felf, and does Honour to the Divine Grace by rendring it victorious over Flefh and Blood; the larger Measures of that Grace he fhall obtain from God, and become more exemplary in the World.

There are not, 'tis confeft, in every Man, the fa.ne Paffions, or not the fame Degrees of them,to mafter and mortifie. But tho' a Man whofe Affections are vehement, and his Difpofition by Nature or Cuftom more ftubborn and averfe to Virtue, hath more to make his way through; Yet, if this Man's Refolutions be firmer, and his Vigor be proportionably greater, he fhall be able to advance farther, than others of a quieter Temper, and lefs rebellious Paffions; if that fedateness at the fame time difpofe them to Eafe and Inactivity.

Now in this Undertaking, Two Things there are, of mighty moment for promoting it. The First is, To obferve the Tendencies of one's Temper and Conftitution, and take care to bend Nature the contrary way; by keeping aloof off from all thofe Temptations and Occafions of Sinning, with which we feel our felves most eafily befet, and ftrongly inclined to comply. The other, to difcover our peculiar Defects, and labour with all our Might to attain thofe Virtues, which we chiefly want.

And, as this Knowledge of our Own Frailties and Neceffities, is greatly inftrumental to our Improvement, fo we fhall do well to profit by what we fee in Others: and to be particularly concern'd for avoiding and fubduing thofe Habits, which we find moft ufual and offenfive, in them with whom we Converfe. For the Commonnefs of any Ill thing, is fo far from extenuating the Blame of thofe who copy after it, that it is the direct contrary; and fuch Examples fhould be lookt upon, as Marks which difcover to us where the Rocks and Sands lie; fuch as are fet to warn us off, not, to invite us in. Indeed a wife and good Man will turn Examples, of all forts, to his own Advantage.

The

The Good he will make his Patterns, and strive to equal or excel them. The Bad he will by all means avoid; or if by Reflection the Deformity of his Neighbour's Actions happen to reprefent that of his own, he will be fure to do fo no more; and think it a happy occafion, that he is thus grown Wifer by the Folly of others. For we often fee and judge that in the Deportment of those we converse with, which too near a Light will not let us Difcern, or Partiality let us Condemn, in our own. And this fhould make us cautious, when we remember that the Eyes of others are as fharp, as critical Obfervers, as severe Judges of Us, and all we do, as Ours can poffibly be of Them. From this univerfal Difpofition to obferve and judge, proceeds, no doubt, that pleafing Approbation, or vehement Diflike of Good and Bad Examples. For what indeed gives us a more fenfible Satisfaction,than the feeing Men in every Point agreeable to their Character? When They, who call themselves by the Name of Chrift, and pretend in a peculiar manner to belong and be refigned up to him, are eminent in good Works and heavenly Difpofitions; when they fubmit entirely to his Yoke, and think nothing too much to do or fuf fer in Obedience to his Will; how charming, how delightful a Sight is this! And again, how offenfive, how very fhocking, when They, who make the fame outward Profeffion, fhall difhonour and defile it by a Scandalous and Profligate Converfation; and, inftead of that fevere, that fpiritual and heavenly Life, to which their very Name, and the Pattern of their Mafter obliges them, abandon themselves to all manner. of Excels, and wallow in the moft brutish and deteftable Pollutions? But, even where Men do not degenerate into all this Beaftlinefs, where Cares and Bulinefs of the World divert and draw them off from better Employments, 'tis unfeemly to others, and of ill confequence to themselves, to neglect their proper Con

cern, and engage their Thoughts and Time in Matters foreign to their main Defign.

Quicken therefore your felf up to Duty, by the remembrance of your Station, who you are, and what you have obliged your felf to be. Bear conftantly about you a lively Idea of Chrift Crucified. Confider carefully his Life, and let the Perfection of That fhame you into the performing your own: Your own, I fay, whofe very Baptifm reprefents your Profeffion, which is, to follow the Example of our Saviour, and to b made like unto him; and yet after fo many Years being called a Chriftian, you are ftill too far from being one, if Dying to Sin and Living to Righteousness, as your Fefus dyed and rofe again for you, be that which makes a Chri ftian, and diftinguishes him from other Men. If Perfons dedicated to Piety and Virtue would but with due Attention fix their Thoughts upon the Actions and Sufferings of Chrift, this fingle Subject would farnifh them with Inftructions and Motives abundantly fufficient for their Purpose: St. Paul, we fee, determined to know nothing but Jefus Chrift and him Crucified; and this indeed, truly known, is the beft, the moft ufeful, and moft comprehensive Learning.

1 Cor. xi.

This fires Men with an eager holy Zeal, and renders them not only exact, but cheerful in their Duty; it makes them perform what he commands with Diligence, and fuffer all that he ordains with Patience and Contentedness. Whereas a negligent and lukewarm Chriftian confpires against himfelf; his Life is one perpetual Torment, for want of entire Refignation and fervent Love. The Tryals and Afflictions bear hard upon his Spirit, and the Good he attempts is ftrained and against the Grain. He feels not the fupport of fpiritual Comforts; he knows he must not have recourfe to Worldly ones,or,if he might, They will not do his Bufinefs; and fo he is left deftitute of all. For

by

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by tranfgreffing the Rules of Chriftian Difcipline, he hazards the fafety of his Soul; And by feeking Relief in Inconvenient Liberties, he creates fresh Torments to himself: because Thefe cannot fatisfy his Confcience, but will be fure to leave fome Displeafure and Bitterness behind them. And who can ever be eafy, who is reproached with his own ill Conduct, and chufes a Remedy worse than the Distemper? To this Pattern fet us by Chrift himself, it will be great use to add those of the Apostles, and other eminent Lights in the Church heretofore. Thefe will convince us, what Excellencies mere Men are capable of; and if we heartily afpire after their Perfections, we ought not to diftruft God's Affiftance; but may confidently promise our felves, that an equal degree of Zeal will be fupported by an equal Meafure of Grace and Strength. Obferve then their Aufterities, their fervent Prayers and heavenly Meditations, obferve the great and happy Efficacy of them, in raifing those holy Perfons above the World and its Temptations, and rendring their Converfation all heavenly and divine, even whilft upon Earth. It were indeed a defirable Thing, that we could fo wholly abftract our felves from Flefh and Senfe, that the Praises of God, and Attendance upon his Commands, the Contemplation of his Glories, and the ravishing Satisfactions of devout Minds, might be our conftant and only Employment. And happy fhould we be, if the neceffary Cares of Life gave no Diftration to our Thoughts, no Interruption to thofe holy Exercifes. But Thefe are Charms and Joys referved for a future and better State; We cannot here be fo refined, we cannot be excufed from the Incumbrances of the Body, and its infeparable Frailties and Neceffities. And therefore the Virtue proper to our prefent Condition is of another Nature. Ufe thefe worldly Comforts we may, but we must not place

our Happiness in them; live upon them our Bodies muft, but our Souls fhould relifh nothing but God Whatever his Providence thinks fit for us, we are to receive with Meeknefs and Contentedness; as being well affured, that His Wifdom can, and His Goodnes will chufe and ordain what is belt. In the day of ProSperity we may rejoice, but that Joy must be fo tempered with Gratitude and Moderation, as neither to fwell into Infolence and Pride, nor to engage our Affections in the Love of the World. In the Day of Adverfity we are to confider, and entertain the moft calamitousAccidents, without Murmuring or Difcontent. In every Change of Circumftances our Minds must be entire ly refigned to God; for He is all in all, Eternal and Unchangeable, Perfect and Happy in Himself, Abfolute and Sole Lord of the Univerfe; And every Creature is, and ought to be, entirely at his difpofal.

But, tho' He be always the fame, and can at any time do what is good in his fight, yet this is by no means Our Cafe. Frail, and of fhort Continuance is our Character; and this should excite our Diligence, to work while it is Day, because our Night John ix. cometh on apace, wherein no Man can work. "Confider therefore you must dye'; dye, you know not how foon; and be afraid left that fatal Hour overtake you, before the Bufinefs of Life be finished. Remember that the Time once yours, can never be fo again: The Wealth of both the Indies cannot redeem one fingle Opportunity, which you have once let flip; and therefore lay faft hold on all that offer, and fuffer no Hour to flide by without its due Improvement.

Virtue can never be attained without great Pains and Diligence; and, if you cool and linger in this Purfuit, the Moment that you gain not ground, you lofe it. For the Affairs of our Souls can never ftand at one ftay; but, asoft as we favour our felves in point of Duty, we decline and fall back again toward Sin,