(1.) First, It is neceffary for the Honour of the Truths and Duties conveyed in these good Admonitions; as it is not for the Reputation of good Wine to be prefented in a dirty Glass. In that Cafe Men would be more apt to have their Stomachs turned with the Naftiness of the Glafs, than their Appetite gratified with the Goodness of the Liquor. In the fame manner it happens with good Doctrine, when proposed by a very ill Man, or a notorious Hypocrite; the Word of God is then blafphemed, or evil spoken of on their Account. And therefore we find the Scrip ture always requires the greatest Purity and Holinefs of them, who are to convey the Knowledge of divine Truths and Duties to others.

(2.) Another Reason why this Qualification is fo requifite in them who admonish and cenfure others, is the great Decency and Decorum of the Thing. As in a Play, the Poet or Author would be much blamed, if he did not make every Perfon whom he introduces, act the Part which is moft fuitable for him; e. g. if he gave all the Rafhnefs and Follies of Youth to be acted by one who fuftains the Perfon of an old Man; or the Cares and Gravity of Age to be acted by him, who fuftains the Perfon of a Youth; fo in the Business of Life, it is fully as improper to bring in a Drunkard giving Precepts of Sobriety, or a lewd profane Wretch giving Precepts of Chaftity. This would be only an effectual Way to teach Men Hypocrify inftead of Sincerity in all Duty. And this leads me to,

(3) A Third Reason why we should firft amend our own great Faults, before we presume to correct others; namely, because of the bad VOL. IV. Succefs

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Succefs fuch Admonitions and Reproofs would probably have in the World. I know no Duty more difficult, or that requires a greater Degree of Prudence to execute it aright, than this Duty of fraternal Admonition and Correption; and if fo great a Blunder were committed in the Performance of it, as that the Perfon who adminifters it, should himself be notoriously guilty of the fame, or worfe Faults, his Reproofs would be looked upon as Mock-Reproofs, and he himfelf as guilty of the greatest Impertinency. The Truth would fuffer purely through his Default; and instead of being reformed, Men would be hardened in their Sins, by fuch a prepofterous and ill-contrived Reprehenfion.

2. The other Qualification required here in the Cenfurer is, that he fet about the Duty of correcting his Neighbour, not from any finifter hypocritical Defign, but from a fincere Defign of difcharging his own Duty, and of doing good to his Neighbour. Thefe Reproofs are apt to be abused, to serve the Ends of Pride, Vanity, Hypocrify, Infolence, and Imperiousness. But the only true End we ought to propose to ourselves is, that of Love and Charity to our Neighbour; that as we relieve our indigent Neighbour in his Want, fo we admonish our erring or finning Neighbour as to the Evil of his Ways. It is the inward good Motives and Principles in all Duties, which God chiefly regards; and therefore we should watch our own Hearts, left we fet about Duty, I mean, the external Part of Duty, from wrong Principles; for that alters the whole Nature of the Action, and from a virtuous, makes it a vicious one. Now the

Want

Want of these good Principles in this Duty of fraternal Correption, is that very Thing which our Lord here taxes with Hypocrify. The bad. Principles and finifter Defigns of Men in this Affair are very many, and very intricate; fo that I cannot pretend to a full Enumeration of them. Only that we may be the better guarded against them, I fhall endeavour to point at the chief Heads of the bad Principles, which make this Duty of cenfuring degenerate into Hypocrify, when they are intermixed with the Discharge of it.

(1.) First, The Duty of fraternal Admonition having fome Refemblance with the Dictates of a morofe and furly Difpofition, which both loves to find Fault, and to cenfure feverely, and punish rigidly, that may eafily be mistaken for the Duty itself. But there is a great inward Difference between them; the one from a mere Moroseness of Temper, delighting to find Faults, and to exercise Severity; the other being grieved at the Faults, and applying himself with an unwilling Willingness to the Remedy of Admonition, as a Patient fets himself to take an unpleasant, but neceffary Potion of Phyfick.

(2.) Pride and Vanity finding Nourishment from our Neighbour's bad, as well as from our own good Qualities and Actions, it is an eafy Thing for it to counterfeit this Duty of fraternal Admonition, at least in that Part of it which relates to the fevere cenfuring of our Neighbour. It is true, it is as defective in another Part, which is the Difcretion and Prudence requifite in carrying the Cenfure no farther than to the Perfon himself, who was to be admonished and re

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formed;

formed; for Pride and Vanity is apt to publish it to their Hurt and Reproach.

(3.) When a Man takes upon him to perform the Office of a Monitor to others, who fecretly indulges himself in the fame Sins, without hearty Endeavour of Amendment, it is much to be suspected that such a Perfon acts from downright Diffimulation and Hypocrify; and that he reproves the fame Vices in others, only that he may the better hide and conceal them in himfelf.

(4) There are fome, who, from a mere Bigottry, or Addictedness to Party, are apt to cenfure and reprove fuch Faults, as are moft contrary to the Principles and Practices of their own Sect and Party; in the mean time overlooking all thofe other Faults, though ever fo grofs, which their own Party approves, either by Principle or Practice. Now all fuch Perfons, instead of performing the Duty of fraternal Correption, are only promoting the Business of Faction, and their Cenfures will be fo efteemed of by Almighty God.

(5.) There is a fly fort of Hatred and Enmity, which chufes to vent itself in this cenforious Way, and under Pretence of rectifying and reforming our Neighbour's Errors and Miscarriages, only aims at expofing them, with a mifchievous, not an edifying Defign. These few Inftances may convince us, that our Saviour had a great deal of Reafon, when he was handling this Subject of fraternal Admonition and Correption, to guard us against Hypocrify, and all other By-ends in ourselves, and that we should

with

with a clear charitable Intention fet about this difficult Duty. But,

II. Secondly, Befides Charity and Sincerity in the Cenfurer, there are other Qualifications required on the Part of the Offender, which the Cenfurer must carefully obferve; and if he finds they are wanting, he is, in Prudence, to defer his Admonitions and Reproofs till he find them. Thefe are contained in the last Verse of my Text; Give not that which is holy unto the Dogs; neither caft ye your Pearls before Swine, left they trample them under their Feet, and turn again and rent you. In fpeaking to which Words, I fhall endeavour to do thefe Four Things:

1. To fhew that they properly belong to this Subject, and that by giving that which is holy to Dogs and Swine, is meant the Adminiftring our Admonitions and Reproofs to unfit Perfons.

2. To explain what Difpofitions these are in our Neighbour, defcribed by Dogs and Swine, which prohibit our adminiftring this Duty of fraternal Admonition or Correption to him in thefe Circumstances.

3. I fhall confider the Danger of not complying with this Prohibition; from these Words, left they trample them under their Feet, and turn again and rend you.

4. I fhall confider the Duty of Prudence to find out and observe, when our Neighbour is in fuch Circumftances, that we are excused from the Duty of cenfuring and admonishing him.