proceed. If that be laudable and justifiable, the Ufage is fo likewife. But if we will follow the Mode of the World to gratify fome ill Affection in us, the whole Thing is naught; it is a making Provision 14. for the Flesh to fulfil the Lufts thereof. Rom. 13. 3. In this kind of Things there is great Regard and Confideration to be had of our own Tempers and Inclinations. There are several Things we might innocently enough comply with, and conform to the World in, if we had the perfect Government of ourselves. But yet the Weakness of our Tempers may be fuch, that if we use these Compliances we fhall be drawn into horrible great Inconveniencies: We shall be betrayed into Sin, tho' we meant no fuch Thing. Now where we have fuch Experience of ourselves, in this Cafe it is adviseable to abridge ourselves even of our lawful Liberties. Thus for Inftance; if we cannot adorn ourselves, or wear rich Cloaths, but we are in danger to think our felves the better for them, or to be drawn away to purfue fome undecent Design upon the Account of them; if we cannot go into fuch a fort of Company but we are drawn into Intemperance, or foolish Talking: If we cannot play at any innocent Game, but we are apt either to be angry if we lofe, or to play for confiderable Sums of Money, or the like; in all thefe Cafes it is the best wholly to forbear these Things, and to deny deny yourselves lawful Liberties, that we may preferve our Innocency, and not engage in Things unlawful. 4. To conclude: Tho' we may conform to the World in all lawful Things, yet to make a conftant Practice of fome Things, which are lawful in themselves, will become unlawful to us, and will prove fuch a Conformity to the World as is here forbidden. A Thing may be done now and then that may be innocent enough, and we fhall deferve no Blame for it. But if we make a common Practice of the Thing, fo as to spend our Time in the minding of it, to the Neglect of other more neceffaty Business, it will in this Cafe be fo far from being lawful, that it will be a grievous Sin -in us. For Inftance, To ufe innocent Pafstimes and Recreations, to enjoy our Friends, and make Vifits, and the like, is not only allowable, but highly commendable: But yet to make a Trade of thefe Things, fo wholly to give up ourselves to them, as to spend most of our Time in them, this is intolerable, and we fhall be called to account for it in the other World. The Reafon of this is evident: The main Bufinefs we have to do in this World, is to ferve Go and benefit our Neighbours, and to fit ourselves for Eternity. This is our great Work, and all those other Things we are speaking of, ought to be managed and ordered by us in Subfervience thereunto; fo that they may promote U 2 Mat. 6.33. promote that great End, and no ways hinder it. But if we fo place our Affections, and bestow our Time upon them, that one would think we make Them our great Defign, and not the other; then we cannot be innocent, but are horribly unjuft both to God, and our own Souls. These are the general Rules by which we ought to steer ourselves in the Practice of the Apostle's Precept of not conforming to the World. The farther applying them to Particulars, is left to every one, as he finds himself concerned. The Sum of all is, We should firft feek the Kingdom of God, and the Righteousness thereof, and seriously endeavour in all our Converfation to recommend ourselves to our Lord and Mafter, by a diligent Obfervance of all his Commands, and abstaining from all the Pollutions of the Flesh and the World. And as for those Gratifications and Liberties that our Religion allows us, we fhould, as to them, ufe the World, as tho' we ufed it not; taking them only by way of Convenience and Accommodation for our more eafy Paffage thro' this World into the other. : ་ DISCOURSE IX. Our Obligations to live as Chrift lived. [Delivered in Four Sermons.] 1 PET. ii. 21. (Latter Part of the Verse.) Leaving us an Example, that ye fhould follow his Steps. T HE whole Verse runs thus: For St. Peter here is exhorting Servants to be subject to their Masters, and with Patience and Submiffion to bear whatever hard Usage they might meet with from them. And the Argument wherewith he enforceth this Exhortation is the Example of Chrift. He patiently for our Sakes underwent a great Load of Sufferings, and U 3 therefore 277 1 therefore highly reasonable it is that we fhould not repine at any hard Measures we meet with in the World. The Force and Strength of this Argument lies in that which St. Peter addeth in the laft Part of this Verfe, namely, that Chrift's Life was framed for our Example; that it was defign'd to be a Pattern for Chriftians to walk by, and that we are all of us bound to follow his Steps, He left us an Example, &c. This Point of the Example of Chrift is that I have now defign'd to treat of; and in speaking to it I fhall not restrain it to one Inftance, that of his Sufferings; (nor indeed do St. Peter's Words fo restrain it, tho' it must be granted he brings it in upon that Occafion) but I fhall confider it in its full Latitude with refpect to his whole Life and Converfation in the World. I. And in treating of this Argument I fhall endeavour thefe three Things. First of all in general, To fhew the great Obligation that lies upon all Chriftians to follow Chrift's Example. II. Secondly, To explain the Extent of this Obligation; How far, and in what Inftances Chrift's Life is an Example to us, and doth oblige us to Imitation. III. Thirdly, |