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Vol. II. Death and Judgment come on apace; that yet a little while, and it will fignifie little, whether we have been Princes or Peasants, Healthy or Crazy, Profperous or Calamitous; but only whether we have been Vertuous or Vicious; whether we have made a good or a bad ufe of our Trials and Talents. These things you must feriously ponder; these things you must often revolve; we perifh for want of thinking; we are loft for want of confideration. The Truths of the Gospel are mighty and powerful, but 'tis confideration muft fet them home without ferious, without frequent confideration, no Truth can make either deep or lafting Impreffion upon us. We are earthy, worldly, carnal, and therefore not eafily affected or moved. We are filly, inconftant, vain, and therefore apt to forget what is wife and good, and apt to entertain in the room of it, whatever offers it felt next, how flight and trifling foever: So that the things of the Body and the World do easily please, amuse, imploy and poffefs us, if we be not careful often to refresh and renew the memory of Divine Truths.

3. Have

3. Have often in your Eye the Ex- Vol. II. amples of those, who through faith and patience, have inherited the Promises. Examples, we commonly fay, teach better then Precept; I know not whether they clear and illuftrate the Rule, whether they exprefs and explain our Duty better than Words can; but I am fure they affect and move us, or are apt to do so more than bare words; there is a loveliness, a beauty, in Vertue, when rendred vifible by Practice that can scarce fail of exciting in us fome Defires and Affections towards it. How lovely does Integrity look, when it triumphs over the Temptations of Interest and Ambition? How comely is Gratitude towards God and Man, when it expreffes it felf in the best Service it can render, either with Love and Joy? What a Serene Majesty is there in Devotion, when, with David, we compass the Altar of God with Joy, and an humble Reverence? When the Purity and Elevation of the Soul breaks out naturally, and whilft it is far from affecting to do so, renders the heavenly frame and temper of the Soul illuftrious and visible, to any serious Spe&tator? This is one Reason why Examples

Vol. II. amples are said to inftru&t better than Precepts; but there is another as plain; the Language of Example is not only more lively and moving, but more argumentative and convincing too than that of Precept; for Example teaches us that our Duty is poffible and pleafant; it convinces us that God requires nothing of us, but what is very feasi ble and practicable, as well as rational and advantagious: and it reproaches our floth and cowardife, our baseness and ingratitude, and baffles our vain Pretences and Cavils in the most lively manner for how fhall we refuse to follow where Men of the fame Paffi ons and Infirmities lead the way? with what face can we object against our Duty, the unpracticableness or imposfibility of it, when we fee others not only actually furmounting all the Difficulties in it, but practising it constantly, with the highest Satisfaction, and by degrees with great eafe too? how, finally, muft our Conscience severely condemn and upbraid our backwardnefs and reluctancy, when we obferve with what eagerness and thirst many others follow after Righteousness; what a trouble 'tis to them to be kept

from

from doing any Religious Duty? and Vol. II. with what guft and pleasure they haften afterwards to do it? In a word, the confideration of excellent Examples, will naturally be apt to raise these Thoughts in us; on what ground can I pretend to the reward of faithful Servants, if I do not labour as I fee they do? how can I pretend to the Favour of God, if my Faith and Love do not produce in me the fame Effects which I fee they do in the Children of God.

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Vol.II.

The Influence of Con

verfation with the Regulation thereof.

Prov. XIII. 20.

He that walketh with wife men fhall be wife; but a companion of fools fhall be deftroyed.

C

Onversation has ever juftly been accounted a powerful Inftrument of Good or Evil; it has ever had a mighty Influence on the Conduct of Human Life; and the Vice or Vertue of the World, has ever in a great meafure been owing to it. The Regulation therefore of it did in all Ages demand the utmost Prudence and Caution, but furely in none more than in this of ours: Now, if ever, it is ne ceffary for us to exhort all that have a concern for their own Souls, to shun the way of the Sinner, and refrain their Feet from the Path of the Wicked. Now, if ever, 'tis neceflary for us

to

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