SERMON XXXVII.

ON CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.

PHIL. iv. 8.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

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AS the excellent characters of the first believers and teachers of Chriftianity are in general a strong recommendation of it to mankind: fo that of St. Paul in particular shines with diftinguished luftre through his whole history; but especially his epistles, the faithful pictures of his foul. Even in this short one to the Philippians, it is surprising to observe, how great a variety of most exalted and engaging virtues he shews. The authority of the apostle is so perfectly tempered with the condefcenfion of the fellow-Christian: the expressions of his tenderness for those to whom he writes are fo indearing and instructive at the fame time: his acknowledgments of their kindnesses to him, fo equally full of dignity, humility, and difinterestedness: his mention of his past perfecutions is so mild; and of his present danger, (for he wrote from a prifon) so cheerful: his attention to the supporting of their courage is so affecting; and his confidence, that both he and they should perfevere and conquer, is so noble, and yet so modest: his deliberation, whether life or death be eligible, is so calm; and his preference to live, even in mifery, for their sakes and that of the gospel, is so genuinely heroic, yet fully equalled by the composed composed and triumphant mention, which he elsewhere makes, of his approaching martyrdom: his zeal for propagating religion is so ardent; yet attended with so deep a concern, that it be indeed true religion: he is so earnest to guard them, both against a superstitious reliance on outward observances, and a licentious abuse of the doctrines of faith and grace; so solicitous to improve them in rational piety, and meek beneficent virtue; so intent to fix their minds on every thing worthy and amiable, and raise them above every thing gloomy or anxious; his warmth in this glorious cause, is so far from being affected or forced; and every expression so evidently flows from a heart, which cannot help overflowing; that, whoever shall read but this one epistle with attention and fairness, under all the difadvantages of a translation made word for word, and broken into short verses, will feel a strong impression on his mind, that the writer of it must have been an uncommonly great and good man; every way deserving of the high rank, which he claims, of a commiffioned servant of God, and incapable of claiming it falfely.

But, besides being thus moved with the admirable spirit expressed, and the fublime precepts diffused, throughout the whole; it will be still a new subject of esteem and wonder, to fee the force and substance of them all collected at last into one brief exhortation; comprehending, in so narrow a space, the intire compass of virtuous dispositions, and right behaviour, as is done in the text to which he subjoins with conscious boldness, appealing to all which they had learned and received, and beard and feen of him *, that this had been his own difpofition and behaviour: yet humbly confiders himself as not having already attained or being already perfect, but merely as preffing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of Godt; and not only uses his own prayers, but begs theirs also, that, through the fupply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, all things may turn to his falvation I. 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 several phrafes, used in it, been as nearly as poffible equivalent, and accumulated only to convey the intended meaning more fully

Phil. iv. 9. † Phil. iii, 13, 14.

Phil. i, 19, 20.

fully and strongly, this would have been warranted by the example of the great Roman orator, who professes 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 sense: and joined together they form a connected and complete body of duty, as will appear by examining them separately: which I shall therefore do in the first place; and then, fecondly, make a general obfervation upon the whole.

Truth, always present 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 superstructure, Whatfoever things are true: that is, conformable to the clear per ceptions of our understandings, the inward feelings of our hearts, the known cireumstances of our situation. Setting out thus, he excludes, in the first word, from being any part of Christian duty, every thing romantic and visionary, all refineaments of false honour, all enthusiasm of a heated fancy. But he enjoins at the same time, whatever is reasonable and right; be the practice or notions of the world as contrary to it as they will: whatever the sovereign principle of confcience dictates, though passions and appetites may draw powerfully another way; whatever the impartial state of any case 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-creatures: what divine revelation teaches, no less than what human faculties discover: what the future, as well as the present condition of our being demands. For our relations to God are as real, and infinitely more important, than to man; those parts of his will which only scripture makes known, the authority of scripture being proved, are intitled to equal attention with those which reason dictates of itself: and such consequences of our actions, as will follow beyond the grave, are but a fin

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gle and a short step more distant, than the visible and daily ones that follow them here. These maxims are the folid basis of proper conduct: the whole creation cannot shake them; and every other scheme of life is built upon the fand, 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 holiness of his nature stand engaged, that, fooner or later, every one shall find his account in observing this rule, but none in transgressing it. For his righteousness is an everlafting righteousness, and bis law is the truth *.

The fecond head of the apostle's injunction is, Whatsoever things are honeft: or rather, as the marginal tranflation hath it, venerable, intitled to respect: for so the original word in the Greek confessedly fignifies, as indeed the word honeft itself doth in the Latin tongue, from whence it is derived into ours.

If, pursuant to the former direction, we consider, 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, so there still 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 reafon, think falsehood and dishonesty beneath them; and the highest, if they condescend to use them, lose, by so doing, a much truer greatness than they retain. Worldly advantages leave the poffeffors of them but just the same men, which they would have been without them. Personal 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 short-lived and precarious distinction. But fcorn of wickedness, and esteem of our duty, shewn in practice, this is the valuable pre-eminence, which will continue an ornament to us through every condition of life, through every period of our existence; will entitle 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 himself above dishonourable actions: and never permit either profit, or pleafure,

• Pfalm cxix. 142.

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pleafure, or favour, or power, titular pre-eminences, or popular opinion, to debase him into doing any thing ill.

Keeping up this kind of fuperiority to the height, carries no pride in it, no temptation to pride. For, though a worthyminded 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 fight of men, much •more of God: and were it completely so, 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 some of them very bad ones, will greatly out-shine, in the eyes of the world, so plain and unpliant a qualification, as this, of uniform uprightness: which yet is indeed beyond all others the respectable one; the only ground of conscious self-approbation, of mutual esteem and trust, of public order and safety.

For, however common it is become to treat all pretence of principle as mere hypocrify; and both to give with great gaiety, and receive with great complacency, intimations, which one should think could do neither fide much credit, as if intereft or inclination would induce them, or any one, to do almost any thing; yet fuch general representations are both false in themselves, and pernicious to human society. The worst of men are not thoroughly bad, without some mixture of good. But nothing can go farther towards making all men so, than treating it as an acknowledged point, that they are so already, and cannot be otherwise. In proportion as this doctrine prevails, no guilt will be out of countenance. Now what the consequences of that must be, is easily difcerned; and the prophet hath told us very plainly: Were they ashamed, when they bad committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall-At the time that I visit them, they shall be caft down, faith the Lord*. Undoubtedly the wickedness of mankind is great: and those in high stations have particular opportunities of feeing it in a strong light. But still, they, who feel any good qualities in themselves, cannot justly think there are none in others. And be there ever so little probity in the world, it is our most serious interest

Jer. vi. 15.