fee, but without making fpiteful Obfervations and Reflections; to be very careful of our Words, that they do not needlessly grieve or provoke any: Efpecially to be in all Cafes tender of our Neighbours Reputation as of our own. But they who

give themselves à Liberty of talking about every Thing, and every Perfon, what their own ungoverned Paffion or Humour fuggefts 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 Difadvantage 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 study 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 expofe 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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V.

1 Pet. 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 fpeaking 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 Exactness in our own whole Converfation. His Words in the Text are, ἀκριβῶς περιπαθείτε; 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 Converfation be regular and irreproachable in all things, fuitable to the Copy that Chrift our Lord hath fet before you to follow, and fuitable 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 fhould 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 best 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 Amiablenefs and Goodnes by their innocent and unfpotted Lives: Nay, they

they should fet it out to the best Advantage, making it by all exemplary Virtues and Graces to appear fo charming to those they converse with, that they may fall in Love with it. I beseech you, fays St. Peter, 1 Ep.ch.2. as Strangers and Pilgrims, (being as it were v. 11, 12. in a strange Country, and amongst many Enemies) abstain from fleshly Lufts, which war against the Soul, having your Converfation honest among the Gentiles. Honeft ; how is that? Why laudable, commendable, honourable, fuch as may be well thought of among the Gentiles; juft as St. Paul ufeth the fame Phrafe in the 12th of the Romans, Provide things honeft in the fight of all Men; v, 17. that is, take Care that all your Matters be fo decently managed, as that they may be approved of, and well reported among Men. And this Senfe the following Words of St. Peter do confirm, That whereas, fays he, 1Ep.2.12. they, viz. the Gentiles, Speak against you as evil Doers, they may by your good Works, which they fhall behold, glorify God in the Day of Vifitation. Here then is the

Province that is committed to all of us; this is the Work that God hath put us upon : We are to adorn the Doctrine of God our Tit. 2. 10. Saviour in all things. We are to recommend our Religion to all about us, not only by living free from Blame, but by abounding in all Virtue, and in all good Works. Hear, I pray, what St. Peter fpeaks to this Purpose in the 3d chapter of his firft Epiftle,

quoting

V. 10.

V. II.

quoting a Paffage out of the Pfalms; He that will love Life, and fee good Days, let him refrain his Tongue from Evil, and his Lips that they speak no Guile. Let him efchew Evil, and do Good: Let him feek v. 12. Peace, and enfue it. For the Eyes of the v. 13. Lord are over the Righteous; And who is he that will harm you, if ye be Followers of that which is good? There is certainly great Senfe and Reafon in thefe Advices ; and all the Men in the World cannot prefcribe more effectual Methods for the procuring a peaceful, happy Life to a Man's Self, or Bleffings to his Country, than these are: For by thus doing, we take the surest Way not only to recommend ourselves to Men ; but, which is more than that, we take the fureft Way to approve ourselves to God, who certainly both takes care of his Church and us; and who doth fo order the Affairs. of the World, that he will never fuffer any thing to come to pafs upon Earth, but what shall prove for the Good of his Church, and of all particular Perfons, who truly love and fear him.

Let us all therefore apply these Rules to ourfelves. Let us live up to our Principles. Let us not barely make a Noife and a Talk of what we believe and profefs; but let us fhew to all the World, that we have the true Faith of Christ among us, by bringing forth fuch Fruit in our Lives, as his holy Doctrine and Religion doth naturally tend

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20.

to produce among Mankind. Let us do nothing that is bad, nothing that hath even the Appearance of Evil. Whatever seems to be unjuft, or even hard to those we deal with, let us forbear it. Whatever looks like Knavery or a Trick, let us avoid it. Let our Words and Actions be all of a Piece, being true to our Words, and fincere in our Profeffions of Kindness. Let us be ready to do Acts of Humanity, and Kindness, and Charity, as often as they fall in our Power. Let us forgive Injuries, and endeavour to heap Coals of Fire on the Heads Rom. 12. of thofe that do them; that is, by our generous obliging Treatment of them, melt them into Reconciliation and Friendship with us; for that is the Method, they fay, of melting the hardest Metal, by heaping Coals of Fire on the Top of it. Let us be regular in all our Converfation, fetting Examples of Piety, and Devotion, of Temperance and Purity, of Moderation and Contentedness, of Humility and Affability, and Meeknefs to all above us. In a word, Whatever things Phil. 4. S. are true, whatsoever things are just, whatfoever things are lovely, honeft, and of good Report; if there be any Praife, any Virtue, let us follow these things. This is the true and proper Way both to fecure ourselves, and to do Honour and Service to our Religion in all Times whatsoever. Who Shall 1Pet.3.13. harm you, if ye be Followers of that which is good? The Christian Religion is a Thing

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