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The force of example is very great; infomuch that fome will have it to be the fource of all moral evil, and maintain that all the wickedness which is practifed in the world, is only the effect of imitation; and that, if any one from his infancy could have a perfect example propounded to him, he would be a perfect man. This indeed is abundantly more than I can allow but thus much may fafely be granted; that example is one great fource of evil, tho not the only one. It is natural for us to imitate the manners of those with whom we converfe; we flide almost infenfibly into actions which we fee daily practifed by multitudes around us. Men for the most part do not care to be fingular, but love to conform themfelves to the customs of their neighbours. Each man is apt to say within himself, " why should I be afraid of do

ing that which other people do fo fre"quently without any remorfe? why "fhould I be more nice and fcrupulous "than many of my friends and acquaint

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ance?" And when once a man has indulged a vicious inclination, he is ready to add;" if I fhould change the course "of my life, forfake fuch and fuch fins, N 3 " and

" and apply my felf to the practice of "the contrary virtues, I should be laughed at by my companions.

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Thus example alone is enfnaring, But the danger is ftill greater when folicitation and entreaty are added to it; which often happens to be the cafe, For finners are not contented to do that which is evil themselves, but endeavour to feduce others alfo; faying as Solomon represents them in the first chapter of Proverbs; Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privately for the innocent without caufe; let us fwallow them up alive as the grave, and whole as those that go down into the pit; we shall find all precious fubftance, we shall fill our boufes with spoil; caft in thy lot among us, let us all have one purse.

Another thing which adds to the difficulty of a religious life, is that oppofition which wicked men are ready to make to holinefs and virtue wherever they fee them take root. When once a man forfakes evil courfes, and applies himself to the practice of religion, he prefently draws on himself the hatred of an ungodly world. A life of ftrist piety and virtue is fo contrary, and when compared with it, doth fo vaftly out

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fhine it; that no wonder if the wicked man is filled with indignation against the righteous, because his vices render him as odious and deteftable, as the virtues of the other render him beautiful and amiable. And being enraged against him, he will do what in him lies to moleft and disturb him: if he cannot feduce him from the paths of virtue, he will at least endeavour to abate the pleasure of walking in them: if he cannot prevail on him to caft off religion, he will perfecute him for adhering to it. It might be expected, according to the nature and reason of things, that religious men fhould be most esteemed, and meet with the kindeft treatment from the world, because they do most resemble the divine being who is the pattern of all perfection, and because they are the most useful members of fociety: but fo it is, that wicked men invert the order of nature, and make that the object of their scorn and derifion, which ought to attract their admiration and love. They strive to out-do one another in breaking jefts upon religion, and cafting difparaging reflections upon those who profeís it. Now contempt and reproach are very N 4

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irksome and ungrateful to human nature; and therefore it requires extraordinary ftrength and firmnefs of mind, to perfevere ftedfaftly in the practice of religion in fpight of the derifion of fcorners.

But the difficulty is ftill greater, when to fcorn and contempt are added external force and violence. The time hath been, when the profeffion and practice of true religion have expofed men to the lofs of all that was dear to them in this world. Perfecution for righteousness fake began very early. Cain flew his brother Abel: and wherefore flew be him? because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous; 1 John III. 12. And ever fince that time there have been fome who have gone in the way of Cain; i. e. have been irreconcilable enemies to virtue and goodness, and laboured to extirpate them out of the world. Almost every age hath produced inftances of righteous men, who have fallen a facrifice to the rage of the wicked. Now when things come to this extremity, that we must either renounce religion, or suffer death for adhering to it; it is eafy to conceive that there will be a great ftruggle between the rational and the carnal

part

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part of our frame; and no wonder if we be strongly tempted to apoftacy, at a time when the keeping our fidelity is

like to coft us dear.

Thus it appears, that the world affords many powerful temptations to fin. And it would be well if that was the only source of them: but, most unhappily for us, there is another very confiderable one; and that is, the devil. The manner of his accefs to, and operation upon the minds of men, is very much

a fecret; but the thing itself is most certain, because it is founded on exprefs teftimony of fcripture. St. Peter exhorts us to be fober and vigilant, because our adverfary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, feeking whom he may devour; 1 Pet. V. 8. St. Paul calls him the spirit which worketh in the children of "difobedience; Eph. II. 2. The treachery of Judas in betraying our Saviour, is afcribed to the influence of the devil: John XIII. 27. And after the fop, Satan entred into him. And the fin of Ananias, in prevaricating with the apostles about the price of the land which he had fold, is referred to the same original Acts V. 3. Peter faid, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to

the Holy

Ghost,

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