his own Word, or by being bufy where he had nothing to do, or by difobliging Beha viour, or by making himfelf obnoxious to the Government? A I do not deny but fometimes a good Man fuffers under the Ill-will of others, without any Occafion given on his Part; but it fo rarely happens in Comparison to the other Cafe, that generally speaking the Harms we feel from other Men, were brought up on our felves by fome Sin and Folly of our own. And the Rule of the Apostle will hold good, quoted from the Pfalmift, Pfal. 34. 12, 13, 14. He that will love Life, and fee good Days, let him refrain his Tongue from Evil, and his Lips that they fpeak no Guile. Let him efchew Evil, and do Good. And thus much for the first fort of Firtues, which are proper to prevent the Anger and Ill will of others from breaking out againft our felves. And even this Degree of Virtue seems fufficient to perform what the Text promifes, and that is, to fecure us from Harm by our own well-doing: Who is he that will harm you, if ye be Followers of that which is good? But for the farther Illuftration of this Truth, let us proceed to the next Branch of Virtues, viz. II. Thofe that are apt to conciliate Love and Good-will. For it will farther appear that that to be Followers of that which is good, is a confiderable Security against Harm from others, in that it does not only keep others from being our Enemies, but it will alfo make them our Friends, and that is more ftill. The Truth is, every one of the former Qualities and Virtues under the other Head contributes to this Purpofe, efpecially thofe two, of Fidelity and Courtefy. If a Man makes nothing of his own Word, he is not to be trusted, and if he be of a rough and furly Humour, it is not eafy to converfe with him, and under this Character he is not likely to attract many Friends; but where Fidelity and Affability are mix'd together, where the Access is not hard, and yet what is promised or faid is a fufficient Ground of Confidence, there every confi dering Man will take the Opportunity of making an Acquaintance. But this is the leaft Qualification that can be defired to wards the gaining either of particular good Friends, or a general Good-will, and fuch as may fuffice to make the Character of the righteous Man, of whom St. Paul speaks, but not of his good Man: Scarcely for a Righteous Man will one die: yet peradven ture for a Good Man fome would even dare to die, Rom. 5. 7. There are then other Things neceffary in order to a strong Intereft in the Affections Ff 2 of of Mankind, befides the Virtues of the first Kind already mentioned, which feem to be fumm'd up by St. Peter under the Claufe of doing Good. A Man that would fee good Days, let him efcher Evil, and do Good. Now the Virtues of the fecond fort, that gain upon other Men, by attracting Goodwill and Love from them, are fuch as thefe: 1. Condefcending Goodness. 3. Forgiving Wrongs fo far as to do Good against Evil. 4. Fenderness of other Mens Reputation. And, 5. A Prudent Officiousness in all Kinds of doing Good. The first of these is a Condefcending Good nefs, that is, when a Man is good to others that are meaner than himself. For what is more obliging, and generally praised, than to fee a Man ftoop to do a good Turn? To do Courtefies to those that are above us, tho' fuch Things fhould be done by pru dent and good People, may yet be faid to be Flattery; but to be helpful to those of whom we have the better in Point of *Eftate and Place, or any other Intereft, is never almoft but well conftrued. The Truth is, the Example of God Almighty fhould lead us to confider our Inferiors with Kindness. For what Man can T be fo much above another as God is above us all? And yet he is gracious, to all, and his good Providence takes Care of us all And one reason why we ought to love and praife God is, because of his wonderful Goodness to fuch Creatures as we are, as David hath taught us, Pfalm 8. 4. What is Man that thou art mindful of him, and the Son of Man that thou vifiteft him? And cer tainly where God's Example of this Kind is in any degree followed, it is generally applauded, and makes a Man belov'd, and charms all that take notice of it. If a Man be vifited in his Sickness, or relieved in his Diftrefs, by any one of his Betters, it is taken more kindly and thankfully for the most part, than if he had recei ved the fame Courtefy from one that is but his Inferior, or his Equal. For as the World goes, we do not ufe to expect much Condefcenfion from them that are above us, and therefore when we meet with it, we take it with more Thanks, and those that obferve it are pleas'd with it too. So that a Man by confidering his Inferior, or one over whom he hath many Advantages, fhall not only gain that Perfon to himself, but a great many more, and by one Act make a Friend of that Person that hath received the Benefit of it, obliging those to him too that have not received it. Nothing, in a word, is more popular, and wins Ff3 more more Thanks from the World, than a Condescending Goodness. A particular Instance whereof in the hoobiam įt 4 2nd place is Liberality in relieving the Peor and Miferable, especially Aged Peo ple, which doth not only gain the Good will of those who are comforted by this Kind of Charity, but of all that obferve it. For few are by Nature cruel and unmerciful, moft Men are well enough pleased to fee others that are in Mifery reliev'd; and tho' their Compaffion be not ftrong enough to draw Relief from themfelves, yet they have generally Compaffion enough to be glad when 'tis done by others. A Man may be envied for having Wealth, but he is always lov'd for a charitable Ufe of it. No Man can find in his Heart to grudge that his Neighbour hath a better Estate than he has, who fees how much Good he doth with it, and that many are the better for his Management of it; and therefore if an unhappy Accident overtakes him, all Men are ready to run in to help him, and they that never exprefs'd Charity at other times, will be afham'd to be behind-hand upon this Occafion; whilft every Mischance that befals a covetous Wretch, doth but expose him to the Contempt and Laughter of most of his Neighbours. 3. Forgiving of Wrongs, fo far as to do Good against Evil, doth alfo gain very much upon |