However, though many other doctrines were at that time handled by the apoltle, yet thefe of "righteoufnefs, temperance, and judgniem to "come," had fo large a fhare in his difcourfe were fo warmly, fo effectually urged by him, that St. Luke hath not thought fit to take notice of any other part of his fermon. From whence we are naturally led to raife this plain, but profitable obfervation, that the moral duties we are to practife in this life; and the rewards or punishments we are to expect in another, are the chief confiderati ons in religion, which thould moft often and carneftly be inculcated by thofe who preach the gofpel, and Be most attentively fiftened to, and weighed by those who hear it.

Some perfons have a prejudice against what is, by way of reproach, called Moral Preaching, and Moral Arguing; when the nature of good and evil, virtue and vice, are infifted on, and the few veral confequences difplayed, which, by the light of reason, are known to attend them: This, they think, is not to preach Jefus Chrift, and his gofpel; it is not to fpeak fpiritually, feelingly, powerfully, to the hearts and confciences of meri. But St. Paul it feems, was not of this mind, when He made juftice, and temperance, and a future account, the chief fubject of his fermon Before Felix, when he argued (as his manner of preaching upon other occafions fhews that he did) from principles of natural light, how great reafon men' Had to practife the two firft of these, and to bew lieve and expect the latter; when he enlarged upon the intrinfic beauty and foveliness of thofe virtues, and their manifeft fubfervienty to men's

prefent

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prefent and future happiness; and urged the univerfal confent of mankind to this purpose, who had always acknowledged themselves to be under thefe obligations, and accordingly as they did, or did not fulfil them here, liable to be rewarded, or punithed hereafter. St. Paul, we may be fure, thought himself all this while to be preaching Jefus Chrift and his gofpel: And from the effect we learn, that this moral preaching of the apoftle was fufficiently powerful, awakening, edifying; for it had fuch a fpiritual efficacy in it, as to make his auditor tremble...

But the fubject matter of St. Paul's difcourfe is not more obfervable, on the account of its excellence and importance at large, than it is, for the particular fitnefs and propriety of it, with regard to the perfon to whom it was addreffed. The two vices of which Felix was moft remarkably guilty, were injuftice and intemperance; as hiftorians of unfufpected credit, both heathen and Jewfb, inform us Tacitus fays of him, that, Judaa impofitus, et cuncta malefa&ta fibi impune: [ceffura] ratus, tanta potentia Jubnixo, per omnem fævitiam ac libidinem jus regium fervili ingenio exercuit: i c. The impunity which he promised himself from his high station and power, tempted him to commit all manner of luft and violence. And Jofephus-adds, that Drufilla herself, who ⚫ now fat with him on the judgment feat, was really the wife of a certain king of the Emefenes, but. had been enticed from his bed by Felix, with whom the now publicly lived and converfed. Nothing therefore could be more appofite, than a difcourfe concerning righteoufnefs and temper

ance,

ance, before fuch a cruel and voluptuous perfon nothing more proper, than to put this unjuft judge in mind of another, a more impartial and dreadful tribunal, before which he himself should one day ftand, and be judged. Thus did t. Paul adapt and proportion what he fpake to the pecuculiar wants and exigencies of the hearer; and in fo doing, left us a pattern worthy of imitation; fuch as, when attentively confidered, will give us great occafion to admire the dexterity and addrefs, the fincere and difinterested conduct, the mighty courage and zeal, of this eminent apostle.

What could have more of holy art and wisdom in it, than St. Paul's answering the enquiries of Felix in fuch a manner, as was most likely to benefit the enquirer? The Roman governor, led by no other principle than curiofity, defires from St. Paul an account of his faith: St. Paul readily complies, and fo orders that account, as to fet thofe parts of Chriftianity in the cleareft light be fore Eelix, which he wanted moft to fee and confider; fo as to turn off his general apology for the gospel into an immediate and close application of fome of its chief doctrines to the particular cafe of Felix and to fhew him, ere he is aware, that the laws both of Christianity and nature agree, in condemning his violences and impurities.

What a fincere and difinterested fpirit does there appear in St. Paul on this occafion! He ftood there accufed of heinous crimes, and was ready to fink under the malice and mighty power of his accufers, the high priest, and chief men of the Jewish Sanhedrim then prefent, and foliciting a fevere fentence against him. And yet he seems VOL. IV. regard

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regardless of the imminent peril he was in; and, forgetting his own private intereft, any degree of concern for himfelf, turns all his thoughts, and bends his whole force, towards promoting the general intereft of the gofpel, and the falvation of fouls. He contrives.not how he may gain the affections of his judge and make him favourable to his caufe; but how only he may induce him to be kind to himself, and a good Chriftian; how he may render him fit to receive mercy and favour from the fupreme judge of heaven and earth. What is, if this be not to preach the gospel of Chriß" in fimplicity and godly fincerity ?"

Laftly, we may obferve alfo, in the behaviour.. of St. Paul, the marks of an undanted and exemplary courage. He fears not, we fee, to utter neceffary, though harfh and ungrateful truths in the ears of one, who had the power of life and death. over him. He knew, with what dangers the faithful discharge of his duty would, in this cafe, be attended; how impatient the great are, under a reproof, though couched in the most> gentle and leaft offenfive language; what abfolute. empire Drufila had gained over the heart of Felix, and with what revengefulness that impure woman would be fure to purfue any one, who fhould venture to reprefent his guilt to him, and to rouze his fleeping confcience: And yet none of these frightening confiderations were able to reprefs his Godly zeal, or to check his freedom; which he conducted indeed, with great caution and prudence, infinuating his reproofs under the cover of fome evangelical doctrines, then propofed by him: However, with fo great force and fuccefs,

fuccefs, as to ftrike confufion and tertor into the perfon, for whom they were intended.

Let us copy the excellent pattern which this apostle hath let us, by taking all proper opportuhities of fpreading the kingdom of Chrift in the hearts of men, and of advancing the interefts of his gofpel. Let us refolve always to do our duty, and discharge a good confcience faithfully, without being deterred by poffible inconveniences, or dangers that may attend us for fo doing; without fuffering fecular views, and our own paivate interests, to divert us from pursuing any good defign, whereby we may reasonably hope to promote the divine glory, and the good of mankind. Let us act in fuch cafes difcreet indeed, warily, wifely; but withal couragiously, zealously, firmly, as difregarding the fear of man, when it comes in competition with the fear of God. Thefe (I fay) are the intimations, these the instructious, given us by the behaviour of St. Paul; when, before an oppreffive, a diffolute, and an unbelieving magiftrate, he took an occafion to difcourfe of "righteoufnefs, temperance, and Judgment to come."

In which difcourfe of his,

The Second thing obfervable is, his manner of handling thefe fubjects; he reafoned; that is, he treated of them in a rational way; proving from the nature and tendency of thofe virtues our obligation to practise them; and inferring from thofe obligations the certainty and neceffity of a future account, wherein notice should be taken how we have, or have not complied with them; and we