goodness to recommend it; there must be charms to persuade the man, as well as demonstration to convince him.

And what kind of effect such treatment as this is likely to find, we may learn from the success of the Apostle in the text: who though he did not make the king a convert by it, yet he did make him his friend; he pitied the Apostle's bonds, and wished it had been in his power to release him, and was in so fair a way to be persuaded, that had St. Paul but been at liberty, no doubt but such another conference would have made Agrippa, "not only almost, but altogether a "Christian."

How industriously do some men labor to exasperate every difference, and widen every breach, and take a pleasure, or a pride, in setting one another at defiance! and by this means the Church of Christ is reduced to a miserable condition among us, so afflicted "❝with wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores," that though we had need to apply all the balm in Gilead for its cure, yet we are, always, renewing the pain, and fretting the wound, and still keeping it open with needless provocations.

It is this that brings Religion into disrepute; and where there is such implacable enmity maintained among men, there can be no credit given to their profession. If, therefore, we would restore the true Christian Faith and practice once again, and establish virtue in the world, we must take pattern by the text, and shew a charitable mind, a friendly concern, for

the

persons of those men whom we endeavor to re

claim.

"I would to God that all that hear me this

VOL. III.

D

day,

day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, "except these bonds!"

III. I am now to prove, that this gentle method is most agreeable to the general current of the word of God, and more particularly suitable to the nature of the Gospel,

Indeed, Religion seems, principally, designed by God to civilize the world, and make us kind and courteous to one another; and therefore, of all His illustrious attributes, He has chosen His mercy to be the foundation of all our religious duties. "There is mercy with thee," says the Psalmist," and therefore, shalt thou be feared."

And accordingly, the Son of God is represented to us under the emblem of a Lamb, and the Holy Spirit in the figure of a dove, without violence, without gall, and whosoever has any true sense of the Divinity, must needs apprehend it under these amiable characters; and since the great work of Religion is to make us, in some measure, like to God, surely he that is most charitable, and meek, is also most Religious,

When God delivered his Law to the children of Israel, and first established his Church upon earth, He did it by the hands of "Moses, the meekest man

alive," as knowing that this is the temper which must recommend Religion, this is the spirit which must keep the world in awe; and whosoever sits in Moses' chair with any other spirit upon him, dishonors the function, and usurps the place. And yet there are those, who think that Religion must, always, be attended with violent commotions, and that a zeal

for

for God has no way to shew itself, but in a boisterous noise.

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But how does this agree with the description which the Prophet gave of our Blessed Saviour?" Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth, He shall not cry, nor lift up, "nor cause His voice to be heard in the streets, and "a bruised reed shall He not break." If this is the character of Him in whom the Lord delighteth, sure the clamorous, tumultuous, zealots are the men whom His soul abhors.

How do they answer the pattern which our Saviour set us in His life? Moses, in his time, was the meekest man alive! but Christ was as much meeker than he, as the Gospel is a more excellent and perfect dispensation than the Law. How charitable was His soul, how kind and affable was His conversation; and yet the world was then come to the very height of wickedness; then the " iniquity of men was full." But when did He ever renounce the society of men, by reason of those sins and frailties, wherewith they were, justly, chargeable? Though we always find Him conversing, freely, and friendly, with publicans and sinners, yet the Pharisees, those great reformers of the age, moved his Soul to anger, and shewed that the Son of God could pardon all sins, sooner than a mistaken zeal, and an extraordinary pretence to godliness.

And now, can any Christian pretend to be nicer in distinguishing between good and evil, than our Saviour was? Ifour eyes are so very pure, "that we cannot "behold iniquity," let us but turn the prospect, and look into our own hearts, and there the very best of

us may find iniquity enough to make us more angry with ourselves, and more patient towards other men. !

What was the behavior of the Apostle in the text? His liberty and his livelihood were lost, his reputation questioned, and his life in danger: but yet he kept his temper still, and when he came to speak for himself, he shewed no angry resentment against his accusers, made no indecent reflections upon his judge, but included them all in this affectionate wish, this charitable prayer, "I would to God that not "only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were "both almost, and altogether such as I am, except "these bonds!"

And now, having proved that this modesty of be havior, this civility of Religion, is most agreeable to the will of God, and, therefore, fittest to be observed; I proceed in the last place, to shew that it is also most suitable to the nature of man, and most likely to have a good effect.

IV. And here we cannot but admire the constitution of the Gospel, above all other moral disciplines that ever appeared in the world before. There were seve ral zealous men, and great ones too, who, formerly, undertook to reform mankind: and several were the methods by which they undertook to do it.

After their fruitless attempts, our Saviour came, "and shewed us a more excellent way." He placed Religion upon another bottom; grounded his Gospel upon Charity; and taught us to bring converts to His Church, by the force of love, and the charms of a virtuous, friendly conversation. And this method. proved so very suitable to the minds of men, that it,

1

presently,

presently, found a good effect; and wrought, as it needs must, a mighty reformation.

Whenever, therefore, we undertake to correct out brethren for their faults, if we endeavor to amend them too, it is a very good design: but then it must be, discreetly, managed. We must take care not to give any unnecessary distaste, or any suspicion of either private interest, or secret pride. For who can bear our reproofs, if we speak to others, only out of kindness to ourselves, and blacken them, to set a foil upon our own conceited virtues ?

When the "doctrine drops like the rain," as Moses says, "and distils upon us, as the gentle dew," how naturally does it soften our hearts, and bring forth good fruits of increase! But if it falls down in violent storms, and hasty showers, it does but overwhelm the field, and spoil a hopeful harvest.

"One word in season" may have a good effect. But to multiply words, and that unseasonably too, is losing our labor, and betraying our design.

"Admonish thy friend" in private, says the wise man, "perhaps he has not done it." But if we, rashly, launch out into open exclamations, insulting over their follies, and upbraiding their faults, we do but proclaim the weakness of our own passions, while we are inveighing against theirs; and shew that our design is not to reform them, but only to gratify ourselves.

To conclude. What I have said is a doctrine of universal use, especially in such a sinful, but withal such a censorious, age as this: may, every one that hears me this day, be able to make a particular application of it to himself! And the applicaD 3

tion