hath a diftinct Senfe: and

▷ Phil. iii. 13, 14.

c Phil. i. 19, 20.

Nihil enim habet præftantius [natura], nihil quod magis expetat, quam honeftatem, quam laudem, quam dignitatem, quam decus. Hifce ego pluribus, nominibus unam rem declarari volo: fed utor, ut quam maxime fignificem, pluribus. Cic, Tufc. Difp. 1. ii. c. 20.

See alfo A. Gell. 1. xiii. c. 24. where feveral Inftances of this Manner of speaking are given, and Reasons for it alledged; and Cic. De N. D. 1. ii. § 7. and De Fin. 1. iii. c. 4.

joined

joined together they form a connected and complete Body of Duty, as will appear by examining them separately: which I fhall therefore do in the firft Place; and then, Secondly, make a general Obfervation upon the Whole.

Truth, always prefent to the Mind of God, is the Ground of his Commands; and, fo far as difcerned by us, is the Ground of our Obedience. On this accordingly the Apostle here builds, and lays for the Foundation of his whole Superftructure, Whatsoever Things are true: that is, conformable to the clear Perceptions of our Understandings, the inward Feelings of our Hearts, the known Circumstances of our Situation. Setting out thus, he excludes, in the firft Word, from being any Part of Christian Duty, every thing romantic and vifionary, all Refinements of falfe Honour, all Enthusiasm of a heated Fancy. But he enjoins at the fame Time, whatever is reasonable and right; be the Practice or Notions of the World as contrary to it, as they will: whatever the fovereign Principle of Confcience dictates, though Paffions and Appetites may draw powerfully another Way; whatever the impartial State of any Cafe requires, let Vanity or Interest make ever so much against it: what we owe to our Maker, no less than what is due to our Fellow

B 3

Fellow-creatures : what divine Revelation teaches, no less than what human Faculties difcover : what the future as well as the prefent Condition of our Being demands. For our Relations to God are as real, and infinitely more important, than to Man; thofe Parts of his. Will which only Scripture makes known, the Authority of Scripture being proved, are intitled to equal Attention with those which Reafon dictates of itself: and fuch Confequences of our Actions, as will follow beyond the Grave, are but a fingle and a short Step more distant, than the vifible and daily ones that follow them here. These Maxims are the folid Bafis of proper Conduct: the whole Creation cannot shake them; and every other Scheme of Life is built upon the Sand, and will crush us under its Ruins. God himself proceeds invariably according to the Reason of Things; he must therefore expect Man to hold it facred; and both the Honour of his Government and the Holinefs of his Nature ftand engaged, that, fooner or later, every one shall find his Account in obferving this Rule, but none in tranfgreffing it. For his Righteousness is an everlafting Righteoufnefs, and his Law is the Truth.

Pfalm cxix. 142.

The

The fecond Head of the Apoftle's Injunction is, Whatsoever Things are honeft: or rather, as the marginal Tranflation hath it, venerable, intitled to Refpect: for fo the original Word in the Greek confeffedly fignifies, as indeed the Word boneft itself doth in the Latin Tongue, from whence it is derived into ours.

If, pursuant to the former Direction, we confider, according to Truth, the inward Frame of our Hearts and Minds, we shall perceive, that, as Man was created at first in the Image of God, fo there ftill remains in our Nature, however defaced by the Fall, a Sense of Dignity and Worth, which we ought to reverence in ourselves and others. The lowest of Men, with Reason, think Falfehood and Dishonesty beneath them; and the higheft, if they condescend to use them, lofe, by fo doing, a much truer Greatness than they retain. Worldly Advantages leave the Poffeffors of them but just the fame Men, which they would have been without them. Perfonal Accomplishments as often produce wrong Conduct, Hatred, Contempt and Mifery, as they do the contrary. At best, neither the one nor the other can give more, than a fhort-lived, and precarious Distinction. But Scorn of Wickedness, and Esteem of our Duty, fhewn in Prac

tice, this is the valuable Pre-eminence, which will continue an Ornament to us through every Condition of Life, through every Period of our Exiftence; will intitle us to inward Veneration, as well as outward Regard, and recommend us, not only to fallible Beings, but to the unerring Searcher of our Hearts, and final Rewarder of our Deeds. Whoever therefore would obtain a truly honourable Character, must preserve himfelf above dishonourable Actions and never permit either Profit, or Pleasure, or Favour, or Power, titular Preeminences, or popular Opinion, to debase him into doing any Thing ill.

Keeping up this Kind of Superiority to the Height carries no Pride in it, no Temptation to Pride. For, though a worthy-minded Man knows every Thing to be mean, in Comparison of right Behaviour; yet he must know too, that his own Behaviour is very imperfectly right, even in the Sight of Men, much more of God: and were it completely fo, it would still amount to no more than his bounden Duty. He will therefore always proceed with great Humility, though with great Steadiness, in the Discharge of his Confcience; patiently expecting, what he will certainly find, that many other Things,

and