IV. The Fourth and laft Advice with Regard to these Admonitions and Correptions; namely, that we should take care fo prudently to adminifter them, that they may do no Hurt, but give them to fuch Perfons, and at fuch Times, and in fuch a Manner, as is most likely to do Good. Give not that which is Holy unto the Dogs, &c.

The Words being made up of a proverbial Speech, and that likewife wrapt up in a parabolical Phrafe, have given Latitude to different Interpretations. In order to the finding out the true Senfe, we must enquire into these four Things; firit, to whom this Precept is given; then, who are here meant by Dogs and Swine; and thirdly, what is meant by giving our holy Things and Pearls to thofe Dogs and Swine; and lastly, what are the Dangers of Tranfgref fing this Precept, viz. the Trampling under Foot the Pearls and holy Things, and the perfecuting

those who adminifter them.

1. We are to enquire to whom this Precept is here given. And as to this, I can fee no great Difficulty in it; It is given to the fame Perfons to whom all the rest of the Sermon is addreffed, to the fame Perfons to whom the preceding Precept against rafh Judging is directed; that is, to all Chrift's Disciples, or all Chriftians. And indeed I cannot but take this Verfe ás belonging to the fame Subject concerning rash Judging, and as a proper Part of it; for as in the Verfe immediately foregoing, our Saviour gave Direction concerning the Qualifications of the Monitors, that they fhould first try the Virtue of their Admonitions upon themselves; fo now

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in this Verfe, he defcribes to us the Qualifications of the Perfons whom we are to admonish. And this leads me to

2. The Second Thing I was to enquire into; namely, who are to be meant here by Dogs and Swine; for they are the only Perfons, it feems, excluded from our Admonitions. There are two Properties of the Dog, I think here chiefly pointed at; his obftinate Barking, and his cruel Biting; and both thefe help to difcover to us, what fort of Perfons we are to forbear to Admonish or Reprove: namely, first, the barking Cur, who, if you offer him ever so good Advice, and in ever fo difcreet and calm a Manner, will never liften to it, or be convinced; but will fcold and argue again, from a mere Spirit of Difputatiousness and Contradiction. Arguments are but thrown away upon fuch a one; he is refolved not to be convinced, but will have the laft Word, though it is no more to the Purpose than, as we say, the Barking of a Dog. This is the Spirit of obftinate Hereticks, and likewife of wilful, habitual Sinners; you may talk to them till your heart akes, you are never the nearer; they will bark on, their Paffions will be more and more provoked; but neither their Herefies forfaken, nor their Lives amended: and therefore when we perceive this Obftinacy of Temper, we had as good let them alone; for no good, but a great deal of Hurt and Anger, is like to come from their incenfed Paffions. Secondly, Another fort of Perfon we are here excufed from Admonishing or Reproving is, he that is meant by the fierce biting Dog: Thofe Men, who are fo far from being perfwaded to

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Amendment by our good Admonitions, that they only hate us for them, and take all Opportunities to injure and perfecute their Monitors. So much for what is meant by Dogs. Swine are chiefly noted for their Impurity, loving to root in Mud; and not contented, like other Creatures, to wade through dirty Places when there is Occafion, but loving to wallow all over in the Mire, till there is not one clean Part about them. And this Filthiness is fo inherent in their Temper, and so inseparable from it, that no Labour or Pains can cure it; but the Sow that is washed will wallow in the first Mire again. By Swine then, we are to understand Men of the most profligate Lives, who are a meer Difgrace to their Chriftian Profeffion; and fuch as are fo rooted in their Wickedness, that they fhew an Incorrigibleness in it; and if you take never fo much Pains to wash and clean them, they continually break through all Exhortations, Refolutions, Vows and Promifes; and upon the first Presenting of a Temptation, run upon it as greedily, as the Sow that was washed wallows over Head and Ears in the first Mire fhe comes at.

3. We are to enquire what is to be meant by Giving that which is Holy to Dogs, and cafting our Pearls before Swine This we do, whenever we throw away our Admonitions and Reproofs upon any of the above defcribed unqualified Perfons: I mean, the obftreperous, obftinate Defenders of their Evil Ways; the fierce Perfe cutors, or the habitual ill Livers, who are Proof against all the Means of Grace. The Word Cafing of Pearls, implies a rafh and inconfide rate Throwing away fomething of Value, where

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it will do no good. And it is no new Thing for Admonitions and Reproofs to be compared to Jewels, or Pearls, or precious Things. A Word fitly spoken, fays Solomon, Prov. xxv. ii, iz. is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver. And again, as an Ear-ring of Gold, and an Ornament of fine Gold, fo is a wife Reprover upon an obedient Ear.

4. The last Thing to be enquired into, in Order to the Explication of the Words, is the Dangers they incur who tranfgrefs this Precept. And there are two here mentioned.

1. That the Dog and Swine trample all fuch Admoni tions under their Feet; that is, they despise and contemn them; implying that there is an Encrease of their own Sin and Guilt, by their abufing the Means of Grace; and likewise that the Means of Grace themselves are rendred more contemptible by being thus abused by such ill Men. 2. That they turn again, and fall upon the Monitors, and perfecute them. So that there is a threefold Danger here intimated. That godly Admonitions, and all fuch facred Things, fall under Contempt; that the Safety and Tranquillity of the Monitor are endangered; and the Sin and Condemnation of the admonished are much encreased. All which it will be fit to confider a little more particularly.

(1.) Let us confider the Contempt of Admonitions and all other facred Things, which will probably follow upon our Throwing them away upon fuch unworthy and unqualified Perfons. They trample them under their Feet. It is impoffible to defcribe what Dirt is caft upon holy Things by profane, incorrigible Men; how they VOL. IV. I

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not only harden their Hearts, and difbelieve, but how they mock and ridicule the most facred Truths. It is no eafy Matter even for good Men to manage holy Things with that Honour and Decency, which is due to their great Worth and Dignity. What must we think then of the unworthy Treatment they meet with, when they fall into the Hands of the profaneft Sort of Debauchee's, who have no Relish for fuch Things, except it be to mock and ridicule them? as we hear of fome, who, when they heard of the Refurrection of the Dead, mocked; Acts xvii. 32. fo far were they from believing that Doctrine of the greatest Confequence.

(2.) Another evil Effect of obtruding godly Admonitions and Reproofs upon Men, that are arrived to fuch a fuperlative Degree of Wickedness, is, that it ftirs up the Hatred and Indignation of fuch Perfons against their Monitors, which accordingly exerts it felf in fpiteful angry Words, and malicious perfecuting Actions. We know what wicked Use Herod made of John Baptift's wholfome Reproofs; for St. Luke tells us, Luk. iii. 19. that being reproved by him for Herodias bis Brother Philip's Wife, and for all the Evils which he had done, he added yet this above all, that be shut up John in Prison. We are here told the principal Cause of that Alienation of Herod's Affection from John the Baptift, of whom he had had a good Opinion formerly. But this Freedom of Admonition did fo foon four his Mind against him, that he not only put him in Prison, but afterwards confented to his Murder there. Severe Truths are fo choaking to Perfons arrived to an high Degree in evil Habits, that instead