Vol. II. That we must be thoroughly perfwaded that the right conduct of our felves, in the point of Society, is a Matter of the higheft moment and importance. Does not the Scripture plainly fuggeft this, when our Saviour tells us, Matth. 12. That by our Words we shall be justified, and by our Words we shall be condemned. And St. James tells us, James 3. 2. If any man offend not in word, the fame is a perfect man. And 'tis no wonder the Scripture lays fo great a stress, or fets fo great a value on the due government of the Tongue, fince nothing tends more to the pleafing of God, to the honour and intereft of Religion, and to the forming the Morals of Men. As to this latter, the forming every Man's particular Manners, I have faid enough: One thing here I will only remark; never was there a more illuftrious Proof of the Efficacy of Religious Converfation than in the Primitive Times. Next to that of the. Spirit of God it felf, the Christians found no greater Support under all their Trials, then what they derived from their mutual Incouragements and Exhortations of one another. And I do not question, but that Religious

Friend big

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Friendship would be as ufeful now to Vol. II. preferve us against the Snares and Pleasures of Sin, as it was then to uphold them under their fiery Trials and Afflictions, were our Difcourfes now actuated by the fame Spirit theirs were then. As to the pleafing God; must not God, think you, be as well pleas'd with our talking of, and magnifying his wondrous Works, in our familiar Converfations with one another, as with our praifing or extolling him in our Closets; and muft not the regard and reverence which we teftifie for him in Company, be as acceptable to him as our private Adorations? fpring they not from the fame Principle, and is not the one as fubfervient (to say no more) to his Glory as the other. As to the Honour and Interest of Religion, nothing can more effectually promote it than the giving a frequent and publick Teftimony of our Value for it. Which way can we more clearly convince the World of the Excellency and virtue of it; which way can we more effectually propagate in one ano ther the Love of it, than by making it appear that is has moulded and form'd our Souls into the Image of God; that

Vol. II. it has poffeffed our Thoughts, and

refined our Conversation. But on the other hand, if we have no regard to our talk, if we think this a Matter which Confcience is not concerned in, we fhall foon fee Religion daily lofe ground; for we shall foon learn to think and act with the fame liberty we talk; and this will introduce a strange face of things in a little time.

Now to clofeall, If our care or unconcernment in this point, be of this vaft Confequence, we cannot but think we shall be call'd to a ftrict account about it in another World; the Day is coming when the Lord will fulfil his promile, Mal. 3. And the Lord bearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written, and they shall be mine faith the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels. The Day is coming when God will execute the Threat denounced in the Apostle Jude, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints, to execute judgment upon all, to convince all that are ungodly amongst us, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed; and of all their hard fpeeches which ungodly finners have spoken against him.

Joy

Joy, Peace, and Hope, the Chriftian's Portion here.

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Rom. XV. 13.

Now the God of Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghoft.

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Urely Religion was defigned to Regulate our Paffions, as well as Inftruct our Understandings, and to make us happy as well as wife. Nor is this Happiness to confift in the Tranquility only, but Pleasure of the Mind not in Peace only, but Joy too: A Joy not like that of the Worldling, which at beft is confined to Time, and muft die with the Body, or it may be, long before it; but a holy fpiritual Joy, flowing from unspeakable Advantages in poffeffion, and the certain profpect of far greater in reverfion; for this is one great Branch of the Chriftian's Happiness, that he abounds in Hope :

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Vol. II. A Hope worthy of God, the Author of it, who is the God of Hopes worthy of the Blood of Chrift, the Price and Foundation of it; worthy the Gospel, which is the Wisdom and, the Power of God and of that bleffed Spirit which prepares us for it, by the Communication of the Divine Nature. A Hope, in a word, which defpifing all beneath, grows up as high as Heaven, and extends it felf to all Eternity.

And yet though this be the great End and Defign of Religion, in the midst of what Discontents do we live? with what Fear and Perplexity do we die? Are not our Paffions, and confequently our Troubles, as numerous and violent as those of Jew or Gentile ? Now, I wish from my heart they were not, and that this Reflection were rather a bold Cenfure, then fo fad a Truth. But let not the Sin of the Profeffors reflect any Difparagement on our Profeffion: this happens not from any Defect or Infufficiency in our Holy Religion to compass that glorious End it proposes, but from the Luft and Folly of its Profelytes; we place our Happiness in the Things of this World, we feek for our Satisfaction in earthly Enjoy