recommend Chriftianity in the World, than the Peaceableness and Loyalty of its Principles. Had it been a peevish, unquiet, feditious, and turbulent Religion: had it countenanced Difcontent or Faction, or allowed its Profelytes to oppose the Government, or even to complain or fhew themfelves uneafy under the Administration of it; it had never fo happily weathered out the Storms that were raised against it, and got fuch kind Entertainment in the World. The Enemies of it did indeed endeavour to poffefs the Minds of thofe who were Strangers to it with a Belief that it had an evil Afpect upon the fecular Power, and that the Promoters of it were a Company of ill-affected Perfons But if they could have made good this Charge, they had in all Probability done their Work, and put a Stop to the Growth of that Religion, which was destitute of all worldly Advantages for the making its Way. But the quite contrary did pear both in the Doctrines which it taught, and in the Lives of all those who took it upon them. Never did any Religion, nor any Subjects, give fuch Security to Princes and States of the Enjoyment of all their natural Rights, as the Chriftian Religion and the Chriftian Subjects did, From whence it was manifeft, that this was the beft contrived and fitted to be the Religion of the World; and that all Men, who would prove good Subjects indeed, muft

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turn Chriftians. Since therefore fuch is the Nature of the Chriftian Religion, fo obedient, fo fubmiffive to Authority in its Principles; and fince fuch Advantages may be expected to the Chriftians themselves, and to the World, by living up to these Principles, it cannot but infinitely concern all, who profefs this Religion, to be very careful in this Point; to give no Occafion to the higher Powers to look upon them as Enemies, or as diffaffected to their Interefts: but on the contrary chearfully to own the Government which gives them Protection, and both in Thought, and Word, and Deed, to pay all faithful Allegiance to it. The Chriftians thought this to be both their Duty and their Interest in the very worst of Times, when they had no better Princes to rule over them than fuch Men as Caligula and Nero. How much more then ought we to charge ourselves with the Practice of it, who are in fo much happier Circumftances, both with relation to our Government, and our Princes who administer it?

4. Another Particular that falls under the general Rule of walking circum/pectly, and redeeming the Time, because the Days are evil, is that which is recommended by St. Paul in thefe Words, I beseech you, Brethren, 1 Theff. 4. fays he, that ye ftudy to be quiet, and mind 11, 12. your own Business, that ye may walk honeftly towards them that are without; as much as

to say, that the Way to recommend your felves to them who are without, and to make them think honourably of you, is to ftudy to be quiet, and to mind your own Bufinefs. This is an excellent Rule of Wifdom at all Times, but more efpecially in Times of Danger or Difficulty. Let every Man disentangle himfelf, as much as he can, from all forts of Quarrels and Embroilments, and from all things that may probably occafion them. Let every Man confult his own Eafe and Repofe among his Neighbours, by giving no Disturbance to them, and avoiding, as much as is poffible, Disturbance from them, Laftly, let every Man dwell at home, as much as his Circumftances will give him Leave, and mind his own Affairs, (which will find him Work enough to do) but meddle as little as poffible with Things that are foreign, and which do nothing concern him. I fay, let every Man do thus, and he fhall find the Sweet, and the Comfort, and Convenience of fo doing, let him live in what Times he will. They who are Bufy-bodies in other Mens Matters, create Trouble and Mifchief to themselves in the beft of Times, and therefore much more may they expect to reap the ill Confequences of their pragmatical Humour when the Times are ticklish and boisterous. The Way to live quietly and peaceably is to fit ftill, and take what comes without murmuring; to hear and to

fee,

fee, but without making fpiteful Obfervations and Reflections; to be very careful of our Words, that they do not needlefsly grieve or provoke any: Efpecially to be in all Cafes tender of our Neighbours Reputation as of our own. But they who give themselves a Liberty of talking about every Thing, and every Perfon, what their own ungoverned Paffion or Humour fuggests to them; and they who will be invading other Mens Offices, and giving their Advice where it is not asked, and meddling with Affairs they have nothing to do with; they who are perpetually complaining of the Times, and quarrelling with the prefent Conftitution of Things; they who make it their Bufinefs to enquire into the Slips or Vices either of publick or private Perfons, and will always have fomething to infinuate to the Disadvantage either of the one or the other; I fay, this fort of People, as they do a great deal of Mischief to the Publick, fo it cannot but be expected that by their too much meddling they should now and then burn their own Fingers. To conclude this Point to ftudy to be quiet and mind our own Business, is as likely a Means as any to preserve a Man from all the outward Inconveniencies that the Times can expose him to. But if it be ineffectual that way, and the Man cannot avoid fuffering, yet he had better fuffer thus than otherwife; nay, he ought to thank God that he

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1Pet. 4. fo fuffer.

Let none of you, says St. Peter, v. 15, 16. fuffer as an evil Doer, or as a Bufy-body, in other Mens Matters. But if any Man fuffer as a Chriftian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on that behalf.

5. But laftly, in speaking to this Argument, I ought not to omit another Thing, which feems fairly to be hinted to us by St. Paul, as a very proper Means of redeeming the Time in evil Days; viz. a more than ordinary Diligence and Exactnefs in our own whole Conversation. His Words in the Text are, ἀκριβῶς περιπατᾶτε; which if we would render ftrictly, it must be thus; See that ye walk accurately, that ye walk exactly; that is to fay, Let your Conversation be regular and irreproachable in all things, fuitable to the Copy that Chrift our Lord hath fet before you to follow, and suitable to the Holiness and Purity of that Religion which you profefs. As Chriftians are to have a Regard to their whole Converfation at all Times, fo are they efpecially in evil and dangerous Times: They should then Tit. 2.10.efpecially endeavour to adorn the Doctrine of God in all things, as St. Paul elsewhere fpeaks, that is, to fet it out to its beft Advantage: They should not fully the native Beauty of it by any corrupt, or mean, or undecent Conversation, but give the World a fair View of its Amiableness and Goodness by their innocent and unspotted Lives: Nay,

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