SERM.
XVI.

SERMON

XVI.

Of Walking circumspectly.

EPHES. V. 15.

See then that ye walk circumfpectly, not
as Fools, but as wife.

T

HE Design of this Epiftle, and
particularly of these Words,
which I have read to you, is to

direct the Ephefians how to be-
have themselves in thofe dangerous and
perilous Times, when they were befet with
Enemies on all Sides, and lay under great
Temptations to apoftatife from the Christian
Religion; and either to return to their for-
mer Judaism or Heathenifm; or elfe, if
they did perfevere in the true Faith, yet
to render it useless and of none Effect by
clofing with the corrupt Gloffes of fome
Heretics, who fprang up amongst them,
and by leading loofe and fenfual Lives,

in Order to prevent both thefe, the Apostle SE RM. ufes many cogent and powerful Arguments, XVI. and lays down many excellent Precepts for the Government of Men's Lives and Conversations. And, in the Words of the Text, he exhorts them to be exceeding cautious and wary in their Words and Actions, and to carry themselves fo prudently and circumspectly, that they might neither wilfully expofe themselves to thofe Dangers and Perfecutions which threatened them from without, nor give Occafion of Offence to their Brethren by any undue and fcandalous Compliances either in Matters of Faith or Practice; and, the more effectually to engage them to this, he uses this Argument, that by fo doing they would approve themselves to be wife and prudent Perfons; Men that were convinced not only of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion, and were willing to comply with its Precepts, but who understood the Extent and Latitude of their Christian Liberty, and knew how to put in Practice those prudential Rules which are laid down in the holy Gospel, in general Terms, and are left to every one's Difcretion to adapt them to the different Circumftances of Time, Place, and Perfon, and fuch other accidental Emergencies: See then that ye VOL. II. B b walk

SERM. walk circumspectly, not as Fools, but as XVI. wife.

FROM which Words I fhall endeavour more particularly,

L To explain what is meant by Walking circumspectly.

II. To lay down fome Confiderations to engage us thus to walk. And,

III. To lay down fome Rules to direct us in the Government of our Lives and Converfations.

1. I AM to explain what is meant by Walking circumspectly.

THIS Phrafe is a Metaphor taken from a Person who is walking on the Brink of a Precipice, who has no fafe Path but that exactly before him, and, if he steps never fo little afide, is in manifeft Peril of lofing his Life, and therefore has Need to be very vigilant and careful: And with this agrees the Phrafe in the Original, Βλέπε ε εν πῶς ἀκριβῶς περιπατεῖτε : Which denotes to us,

1. THAT we live up to the Rules of Piety and Devotion, Juftice and Honefty, of Temperance and Sobriety: That we perform our Duty to God, our Neighbour, and ourfelyes, with, that Diligence, Carefulness, and Exactness

as

as becomes Men who are fully perfuaded SERM. of the Truth of that Religion which they XVI. profefs, and the Certainty of thofe Rewards which they expect after this fhort Life is ended: That we recommend Christianity to others, in a loose and Atheistical Age, not only, by making an open and refolute Profeffion of its Faith, and by an exact Compliance with the Difcipline of the Church, but by tranfcribing its Precepts into our Lives and Converfations; by demonftrating to the World, that Religion and Virtue are more than bare Names, and that, notwithstanding the Degeneracy of Mankind, and the almost universal Corruption of Manners, they have ftill a real Existence and Being in the World; and not only fo, but by reprefenting the Beauty of Holiness, the ravishing Charms and Endearments of a good and virtuous Life, the wonderful Pleafure and Delight of a quiet, peaceable, and contented Mind, and the inward Joy and Satisfaction which proceeds from a Confcience void of Offence, to endeavour, as much as in us lies, to allure the whole World to the Practice of

it.

THIS is a brave and generous Design, agreeable to the true Spirit of Christianity; a Spark of that heavenly Zeal, which inspiB b 2

red

SERM. red the Breafts of its first Profeffors; which XVI. would make more lafting Impreflions on Men's Minds, and bring over more Profelytes to our Holy Religion, than all those numerous Volumes of Controverfy, which by raifing Doubts and Scruples in weak Minds, and by infifting with too much Vehemence and Paffion upon nice, curious, and unprofitable Queftions, have in these latter Ages fo much pestered the Church. A prophane and fubtle Wit will never want nice Diftinctions to evade the Force of the most demonstrative Arguments, and will eafily cloath the moft abfurd Opinions with the Shews and Appearances of Reason: But when he beholds the exact Purity and Holiness of the devout Christian, his Heroical Courage and Magnanimity, his intire Refignation of himself and his Concerns to the Will of God, and the Fervency of his Zeal and Devotion: Thefe are fuch prevailing Arguments, as not only allure the Affections, but convince the Judgment, and force him to acknowledge, that fuch excellent Effects muft proceed from a divine and fupernatural Caufe. This is that exact and circumfpect Walking the Apoftle exhorts us to; that Demonftration of the Spirit, which never fails of producing

fuitable