little of this honest, plain, inartificial kindness subfifts. However, Religion still restrains much evil, and produces much good, and ferves to many excellent purposes; though fome are fo injudicious, that they cannot perceive it, or fo perverse, that they will not own it. Nor, indeed, muft we imagine that, even in the Golden age of the Gospel, these fair ideas were univerfally or perfectly exemplified, or forget the many complaints of the Apostles themselves, concerning falfe or weak brethren, and disorderly walkers. To say the truth, there is a little illufion in the reprefentation which we form to ourselves of those days: diftance fmoothes fome imperfections, and time foftens fome fhades.

Amongst the focial and friendly duties which feem to be generally recommended, and which every one was called upon to perform, is the duty of exhortation. Exhort one another :-To what? To good works, without queftion; to every thing that a Chriftian ought to do. Much of the fame nature is the precept, Admonish one another, and, Warn one another.

The text is concerning Exhortation; the difcourse has been hitherto concerning mutual affection; but the connexion between these two things, and the dependance of the former upon the latter, is greater than fome may than fome may perhaps imagine. Exhortation ought to proceed from brotherly love, elfe it will be faulty in its motives, and unfucceff

ful

ful in its attempts; and because it often is fo, this has given rise to two fplenetic obfervations, made by those who view human nature in the worst light: First, that every man is liberal of advice; fecondly, that no man is the better for it. If a perfon exhort another, purely because he is a friend, and defire his welfare, the very manner will fhew the man; for love has an air, which is not eafily counterfeited: He will temper his advice with difcretion and humility; he will add whatsoever is neceffary to recommend it: and if a perfon be perfuaded that he who gives him his advice would also give him any thing else that he could reasonably defire, he is not a little disposed to attend to it, and to allow it a favourable hearing.

Exhortation comes moft properly from fuperiors and from equals. It is part of the duty of rulers to fubjects, parents to children, mafters to fervants, the elder to the younger, and friends to friends, fince friendship always finds or makes a certain parity. It cannot be convenient or decent that every man, upon every occafion, fhould exhort every man; but every perfon has his inferiors, or his equals, and towards them he is to exercife this office upon all inviting opportunities.

I

Befides; there is a fort of indirect exhortation-if may fo call it to virtue and to goodness, which every Christian ought to exercife, even towards his fuperiors; and that is, to fpeak well of all thofe who deferve well of him, and of the Christian world,

and who fill up their ftations with dignity and integrity; to esteem them highly for their work's fake; to praise good things and good perfons: To which I fhall not add, that he has the fame call, and the fame right, to blame those who are deficient, and who want either the capacity or the will of acting fuitably to their office and rank; because cenfure is often as nearly related to cenforioufnefs in reality, as it is in found, and is not a weapon fit for every hand to wield. But here, likewife, there is an indirect cenfure, as well as an indirect exhortation; and furely, every one may affume the honeft freedom to pass by in neglect and filence those who deferve reproach and disgrace. It would conduce to many good purposes, if this negative reproof were fo duly difpenfed, that all the profligate, the infolent, the unworthy, and the ufelefs; all the refuse and rubbish of fociety, of what rank and condition foever, might defcend to the grave uncommended, and there lie and moulder in oblivion. Pity that this ever fhould prove the fate of thofe, to whom other returns are due. Reputation indeed accompanies defert, as its fhadow; but fometimes the day is overcaft, and the shadow disappears.

The office of exhortation is, in a more particular manner, incumbent upon us, who are the minifters of the Gospel; and we are exprefsly required to exhort, warn, admonish, incite, and reprove, with

*

Axge, homines nihili. Luke, XVII. 10.

humble

humble authority, and modest resolution, and meek integrity, and prudent zeal. To infift upon this, will be called preaching up ourselves, and magnifying our office; and perhaps the fubject might be treated to more advantage by those who are not perfonally concerned in it. But thus much, without breach of decency, we may foftly infinuate,-and the fober part of the world will bear witness to it-that we ufurp no dominion over men's confciences, or perfons, or purfes; that we pretend not to what every Prieft of the Romish Church affumes, every gifted Saint, and illuminated Fanatic. And yet, for want of a better objection, we have been accused of formal state, and spiritual pride, and of bearing ourfelves as Embassadors of heaven, a phrase which we never much affected. For this, the Drunkards make fongs upon us, and grimacing Ridicule aims at fomething, that is meant for a jeft. They will not grant us, it seems, what the Devil paid to Paul and Silas, when he said, Thefe men are fervants of the Moft High God, which fhew unto us the way of salvation. But it is to small purpose to expoftulate with perfons, whofe Politenefs hath refined away their manners, and whofe Tafte hath eaten up their understanding; and it is altogether unneceffary to warn them, not to make an ill use of their Wit. Happy would they be, if they were as fecure from all other danger; for, in this refpect, they may fairly claim a place amongst thofe, to whom little has been given; and of whom, confequently, little will be required.

"But," it may be faid, "after all, over-bearing haughtiness and folemn pride are bad things, and deferve blame.". Very true; nor are we backward to disapprove them. We are not unwilling to condemn all pride in general; and in particular that.. poor and filly pride, which makes a man exalt himfelf on account of his ftation, and thereby confefs that he has nothing better to be proud of: Nor have we any thing to plead in behalf of cold and distant airs, or of that forbidding gravity, which has been called, well enough," a mystery of the Body, invented to conceal the imperfections of the Understanding."

There are particular feafons and occafions for particular exhortations; as when a person is advanced to any high ftation in the Chriftian republic: It is then expedient that he fhould be admonished to beware of himself, and to remember what God and men expect from him; and every one who deferves fuch a ftation, will take it kindly, to be thus reminded of his duty. In St. Paul's exhortations to Timothy and to Titus, there is fomething, which, according to our modern ideas. of civility, muft appear ftrange. To exhort fuch perfons that they avoid what is evil, and practise what is good, feems to us a tacit infinuation, that they are deficient in their duty, or, at least, a kind of fuperfluous profufion of counsel. But, in the opinion of St. Paul, no man was too skilful, or too high, or too holy, to be exhorted and advised. In the Apoftolical writings we fee an unaffected fimplicity