and be drowned, was bound by the Law to provide a fufficient Cover for it; fo we, when we enter upon any Action, in itself innocent, and fit to be done, fhould do it in fuch a Manner, and fo cover it against the Sufpicions of Evil, that it may not, through our Default, be an Occafion of our Brother's Ruin. But we need not have Recourse to Allegories to find out a Duty, which is delivered in the exprefs Letter of the Gospel. St Paul, in his Epiftles, very often and very largely infifts upon the Obligation, which all Chriftians are under, to abridge their Liberty in Things, otherwise indifferent, for Fear of offending or fcandalifing their weaker Brethren. Take Heed, fays he to the Corinthians, left, by any Means, this Liberty of yours become a Stumbling-block to thofe that are weak. For if any Man fee thee, which haft Knowledge, fit at Meat in the Idol's Temple, shall not the Confcience of him, which is weak, be emboldened to eat thofe Things, which are offered to Idols? And through thy Knowledge fball thy weak Brother perish, for whom Chrift died? But when ye fin fo against the Brethren, and wound their ConScience, ye fin against Christ.

This is a Paffage fo very full, that we need go no farther for Conviction: Only, for our better understanding it, it may not be amifs to observe, that, in relation to the Sacrifices here spoken of, fome Part of them was eaten in the Idol's Temple; which being an Act of religious Worship and Communion with the Idol, as our eating the Bread in the Sacrament is a Communion with Christ, the Apostle utterly difallows, as abfolutely unlawful; but the Remainder of them, which fell to the Prieft's Share, and they, having no Use for, fold to thofe, who afterwards expofed it to Sale, promifcuously among other Meats, upon the Shambles This the Apoftle allows might lawfully be bought, and eat in any private Houfe, without the

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leaft Sin; only with this Caution, that whereas there were fome Converts, who well understood, that Meat could have no defiling Quality imprinted upon it by its Confecration to an Idol, and others, on the contrary, who, having not fo much Knowledge, fuppofed that the Confecration left fuch a polluting Quality upon it as certainly defiled the Eater; the former Sort might innocently and freely eat fuch Meats in private Families, proIvided it was not before thofe of the latter Sort, who, through Weaknefs, having an Opinion of the Unlawfulness of fuch Meats, might neverthelefs be induced to use the fame Liberty, tho' their Consciences, in the mean Time, having quite another Judgment in this Matter, efteemed the eating them little better than Idolatry. Now the Argument, whereby the Apoftle abridges the Liberty of the former Sort of Converts, in Condefcenfion to the latter, proceeds upon the Strength of this Affertion-That the Lawfulness of Mens Actions depends, not folely, either upon the Lawfulness of the Subject-Matter, nor yet upon the Confcience of the Doers of them, confidered in itself, but as confidered with Reference to the Confciences of others, to whom, by the Law of Charity, they are bound fo to behave themselves, as by none of their Actions to give them Occafion of Sin. And therefore the Apostle concludes with this noble Refolution, as fuppofing it his own Cafe; If Meat make my Brother to offend, I will eat no Flesh, while the World ftandeth, left I make my Brother to offend.

II. Since the Appearance of Evil then, even in the most indifferent Actions, may prove prejudicial both to our own Reputation, and the Salvation of our Neighbour's Soul, it cannot but be of Ufe to infert a Direction or two, how we may happily avoid it: And, to this Purpose, it must be allowed, 1. That the Foundation of a fair Ap-. pearance

pearance in the World must be primarily laid in the inward Sincerity of the Heart: For the shortest, and fafeft, and perhaps the only Way to appear Good and Virtuous, is really to be fuch, as we defire to appear. If we first feek the Kingdom of God, and his Righteoufnefs, we have a fure Gofpel-Promife, that all other Things, which we want, the Neceffaries and Comforts of Life, fhall be fuper-added to us; and, in like Manner, if we make it our principal Aim to approve ourselves in the Sight of God, we may fecurely depend upon his Goodnefs, that be, who can turn the Hearts of Men as he pleases, will difpofe them to think well of us, and to judge favourably and tenderly of all our Actions. Nay, this will follow in the Way of natural Confequence: For when once Integrity, and an uniform Practice of Virtue, founded upon religious Principles, have established our Character, and procured us a good Efteem in the World, this Reputation will be the beft Guard againft unkind Sufpicions, and fevere Cenfures. What is doubtful in our Carriage, and admits of feveral Interpretations, will be conftrued in Analogy to what was, without Controverfy, worthy of Praise: An Efteem for our Perfons, gained by what we have done confeffedly well, will incline Men to judge the best of thofe Actions, which are not manifeftly evil; and thofe, who have entertained a favourable Opinion of us, for our former good Life, will be defirous to continue it, to fhew the Steadiness of their own Judgment, as well as Efteem and Affection for us.

And as an honeft Sincerity of Heart, and Integrity of Mind, is the best Way to fecure our Actions from an evil Appearance; fo, 2. The Apostle has laid it down as a certain Rule, that Prudence and Circumfpection in our outward Behaviour is the best Guard of Integrity, and the greatest Ornament of Virtue: See, therefore, (fays he to the

Ephefians) that ye ye walk circumspectly, not as Fools, who unneceffarily expofe themfelves to Danger, to being ill used, or evil-fpoken of; but as wife, who are careful to secure their Intereft, and their good Name, where they can fhelter themselves from Suffering, and from Difgrace, by behaving themfelves with Discretion: And, in like Manner, to the Coloffians, walk in Wisdom toward them that are without, i. e. towards the Adverfaries of your Religion, who will be careful to watch all your Steps, and lay hold on any imprudent, any indifcreet, any unwary Carriage, whereby they may caft a Blemish upon you, and your holy Profeffion : And, upon this Account, the good Advice, which our Saviour, in his Time, gave his Apostles, is very applicable, in this ill-natured and infidious World, to all Chriftians, in all Ages, Behold, I fend you forth as Sheep in the Midft of Wolves, be ye therefore wife as Serpents, and harmless as Doves.

We must observe farther, that as there is fcarce any one Vice, which does not borrow the Features of fome Virtue, nor any Virtue, which, to a tranfient and careless View, may not, perhaps, seem to have the Colour of fome Vice; and as it is this Likeness, which gives Room to the erroneous Judgment of the Ignorant, or the wilful Mifreprefentations of the Malicious: If ever therefore we would fecure our innocent, and even commendable Actions, from an evil Appearance, we must be very diligent to diftinguish them from thofe particular Vices, for which they may chance to be mistaken.

Thus, for Inftance, Devotion and Hypocrify, Zeal and Paffion, Moderation and Lukewarmness, Prudence and Cunning, &c. have fome Lineaments, fo much resembling each other, and, by being fo frequently called by each other's Names, are fo liable to be taken the one for the other; that, unlefs we attend carefully to thefe particular Circumftances,

tances, in which they differ, and study to exprefs thefe diftinct Characters in our Practice, the World must be much better-natured, than we have Reafon to expect it is, if our Good be not evil-spoken of.

Would a truly devout Perfon then not be fufpected of Hypocrify: In his publick Devotions, he must take Care, that there be nothing fingular or affected; that, in his Countenance, in his Geftures, in his Voice, there be no Air or Appearance of Oftentation; and, in his private Devotions, he must strictly attend to our bleffed Saviour's Direction; When thou prayeft, enter into thy Closet, shut thy Door, and, when thou hast shut thy Door, pray to thy Father, which is in Secret; and thy Father, which feeth in Secret, fhall reward thee openly. Would a zealous Perfon not be looked upon as paffionate: He must take ftrict Care, that his Zeal be guided with Knowledge, and tempered with Charity; that it be more converfant about Things, than about Perfons; bear a due Proportion to the Objects that employ it; and, above all, that it be not fo intemperate and outrageous, as either to eat himself up, or put him upon devouring his Chriftian Brethren. In like Manner, would a moderate Perfon avoid the Imputation of being Lukewarm: He must take Care to be moderate only in fuch Things, wherein there is Danger of Excefs; but, in those Things, wherein it is laudable to excel, he must not affect Moderation. About Things, in their own Nature indifferent, he may be indifferent too, or not very much concerned; but it would badly become him to be thought a moderate Lover of Piety and Virtue, of Peace and good Order; one, that has a moderate Concern for the Laws and Liberties of his Country, or for the Welfare and Prosperity of his Church.

Thefe Inftances, without proceeding any farther, are fufficient to fhew us, that, how refem

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