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dren fuch Names, as have been famous and honourable for the Virtues and good Actions of thofe that bore them; for this may ftir them up to Imitation, and make them afham'd to difhonour or come fhort of them. There are fome Names that have been render'd infamous, by the vile and wicked Actions of those that have been call'd by them, as Fudas, Ananias, Elymas, and the like; which, if there be any Virtue or Influence at all in Names, may be apt rather to prompt Men to Evil, than make them Followers of that which is good; fuch as thefe ought to be carefully avoided. There are others that may, perhaps, prove a Spur to noble and virtuous Undertakings, from the Example of fuch as have adorn'd them; and thefe are fittest to be made choice of. And therefore it hath been an antient and laudable Practice to give Children the Names of the Apostles, Saints, and Martyrs, and other renown'd Heroes, whofe Virtues fhould be rehearsed to them, that they may be quicken'd and encourag'd to do likewife; which is a Practice worthy to be obferv'd and kept to.

Thus having fhew'd the Original of the Chriftian Name, viz. the Time when, the Place where, together with the Reafon why, and the Manner how it was firft given; all which afford Matter of great Benefit and Inftruc

tion:

"Twill be requifite to add fomething touching the Importance of that Name, and the Obligation it lays upon all that wear it; which fhall be done in the next.

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Let every one that nameth the Name of Chrift, depart from Iniquity.

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Shew'd in my laft, the Original of the Chriftian Name, together with the Time, Place and Occafion upon which it was given: I proceed now to confider the Importance of this Name, and the Obligation it lays upon all that bear it; which I fhall do from thefe Words of the Apoftle, Let every one, &c. Where I muft enquire,

Firft, What is meant by naming the Name of Chrift. Secondly, What we are to understand by departing from Iniquity.

Thirdly, I muft fhew the Obligation that refults from this Name fo to do. For the

First, By naming the Name of Chrift, no more nor no less is meant, than the calling one's felf a Chriftian; for to name the name of any one is a Hebrew Phrafe, and fignifies to have his Name call'd upon us, or to be denominated from him. In this fenfe, we find it frequently us'd in the New Testament; Do they not blafpheme that worthy Name by which ye are call'd? or which is call'd upon you; meaning the Name or Title of Chriftian': Fam. 2. 7. And what St. Peter faith, If ye be reproached for the Name of Chrift; he after explains by, If ye fuffer as Chriftians, 1 Pet. 4. 14, 16. By which it appears, that to name the Name of Chrift, is to call ourfelves, or to be call'd Chriftians. But,

Secondly, What are we to underftand by departing from Iniquity, which is here given in charge to all that thus name the Name of Chrift? In anfwer to which two things are plainly intended by it.

The one Negative, that is to efchew all fuch things as are contrary to our Chriftian Profeffion.

The other Pofitive, to follow all fuch things as are agreeable to the fame,

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Both these are more fully exprefs'd in Titus 2. 11, 12, 13, &c. The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation (that is, the Grace of Chrift, by which we are admitted to be Chriftians, and call'd to a State of Salvation) teaches us to deny Ungodlinefs and worldly Lufts; and to live righteously, soberly and godly in this prefent World, &c. Thele, and all other parts of the Chriftian Life, are imply'd here in departing from Iniquity; in which more is included than feems to be exprefs'd.

And ift, To depart from Iniquity, is to efchew all those Things that are contrary to our Profeffion: this is the first Part of every Chriftian's Duty, which is exprefs'd in the Epiftle to Titus, by denying all Ungodliness and worldly Lufts; and here in our Text, by departing from Iniquity; and imports the cafting off the whole Body of Sin, or a thorow abandoning the Love and Practice of all Vice and Wickednefs. For tho Iniquity be fometimes us'd to fignify only Injuftice or Unrighteoufnefs; yet here 'tis of a larger Signification, and includes all manner of Impiety and Immoralities, which are indeed but fo many Acts of Injuftice to God, our Neighbour, and ourfelves. That all fuch Breaches of God's Laws are contrary to our Chriftian Profeffion, will be evident to any that confiders the Nature of it, and the Engagements it lays upon all that enter into it. The Chriflian Religion is an Institution of the strictest Piety; its Precepts are all holy, juft and good; its Promifes are all Encouragements to a holy and virtuous Life; its Threatnings are the Terrors of the Lord, to awe and affright Men from all vicious and finful Courfes, in which the Wrath of God is revealed against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men. When we enter upon it, we profefs to believe the Truth of all thefe things; and that nor barely to entertain our Minds with the Speculation of them, but to regulate our Practice, and to lead our Lives according to them.

Now all Sin and Wickedness is directly contrary to this Profeffion; it fhews that we do not believe what we pretend to, and are not what we would be thought to be: which is the vileft piece of Hypocrify, yea, a downright mocking and diffembling with God. And therefore to depart from Iniquity, is to fhun all fuch things as are oppofite to Chriftianity, and to do nothing that may grofly thwart or contradict it. But this is not all, for the Apostle's Charge here wills all that name the Name of Chrif C 4

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not only to avoid all that is contrary to their Profeffion ; but likewife,

2dly, To follow all fuch things as are agreeable to the fame; this is the fecond and pofitive part of a Chriftian's Duty. The former is exprefs'd in the Epiftle to Titus, by denying Ungodliness and worldly Lufts; the latter, by living righteously, foberly and godly in this prefent World: 'Tis not enough to cease to do Evil, tho that be a great Advance in Religion; but we must learn to do well, to complete the Character of a good Chriftian. 'Tis but half our Duty to abandon Vice; to make it intire, we must live in the Practice of all Virtue: For Chrift gave himself for us, not only to reedem us from all Iniquity, but to purify to himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works.

The Chriftian Profeffion requires Purity of Heart, and Chastity of Body; and therefore wills us, as to cleanse ourfelves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, fo to perfect Holiness in the fear of God. To act futably to our Profeffion, is to love, honour and fear God above all things; to practise an univerfal Honefty and Charity towards our Neighbour; and to preferve an unfpotted Chastity and Sobriety towards ourselves. These things are agreeable to our Profeffion; and to live in the Practice of them, is to walk worthy of the Vocation whereunto we are called: 'tis to walk before God unto all well-pleafing, and as becometh the Gofpel of Chrift.

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In a word, to depart from Iniquity, is to bid adieu to all vicious and finful Courfes and because the leaving one way, does evermore ingage us in another; to depart from the ways of Sin, will lead us into the Paths of Holiness and Virtue in which, all that name the Name of Christ are here required to walk. And this will lead us to the

Third thing to be treated of from these words; namely, the Obligation that refults from our Chriftian Name fo to do. And this will be evident to any that confider,

ift, That every one that taketh the Name of a Chriftian publickly, owns Chrift for his Teacher; he thereby becomes a Difciple of his, and as a Scholar yields up himself to him as his Master and Inftructor: and indeed, well he may, for he is the wifeft of all Teachers, one that came from God, and who alone hath the words of eternal Life. Now a Scholar, you know, is oblig'd to hearken to his Mafter, to believe his Teacher, and furrender himself to

his Inftruction and Difcipline; without which 'tis impoffible he should learn any thing from him, or behave himself futably to the Relation he bears to him. Hence, he that calls himfelf a Mahometan, profeffeth to own the Doctrine of Mahomet; he that ftyles himself a Lutheran or Socinian, declares his embracing the Tenets of Luther and Socinus: In like manner, he that calls himself a Chriftian, profeffes to entertain the Doctrine of Christ, to believe the whole Gofpel deliver'd by him, and to affent to the Truth of all the Precepts, Promifes and Threatnings contained in it.

Seeing then, the Defign of all thefe is to fubdue Sin, and to engage us in the Practice of Holinefs and Virtue; he that profeffes to believe all this (which is done by all that call themselves Chriftians) muft ftand oblig'd, in Reason and Confcience, to live and act accordingly. Again,

2dly, Every one that nameth the Name of Chrift, owns himself a Follower of Chrift's Example, as well as Doctrine; he takes him for his Guide and Pattern, and therefore ftands oblig'd to imitate him. Let the fame Mind be in you, faith the Apostle, that was in Chrift Fefus; and walk in Love, as he also hath loved us. Indeed, Chrift often fets himself as a Pattern before us, and bids us learn of him, and tread in his steps; and the Scripture frequently reprefents him under thofe Titles that render him an Example to us, and require our Following and Imitation of him: He is call'd our Prince, our Captain, our Leader, our Guide; all which terms import, that he hath gone every ftep before us, and thereby mark'd out our way for us.

Now Chrift having given us the highest Example of Holiness and Virtue (for he did no Sin, nor was any Guile found in his Mouth; but was holy, harmless, undefil'd, feparate from Sinners, and made higher than the Heavens) all that call themfelves Chriftians, are oblig'd to follow his steps, and to come as near him as they can, by a pious Imitation of his moft Holy Life. But, befides all this,

3dly, Every one that nameth the Name of Chrift, hath engag'd to depart from Iniquity. This was folemnly done at their Baptifm, as we fhall fhew hereafter: for when they receiv'd their Chriftian Name at the Font, they publickly renounced all Sin and Wickedness; and by taking the Name of Chrift upon them, gave themselves up to the conduct of his Precepts and Example: Infomuch, that we must either depart from Iniquity, or depart from the most foJemn Engagements; and without denying Ungodliness and

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