SERM. tend our going out, and our coming VIII. in, behold, obferve, and record every Action of our Lives. Let us remember, that for every idle Word we must give an Account to his Juftice: That even the most innocent Parts of our Mirth will escape well, if they are reckon❜d among our pardonable Infirmities. But where Things serious and facred, where God and Religion, where the Tranfgreffion of his Laws, and the Penalties he has annex'd to them, are the Subjects of an impious Mirth, be we affured these Things are noted in his Book with the deepest Characters of Guilt, and will be refented with Fury poured out. What God hates, he requires us to hate alfo; and to exprefs our Allegiance to his Kingdom, and our Affection to his Service, by an open and public Deteftation of what offends him. If we can be guilty ourselves of the Levity I have been reproving, or if we fit paffively, and hear others affront VIII. his Majefty, and laugh at his Displea- SERM. fure, muit he not look upon us as Traitors to his Interefts, and in Confederacy with his Enemies? Let us then appear with Zeal in the Cause of God, and declining Virtue, and not fuffer our Religion, which no Arguments can shake, to be jefted out of the World by the Raillery of Fools. Let neither the Wit, nor Figure of the Criminal, prevail with us, by Applause to encourage, or by Silence to approve, his profane Liberties: But let us treat every Sin with the Refentment it ́ deserves, and every Offender with Reproof and Correction. If thofe among us who truly fear God, and are concern'd for his Honour, would unite in fuch a Conduct, the Effect of it would foon appear. Virtue would refume Courage and Con fidence, and Vice be driven to Covert and Retirement. Credit and Applaufe would attend Religion, and Shame would be the Promotion of R Fools. .SERM. Fools. But whether the Attempt fucVIII. ceeds in thefe Effects, or not, let us remember that God requires it at our Hands; will acknowledge and reward our honeft Zeal, and make us a large Amends for any Inconvenience we can fuffer from it. But if either through Shame or Cowardice we decline this Duty, of us fhall the Son of Man be afhamed, before his Father and the holy Angels. : SER SERMON IX. Virtue and Piety our beft Security. I PET. III. 13, 14. Who is he that will harm you, if ye T HIS Epiftle the Apoftle of SERM. the Circumcifion addreffes IX. to the Jews of the Disper fion, after he and Paul had agreed upon their diftinct Provinces, in the Work of the Gofpel. He begins with exhorting them to a general с d a b SERM. Purity of Life, and Holiness in all IX. Manner of Conversation, from a Variety of Chriftian Motives; from the Expectation of that Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, referved for them in Heaven; from the Holinefs of that God who had called them, the Regeneration they profesfed, and the Dignity of that Relation into which they were adopted, being as lively Stones built up in a fpiritual House, an holy Priesthood, to offer up fpiritual Sacrifice, acceptable to God by Jefus Chrift. To thefe Motives he proceeds to add this Confideration, that by fuch a Conduct they would engage the Efteem of those who were without, the Gentiles among whom they lived: That where as they were ready to speak against them as evil Doers, by beholding their good Works, they might be induced to glorify God. He then (a) Chap. 1.v. 4. (b) ibid. 15. (c) ibid. v. 22, 23. (d) Chap. ii. v. 5, J. defcends |