But, before I descend to Particulars, it will not be amiss to take notice of one Consideration, that may, in general, make it probable, That the Christian Religion is rather favourable, than opposite, to true Magnanimity. That this Argument may make somewhat the more Impression, I shall, thô very briefly, observe that the Aspects, both of the Author, the Rules, the Aims, or Scopes, and the Rewards of Virtue, as ‘tis recommended by Christianity, have a great and direct tendency to Elevate it, and make it Heroick.
And first, the prime Author of the Doctrine of the Gospel being GOD himself, who both knows Man perfectly, and is mentioned in Scripture as a1 φιλάνθρωπος, or Lover of Mankind; ‘tis but reasonable to suppose, that the Doctrines and Laws he caused to be solemnly delivered to Mankind, and confirmed by Miracles, and whose System is, in the Apocalypse, honoured with the Title of2 The Everlasting Gospel, (i. e.) not to be succeeded by a more perfect Institution, as the Mosaick Law was by That; should be fitted to beget and advance solid and sublime Virtue, and be more, than any other Institution, Perfective of Human Nature.
Next, the Rules, and (if there be any such) the Counsels of the Christian Religion require, and tend to, extraordinary degrees of Virtue: The Divine Legislator, being able to look into the Hearts of Men, makes his Laws reach Those, and Those principally, too. The loving GOD with all our Hearts, with all our Minds, &c. and our Neighbour as our selves, as comprehensive as those two grand Principles of Virtue are, is by our Saviour made the Summary of the Moral Law, and adopted into the Gospel; the3 cleansing ourselves from all Filthiness, both of Flesh and Spirit; and the abstaining from all kind, or appearance, of Evil, are the Negative Parts of the Christians Duty; and for the Positive Parts, we are plainly told, That unless our Righteousness exceed that boasted one4 of the Scribes and Pharisees, we shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. We are urged to5 grow in Grace, to add to our Faith, Virtue, and to That, a whole Train of excellent Qualities. And, for fear any such thing should be thought to be purposely omitted, because left unmentioned, this general Exhortation is given us;6 Finally, my Brethren, whatsoever things are true, &c. But there is yet a more aspiring Path of Virtue trac’d us out in the Gospel, where it proposes to us the Example of Christ, as One, whose Steps we are to tread in: For not only that Divine Person never committed any Sin,7neither was Guile found in his Mouth; but the Supreme and Omniscient Judge, God Himselfe, Declared, by a Voice from Heaven, his full Approbation both of his Person and his Doctrine, when he said,8 This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear he him. And his Sinless Life, which was a Living Law, did not only surpass the Examples, but even the Precepts and the Idea’s too, of the Heathen Moralists and Philosophers, as may be elsewhere shewn. And the becoming a serious Disciple of so Perfect and Divine a Teacher, does itself so engage a Man to renounce his former Vices, that when9 St. Paul had dissuaded his Romans from divers other Vices, instead of exhorting them to the contrary Virtues in particular, he only desires them, in general, to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, as a comprehensive Durty, which contain’d in it all the Virtues, he declin’d to enumerate.
Thirdly, but thô he calls us to high Degrees of Virtue, yet he does not to Unattainable ones; For, thô Philosophy wisely forbore, thô not always to commend, yet to injoyn, things disproportionate to Human Infirmities; yet, he may well be allow’d to engage us to more than Human Virtues, that by his Divine Assistances, if they be duly sought, is always ready to inable us to acquire and practise Them. Of his10 Fulness, says St. John, We have all received, and Grace for Grace; (i. e.) either Graces answerable to His, as the Faculties of a Child’s Mind, are to Those of a Perfect Man; or, Grace upon Grace, (i. e.) an Accumulation of Graces heaped upon one another; which may keep you from wondring, that St. Paul should dare to say,11 That he could do all things thorow Christ that strengthned him. And where his Invitations meet with an honest and a willing Mind, his Commands do not only Chaulk out the Way, but Give Strength to walk in it; and he usually, does by his Spirit, such a kind of Work, as he sometimes did miraculously by his Power, (Matt. 9. 6) when he at once bid, and enabled, a Paralytick Person that wanted Strength to stir from his Bed, to rise and walk. And when, having commanded St. Peter to12 walk to him upon the Sea, he enabled him securely to tread upon the Waves; thereby Approving and Rewarding the excellent Notion that Disciple had, That the Command of Christ was a sufficient Cause to put him upon Action, thô a Miracle were requisite to carry him thorow with it.