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ftinacy could create. If then this Perfon, fo far Superior, fo justly incenfed, did not only remit, but, at the Expence of infinite Afflictions and Sufferings, of Agonies, and Blood, and Life it felf, expiate the very Sins, by which himfelf was injured: How can We infift upon rigorous Terms of Satisfaction, with thofe, between whom and our Selves there can be nothing like to, either the Distance and Dignity of the Party ofended, or the number and quality of the Offences committed? But efpecially, In regard this Divine Perfon Submitted to be Sacrificed, not for You, or Me, or a Few only, but for all Mankind; and, by fo doing, is become their common Saviour, does not difdain to call them all Brethren, is Their Mystical Head, and They his Members, provided They accept the Terms of this Saving Union; How can We pursue with our angry Refentments, those who are now parts of Him; and who, for His Sake, if not for their own, have a right to all our Charity? He died not only as our Ranfom, but as our Example; and 'tis St. John's Inference, Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for Us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. And, if the Obligation run fo high; if even that, which Nature hath made dearest to us all, must not be thought too coftly a Proof of our Kindness, when a proper Occasion fhall demand it of us; Let Them reflect, what account they can give of themselves, and whether that be Chriftian Charity, which refufes to Sacrifice a Paffion, which grudges a very little Coft, or Pains, or Condefcenfion, to the Eafe and Benefit of an Offending, or a Needy Brother. Nay, let them think, how, at the laft great Day, they shall be able to hear the Upbraidings of a Judge, who hath declared, he places to his own Account all Acts of Mercy and Kindness to these Brethren; and yet could obtain no manner of Requital, from fuch in

1 John iii. 16.

fenfible

fenfible Wretches, for his own unexampled Bounty. So much, indeed a great deal more, there is in that fhort Exhortation, Walk in love, as Chrift Ver. 2. alfo bath loved us, and bath given himself

for us, an Offering and Sacrifice to God, for a fweet fmelling Savour.

Epift. for Advent Surday 1.]

Epi fo Epi

phany.

The remainder of this day's Epiftle is, in the general Design and Subftance, much the fame with That, read last Sunday. The Vices he would correct or prevent, the fame. The Arguments to deter Men from them, the fame. So that my Reader may, if his Memory stand in need, be there refreshed, as to the nature of the Crimes. And for the Contradiction and Scandal they are to our Chriftian Profeflion, not only That, but the feveral Difcourfes, here referred to, have prevented me in the main Argument of the Scripture now in hand. Mean while the Dangers and the Temptations in This Particular Cafe are fo exceeding great, that our Church hath thought Precept upon Precept little enough: and fo to pris the Matter upon our Confciences, as to difcharge the Office of a careful and tender Mother, by guarding all her Children against the very Approaches of the Enemy. To which purpose I take thofe Rules for Converfation to be of fingular ufe, which may be drawn from the 4th and 11th Verfes here, fomewhat to each whereof I fhall fet my felf to fay at this time.

After having, at the 3d Verfe, utterly exterminated Fornication and all Uncleanness in Practice, the Apoftic proceeds, at the 4th to pafs the fame Sentence upon Filthiness, and foolish Talking, and Jefting, as things alfo disagreeable to the Character of Chriftians. A Caution highly reasonable and neceffary, upon the following Accounts.

Z 3

Pf. viii. & cviii.

1. If we confider the ufe of Speech in general. A Prerogative peculiar to Mankind, and fitted for the Benefit and Comfort of a Creature formed for Society. By this we tranfmit to others, with great Ease and Freedom and Exactnefs, the Thoughts of our own Mind; and become capable of diffufing the Riches of that Knowledge in a Moment, the gathering whereof may have coft us the Pains and Study of many Years. And to fuch Purposes no doubt it was, that the Giver of this Faculty defign'd it fhould be employed; the fetting forth his Honour; (for which reafon fome fuppofe David to have given to the Tongue the Titles of his Glory, and the beft Member that be bad) The Inftruction of our Brethren, and promoting their Virtue. Hence St. Paul, in the 4th of this Epiftle, requires, that all our Converfation fhould be edifying; at least not corrupt, but the innocent Entertainment of thofe, with whom we converse; that fo the Power granted us of making other People wifer and better, may not be fo far perverted, as to render them the worse. For this were fuch a Reproach and Affront to our Maker, fuch vile Ingratitude to our bountiful Benefactor, as a Learned Jew not unfitly compares to that Difingenuity of the Ifraelites heretofore; Who, forgetting whence, and why, it came into their Hands, profaned that Gold and Silver, which the Bleffing of the true God had multiplied, by melting it

Ver. 8.

Maim. More
Nevoch P. iii,
C. 8.

Hof. ii. 8.

down into Images, and devoting it to the Service and Worfhip of Baal.

2. The reasonablenefs of this Caution will farther appear to us, if we reflect at all upon the Mischiefs, that follow upon the abuse of Speech. I fpeak not now of thofe, which the Sin of it draws upon the Guilty Perfon himself, but of fuch, as fall upon Them, with whom we keep company. And Thefe,

indeed

indeed are infinite. For with the fame ease are both good and evil Notions conveyed, but by no means both with the fame Efficacy and Succefs. To fix the Good, and form our Acquaintance into our Virtues and commendable Difpofitions, afks Labour, and Skill, and a world of Management and Addrefs: Because we have a natural Corruption to work against, and many Prejudices to diflodge, before we can get accefs to them. But the Evil find us difpofed and ready to their hand; Our Hearts are open, our Affections meet them half way; and all Impreffions are quickly made, and hardly defaced, which flatter Appetite, ftrike in with Inclination, and promote the Gratifications of Flesh and Senfe. Experience daily fhews, how much easier it is to debauch a Man, and unsettle all his right Principles;. than it is, to reform him, and clear him of thofe, that are corrupt. The Former may be effected by Sport and Diversion, The Latter is Bufinefs, and requires much Application. In order to This, he must think and be serious; For That, it fuffices that he do not think at all. The Sallies of a smart but undifciplin'd Wit ferve to laugh Men out of their Sobriety and Religion. Nay even an uncommon Expreffion, that makes up in Confidence and Surprize, what it wants in Wit, is often able to expose the best and most Sacred, and to recommend the worft and vileft things; to wound a Neighbour's Reputation mortally, or to diminish the Reverence due to God himfelf. So dangerous are all Affectations of this kind, to ingratiate our felves to our Company, at the expence of Piety, or Juftice, Sober Senfe, or Good Manners. Of fo pernicious Influence thofe Liberties, which are apt to ftick by Them, that hear and fee them taken; to draw them first to Liking, and then to Imitation. And therefore, to all, who retain any Belief and Apprehenfion of a Future Judgment, fo dreadful muft appear the

24

Con

Confequence of enflaming our own Account, by the Addition of thofe Sins in others, which fuch Converfation hath infpired, or encouraged. For, by thus making Our Manners Theirs, we have in proportion transferred Their Guilt, and made That to become Ours.

3. But, Thirdy, This Guilt and Danger hath fome Circumftances of Aggravation, peculiar to the Cafe now under debate. St. Paul, who, in other Instances, avifes to ftand our Ground against Temptations, and fight it out manfully, hath counsell'd his Son. Timothy to flee from youthful Lufts. The reason for prescribing fo different a Method, feems to be, that the Enemy, in this Attack, is favoured by fo ftrong a party within, that the fafeft Course is to fave our felves, not by a formal Repulfe, but by giving him a Diversion. Hence Solitude, and even Religious Retirements, have fometimes been found a lefs powerful Defence, than Bufinefs and Company. But then that Company must not be fuch, as fhall repeat and double our difficulty, by ftrengthning the Poifon, inftead of proving our Antidote. And indeed that Company must be very ill chofen, which does fo. Nature seems to have left us fufficient directions in this Matter; and, by confining fome neceffary Actions, to places of Secrecy and darkness, to fay, that every thing relating to them fhould be kept up clofe in Silence. The Learned Rabbi, quoted juft now, makes Maim ubi fupr. it an Intimation, how hateful an Obfcenity is to God, that in the Language taught his own People, there are no Words expreffing, either thofe parts, or the Ufes ferved by them, which Modesty labours to conceal from common Sight, but all these things are fignified by figurative and transferr'd Senfes, of Words, that literally have a Sound perfectly inoffenfive. And not He only, but the Heathen Orator, hath expos'd the humourfome Coarfeness of fome Philofophers,

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