Watts - BX5200 .W3 1813 v.1

SERMON XXIII. Christian Morality, viz. Gravity, Decency, Ifc. PHIL/P. iv. 8.whatsoever things are honest, or grave, &c. think on these things. Oca ae1..oa, &C. SINCE the translation of the bible into the English tongue is so excellent a performance in itself, and so necessary a service to the church : I feel a sensible regret, whensoever there is occa- sion to complain of it, or to correct it. In the main, I may venture to say boldly, it teaches us all the necessary doctrines and duties of christianity in a very ample and completemanner, and sets them in an evident light : And what the Spirit of God spoke in ancient times in Greek and Hebrew, is sufficiently mani- fested tous for our salvation in the English bible. But in this part of the verse, which I am now to discourse of, the word which we render honest, is not so well translated as I could wish ; for honesty is contained in the words true and just, which go before, and follow my text. But the Greek ve 4,0s, more properly signifies grave, decent, or venerable; and so you find it in the margin, which will oftentimes help you, when the word in the English text is not so expressive of the original sense. The same word s.q sç is rendered grave in several other places of scripture : It is three times so expressed in the third chapter of the first epistle to Timothy, ver. 8. Thedeacons must be grave. Ver. 11. Their wives also must be grave. Ver. 5. .4 bishop must have his children in subjection withall gravity. It is a word that is used inGreek authors to represent the character of an aged man, a philosopher, or a magistrate among the heathens. It carries in it the idea of an honourable gravity, and a venerable decency of behaviour ; and this is what the apos- tle recommends to the practice of christians. It is as if he had said, as The character of every common christian should have something in it so honourable, as may command a sort of vene- ration and respect from all persons they converse with, as much as the character of a wise old man, a magistrate, or a philoso- pher, does in théheathen world." To improve this subject, I shall shew,

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