VER. 17.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 119
Use 2. To show us how cautious we should be that we be not in- fected by bad examples. Example is of great force either way.
Here I shall show you what examples are most forcible to draw us from God and goodness. -
1. The examples of those who are near to us in kindred ; as Ruth, chap. i. 15, 'And she said, Behold, thy sister is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods; return thou after thy sister-in-law.' She spake this to try her, it being a great temptation to do as kindred. Le.di gave Zilpah her maid to Jacob to wife, as Rachel had done, and Biihah before, Gen. xxx. 9. So Lot's younger daughter committed incest with her father by the example of her elder sister, Gen. xix. 31, 32.
2. Who are gracious with us in friendship ; as the disciples murmured against the woman that brought the box of spikenard, by the example of Judas : Mat. xxvi. 8. ' When the disciples saw it, they had indigna- tion, saying, To what purpose is this waste? ' Compare John xii. 4, 5, ' Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot,' &c. One murmurer may infect a whole company, as Judas doth involve the other disciples in his fault: Num. xi. 4, 'And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lasting ; and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat ? ' They begun, and the other follow.
3. Who are great over us in power ; we tread after their track : as the princes and nobles imitated David's liberality: 1 Chron. xxix. 6-8, ' Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands aud of hundreds, with the rulers over the king's work, offered willingly, and gave, for the service of the house of God, of gold, five thousand talents, and ten thousand talents of silver, and eighteen thousand talents of brass, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. And they with whom precious stones were found, gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord.' And Hezekiah's piety : 2 Chron. xxx. 24, 'For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congre- gation a thousand bul locks, and seven thousand sheep ; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks, and ten thousand sheep.' And the king of Nineveh's devotion: Jonah iii. 5, 6, 10, 'And the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least : for word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he rose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.'
4. The examples of men eminent, learned, and gracious, are very powerful: Gal. ii. 13, 'And the other Jews dissembled likewise, inso- much that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.' This is of great force, and prevaileth not only over the weak, but over the strong also. Such as are endowed with grace and parts will be corrupted by it. We do not so narrowly examine their actions ; all is taken for current that they do. A plausible error of theirs is not like a duel, but a war.
5. When examples are general and universal, an evil thing is as it \sere authorised. Public example is like an inundation, it carries all before it : Exod. xxiii. 2, ' Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil.' Therefore we should follow Micaiah's resolution ; when the messengers
120 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SeR. XIII.
entreated him to comply with the rest of the prophets in his advice to the king, he replied, ' As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak,' 1 Kings xxii. 13, 14.
Helps to make us exemplary.
[1.] Love to God, or zeal for his glory: Ps. cxix. 165, * Great peace have they that love thy law ; and nothing shall offend them.'
[2.] Love to the brethren's souls : 1 John ii. 10, ' He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.'
[3.] A sincere seriousness in our profession : Phil. i. 10, ' That ye may approve the things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.'
[4.] Watchfulness : 2 Cor. vi. 3, ' Giving no offence in anything ; ' 1 Cor. x. 32, ' Give no offence to Jew, nor gentile, nor to the church of God ; ' Luke xvii. 3, ' Take heed to yourselves ; if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him ; and if he repent, forgive him.'
[5] Mortify your dearest lusts, deny and resist the pleasures of sense. Mat. v. 9 ; as Mahomet cut off the head of beautiful Irene, who was an occasion to draw him from public affairs, to the offence of his bassas. Carry a severe hand over all those affections which carry you to earthly things.
[6.] A heart in heaven, and a way with the wise above. The end shineth to us in all our actions.