SERMON IV.

I COR. xiij. 4, 5.

·Charity vaunteth not it self, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave it self unseemly,

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Come now to the Fourth Property of Charity; Charity vaunteth not it · Self; & plu: A word not used in ancient Greek Authors, and fo there is fome doubt both concerning the origination and fignification of it. Some conceive it to be derived from the Latin word perperam, and foppdiens fhould fignifie perperam agere, to do things amifs or abfurdly. But this fignification feems to be too large for this place. The Syriack Verfion renders it by a word that fignifies to raise Tumults, or to caufe Disturbance; and after that Verfion we fhould exprefs it, Charity doth not tumultuate. But Hefy chius makes meds to be the fame K 2 with

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with wigs, to be lifted up, in which fense, or in a sense very near thereunto, fome of the Greek Fathers have used the word. Much in this sense our Tranflators taking it, have rendred it, Charity vaunteth not it felf. In this sense most of the best Interpreters understand it here. It imports therefore an arrogant and vaunting Behaviour, whereby a Man makes a vain-glorious Oftentation of what he is, of what he hath, or of what he hath done to the utmost, adorning and setting forth himself with all Advantages. Here all the difficulty is in fhewing how this fignification of the word fuits this place, and the Apoftle's present intention for the word, as here used by the Apostle, muft fignifie fomething that is contrary to Love. But if we confider the matter, we shall find that there are divers things in this vaunting Carriage most contrary to the nature of Charity. And this both in refpect of what it implies in the Perfon vaunting himself, and in refpect of the effects that it hath upon others, unto or before whom he vaunteth himself. In refpect of him who vaunteth himfelf, it implies,

I. Abun

1. Abundance of Pride and Self-love. These are the root of vaunting. A Man is too much pleased with himself, and with his own things, and through his Pride and Self-love fets too high a rate upon himself, and upon what he hath and having entertained fo good an Opinion of himself, he much affects that others fhould be of his mind, and think as well of him as he doth of himself. Hereupon he greedily catcheth at all occafions of difplaying his fuppofed Excellencies, and reprefenting them in the best drefs that he can put upon them. And 'tis well if in setting forth himself, he doth not over-do, and make fhew of a great deal more than is agreeable to Truth; for that's the difpofition of fuch arrogant and vain-glorious Vaunters, ufually they are not fatisfied that you know all that for which they are to be commended and admired, unless they also make you apprehend it to be a great deal more than 'tis. A vaunter of himself, when he dwells upon the acceptable and delightful fubject of his own Praises, is often tranfported beyond Truth as well as Modefty, and almost as seldom keeps within the bounds of the one as of the other. 2. Ano2

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2. Another thing which vaunting too often carries along with it (if not always) is an undervaluing and defpifing of others. Self-admiration and contempt of others, are two things that cannot eafily be feparated. Let any Man have an high efteem of himself, and an affectation of the fame esteem with others, and it cannot easily be but that he should as much undervalue others, as he doth overvalue himself.

3. Another ufual concomitant of vaunting is Infultation. He that vaunteth himself, indeavours to lift up and advance himfelf above others, and having as he thinks gotten above them, infults and vapours over them. Vaunting of your felf, what is it, but in effect a clapping your wings and crowing over your Inferiours, or fuch as you would have to be fo?

Now all these are directly oppofite to the nature of Charity. For Love is an humble condefcending Grace that willingly stoops to its Inferiours, and equals her felf with them, yea, prefers them before her felf. Love is not apt to undervalue others, but gladly fees and acknowledgeth what they are or have, and gives them their due, ever

making good measure, and allowing all Men rather more than less than what in ftrictnefs belongs unto them. If Charity at any time err, her proper error is in Rating Men above what in truth they are, rather than under: So far is fhe from contemning any or infulting over them.

2. Vaunting is contrary to Charity in respect of the effects that it hath upon others, unto or before whom a Man vaunteth himself. I mean, if they be destitute of those things of which a Man vaunteth Thofe effects are Shame and Grief.

1. Shame. For while a Man vaunteth himself in refpect of thofe good things which another hath not, he feemeth to upbraid him with his wants; which no Man can well be apprehenfive of without fome confufion of Face.

2. Grief. For these For these two, Shame and Grief go together. 'Tis Natural that a Man fhould be grieyed for that which makes him afhamed. But here alfo Charity is of a contrary Nature. Love would be very tender of faying or doing any thing that might make impreffions of Shame or Grief upon another,

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