the Seat of Authority himself, and to render it easy to others; difpofe him to those Virtues, which by their natural Influence fpread Chearfulness and Pleasure, Amity and Confidence, through human Society; and laftly, that his Piety and Prayers are a continual Guard to his Country, derive the Bleffings of God upon it, and avert his Judgments from it.

SINCE therefore we all pretend a Concern for the Profperity of our Country, let our Zeal for it appear in our Endeavours to promote Virtue and Religion. Let us conftantly diftinguish the Righteous, by that Honour and Respect which is due to fo excellent a Character. By this we shall give Beauty and Luftre to his Example, and enable him by increafing the Number of the Good, to add daily to our Happiness and Security. Above all, let our Care begin at Home: Let us each in our Stations govern our Lives by the Rules of our holy Religion, and practise those Virtues ourfelves, whofe Excellence we acknowledge in others. And let us unite in our Prayers to God, that by the holy Influences of his Spirit he would guide and fanctify every Bb 4 Rank

Rank and Order of Men among us, that the Wisdom which is from above, that Righteoufnefs, Holiness, and Mercy, may be the Ornament of our Superiors, and be acknowledged in univerfal Honour and 1mitation.

THEN fhall Peace be within our Walls, and Plenteoufnefs within our Palaces, and no Complaining be heard in our Streets, God fhall be merciful to us, and bless us, and under his Protection we shall be safe and happy.

SERMON XVIII.

A prudent Condu& and Behaviour in Chriftians recommended and inforced.

ROM. xii. 17. latter Part.

Provide Things boneft in the Sight of all Men.

I

F it was neceffary to exhort Chriftians to an holy unblameable Life in the Age in which the Apostles wrote, when all

who profeffed the Gospel were Converts of Confcience, when the Terrors of Perfecution

and

and the daily Expectation of Death gave the Motives to Obedience the ftrongest and moft lively Impreffion on their Minds, much more muft it be neceffary when that primitive Zeal is decayed, when the Religion of many is no more than a Compliance with a fashionable Profeffion, and the outward Security of the Church has produced a careless Indolence, a Deadnefs and Inactivity of Spirit among the generality of Christians. It may, perhaps, be thought, that the Intention of this Precept was principally to guard against the Malice and Detraction of the profeffed Enemies of the Gospel, who were then numerous, prejudiced against it by ftrong Averfions, ready to triumph over every Miscarriage in the Conduct of its Difciples, and improve every Failing into an Argument of Reproach and Difcredit to the Faith they profeffed But that under a general Reception of Chriftianity, we may expect a candid and favourable Interpretation of all our Actions; and where all are equally concerned for the publick Honour of our Profeffion, none, will be inclined to reflect to its Difadvantage the Defects of Particulars,

culars, which the Principles of our Religion are well known to difallow; and therefore the great Reafon for that Strictness and Caution ceafing, it need not now be inculcated to Men. But alas! this Reafon for the Precept holds ftill with too much Force: The Gospel has ftill its Enemies among us open and barefac'd, disputing and ridiculing every Article of its Faith, and vigilant over every Advantage by which they may expose it to the Scorn or Averfion of Mankind. The weekly, and even daily Invectives we hear or read against all who minifter in the Offices of our Religion, or who with any Zeal and Reverence attend them, are too plain a Conviction that our Religion wants not Enemies, nor thofe Enemies Spight and Malice against it; and confequently this Reafon perfuades the Conduct here recommended, with as much Force as it could do in any Age of the Gofpel. We are ftill concerned to be upon our Guard, and by a prudent and exemplary Behaviour cut off all Occafion from thofe who feek Occafion, that they may have whereof to accufe us. But fhould we fet this Confi

deration