fignally an Inftrument of making us more ferviceable to others, and of doing more good in the World. And if fuch be the Spirit and Temper of it, how is it poffible, but it muft needs acquire a great deal of Refpect and Love from all Sorts of Men? If Obligingnefs and doing good in one's Generation, do not endear a Man to those that know him, do not entitle him to their Love and Af fections, what thing in the World is there that is likely to do it?

But, Secondly, True and Unaffected Goodness feldom miffes of a good Reputation in the World. How unjust to Vertue foever Men are in other refpects, yet in this they generally give it its due; where-ever it appears, it generally meets with Efteem and Approbation; nay, it has the good Word of many that otherwife are not over-fond of Religion: Though they have not the Grace to be Good themfelves, yet they rarely have the Confidence not to commend Goodness in others.

Add to this, that no Man ever raised to himself a Good Name in the World, but ic was upon the score of his Vertues, either Real or Pretended. Vice hath fometimes got Riches, and advanced itself into Preferments; but it never was accounted Honourable in any Nation.

It must be acknowledged, indeed, that it may and doth sometimes happen, that Vicious Men may be had in Esteem; but then it is to be confidered, that it is not for their Vices that they are efteemed, but for fome good Quality or other they are eminent in. And

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there is no doubt, if those Men were without thofe Vices, their Reputation would be fo far from being thereby diminished, that it would become much more confiderable.

It must also be acknowledged on the other hand, that even Vertuous and Good Men may fometimes fail of that Efteem and Respect that their Vertue seems to merit; nay, in that degree, as to be flighted and despised, and to have many Odious Terms and Nick-Names put upon them: But when we confider the Cafes in which this happens, it will appear to be of no force at all, for the difproving what has been now delivered. For, First, It ought to be confidered what kind of Perfons thofe are that treat Vertue and Vertuous Men thus Contemptuously; we fhall always find them to be the Worst and the Vileft of Mankind; fuch who have debauched the natural Principles of their Minds, have loft all the Notions and Diftinctions of Good and Evil, are fallen below the Dignity of Humane Nature, and have nothing to bear up themselves with but Boldnefs and Confidence, Drollery, and Scarrility, and turning into Ridicule every thing that is grave and ferious. But it is with thefe, as it is with the Monsters and Extravagancies of Nature, they are but very Few: Few in comparison of the reft of Mankind, who have wifer and truer Sentiments of Things: But if they were more numerous, no Man of Understanding, would value what fuch Men faid of him. It looks like a Crime, to be commended by fuch Perfons; and may juftly VOL. I.

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occafion a Man to reflect upon his own Actions, and to cry out to himself, as He did of old, What have I done, that these Men speak well of me?

But, Secondly, It cannot be denied, but that fome Perfons, who are otherwise Vertuous and Religious, may be guilty of fuch Indiscretions as thereby to give others occafion to flight and defpife them. But then it is to be confidered, that this is not to be charged upon Vertue and Religion, but is the particular Fault of the Perfons: Every one that is Religious, is not Prudent; the Meanness of a Man's Underftanding, or his rafh and intemperate Zeal, or the Morofenefs of his Temper, or his too great Scrupulofity about little Things, may fometimes make his Behaviour Uncouth and Fantaftick, and betray him to do many Actions, which we may think his Religion obliges him to, that other People will be apt to fancy Silly and Ridiculous. But this doth not at all reflect upon Religion; nor doth it follow, that because the Imprudence of this or the other particular Man, expofes him to the Mirth and the Pleasantness of others, that therefore all Religious Perfons muft fall under the fame Fate: Moft certainly Religion, where-ever it is governed by Knowledge and Sound Principles, where-ever it is managed with Prudence and Difcretion, is a thing fo Noble, fo Amiable, that it attracts Love, and commands Respect from all that are acquainted with it, unless they be fuch profligately wicked Perfons, as I just now spoke of.

There

There is one Objection, made from the Scriptare, against this and the former Point I have been fpeaking to, which I defire to remove before I proceed to the Third General Head of my Difcourfe. It is this; That the Scrip ture is fo far from reprefenting Godliness as a means to improve our Fortunes, or attain a Reputation in the World, that it feems directly to affirm the contrary; for it affures us, that All thofe that will live godly in Chrift, must fuffer Perfecution: That the Difciples of Chrift shall be hated of all Men, for his Name's fake: That the World ball revile and perfecute them, and Speak all manner of Evil of them: And that thro many Tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God.

But to this, it is eafily anfwered, That thefe and other fuch like Paffages of Scripture, do not fpeak the General and Common Fate that attends Godlinefs in all Times and Places of the World, according to the Ordinary Course of God's Providence, but only refer to that particular Time, when Christianity was to be planted in the World; then, indeed, Perfecution and Difgrace, Lofs of Goods, and even of Life itself, was to be the common Portion of thofe that profeffed it. Nor could it otherwife be expected; for when a new Religion is to be fet up, and fuch a Religion as is perfectly deftructive of all thofe others that have been by long Custom received, and are by Laws eftablished in the World, it cannot be imagined, but that it will meet with a great deal of Contradiction and Oppofition from

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all forts of Perfons. But this was a peculiar and extraordinary Cafe, and could but laft for a certain Time: Now that Christianity hath obtained in the World, and is adopted into the Laws of Kingdoms, as, God be thanked, it is among us at this Day; fo far need we be from fearing, that the Practice of it will draw upon us any Perfecution, or fuch other Inconveniencies as are mentioned in the fore-cited Places, that there is no doubt but that we may rationally expect from it all those External Benefits and Advantages, which, as we have seen, it is in its own Nature apt to produce, and which God hath indeed made over to it by Promife, in feveral Paffages of the Scripture, especially of the Old Teftament.

For, that I may mention this by the By, I do not conceive that thofe Promises of Long Life, Good Days, and all manner of Worldly Profperity, with which the Practice of Godlinefs is fo frequently inforced in the Old Teftament, were fo appropriated to the Jewish Religion, as to be antiquated or difannulled by the Introduction of the Chriftian; but rather that they are still in force to all the Purposes they were then; for that the Coming of Chrift into the World, did add many great Bleffings and Privileges to the People of God, which before they had not, we are certain of: But that it took away from them any that before they had, this we no where read; nor indeed, is it probable.

But I haften to the Third and laft General Head I am to speak to, which is, The Excel

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