A SHORT VIEW OF THE PRINCIPAL DUTIES OF THE Christian Religion. WITH Plain Arguments to persuade to the sincere and speedy Practice of Them.  
To which is added, A Prayer suited to the Whole, to be used Morning and Evening.  For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation has appeared to all Men; teaching us, that denying Ungodliness and worldly Lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present World; looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, Tit. 2. 11, 12, 13. 
By a Divine of the Church of England, for the Use of his Parishioners.  
LONDON, Printed for I. Knapton, at the Crown in St. Paul's Church. Yard. 1700.  
Price 3 d. or 20 s. per Hundred.   

To my beloved Parishioners of Ailesham, in the County of Norfolk.  
Brethren,  
AS my hearts Desire and Prayer to God for you is, that ye may be saved: 
Rom. 10. 1  So it shall be my great Endeavour to guide and assist you, in this important Business of working out your own Salvation. And in order thereto I 
Phil. 2. 12  have in the following Pages given you (as it were in one View) a Summary of all those Christian Duties (with their Motives to them) which I conceive necessary to Eternal Life, which (being such) I intent (God willing) to make the constant Subject of my public Discourses among you. And therefore I do earnestly recommend them beforehand to your serious and constant Perusal, that so your Minds, by forming the same Notions of the Christian Doctrine with myself, may better apprehend my Meaning in my Sermons, and consequently be the better enabled, not only to keep in memory what is preached unto you, but also to edify or profit by it.  
And the great concern I have for your Eternal Welfare, makes me the more desirous of your ready compliance with these my Endeavours, to build you up in your most holy Faith; the end whereof is nothing less than the Salvation of your Souls. 
1 Pet. 1. 9   
It is to be observed and remembered, that our composition is not made up of what is sensible only (though we chief converse with this) but that Man consists of a Soul, as well as a Body, and our experience may convince us, that the World is not a suitable, or satisfactory 
Luk. 12. 15.  good for the one, though it be for the other; which plainly shows that our chief End is, not to eat, and drink, and sleep, and carry on a few worldly Designs; & then go out of the World as ignorant, & less innocent than we came into it; but our great End is, to cultivate our better Part, and by the constant exercise of 
Eccles. 12. 13.  Religion fit our Souls for that spiritual and immortal Life, the loss whereof, not even the whole World itself, can compensate; 
Mat. 16. 26.  and yet nothing can put us into the Possession of it, but keeping the Commandments. For so it has pleased 
— 19 17.  the Wisdom of God to make Religion, or Obedience to his Laws, at once the Condition of our future Happiness, and the necessary Preparation for it. For 'tis our likeness to, or resemblance of God, that must dispose us to relish any Pleasure in the presence and enjoyment of him, (for no one delighteth in the conversation of him, who is of a temper contrary to his own) and 'tis our Obedience to his Will, that must make us like him, (i. e.) holy as he is holy, and 
1 Pet 1. 15, 16.  consequently happy as he is happy.  
So that the various Duties of the Christian Religion, laid before you in the following Pages, are the very life of your Souls; and your Right or Claim to the one increaseth or diminisheth, in the same Proportion, with your Practice of the other. And therefore as ye love your Souls ye must love your Duty; 
Pro. 19 16 Psal. 119. 52.— 165. 2 Cor. 112. Prov. 14. 32.  for there is nothing else can afford you any solid Comfort in this World, or any reasonable hopes of Happiness in the other.  
And it may be of great encouragement to your Duty to consider, that as it is thus exceeding necessary to be practised; So it is with all as easy to be known. It is made so plain, that he who runs may read it, and accordingly it seems to have been more throughly understood, (I am sure much better practised) by poor Sheperds, and ignorant Fishermen, than by the most learned Philosophers, and Disputers of 
1 Cor. 1. 21▪  this World; and St. Paul, though a 
Acts 22. 3.  Scholar, was yet to preach the Gospel, not with Wisdom of Words; and therefore 
1 Cor. 1. 17.  there is not so much need of Logic or the Art of reasoning, as of true Faith and Piety to understand it. So that if ye bring but along with you to these Papers an honest and docible temper of Soul, I could hope ye might (with as little 
James 1. 21  trouble as ye could desire) know enough to make you wise unto Salvation. 
● Tim. 3. 15   
And when once ye have attained to such a degree of Knowledge in these necessary Duties, than all that remains to be further urged, is only that ye would please to remember our Saviour's Words to his Disciples; If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them, and that 
John 13. 17.  ye may, as 'tis the earnest desire: So it shall be the great Endeavour of,  
Your most faithful Friend and loving Pastor, Jonathan Wrench.   

A short View of the Principal Duties of the Christian Religion, etc.  
GOD, Who would have all men to be saved, 
1 Tim. 2. 4.  and come to the Knowledge of the Truth, has implanted in every Man a Desire of Happiness; and in the Gospel has made true Religion, that is to say, 
Pref. p. 2. Matthew 7. 21. Heb. 12. 14.  a faithful Observance of the Laws of Christ, necessary for the Attainment of that Desire. So that it becomes at once every Man's Duty and Interest to acquaint himself with this true Religion, as being the one thing needful for the Object of his Thoughts, and the Subject of his Practice.  
And as 'tis your Duty thus to learn: So (having the Care of your Souls upon me) I think it mine to inform you; what ye must do to inherit eternal Life, and that is, in short, what the Doctrine of the Gospel, or (as the Apostle expresseth it, what the Grace of God which (brings Salvation, and has appeared to all 
Tit. 2. 11, 12.  Men) teacheth us, namely, that Denying Ungodliness, and worldly Lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present World. This is the Sum of what we, on our Part, promised to God and Christ to perform, when we were baptised into the Christian Religion, for Baptism is that Ceremony, by which God enters into Covenant with the Persons to be baptised, wherein God is pleased to promise certain Advantages to them on his Part, and the Persons to be baptised engage to observe certain Conditions on theirs. The Terms of Stipulation, or the Covenant to be performed on God's part, are (as our Church Catechism informs us)  
First, That we shall be made Members of Christ, (that is to say) Members of his spiritual Body, the Church, whereof Christ himself is 
Rom. 12. 5.  the Head, from whom, we are to expect all our Strength and Power to live as becometh the Gospel of Christ, or as Christians, that walk 
Eph. 1. 22, 23.  worthy of the Lord unto all Wellpleasing.  
Secondly, That we shall be made the Children of God, that is, God (with whom we are in Covenant) will adopt us for his Sons 
John 1. 12. Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 4. 5. 6. Luke 11. 13.  through Faith in, and Obedience to, Christ our Saviour, and as his Sons will expect only a filial Obedience; will readily pass by our Infirmities, freely forgive our Sins, and be hearty reconciled to us, in and through the Beloved, will bestow upon us his Holy Spirit, and with Him, a Supply of all things necessary for the Support of our spiritual Life and Growth in Grace.  
Thirdly, as a Consequence of this, we shall be also made Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven; for if we are (as I said just now we were) hereby made the Children of God, the 
Rom. 8. 16, 17. Tit. 3. 5. 7. Heb. 1. 14.  Apostle's Conclusion is very strong, that if Children, than Heirs, Heirs of God, and joint Heirs with Christ, which can import nothing less than that we shall be, together with him, Heirs of Salvation,  
All this is, in short, what God makes over to us in the Covenant of Baptism. All which we can expect, only upon Condition of the Performance of our Part of this sacred Covenant. For such is the Nature of Covenants, that when one of the Persons covenanting or contracting receedeth from his Part of the Covenant he does thereby actually acquit the other, with whom he covenanted, from all Obligation to perform his Part of the Covenant. So that if we do not perform our Part of this Covenant, made in our Baptism, we thereby discharge God from the Obligation of performing his Part, and ●herefore it stands us in great stead to be very punctual in our Observance of those Sacred Obligations, which we laid upon ourselves ●n our Baptism, because all the Privileges belonging to us, as Christians, together with our Eternal Life and Happiness, either stand or fall by our well or non-Performance of them; ●or though Jesus, and he only, has delivered us 
1 Thess. 1. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 18. Acts 4. 12. Heb. 5. 9  from the Wrath to come, and reconciled us to God by ●is Death; yet it must be with all remembered, ●hat the Benefits of his Death and Passion are all conditional, and that he is Become the Author ●f eternal Salvation, only to them that obey him. This being therefore a Matter of great Importance, I shall be the more particular (as far as my intended Brevity will admit) in my Consideration of those Conditions, which every Christian is supposed to promise, in his Baptism, faithfully to observe; and these are no more than what the Grace of God, (which has appeared to all men) teacheth us, viz. that denying Ungodliness, 
Tit. 2. 11, 12. Eccles. 12. 13. Phil. 2. 12. Psal. 34. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 11.  and worldly Lusts, we should live soberly, Righteously, and Godly, in this present World; for This is the Whole of Man, the Sum of all that God requires at our hands; in order to the working out our own Salvation, our Duty consists only in these two Things, the Eschewing Evil, and doing Good: The Evil to be eschewed, denied, or forsaken by us is comprehended under these few Words; Ungodliness and worldly Lusts, and the Good, in these, The Living Soberly, Righteously, and Godly, in this present World.  
1. One Condition of the forementioned Privileges is, that we Deny Ungodliness or Impiety. Now as 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Piety is that Part of our Duty, which has a more immediate Relation to God: So 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Impiety or Ungodliness may be supposed to comprehend in i● all those Sins, which are leveled more immediately against Him, which may be all reduced to these two general Heads; Either,  
1. The Disowning Him the true God, for our God; or  
2dly. The setting up other Gods besides him▪ For,  
1. The Disowning the true God for our 
Josh 24. 27. Psal. 53. 9 Acts 17. 29. Psal. 73. 9, 11. Matt. 5. 34. James 5. 12. Job 31. 26, 27, 28. Leu. 24. 15, 16. 1 Tim. 6. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Tit. 1. 16.  God implies in it the Disowning or Denying Him in our Thoughts; either thinking Him not at all, or thinking unworthily of him; the Denying Him in our Words, by arguing against his Being, and endeavouring to dispute Him out of it: Swearing falsely or vainly by his Name, Cursing, Blaspheming Him, and Ridiculing his sacred Word. Lastly, the Denying him in our Actions, Living as without God in the World, either by Omitting our known Duties to him, or Committing wilful Sins against him. All which are notorious Instances of Ungodliness.  
2dly. Ungodliness consisteth, not only in disowning the true God any of the foremention'd Ways, but also in Setting up other Gods besides Him. Which I conceive, may be done either of these three Ways:  
1. By Substituting or Placing any other God in 
Leu. 26. 1. Rom. 1. 23. Acts 17. 29. 2 Kings 17. 33. Zeph. 1. 5.  Room of the true God; or  
2dly. By worshipping any other God together with Him; or  
3dly. By giving those Acts of Worship to any created Good, which are due to God alone.  
The two former of these relate to the Idolatrous Worship of the Heathens, which was one great Sin, that Christians formerly promised in their Baptism to forsake, when they engaged to Renounce the Devil, and all his Works; and the latter is what Christians, not only were, but are now a-days obliged to Renounce, and yet but too frequently adhere to ●t; in that they are apt to Repose (as sad Expe●ience shows) a greater Reliance on their ●ordly Goods, fixing more Hope in them, and 
Rom 25. 1.  affording a larger share of Love to them, than ●o God himself; so making them their God, ●nd their Happiness. And accordingly we are ●old in Scripture of some, Whose God is their ●elly; of others, Who sacrifice to their Net, and 
Phil. 3. 19 Hab. 1. 16. Psal. 20. 7. Job 31. 24.  ●●rn Incense to their Drag; of some, Who trust in Chariots, and some in Horses; of others, Who make Gold their Hope, and say to the fine Gold, Thou art ●●r Confidence; whose Sin is therefore justly cal●ed * Idolatry; because they affix those Acts of ●he Soul to a created Good, which ought to be employed upon God alone. So that all these wicked Practices, being in effect Idolatrous, may be justly styled ungodly Actions, and are therefore included in this great Sin of Ungodliness, which we must deny.  
2dly. Another Condition of the  Privileges is, our forsaking worldly Lusts. By worldly Lusts I understand all the disorderly Motions, whether of our Understandings, Wills, Affections, or Appetites, as they are all depraved or corrupted by the Abuse of ourselves.  
1. As to the Disorders of our Understandings when these, in Persuance of their natural Inclination to Knowledge, either thirst after that which is neither proper, nor safe to be known, 
Deut. 29. 29  as the secret Things of God, and the pleasures of Sin; or after that which is both safe and proper to be known, in an undue manner, as when we immoderately study humane Learning to 
Rom. 1. ●1 3. 11.  the utter Neglect of divine Knowledge, and the Care of our Souls, our Understandings are in both these cases productive of sinful Lusts.  
2dly. There is a Corruption residing also in our Wills, which diverts them from their Embraces 
Rom. 8. 7  of chiefest good, as the Spiritual things of God, to their over-earnest Pursuit of sensual Pleasures, by which they being enslaved and brought into Captivity to the Law of Sin, are likewise productive 
Rom. 7. 23.  of many sinful Lusts. But,  
3dly. And above all, our Affections have suffered very much by the Abuse of ourselves, are very extravagant in their Motions, and 
Col. 1. 21.  withal but too easy to be misled; thus nothing is more common, than to see the two great governing Passions in us, I mean our Love and Hatred, misplaced, by loving what we ought to hate, such are sinful Pleasures; and hating that, which we ought to love, such 
Psal. 97. 10  are God and Goodness; or if we love and hate what we ought, yet it is often done in a 
Matth. 22. 37.  disproportionate manner, either by pursuing the best things with an indifferent Affection; and indifferent things, such as worldly Goods, with our best Affection; or avoiding the least Evils, such as temporal Calamities, with our greatest Hatred; and the greatest Evils, viz. Sin, and eternal Death, with a less Hate, or Aversion; in any of these Miscarriages, which (God knows) are but too frequent, we blindly run into sinful Lusts.  
4thly. And Lastly, The disorderly Appetites of the Body, together with that of carnal Concupiscence, may in a more peculiar manner; be called fleshly Lusts; thus when we eat and drink more than is consistent with our Health, 
Rom. 13. 13. 14. Jer. 5. 8.  and the sprightly Operations of the Soul, or when our carnal Concupiscence is directed to a wrong Object, or immoderately used on a lawful one, they are in the very matter of them sinful Lusts.  
And thus having enquired into the Corruptions of our Nature, 'tis not difficult to forebode what (without the Application of Religion) must be the unhappy Effects of them. It were easy to show how every one of those fleshly Lusts in particular, reckoned up by the Apostle, flow from one or other of our disordered and corrupted Faculties. But this were a task, as ●ot very agreeable to my intended Brevity, so (I could hope) not very necessary, in as much as the Lusts of the Flesh are manifest, which are 
Gal. 5. 19 20. 21.  ●●ese, Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Lasciviousness, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Emu●ations, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Heresies, Envyings, Murders, Drunkenness, Revellings, and such like.  
These and such like, are the Lusts, which we must deny; that is, which we must avoid; ●nd that not only in their grosser Acts, but we must resist and stifle (as much as possible) the ●ery first Motions in us; and in order thereto, ●e must form beforehand firm and well-grounded Resolutions never to yield them our Assent; and lest our Resolutions, when tried should not be found faithful, we should prudently cut off all Occasion of Dispute, and industriously shun even the very Shadow of a Temptation. All this Care and Caution is employed 
1 Thess. 5. 22.  in this one word Deny. And thus we see what it is to deny Ungodliness and worldly Lusts, and that in effect it is the same as to Renounce the 
Rom. 6. 11.  Devil and all his Works, the Pomp's and Vanities of this wicked World, and all the sinful Lusts of the ●lesh, as our Church Catechism expresseth it; and this is one great Part of our Baptismal Vow. That which is further required of us to procure us a Right to the  Privileges is, That we live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World; soberly in Relation to ourselves, Righteously in reference to our Neighbour, and Godly in respect to God, which latter, being the Foundation of the other two, I shall beg leave to invert their Order, and begin with that first, which is here set last, and that is, the Living Godly.  
Godliness (or as it here signifies) 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Piety, hath (as I before hinted) a special Regard to those Commands of God, which have a more immediate aspect upon God himself, and so chief imports our duty towards God, the whole whereof is summed up by the Author to the Hebrews in few words, namely, the believing that 
Heb. 11. 6.  he is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him. As to his Existence, this I might evince from, not only his Works of Creation and Providence, but from the Nature and Dictates of every Man's Conscience, suggesting to him, that God is not far from every 
Acts 17. 27.  one of us. Which gives me reasonable grounds of hope, that my time and pains would be better spent in explaining his Essence, than in proving his Existence, that is, in showing you what he is, rather than that he is. Now God (as far as an infinite Being can be conceived or described by a finite Understanding) is a Spirit, the Creator of all things, Invisible, whom no Man hath seen or can see. Omniscient, 
John 4. 24. Acts 17. 24. 1 Tim. 1. 17. 6. 16. Joh. 21. 17. 1 Sam. 2. 2. John 3. 33. Psal. 90. 2. Jam. 1. 17. Gen. 17. 1. Psal. 119. 68 Psal. 139. 7. 145. 17. Deut. 7. 9 Exod. 34. 6. 1 Tim. 2. 5. 1 John 5. 7. John 4. 23, 24. Eph. 3. 14. 1 Col. 6. 20. Acts 20. 36. Rev. 4. 10, 11.  or knowing all things. Most Holy, True, Eternal, Vnchangeable, Omnipotent. Perfectly Good, both in himself, and to us. Omnipresent, or every where present. Most Just, Merciful and Loving; who, though one in Essence, exists in three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, from which (though imperfect) Account of the Divine Being, it is easy to deduce or draw our various Obligations to him, as thus. Since from this Description of God 'tis plain that we own ourselves unto him, we own withal, all possible Service to him, which (to procure his divine Acceptance) must be suited to his Nature, and that being Spiritual, it follows that we must worship him in Spirit, or with a spiritual Worship, that is, we must make all possible and just acknowledgements of the divine Perfections, chief by the Powers of our Souls, yet not excluding those of our Bodies, with which we must glorify him, as well as with our Spirits, and that, by such humble gestures of Body, as testify and extol the adorable Perfections of God to others; we must entertain right apprehensions of the divine Nature and Excellencies in our Minds, frequently call them to mind, firmly believe them, really delight in 
Psal. 73. 25, 28.  them, and (as far as 'tis possible) imitate those which are imitable by us. We must further, out of our great Esteem for, and deep sense of these his Excellencies, admire and adore him, 
— 18. 3. 96. 4. Heb 13. 15 Acts 17. 28.  ●ow down our Souls before him in Prayer and Praises to him, as to our great Creator and benefactor, in whom we continually live, move, and ●ave our Being's. All this is no more than a just acknowledgement of what God is in himself, and here described to us; for thus our Faith and Hope, that is to say, our Assent to the 
John 6. 40.  Truths, which he hath revealed, and our expectation of what he has promised, are debts 
Rom. 10. 11.  we own to his Veracity or Truth, as founded on his Omniscience, Holiness, and his Omnipotence. Our love of, and trust in him, are 
1 Cor. 8. 3. 1. Tim. 4. 10. Isa. 26. 4.  the necessary effects of our firm Belief of his Almighty Power, joined with his infinite Goodness, which renders him both able and willing to do us good. Our fear of him or care not to offend him is but the natural consequence 
Luk. 12. 5.  of our Belief of his Omnipresence, and Justice armed with his Omnipotence. Our patience and submission to his Will are but 
Heb. 12. 9  in us, the reasonable products of his infinite Wisdom and Greatness, exerted in his act of Creation. Our Honour or our profound Reverence 
1 Sam. 2. 30  and Respect to his superexcellent Majesty, and to all things relating to him, as his Name, his Word, his Sacraments, his Ministers, his House, and his Day, our profound Regard to these naturally flow from our consideration of all his boundless Perfections.  
Lastly, his Existing in three Persons, Father, 
1 John 5. 7.  Son, and Holy Ghost, binds upon us fresh Obligations of Obedience to them all, & particularly of owning and renewing our Obligations and Resolutions of Obedience to them. in the blessed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Because herein we make a particular acknowledgement of what each of these blessed Persons have done for us; as that God the Father, who once gave his Son to die for the Sins of the whole World, is disposed to present him here 
Rom. 5. 8. 1 John 2. 2.  for our spiritual Food and Sustenance. The Son, as he once freely offered up himself for us upon the Cross; So again freely offers to us his Body 
Heb. 9 14-12. 2. Matth. 26. 27, 28.  and Blood in this heavenly Feast. And Lastly, the Holy Ghost, conveys that strength and refreshment to our Souls, which is here received from the Body and Blood of Christ. All which enhanseth our Obligations to renew our Obedience 
Acts 2. 46. 1 Cor. 11. 26.  to them all, and in order thereto to come often to this Blessed Sacrament, for the worthy receiving whereof, the best Preparation is to live Soberly, Righteously and Godly, in this present World. And what it is to live Righteously is the second thing to be considered by me.  
Now Righteousness is, in short nothing else but the giving to every man his due, in all those various capacities and relations wherein he stands. Thus there being the relation of Magistrate and Subject, of Pastor and Flock, of Father and Son, of Husband and Wife, Master and Servant, Brethren and Friends, there being also a common Relation to all Mankind as our Neighbour, Righteousness consists in an exact observance, as well of those special Duties, which each of these relations may bring us under in particular, as of all other Duties, which the common relation of Neighbour, lays upon us in general; that is, in the giving to every Man his due, not only as he is my Neighbour, but moreover and above, as he may be concerned with me in any one or more of the forementioned Relations. Thus 
Rom. 13. 1, 4. Eccles. 10. 20. Pro. 20. 20.  (besides the common Obligation of Neighbour) our Superiors the Magistrates, being God's Vicegerents, and of his Appointment and acting by his Authority justly claim of us an awful Apprehension of them in our Thoughts, ●e making an honourable mention of them ●ith our Lips, submiting to them for Conscience ●●e, paying them their Tribute, and praying for 
Acts 23. 5. Jud. 8. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Rom. 13. 5. 7. 1 Tim. 2. 2.  ●●eir happy Government of us, & that, which in ●●urn they own unto their Subjects, is their Pro●●ction against the Assaults of their Enemies, a instant maintenance of their Rights & Properness, their Liberty and Religion, that under ●● we may lead quiet and peaceable Lives in all ●●dliness and Honesty. And as to our spiritual 
1 Thess. 5. 13. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Heb. 13. 17  ●●ents who have begotten us through the Gospel, ●●se also we must esteem very highly in love for ●●eir Works Sake, and if they rule well count them ●●thy of double Honour; which we cannot bet●● express, than by attending to their Word and doctrine with the utmost Application of our ●inds, and by falling to the practice of it 
John 20. 23. 1 Cor. 16. 16. Gal. 6. 6.  ●ith all our Hearts; which would not only ●event the ungrateful use of the Censures of the ●●urch, (which we must submit unto when we ●●end) but would better dispose us to afford ●●r Pastors an honourable maintenance, as it is our ●●ties to do, it being (as St. Paul says) a matter 
1 Cor. 9 14  ●● God's own Ordaining and Appointment that ●●y which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospels' ● Lastly, we must join with them in their offering 
Heb. 10. 25 Luk. 2. 37. Acts 2. 46. 1 Thess. 5. 17.  up the public Prayers of the Church, and ●●ily present our private Prayers to God for them, ●or good Success on their Labours, that whilst they ●●ch to others, they themselves may not be cast away; but ●●her may both save themselves, & them that hear them.  
Again, Our natural Parents, being (under ●●d) the Authors and Maintainers of our Being's, acquire hereby a right to our Honour ●●l Esteem, our Fear and Reverence, our 
Mat. 19 19  ●●ve and Affection, our Obedience to their 
Col. 3. 20.  ●●ful Commands, our submission to their ●astisements, and lastly our Gratitude in Administering 
Heb. 12. 9 1 Tim. 5. 4.  to their Wants, and bearing with ●●eir Infirmities. And they, as being our Parents, are by the Laws both of Nature and Religion, obliged to provide their Children ● (as far as they are able) with a competent maintenance, in respect both of their Souls and Bodies. In respect to their Souls, that they be brought to an early Baptism, that they be 
Eph. 6. 4.  taught to read, and as soon as possible, be instructed in the Principles of the Christian Religion, and that a constant care be had, (by forbearing Provocations, and showing Piety at Home, and by all other good and prudent means) tha● they daily increase in the Knowledge and Practice of them. In respect to their Bodies that their Parents supply them with Food and Raiment, and (if possible) with all the Conveniencies, as well as Necessaries, of Life; tha● 
2 Cor. 12. 14.  they may be put into the World under a possibility, and probability of thriving in it▪  
There are also mutual deuce between Husband and Wife, and the Duties common t● them both are, that they love each other, and express it in endeavouring to procure a mutual satisfaction in all things, and to promote th● 
Eph. 5. 31  Temporal and Spiritual Welfare of each other; that they be faithful to each other Bed, having always in remembrance the 7th Commandment; that they bear with each 
— 5. 1 Cor. 2. 7 1 Pet. 3. 2. Heb. 13. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 7.  others Infirmities, and partake of each other Prosperity or Adversity; that they pray fo● each other, that they honour, that is, giveth respect due to each others Person, and particularly that the Husband give Honour to the Wife in St. Peter's sense, which is 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3. 7  Maintenance, ●● being the weaker Vessel; that he exercise his Authority over Her in the milder way of Admonition, rather than in the more imperious wa● of Command, remembering that they twain are bu● one flesh, though the Man be the head of the Woman; that he gives her all due Benevolence, an● 
1 Cor. 11. 3.— 7. 3  lastly all seasonable and necessary Instructions▪ The Duties of the Wife, whereby she stands ●●e especially obliged unto her Husband, are 
1 Pet. 3●. 1. Eph. 5. 24.  ●● she submits peaceably to that Authority ●● her, which God has given to the Man; ●●, as a necessary consequence of this, She re●●ce her Husband, and show it in a becoming 
— 33. 1 Pet. 3. 4.  ●●guage, and Deportment towards him; ●●ly, that she be at all times forward to do ●●t (she knows) he likes, and obey what he 
Eph. 5. 24.  ●●mands, provided it be both lawful and obedient, of which, he is supposed to be the most 
Col. 3. 18. 1 Cor. 14. 35.  appetent Judge, being by the Apostle appoint●● an Instructor to his Wife, even in Matters ● Religion.  
Lastly, there are various Duties incumbent ● Master's, and Servants, that Masters take a due ●●e of their Servatnts as Members of their ●●n Families; that they provide for their 
1 Tim. 5. 8.  ●●dies a competent Maintenance, and for their ●●uls, religious Instruction and Admonition; ●●at in every respect they give to their Servants, 
Col. 4. 1.  ●●t which is just and equal, as knowing ●● they also have a Master in Heaven with whom is ● respect of Persons. That they be not in their 
Rom. 2. 11.  government of them harsh and froward, but ●●ld and gentle; that they require nothing of ●●em, but that which is, in itself, both reasonable and lawful; that they threaten them 
Eph. 6. 9  ●o more than is necessary, and give them on●● (when need so requires) due Correction; ●●at they perfectly instruct them in the Art or ●rade, which they undertook to teach them; ●●at they reward them according to agreement, 
Deut. 24. 14, 15. Jam. 5. 4.  punctually paying them their Wages; lastly ●●at they restrain them from Vicious, and ●ove them (all they can) to Religious Practi●●s: And Servants in return of these Dues, ●ust (as they justly ought) count such Master's 
1 Tim. 6. 1.  ●●rthy of all Honour, and show it upon all Occasions in their respectful Carriage and Demeanour towards them. They must obey them in all ●●ings, agreeable to their Contract, & that out of a Principle of Conscience, not with Eye-service as Me● 
Col. 3. 22. Eph. 6. 5. 6, 7, 8.  pleasers, but as the Servants of Christ, with singleness of heart and cheerfulness of Spirit; whi●● will make them diligent & constant in their Obedience; they must be also true to their Tru●● 
Tit. 2. 9, 10  ever promoting, by all lawful means, the ● Master's Profit; they must take care of the ● Goods, vindicate their Credit abroad (as far ● they can) and conceal their Infirmities at hom● And lastly, they must quietly submit to the ● unjust as well as due Corrections, ever amending by them; for what glory is it, if when ●● are buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ●● 
1 Pet. 2. 20.  take it patiently, this is acceptable unto God. Accordingly Servants are there commanded to ●● 
V 18.  subject to their Masters, with all fear, not only to th● good and gentle, but also to the froward. Fo● though Masters should not strictly observe thei● Duties to their Servants, yet this would no● free Servants from their Obligations to thei● Masters; because God has in Duty bound no● only the Master and Servant to one another but both of them to himself. And this, (as ● would have it observed and remembered) hold● true in all the other forementioned Relations of Superiors and Inferiors; so that the Superiors offence against God, in depriving the Inferior of his due, (and so on the contrary) cannot authorise the Inferior to sin against Go● too, by returning the injury received upon hi● superior; as for instance, though a wicked Father should cast off all care of his helpless Children, and so sin against God, as well as injure his Children, (who have a natural righ● to maintenance) yet this would not excus● his Children from their Obedience to thei● wicked Father; because it is impossible tha● ever one Man's Sin should excuse that of another, when both sin against God. And this i● 
1 Sam. 2. 25  all I think necessary to be said concerning the Relations of Superiors and Inferiors There are other Relations, which seem to be ●●e upon the level, those, I mean of Bre●●en; and as to these, there are some parti●●ar deuce belonging to them, whether they be ●● natural or our spiritual Brethren. Thus our ●●ral Brethren are, by means of their near ●●ance to us by nature, obliged to be more ●●iceable to us (when they can) than they ●bound to be to mere Strangers; because ●●r natural Affection for us may be well suppled to prompt them to it, by exciting in ●●n a passionate concern for our Welfare; ●●ich supersedes the want of all those Arguments and Entreaties, which are allowable, ● sometimes necessary to be used, in draw● out our relief to Strangers. So that to ●e our Brother of our Substance, and to ●● him in every thing where we can, and ●●ere he needeth, seemeth to be but the nectary, though just, effect of our near Alli●●e to him by Nature. And no less necessary ●● natural is a mutual accord and agreement 
Gen. 13. 8  ●●ongst Brethren, and that upon account of ●●r partaking of the same Blood and Subduce, deriving both from the same Root, ●● as a Consequence of this, from their like●● of temper (for the most part) from ●●ir equality in circumstances, and from the ●●earments of innocent and undesigned Conflation; all which disposeth them to delight ●●ine another's Converse, freely to communique their Thoughts, and so participate of one ●●thers Souls as much as they do, of ●●r Bodies; so that Nature itself teacheth us, ●t Brethren own to one another love, and as ● effect of that, union in Heart and Soul; ● as the effect of both these, a readiness to ●●ply their Wants, either by lending them ● bodily Assistance, or Ministering to them of ● Substance, which is by the Apostle called 
1 Tim. 5. 8.  providing for those of our own House or Family. But besides our Brethren by Nature, there ●● also such by Grace, commonly called Spirit●● Brethren, who become such, by being made ●● Baptism Members of the same Catholic Ch●● with ourselves; we being all united un●● one head Christ Jesus. And in this Relation th●● 
Rom. 12. 5. 1 Cor. 12. 12, 13.  are various Duties we stand obliged to obsess towards one another. For, considering that ●● are Members of the same Body, we must ne●● think ourselves bound to contribute, all ●● can, both, to the Service of the Members ●● particular, and of the whole Body in gener●● for as 'tis in the natural Body, so is it in the spirital One, every Member is useful to, and recei●● 
1 Cor. 12. 21.  benefit from another. The Eye cannot say ●● the Hand, I have no need of thee; nor again; the H●● to the Feet, I have no need of you; so that it ●● comes our indispensable Duty, as Members ●● the Catholic Church, to render ourselves as u●●ful, as we can, to all our fellow Member having the same care one for another; which ●● should exercise in mutual Offices of kindness to one another, as occasion serves, being obliged to do good unto all Men, but (as the Apo●● observes) more especially unto them that are of ●● Household of Faith; to relieve at once the wa●● 
Gal. 6. 10.  of their Bodies and promote the good of th●● Souls; to admonish them of their Faults, bri●●ing 
Mat. 18. 15 Rom. 15. 14. Gal.. 6. Rom 15. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 10.— 12. 25.  them to a Sorrow for them, and an amendment of them; to bear with the infirmities of ●● weak Brothers; to convince those that separate from the Church, of the Sin and Misch●● of Schism; to persuade them to an immediate return into the Bosom of the Church, and ● constant adherence to her. To communicate with them in all the common Offices of Chri●●anity, in adhering to the same Faith a●● Doctrine, that Faith I mean, which ●● once delivered to the Saints, in joining in t●● same Worship, receiving the same Sacrament 
Judas 3.  of the Lords Supper, in offering up the sa●● ●●ayers, the same in substance though not in ●e forms of expression, being presented to ●e same God, for the same common Mercies, ●on the same terms, through the same Media●●n, 
1 Tim. 2 5.  and with the same common Affection, ●d Brotherly concern for one another: And as ●e are thus to communicate with our fellow ●mbers in matters of religions Worship: So ●●st we also participate of their Joys and arrows, whether in temporal or spiritual ●ncerns; for as the Members of the Body na●●al communicate their Sorrows and their Joys ● all the rest; So the Members of the spiritual ●●dy must sympathise with one another, and ●●ether one Member suffer, all the Members should 
1 Cor. 12, 26 Rom. 12. 24.  ●fer with it, or whether one Member be honoured, ● the Members should rejoice with it.  
Lastly, as we are thus to partake of the Joys ●d Sorrows of the Members in particular: So ● so of those of the Church in general, whe●●er national or universal. In times of Persecution we must condole the Desolations. Then ●●r Miseries and Calamities should, more especially, excite both our pity to see her in the ●●st, and our Repentance of our crying Sins, 
Psal. 102. 14. Hosea. 5. 15. Psal. 51. 18  ●hich justly draw down direful Judgements ●n her. Earnestly beseeching God that he would ●● good in his good pleasure unto Zion, that he ●ould build up the Walls of Jerusalem. And in ●er flourishing Condition, we must rejoice ●ith Her, expressing our Joy and Gratitude in a faithful Obedience to, as well as in a constant Communion with Her, that God may be thereby disposed to hear our Prayers, which we ●hould ever offer up on Her behalf, saying, O 
Psal. 74. 19  ●eliver not the Soul of thy Turtle Dove unto the multitude of the wicked, forget not the Congregation ●f thy poor for ever, but strengthen thy Spouse.  
Lastly, There is one Relation more, which I ●hall mention to you, and that is, a very Intimate one, I mean that of a Friend, who is as 
Deut. 13. 6.  ones own Soul; and though this Relation Christianity calls by the name of Charity, (which, a● such, is to be extended to all Mankind) yet because our Capacities are finite, and we canno● exercise those Offices of Friendship to all th● World, which we can to some few particular Persons; therefore this Friendship or particular Charity, must be confined to those few, whom either the convenience of Neighbourhood the Probability of their Usefulness, our natural Relation to them, our delight in them, our special Affection for them, and above all their known Worth and Goodness shall invite us, to admit into our Friendship; and when upon any, or all of the foregoing Considerations, we have made some few Persons our Friends, than Christianity, as well as the nature of Friendship requires, that we love our Friend with the greatest Affection; that 
1 Sam. 20. 17.  we serve him to the utmost of our Power; that we freely communicate our Thoughts to him, when there be occasion; that we advise 
Prov. 27. 9  him in his Doubts and Scruples; that we admonish him of his Faults, restrain him from Evil; faithfully keep his Secrets; that we comfort 
Ecclus. 22. 22.  him in Afflictions, rejoice with him in Prosperity, doubling his Joys and dividing his Griefs; that we hearty wish and pray for his Welfare; 
Prov. 27. 10.  and lastly, that we be constant to his Friendship, and all these Offices of it. All this is (as I before hinted) Charity extended to a Few. But Christian Charity is in its own nature much more comprehensive, and takes in all Mankind; for so the Gospel enjoins us, to love our Neighbour as ourselves. And 
Matt. 22. 39  in the Scripture sense, whosoever is another; is our Neighbour; so that, according to the Christian Law, we must do all the good we 
Matt. 5. 24.  can to all men, not only Friends, but Enemies, whose injuries must never be otherwise 
Rom. 12. 20, 21.  returned than with Prayers and Kindness, but must forgive them as hearty as we desire to be forgiven, and deal by them (as well as by all other Men) as kindly, and as justly as we desire to be dealt by, for this is the great Rule of the Gospel, and of Universal, as well as of eternal Obligation, All things 
Mat. 7. 12.  whatsoever ye would that Men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. So that if we would not be abused, & injured in our Persons, rob or plundered in our Estates, overreached in our Bargains, slandered or defamed in our good Name, or the like: So neither must we offer any of these or the like Abuses to any Man, whether Friend or Foe, but as in reason we desire to avoid Injuries, to have our Rights defended, and nothing of them lost; so must we, in our Observance of this equitable Rule, not only not injure, but maintain and defend our Neighbour in all his Rights, as far as we can, otherwise we are not just unto him. For if the Nature of Justice be the giving to every Man his due, than the Practice of it must certainly consist in never taking away, but preserving (what we can) the Life of our Neighbour, in defending his Body from Injuries, and his Soul from Sin, in granting him the Liberty of reasoning and judging for himself, in not slandering him, or 
James 4. 11  lessening his good Name, but as far as we can in clearing it when it is aspersed, in imparting 
Eph. 4. 2●. Psal 15. 2, 3-4. Jer. 33. 15, 16. Leu. 19 13. Mark 10. 19 1 Thess. 4. 6  our true meaning to him by our Words, in performing punctually what we promised to him, in fairly using him in our Deal, in never coveting his Goods, but rather desiring to promote his Profit. In these and such like things consists our justice to him; because he being a rational Creature united to us in Society, holds his Life, his Body and Soul, with all the Benefits of Society, such as Truth, Love, Peace, Credit, Protection, and the Profits of Trade, by the same Law of Nature with ourselves, and so can make as good a Title to them, as we can to what we have; so that according to the stated Notion of Justice, and this unalterable Law of Equity, the doing as we would be done by, we can no more injure our Neighbour than ourselves, but are strictly bound to defend his forementioned Rights, and consequently to free him (when we can) from those Miseries and Misfortunes, which either do, or would invade them.  
And though this is often called by another name, I mean, that of Charity, yet it still retains the Nature of Justice; it being no more than the miserable Man's due (as by consequence it appears) to receive relief from his Fellow Creatures, when it can be had. And to this Notion the Psalmist seems to incline, when he gives the Charitable Man (as he does very oft 
Psal. 37. 21. 25. 29. etc.  in the Psalms) the Name and Title of Righteous.  
So that Justice to our Neighbour obligeth us to relieve the various Necessities of the miserable, whether they relate to the Soul or Body. In regard to the Soul, sorrow of Mind justly 
1 Thess. 5. 14. James 5. 19 20. Rom. 14. 19 2 Tim. 2. 24, 25. Rom. 15. 1, 2. Acts 20. 35 Psal. 41. 1. Luk. 10. 33, 34, 35, 37. James 2. 15. 16. 1 John 17, 18.  demands our Administration of Comfort; Ignorance and Error calls for our Information and Forbearance; Perverseness and Obstinacy o● will for our wholesome Advice and seasonable Reproof, Weakness of Judgement for our Direction, Pity and Compassion. And as to the Body, its natural Blemishes and Defects ought in justice to solicit more our Pity than our Scorn or Laughter; its Weakness & Infirmities should stir us up to contribute all we can to its support and recovery, and as for its outward wants, Food and Raiment, these call loudly for our Supply, as being necessary to the Preservation of the Individual. Now in supplying our Neighbour (that is, every Man that wanteth) with all these things, as far as our Abilities will serve, or his Necessities require, is that Duty of Charity, which Justice obligeth us to exercise towards him.  
And thus in a faithful discharge of all the forementioned deuce to our Neighbour, in all his Capacities and Relations, consisteth this great Duty of Righteousness, or living Righteously.  
The last Duty to be considered is, that which respecteth ourselves, (and that is) the living Soberly. By 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  Sobriety, I understand a Subjection of all the Faculties of the Soul, and the Powers of the Body, to the Rules of right Reason, and the Laws of God; that is, that we employ our Understandings in searching 
Psal. 119. 15, 27. Psal. 19 7, 8, 9 2 Chron. 20, 20. Psal. 37. 4. Ps. 119. 127 Mat. 22 ● Col. 3. 2. 1 John 2. 15.  out the noblest Truths and our chief End, which are God and Happiness; that we bend and dispose our Wills to prosecute our chief End by the fittest Means, that is, by the Practice of Religion; that we proportion our Affections to the Value of things; that is, that we set our best Affections on the best things; that we love the Lord our God with all our Heart, with all our Soul, and with all our Mind, and bestow no greater Affection on the things of this World, than their intrinsic Worth requires; that we hate and avoid the greatest Evils, Sin and Death, with our utmost Hatred; that we 
Mat. 10. 28  be less fearful of less Misfortunes, and patiently suffer those that are unavoidable; that 
1 Pet. 2. 1. Heb. 13. 5. Eph. 4. 31.  we envy not the Fortunate, or covet any thing that is our Neighbours, but content ourselves with what we have; that we revenge not injuries, or grow angry at Contempt; but show forth the Fruits of the Spirit in Peace, long-suffering 
Gal. 5. 22.  gentleness, goodness and meekness. That we value not ourselves above the real Merits of those 
1 Pet. 5. 5. Phil. 2. 3 Rom. 12. 10 1 Pet. 2. 11. 1 Cor. 9 25. 1 Cor. 6. 18 1 Cor. 9 27.  Gifts, which either Nature, Grace, or Fortune hath bestowed upon us. That we restrain our bodily Appetites from the excessive use of Meat and Drink, and Venery; that we indulge them no farther than answering the End for which they were given us, which is the Refreshment of Nature and the Preservation of Mankind, and not, (as too many make them) the unhappy Occasions of those notorious and 
1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. Mat. 5. 27, 28. Rom. 13. 13  crying Sins, Drunkenness, Gluttony, and Whoredom. Lastly, that we be moderate in the Use and Enjoyment of Pleasures and Recreations, enjoying them no further than as they serve to refresh our wearied Bodies, and restore the languid Faculties of our Souls, to their sprightly Operations. In a due Observance of all these things consists the great Duty of Sobriety. And these I take to be the best Proofs of a 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  sound Mind, which is what the Greek and original Word signifieth.  
And thus having shown you what it is to deny Ungodliness, and worldly Lusts, and what to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present World, I am to tell you next, that This do and 
Luke 10. 28  thou shalt live; the Practice of these Duties will most certainly give you abundant Reason to expect with Comfort; or look for the blessed Hope 
Tit. 2. 13.  and glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. And therefore this, amongst other Arguments, is what I would insist upon, to press you to the faithful Observance of the forementioned Duties. But besides this great and general Motive, there are some other Topics of Argument, or Heads of Discourse, by which I intent (more largely in my Sermons) to dissuade you from the foremention'd Sins, and persuade you to the Practice of these Religious Duties.  
And my Dissuasions from these Sins shall be drawn,  
First, From the great Slavery and Drudgery of our Lusts and Vices.  
Secondly, From the Consideration of their being the most disingenous, and ungrateful Returns of the most inestimable Mercies.  
Thirdly, From the Consideration of their being very prejudicial to all Societies.  
Fourthly, From the ill Effects they have upon our Souls, Bodies and Estates.  
Fithly, And Lastly, from the Certainty of their betraying Men into eternal Ruin and Destruction in the other World.  
And my Persuasions to the Duties of Religion shall be taken.  
First, From their Agreableness to the present Circumstances of humane Nature.  
Secondly, From this Consideration, viz. that these Duties of Religion directly consult the Good of our Souls, Bodies, and Estates.  
Thirdly, From the Consideration that there are great Assistances given us, to render these Duties not only easy, but pleasant to us.  
Fourthly, And Lastly, that the Practice of our Duty is the indispensable Condition of our future Happiness, the only ground upon which we can reasonably look for that blessed Hope and the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.  
First, I would dissuade you from the forementioned Sins, upon Consideration of the great Slavery and Drudgery of them. Thus the impious disowning God in our Thoughts, and the more monstrous Denial of him in our Actions, fills the Mind with such uneasy Scruples and Horrors, as are never to be stifled; men's vain and unnecessary Curiosity serves only to puff them up with Pride, which is directly 
1 Cor. 8. 2  opposite to the Charity that edifieth; and therefore when Men are not content to rest in the plain wholesome Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, they are scarce fit for humane Society; because by being Proud and doting about questions and strifes of Words, they unhappily occasion envy, strife, rail, evil surmisings, perverse dispute of Men of corrupt Minds, and therefore St. Paul adviseth his Son Timothy 
1 Tim. 6. 3, 4, 5.  from such to withdraw himself.  
Again, the Disorders of our Wills, in pursuing Misery under the false Appearance of Good, rob us of our true Satisfaction, and in exchange thereof give us nothing but real disappointments. And so Men's inordinate desires hurry them upon strange and unaccountable Attempts, betray them into Injustice, Passion, and Revenge, besides the many distracting Cares and Fears, to which, at the same time, they expose their unhappy Souls. Lastly, their rebellious Lusts and Appetites put them oftentimes upon hard Service, make them toil and sweat for the gratification of them, and so in a literal sense they become mere Slaves and Drudges to them, and accordingly the holy Scriptures represent such Men as wearying themselves 
Hab. 2. 13.  to commit Iniquity, and to labour in the very Fire, to spend their Strength for nought, to sell themselves 
1 Kings 21. 25. John 8. 34.  (as 'tis said of Ahab) to work Wickedness. So true is our Saviour's Assertion, whosoever committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin, a Servant too that gets nothing for his Pains, but spends his Labour for 
Isa. 55. 2.  that which satisfieth not. For what Fruit had ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed; says 
Rom. 6. 21.  the Apostle to those who had once been the Servants of Sin, for End of those things is Death. Nothing you see, but Shame and Death is to be gotten by such unprofitable Service, and these will prove but a sorry Recompense for all that Labour and Vexation, which you see the Sinner must be condemned unto, in the Gratification of his Lusts.  
Secondly, Consider again, that they are the 
Deut. 32. 6.  most disingenuous and ungrateful Returns of the most numerous and inestimable Mercies. God's Redemption of the World, by the Incarnation and Death of his Son, is an admirable Instance of the Love of both to Mankind, and 
John 3. 16.  received no little Addition, by being free on their Part, and undeserved on ours; they had 
Rom. 3. 24.— 5. 6, 7, 8. Job 22. 2, 3.  no Interest to promote, no by ends to serve, nothing inviting in us, no Argument of any sort to move them to it, but only infinite Kindness and Compassion, beholding the Miseries of wretched Humanity, disposed the Father 
1 John 4. 9 10. Ez. 16. 6. Isa. 53. 4, 5, 6.  to send his only begotten Son, and the Son to take upon him our Miseries, make them his own, and that too, by dying for us that were his Enemies, and yet dying for us, to procure us the greatest Blessings, such as a Freedom from the Power and Punishment of our 
Mat. 1. 21. Heb. 2. 14, 15. 1 Thess. 1. 10. Tit. 2. 4. Heb. 5. 9  Sins, from the Malice of Satan, from the Sting of Death, and to settle us in a state of Holiness here, and Happiness hereafter. Now there is nothing can thwart this generous Love, or baffle all its gracious Designs, but our Sins; which are so contrary to the Purity of his Divine Nature, as well as to his gracious Designs upon us, that he cannot but hate and abhor 
Psal. 5. 4. Heb. 6. 6. Eph. 4. 30.  them. They wound and crucify his Son afresh they vex and grieve his holy Spirit, and therefore to entertain them against all these endearing Obligations to the contrary, would be monstrous Ingratitude, such as wants a Parallel, and was never named among the Gentiles; for what greater Argument, can we have of our Insensibility of the Divine Favours towards us, if these inexpressible ones cannot work upon our Ingenuity so far, as to banish our Lusts, those implacable Enemies both to God, and 
* Heb. 1● 28, 29.  our own Souls; we are certainly lost to all that is tender and apprehensive in humane Nature, if such mighty Benefits cannot move us, to express our grateful sense of them, in suitable returns of Care and Endeavour, not only to abstain from those fleshly Lusts, which war against the Soul, but to exchange them 
1 Pet. 2. 11.  for such good Dispositions, as may move us to express our thankfulness to God for all his Benefits, in Arts of new Obedience to him.  
Thirdly, it may be further considered that these Lusts and Vices, which I am now persuading you to deny, are very prejudicial to all Societies; for besides that they justly expose Men to the Judgements of God, Who turns a fruitful Land into Barrenness, for the Wickedness of them 
Psalm 107. 34.  that dwell therein, they have a natural tendency to introduce Mischief. Thus it's evident without any further proof of Argument, that Drunkenness, Gluttony and Whoredom, breed 
Prov. 23. 21, 29, 30.— 7. 26.  Diseases, which weaken the Force and Strength of a Nation; Malice, Envy and Revenge render Men very troublesome to others, as well as to themselves, turn them into Beasts of Prey, fit them more for a Den of Lions, Wolves and Tigers, than the Society of rational Creatures; 
James 3. 16.  and so Pride, Covetousness, Injustice and Perfidiousness administer occasion of Contention, and set men directly together by the Ears, so much reason have we to answer or resolve St. James his Question in the Affirmative, from whence come Wars and Fightings among you, come 
James 4. 1.  they not hence, even from your Lusts which war in your Members?  
And as Men's Lusts have thus a very ill Influence upon them, as private Members of Society: So they fail not to communicate their Malignity to them in their public Capacities, as Governors; for when Magistrates are not just, ruling in the Fear of God, they weaken their Authority, lessen themselves in the Eyes of their People, and make their Subjects very uneasy and unmanageable; and on the other hand, when Subjects by submitting to their Lusts, violate and abuse their Conscience, they deprive the Public of its best Security of their Obedience. For this is the only firm and lasting Principle of Obedience, which can hold Men fast, when all other Obligations to it, will fly in pieces. He that is Subject only for Wrath, and not for Conscience sake, will be sure to submit no longer than till he can resist with Safety. But he that is subject for Conscience sake, will continue so, as long as his Conscience keeps up her Authority, which when his Lusts have once dethroned, then farewell all Submission and Obedience; nothing then succeeds but Strife, and Contention, and every evil 
James 3. 16.  Work; and this will turn to our own great Disadvantage, being by Nature not only fitted for, but made to stand in need of, those Benefits of Society of which our Lusts are very destructive.  
Fourthly, Ye may please to consider further, that Ungodliness and worldly Lusts have very ill Effects upon the Souls, Bodies and Estates of Men. Thus as to the Soul, Sensuality and Intemperance naturally darken the Understanding, 
Eph. 4. 18, 19  for these by overcharging Nature load the animal Spirits, keep them low, and render them gross, which by being low, cast a Damp upon the Soul, and hinder her in her sprightly Operations. So Anger, Envy, Malice and Revenge pervert our Judgements, raise such Prejudices in our Minds, as hinder our clear and due Perceptions of things. Sensual Pleasures and Delights overcast the Mind with such thick Mists of Darkness, that neither are our Understandings able to discern, or our Wills to pursue, their true and chief Good. 
Rom. 7. 15.  Lastly, the extravagant Motions of our wild Affections, and the Rebellions of our brutish Appetites against our Reason, hurry us into all manner of unaccountable Follies, make us forget ourselves, and dispose us to act like the Beasts that perish. Besides many other necessary, but uneasy Effects of these Disorders, and Violences offered to our Reason, such are the ungrateful Recoiling of Nature, the uneasy and perpetual Struggle between the Flesh and the Spirit. The miserable Distractions of their Minds which are drawn first one way and then another by contrary and impetuous Passions, the great and just confusion of Face, Shame, and Self-condemnation, the continual frettings at their past Follies, their grievous Suspicions of an After-reckoning, their insupportable Horror 
Pro. 18. 14. Isa. 57 20. 21.  and anguish of Mind, arising from their unwelcome Reflections on their past Gild, these are such intolerable Mischiefs, as are enough to discourage the most daring Sinner, from giving any longer Entertainment to those Lusts, which are the unhappy causes of them; especially if it be considered,  
Secondly, That they incommode not only our Souls, but our Bodies too, by robbing them of their Health and Ease together. Thus the forementioned Vices, Luxury, Drunkenness and Wantonness have a natural Tendency to ruin our Stomaches, spoil our Digestion, Corrupt our Blood, consume our Spirits, and waste our Strength. Envy, Malice, Discontent and Passion rot our Bones, sour the Humours, stir them up to Excess, and put the 
Pro. 14. 30.  whole Body into Combustion. Covetousness with all its Train of carking cares and distracting Thoughts, drives away Sleep, one of the supports of Nature, oppresses the Heart, damps the Spirits, sets the Humours upon the Fret, and in what can we think all these Disorders should end, but in all manner of Dis●●●●● Paroxysms, Epilepsies, Catarrhs, and I know not what hard Names, and harder things, as being the natural Effects of these Lusts, And these ill Effects me thinks should the more effectually prevail with wicked Men to forsake their Sins by how much the more they value their Bodies above their Souls, and therefore may well be supposed to use more care, in shunning those Things, which are destructive to them.  
Thirdly, It may be considered also that your Lust's will as certainly ruin your Estates, as they do your Bodies, or your Souls, and that not only by hastening the just Judgements of 
Pro. 23. 21.  God upon them, but by that natural Tendency which there is in some particular Vices to consume them. I need to instance only in Sensuality and Revenge; as to the former I will leave you to judge, whether men cannot by eating fine, and drinking hard, and using their Palates to both, (and so render the Gratification of them necessary) whether they cannot by these means sooner spend an Estate than satiate their 
Pro. 21. 17.  craving Appetites. For an Estate though large, is yet limited, but so are not our Desires, and therefore the one must needs be much sooner spent, than the other. As to our Revenge, how chargeable the Gratification of that is, every Lawyer can inform you, and now since it is so chargeable to be wicked, our Lusts being very expensive to us, 'tis undoubtedly ill Husbandry, and therefore worth no Man's while, to give them Entertainment, especially considering in the  
Last place, what is worst of all, and that is, that they most certainly betray men into eternal Ruin and Destruction in the other World. For misery (as ye have partly seen) is the necessary Consequence of Wickedness, and therefore will be so in all Places, and at all times; so that Men's Lusts and Vicees which they have cherished in this World, accompanying 
Eccles. 11, ●.  their Souls into the other, will still work the same direful Effects upon them as they did here, only with this Difference, that whereas they have here some refreshing Intermissions, some little Diversion from the foremention'd Miseries, they will there be continual and heightened to the utmost Capacities of their Souls to receive them. So that the unhappy Sufferers will be condemned to lie roaring upon the Racks of their guilty Minds, without Intermission, and without end. And accordingly we are in the Scripture assured, that the Worm there never dieth, nor the Fire ever quenched, 
Mark 9 44. Rev. 20. 10.  but that they are tormented Day and Night forever and ever. And yet this is to be the Portion of those that live after the Flesh, so that he 
Rom. 8. 13.  who indulgeth his Lusts and Vices here must expect no Indulgence or Favour from God hereafter; for know ye not that the Unrighteous shall 
1 Cor. 6. 9, 10.  not inherit the Kingdom of God? be not deceived, neither Fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor Effeminate, nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind, nor Thiefs, nor Covetous, nor Drunkards, nor Revilers, nor Extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God; but what is worse, shall have their Portion assigned them in that dismal 
Mat. 25. 46  Place, where there is nothing but Weeping, Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth. Consider seriously of these things, and then tell me whether ye have not sufficient reason to Deny Ungodliness, and worldly Lusts.  
But as this is the least Part of our Duty; So the greatest Motives are yet to be proposed to you, those I mean which are to encourage you to live Soberly, Righteously and Godly, in this present World. And here it may be considered,  
First, That the Observance of these Duties is very agreeable to the present Circumstances of our humane Nature. Thus our Duties towards God, as owning him in our Thoughts, Words, and Actions, hearing his holy Word, Praying to him and receiving the Sacrament, are all easy to be performed by us, and very beneficial to us when they are performed. Our 
1 Tim. 4. 8.  Justice to our Neighbour in all his Capacities and Relations; and our Charity to him in all his Necessities, naturally tend to our Good, both as private Persons & as Members of Society. As private Persons, they promote the good of our Souls, Bodies and Estates, (as I shall show you presently) and as Members of Society, they consult our Good, in that they promote mutual , Love, Peace, Unity, etc. Thus Justice preserving our own as well as others Rights, makes us easy in our Stations, and promotes mutual Confidence in one another, which would naturally produce Peace and Unity, and so our Charity to our Brethren gains us an universal Love and Respect from Men, together with a Readiness to relieve our Necessities, upon Occasion, in a grateful return. Lastly, the unviolated Authority of Conscience disposeth Magistrates to rule well, and Subjects to be strictly obedient to them; thus Religion in all its Parts is so good natured that it tends to make Men peaceable and beneficial towards one another, and so advance the Interest of Mankind in general. And no less profitable is it in the  
Second Place to every private Man in particular. For it consults the Good of our Souls, Bodies and Estates. As to our Souls,  
In our Observance of our Duty towards God, and worshipping him suitably to his Nature, our Understandings are directly led to the Contemplation of the noblest Truths, our Wills 
Ps. 73. 25, 26, 27.  to their embraces of their chiefest Good, and our Affections are hereby fixed on what they ought to be, viz. the Things above. And so all the Faculties of the Soul being kept in their due Order, and employed to their proper Ends, our Souls live and act according to the ●●w of their own Nature, and consequently must needs enjoy great Peace and Tranquillity. Because there are no Disorders of the Passions, no Fears of Gild to interrupt it. And therefore great peace have they who love thy Law, and nothing shall 
Ps. 119. 165  offend them.  
Secondly, The Practice of the forementioned Duties consult the good of our Bodies, and that by preserving them in a perfect state of Health; for what can contribute more thereto, than a cheerful temper of Mind, and a moderate 
Phil. 4. 4. 1 Thess. 5. 6. 1 Pet. 4. 7. 1 Cor. 9 25.  use of Meat and Drink and Recreations, and these things Religion teacheth and requireth of us.  
Besides, the Practice of Religion may reasonably be supposed to procure a more than ordinary Blessing upon these prudent, and probable Means of Health, from that God who killeth and maketh alive, who bringeth down to the 
1 Sam. 2. 6.  Grave, and bringeth up. And he accordingly has promised, in the Scriptures, Health and long Life as a Reward to the Practice of Religion; for for length of Days is in her right hand, and she is a Tree of life to them that lay hold upon her. Wherefore it was an Advice well becoming the 
Prov. 3. 16, 18.  the Wisdom of him that gave it. My Son forget not my Law, but let thine Heart keep my Commandments; for length of Days and long Life and Peace shall they add unto thee.  
Lastly, the Practice of the forementioned Duties brings down and entails a Blessing upon our Estates; and that not only by engaging the Kindness of Heaven, to have a more especial eye of Providence towards us, both by directing 
Psal. 34. 10  us to those Duties which naturally promote our worldly Interest. Thus Justice and Honesty bring Men into Repute, that gives them an Opportunity of enlarging their Credit of Trade, That their Stocks, and These their Revenues; and though Fraud and Falsehood may sometimes chance to bring us in a present Advantage, yet when it is once detected, we lose more Reputation, and with it more Customers, than ever the dishonest Gain can compensate, so that Truth and fair Dealing will bear a Man out, when little and sharking Tricks will fail him. For as the Wiseman observes, he that walketh uprightly walketh surely. And so Temperance and Chastity 
Pro. 10. 9  prevent all unnecessary and extravagant Expenses; whereas they who indulge their sensual Appetites, to the Violation of their Conscience, ruin their Estates to rights; if we may believe our own Observation, or the the Wiseman's Word, who tells us, that he who loves Pleasure shall be a Poor Man, and he 
Pro. 21. 17.  that loveth Wine and Oil, (i. e.) love them to Excess, shall not be rich. Lastly, Industry and Diligence in our Callings not only cut off some Opportunities of Extravagance, but directly tend to increase our Fortunes; Reason and Experience both, confirming this as an undeniable Truth, that the Hand of the Diligent maketh 
Prov. 10. 4.  rich. So that when all is done, 'tis most certainly the best Husbandry to be Religious.  
Thirdly, I would further urge you to the Practice of the forementioned Duties, from the great Assistances that are given us, to render them not only easy, but pleasant to us. For God has recommended them to our faithful Observance, with all the most powerful Means and Arguments, to engage our Practice of them; he has showed thee, O Man what is Good; and what does the Lord require of thee, but to do 
Micah 6. 8.  Justly, and to love Mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. He has not only proposed these Duties to us in the Gospel, with the Promises and Terrors of the Life that now is, and of that 
1. Tim. 4. 8. 1  which is to come, with the Examples of the best of Men, especially with that more pregnant one of our Blessed Saviour, together with all those prevalent 
1 Pet. 2. 21.  Motives arising from what he did and suffered for us, with those mighty Arguments that may be drawn from his Life, Death, Resurrection, Ascention, and his Return to judge both the Quick and the Dead; with Pleasure and Peace from the Nature of the Duties themselves, 
Ps. 119. 165  and with all the Endearments of Love and Kindness from him that enjoins them; he not only urgeth us (I say) to our Duty upon these many and weighty Considerations, and that with all the Importunity possible to gain our Practice, but has also promised the Assistance of his Almighty-Spirit to make all things 
1 Cor. 2. 12.  easy and pleasant to us. So that if we do but set ourselves in good earnest to the Practice of the forementioned Duties, if we do but hearty beg the Divine Grace, which, we are assured, shall be sufficient for us, and then apply 
2 Cor. 12. 9  our own Endeavours in a faithful and diligent use of it, 'tis impossible that we should fail of Success; for I can do all things, says the 
Phil. 4. 13.  Apostle, through Christ that strengthens me. And this Omnipotent Assistance we may have, upon the easy terms of putting up a Petition for it; for God has engaged to give the holy Spirit to them that ask him. And what more easy condition 
Luke 11. 13  can we desire than this, that If we seek we shall find, if we ask we shall receive, receive too that which, 
Mat. 7. 7.  though we cannot of ourselves, will yet empower us, through our joint Endeavours, to do our Duty with Pleasure and Delight, and so render us both happy here and hereafter too; for This,  
In the 4th and last Place is (or aught to be) a further Inducement to our Practice of all the Duties of Religion, because God has made our Duty the indispensable Condition of our future 
Mat. 7. 21. Rom. 8. 13.  Happiness, and (as I shown you in the beginning of this Discourse) the necessary Preparation 
Heb. 12. 14 1 Tim. 4. 8.  for it. So that 'tis just as necessary ●or us to be Religious, or to do our Duty, as ●t is to go to Heaven, or to keep out of the flames of Hell. And this aught to be a Con●deration of great Weight with us, because whatever our Condition be in the other World. Whether a happy or a miserable one, it must 
Luke 16. 26 2 Pet. 1. 10.  ●e so for ever; so that we had need give all Digence to make our calling and Election sure.  
Thus having, I hope, by these Considerations convinced you of the Necessity of doing the forementioned Duties, my next Work is to tell ●ou, that what is thus necessary to be done, at ●ne time or other, had best be done now out 
Eccles. 9 10.  ●f hand. And indeed unless we set ourselves ●● the immediate Practice of these Duties, is plain that we are not hearty convinced ●f the Necessity of doing them at all. Because ●ur continuance in our Sins do too manifestly ●rove our Goodliking to them; and if we ●●ll approve and cherish them, we are not ● good Earnest reconciled to the Practice of ●●e contrary Duties; because we can neither approve of two different things, nor act two different ways, at the same time. So that if ●●ve be the Servants of Sin, (as our Intentions ●o continue in it for a while plainly show) ●e cannot be the Servants of Christ: Either therefore we must quit our Sins and our favourable ●●oughts of them immediately upon the Spot, ●r else forego our Intentions, to fall to the practise of Religion some Years hence; ●or he that is a true Convert, is supposed to be perfectly convinced of the Mischiefs ●f his Sin, and the reasonableness of his Duty; ●●d therefore immediately strikes in with his ●●st Conviction, which, by being full and clear prevents him making those little Shifts and frivolous Excuses, which others take sanctuary in, ●● excuse their Delay of this necessary Work. Though with what little, or rather against what great reason, may be made appear from the following Considerations.  
First, 'Tis extremely necessary that Men immediately betake themselves to their Duty, because it is (as appears from what hath been already said) of very great Concern and Consequence to them, and what is so, we are apt, in other Cases, to bestow our first and chiefest Care upon. Thus we see in worldly Affairs, how every prudent Man is, more especially, careful to drive on, what he calls the main Chance, & is at little ease till this be secured, or at least, is in a fair way of being so. Now would but the Children of Light be as wise in their Generation 
Mat. 5. 33.  as the Children of this World are, they would be as solicitous about the Concerns of their Souls, as these Men are, of their Bodies. They would no more delay securing the Life of the one, than these men do, of the other, when it lies at Stake, which if any Man should be so foolhardy as to nelect, and by that Neglect lose his Life, which his care would have saved; he would be deservedly thought to die like a Fool. And certainly much more would that Christian deserve the Imputation of Folly, who, when his eternal Interest is in Danger, shall yet suffer it to continue so, and not exert his utmost Endeavours for the Security of it, and consequently embrace the first Occasion to secure it in; especially considering in the  
Second Place, that the Nature of Religion is such, as requires a great deal at our hands, before it gives us any Right or Title to that great and necessary Reward; without which we are undone for ever; our sensual Appeties must be subdued, the Deeds of the Body mortified, 
Rom. 8. 13. Eph. 2. 22, 23, 24. Col. 3. 2.  our Desires resigned, our Affections weaned from this World, and raised to the things above, in short, our Minds must be transformed ●●om Carnal to Spiritual, and this requires more ●●me and pains than most Men think for; let ●●en but try the Experiment upon one Lust, ●●d see what Pangs and Throes of Mind, what struggling and Conflicts, what Watch and ●rayers, are necessary before they can make a perfect conquest of that one. And then they ●ill tell me, that a greater and more early ●●re, than e'er they dreamt of, is but requi●e to carry on the great Design of Religion which is the Life and Happiness of their Souls) ●ith good Success. And therefore Religion as wisely, as well as kindly, provided us with ●●rious helps, both to prevent the Trouble of ●●forming a bad Life, and to promote an early ●nd successful progress in a Good one, to which purpose we are, when Children, admitted in●o the Christian Religion by Baptism, and by ●eing therein made Members of Christ, Children of ●od, and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven, we ●ngage all the Powers of Heaven on our side, ●● enable us to begin, continue and end our ●ives, in a constant Observance of our Duty; ●s which end, there are Securities given of ●ur being educated in the Truth; and as we ●●ow up, we have the daily Administration of ●he Word and Sacrament, the one, to put us ●n mind of our Baptismal Vow, the other, ●o give us the Opportunity of renewing it. We have also the inward Influences of the Di●ine Grace to encourage, and assist our constant ●ndeavours of proceeding on from one degree ●f Grace to another in our Christian Course; ●or so we are required to add to our saith Virtue, 
2 Pet 1. 5, 6, 7, 8.— 3. 18  ●● Virtue, Knowledge, to Knowledge, Temperance, and ●● on, and so to grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And ●astly, to perfect holiness in the fear of God. By 
2 Cor. 7. 1.  ●ll which you plainly see, that to defer, or ●ut off our Duty for the present, with design ●o betake ourselves to the practice of it, 20▪ or 30 Years hence, or at the latter end of our Days, is directly contrary to the Nature and Design of Religion, and is an open Violation o● Breach of our sacred Vows and Obligations made in our Baptism; which is so far from being innocent, that it is highly sinful, and will infallibly betray Men into eternal Damnation in the other World, if Death should chance to cu● them off (as 'tis probable he will) before they have executed their Intentions of conforming to the Duties of Religion; and 'tis yet more unlikely, that they may not have (what they so much trust to) the Opportunity of being Religious afterwards: As will further appear, if we consider,  
Thirdly, That as this Life is the only Time of Probation, on which our Eternal Happiness or Misery depends; so it is but a very uncertain Cast, to have things of so great Moment depend upon it, for What is our Life? it is even a Vapour, 
James 4. 14.  that appeareth for a little Time, and then vanisheth away; a Vapour, which we can take no Hold of, but, for all we know, may slip through our Fingers before to morrow Morning: So that 
Prov. 27. 1.  the only Time we can be sure of, is the present, and That is so swift, that whilst we are thinking 
Job 7. 6, 7, 8, 9  and speaking of It, it is gone, and past Recovery: And therefore there is no Delaying with Things of so slippery a Nature, and so quick a Motion. 'Tis in vain to think, that Time should leave its natural Property, to stop a while, and wait our Leisure; it were Impious as well as Vain, to desire, that God would alter the Nature of Things, to gratify our lazy Humour; no, fond Men! Time as it stays for no Man, so, (whether ye will think fit to enjoy it or not,) will most certainly hurry you o● to a long Eternity. And therefore, to make suitable Preparation for This, ye had need be as nimble as Time itself, and employ every Minute that is given you to the best Advantage; whereby ye should best comply with the wise Design of the Donor of it; for how liberal so●ver God has been of all his other Blessings to ●s, yet this of Time he has been pleased to ●ispense in a less plentiful manner, choosing ra●her to give it by Minutes, to signify how pre●ious It is, and that we should be sparing and thrifty of it, diligent to Redeem That which is 
Eph. 5. 15, 16. 1 Pet. 4. 2. Heb. 3. 13.  ●ast, and careful to improve That which is to ●ome, To Day therefore, whilst it is called to Day, ●e exhorted to the Practice of your Duty, lest any of ●ou be hardened through the Deceitfulness of Sin: For,  
Fourthly, Supposing that God should be so ●ind to us beyond our Deserts; though not our Desires, as to prolong our Days, yet it were un●easonable to expect, that the Divine Grace ●hould be always at our Beck, and continually ●ait our Leisure. This were to desire, that ●he Grace of God would be more kind and constant to us, than we are to ourselves, that whereas we intent to bestow no more than our expiring Breath, in calling upon God, we would have his Grace attend us, through the several stage's of our Sins, and court us to our Duty, ●o the very last Gasp. But, Be not deceived, whatsoever 
Gal. 6. 7. Prov. 21. 24, 28.  a Man soweth, that shall he also reap. What God threatened to the Old World, he will most certainly, make good to all old habitual Sinners, viz. That his Spirit shall not always strive 
Gen. 6. 3. Luke 19 42.  ●ith Men; but, the Things belonging to their Peace, if they will not know them now in this their Day,) ●ill, most assuredly, be hid from their Eyes. And his our Blessed Saviour has signified to us in the ●arable of the Talents, where he says, at the Conclusion of that Parable, from him that hath 
Matth. 25. 29.  ●ot, shall be taken away even That which he seemeth ●● have. It is therefore the most seasonable and wholesome Advice, that either the Prophet could ●ive, or We could take, viz. Seek ye the Lord 
Isaiah 55. 6. 2 Cor. 6. 2.  whilst he may be found, call ye upon him whilst He ●● near. For now is the accepted Time, now is the Day of Salvation. But as for the Time to com● 'tis every whit as uncertain, whether we sha●● fall to the Practice of our Duty hereafter, if w● live, as whether we shall live to Hereafter, ●● fall to the Practice of our Duty. For if Go● should now withdraw his Grace (as Men ●● their resolved Contempt of it justly provo●● him,) they are left in as great an Incapacity of becoming Religious, as if He had withdraw ● their Lives: It being as possible to repent without Life, when we are Dead, as without God's Grace wh●● we are Living, (as a late Divine has observed 
Dr. Scot's Christ. Life, Part First.  So that here are two Hazards to be run at once which, if either fail, (and yet both are out ●● our Power,) will irrecoverably ruin our eternal Salvation, which is staked upon Them; a● those are, that we shall certainly live to be Ol● and as certainly have the Divine Grace to become Religious when we are so; wherea● (God knows) we may be dead by the ne●● 
Job 24. 22. Matth. 13. 12. Eph. 2. 1.  Hour, and perhaps already are, or at least w●● be, (if we resolve to delay our Reformation, dead also in Trespasses and Sins. For,  
Fifthly, If we defer the Practice of our Dut● it will grow every Day more difficult than ●●ther, and so That which is now easy to be performed, will not hereafter be done without great deal of Trouble; for all the Time w● indulge our Lusts, we do but the more strengthen them against ourselves; for bad Inclinations, the longer they are let alone, the mo●● they improve; and vicious Habits, the oft n●● they are repeated, grow but the more confirmed and inveterate: For, what a mighty Po●er there is in a Habit in general, may be se● in almost every Concern of Life: How eas●● and almost necessarily do Men those Things whereof they have the Habit? insomuch th● they cannot without trouble act otherwise, ●● they have broken the Habit, either by Dis●●● or a contrary Practice. What then shall we thi● of the Habits of Sin, which bend the Sinner to vicious Courses, not only by Means of their strong and natural Tendency that is in Them, as Habits, but moreover and above receive an additional Strength from the too too willing Inclinations of Men, which strike in with the Habit, and by a wonderful Force hurry the poor Sinner into Wickedness, almost beyond a natural Possibility of a Recovery, especially when such an Habit hath been a long Time settled and confirmed in him? For it then becomes a Governing Principle, and is as it were, a Second Nature; so that he is almost under 
Jer. 13. 23.  the fatal Necessity of continuing in It: And accordingly we read in Scripture of some Sinners who are arrived to that Perfection in Vice, that they sin with a peculiar Glee, working all 
Eph. 4. 19  Uncleanness with Greediness; they commit their Sins with such a vehement Thirst, that they are said to drink Iniquity like Water; and are therefore 
Job 15. 16.  become such perfect Slaves to their Vices, that They are sold under Sin, led captive by Satan at 
Rom. 7. 14. 2 Tim. 2. 26.  his Will. Now this is the Effect of those sinful Habits, which the Delays of a good Life, or (which is all one) the Practice of a bad one, do necessarily bring us under. And this is an Effect, which, by cutting off our chief Hopes of being truly Religious, after a long and habitual Course of Sinning, renders it highly reasonable, nay, even necessary to make haste, and 
Ps. 119. 60.  delay not to keep God's Commandments; especially considering in the  
Sixth Place, That the longer we defer this great Work, the less able shall we be on our Parts to perform it. For when Sickness or Old Age comes (the Seasons I suppose, to which Sinners intent to put off the Practice of their ●uty,) they bring a World of Troubles along with Them; which must needs weaken the Powers of our Souls, and indispose them for that great Work, which we have cut out for Them: For does not Experience testify, That every little Indisposition of Body indisposeth our Souls also? Do we not find, that Sickness many times impairs our Memories, raises in us such Heats and Fumes as confound our Senses, and distract our Thoughts, if not rob us wholly of the present Use of our Understandings? And when we can neither remember, perceive, nor understand, but are all Agony, Confusion, and Distraction, we are very unfit Persons to perform a Work, that requires a perfect Memory, a sound Judgement, and steady Resolution; a perfect Memory to call to mind the many Failings and Miscarriages of a long and sinful Life; A sound Judgement to state the Case fairly between God and our own Souls; and steady Resolutions to live and die in Acts of new Obedience. This is the least we must do, and yet it is many times more, than what our Sickness will suffer us to perform; the Violence of some Distempers being such as takes away at once, our Reason and our Senses, and with them all possibility of Reforming: But supposing that through the Blessing of God, and an extraordinary strength of Nature, we escape this dreadful Enemy to a late Repentance, and arrive to an unrelenting Old Age; yet we can't in reason think This a proper time to begin the Mortification of our Lusts, the Renovation of our Natures, and Our growth in Grace. For is it likely we should grow in This, when we have done growing every Way, but in Age and Wickedness? Or, is it possible to revive our perishing Souls, when we ourselves are already dead in Trespasses and Sins? Or, can we hope to conquer with feeble Joints and trembling Knees, those powerful Lusts which have been so long victorious over all our bravest Resolutions? Alas! these Enemies which have been all our Life long strengthening Themselves against us, are not so easily mastered by us now, now that our Strength to resist Them is decayed and gone, so that we cannot now reasonably hope to work any other Mortification upon our Lusts, than what Age has already given Them. This indeed may weaken their Strength in time; but what is that to us? What Old Age of itself doth, is not our Act; nor does it concern us further, than only to show us, with Reproach and Shame, what we ought to have done, viz. to have made that Act our own, and have mortified our Lusts ourselves; for which, we are now beholden to our Old Age: So that whatever Goodness we shall, or can now exert, we may reasonably suspect to be more the Effect of our Impotence and Weakness, than of a sound Judgement and a free Choice; and if so, we cannot assume the Performance of it to ourselves, because, That which is done with hindered and disabled Faculties, with an imperfect Knowledge and Consent, is not properly our own Act and Deed; and yet this is much the case of old Folks, who, as such, are distempered, that is, have all the Faculties of their Souls, the Members of their Bodies; and in short, all their Powers of Action very much worn out, cramped, and disabled. So that to put off the doing our Duty to a Time of Sickness, or Old Age, is next Door to not doing it at all; and therefore we must not think to put it off from Day to Day, but now or never resolve upon it: For,  
Lastly, Now is the most proper Season to do our Duty in. For now our Enemies are fewer, and less able to offend us, and We more able to defend ourselves against Them. Now our sinful Habits are not so strong, nor our Sins so numerous as they will be afterwards: And therefore we have now less Work than ever we shall have upon our Hands; and, what is a greater Encouragement, our Faculties are now most vigorous, most fit to engage in this necessary Undertaking; and Now too, is the only Time to serve God acceptably. Now is the proper Season to exercise our Graces, to show the Reality and Strength of them; Now, that there are proper 
Rom. 5. 3. James 1. 12. Eccles. 11. 9  Temptations both to try and improve Them. For, 'tis now in the Days of our Youth that the World besets us with Enchantments, and that our own Bodies turn Tempter's to us: 'Tis now that the Gaities of the World are apt to allure us! 'tis now that the Unruliness of our Blood, and the ill Propensities of the Flesh, prompt us to the Breach of those Vows, which we have taken up against Them. So that Now is the proper Season for the Exercise of Religion. For now, if we can resist these unruly Motions, and keep ourselves unspotted from the World, we shall 
James 1. 27. Prov. 23. 26. Mark 12. 33. Prov. 14. 14. Eccles. 12. 1.  manifestly prove our Faith and Piety to be sincere, which will infallibly recommend it to the Divine Acceptance, and afford no little Satisfaction to ourselves. It was therefore an Advice well-becoming the Wisdom of Solomon; Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth, while the evil Days come not, nor the Year draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no Pleasure in them. For in such a Time of Trouble as Old Age is, (which the Wise Man here describes,) we cannot reasonably hope, that our Souls, without any previous Preparation, should be duly qualified to perform any Service acceptable to Him, who is 
Hab. 1. 13.  of purer Eyes than to behold the least Iniquity. Alas! all the Faculties of our Souls will, long before that Time, be grown Restive for want of Exercise and Improvement, and what is worse, They will be overrun with our Lusts and Vices. And Now to devote the Powers of our Souls to the Service of our God, when weakened as much as possible by our Lusts, would be to offer him the 
Malach. 1. 8.  Blind, the Lame, and the Sick, for Sacrifice: And should he accept such an Offering at our Hands, Offer it now to thy Governor, says God, and see if 
1 Tim. 6. 15.  he will be pleased with Thee or accept thy Person? Much less will he, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And indeed, if Sinners would but speak out and tell the Truth, they must needs own, that their Religious Exercises, like all their other Actions of Life, are at that Time of Day very troublesome and uneasy to Them: And would it not be very unreasonable to expect, that God should delight in those Dregs of our Lives, which we ourselves can take no Pleasure in? Sinners surely must have a very mean Opinion both of God and Religion too, to think Themselves fit enough for the Service of Both, when they are disabled and unfit for every thing else: Though properly speaking, it is no Service, but (as you have seen) only the Effect of Impotence and Weakness, that they can then present him with; for what Virtue can there be in Men's insignificant Intentions to begin to be Good, at a time when perhaps they can't (if they would) be actually Bad? This is only in plain English, to have the Thoughts of serving God, when they can serve the Devil no longer: And what a sad Thing is it to live so long in Wickedness, as at length to be forsaken by It? And then, when our Sins have left us, rather than we them, we will even look out for a better Master, and begin to serve God, who never faileth Them that seek him: And therefore, 
Amos 5. 4. Psal. 9 10.  Why should he not be Gracious unto us now at last? Why may not we find as much Grace and Favour at our last Minutes as the Labourers 
Matth. 20. 1. Luke 23. 42.  did, who came into their Lord's Vineyard at the last Hour, or as the Thief upon the Cross? who could not have converted Later, nor yet had a more comfortable Promise made over to him upon his Conversion, as Late as it was.  
Now as to the former of these Instances alleged in Favour of a late Repentance, namely, That of the Labourers going late into the Vineyard to work; it is by Learned Men thought, that the whole Design of that Parable is, only to exhibit or set forth to us the Justice and Goodness of God, in tendering the Light and Mercies of the Gospel to the Gentiles, and rewarding their late Acceptance of them equal with the Jews, that were called before us; and so it reacheth not in the Opinion of some, to the Case of private Sinners. Though I will (for once) suppose it does; but withal must observe, That this gives no Encouragement to any Sinner to defer the Reformation of his Life, or the Practice of Religion to the last, no, nor yet to the next Hour; for supposing the Eleventh Hour in the Parable to signify the Last of our Lives, and that God did accept and reward Those that converted to Him then; yet it does not appear, that They who were then Hired into the Vineyard, or called to Repentance, had rejected more early Invitations to it; but whether Idleness, or whatever was the Occasion of their late Call and Conversion, this is certain, that at what Hour soever, whether at the First, Sixth, or Ninth, they were called, they immediately obeyed the Motion, and needed not a second Call, as Men now a-days do, who stop their Ears 
Psal. 58. 5.  at the Voice of the Charmers, charming never so wisely; and so they add to all their Sins this One, (and that a very great One too,) of Obstinacy and Incorrigibleness, which render their Case different from the Labourers, it being far more unlikely that such stubborn Tempers should be ever wrought unto Repentance and Reformation, especially to that which is sincere; 'tis far more likely that God, being by their Stubbornness provoked, should give them over to a reprobate Mind. 
Rom. 1. 28.   
And then as to the other Instance of a late Repentance, that of the Thief on the Cross. Here I will suppose, (because I know Sinners do) that this late Penitent's Life was as theirs is, but one continued Course of Wickedness, of which he repent not till his last Minutes; and that as God did graciously pardon him then, so may he forgive them also, if they do but then repent as hearty as he did; yet I hope to show them, that they have no reasonable Encouragement from this Example, to continue in their Wickedness at Present, in hopes of finding Mercy upon their Repentance at Last, or at a dying Hour, as will appear if they consider, That 'tis possible, nay probable, that this Thief might never have heard of the Name of Jesus before, or if he had, it might not have been proposed to him with sufficient Motives of Credibility; and if this (as I could show you we have reason to think) was his Case, it was more his Unhappiness than his Crime, that He converted and believed no sooner. Yet when He was converted and did believe, He lived up strictly to the Terms of the Gospel, that little while he had to live: For he here on the Cross confesseth his Sin; begs Pardon for it; accepts the 
Luke 23. 40, 41, 42.  Punishment of his Iniquity; commiserates that unhappy Condition that was but just now his own; He pityeth the Innocent; confesseth with his Mouth the Lord Jesus; believeth in his Heart. And these were the only Things he had then at liberty; and therefore he could do nothing more, to show himself a Faithful Disciple of the Crucified Jesus. He owns him King, even when there was the least Appearance of his being such, and fixeth his Hope as firmly in Him as if all Power in Heaven and Earth had been already given to him. He shows an extraordinary Charity both in Opinion and Action, in Opinion in judging our Saviour to have done nothing amiss. 
— 41.  His Charity in Action, in endeavouring to reclaim his Fellow, by reproving him for his Sin, 
— 40, 41.  which he does (as St. Chrysostom observes) before he asks any Thing for himself. Now what is it that Sinners do like this, in all their Life, to give them Hope in their Death? Can they, who from their Baptism have lived the rest of their Time to the Lusts of Men, and not to the Will of God, pretend to an immediate Acceptance of the Terms of the Gospel? Can He, who lives in open Contradiction to the Divine Commands, intending only to conform to Them when he has no further Strength to break Them, can such a one say, that he strictly adheres to the Covenant of Grace? Or can He, who by his long continued Habits of sinning, has weakened all the Powers of his Soul, and strengthened nothing but his Lusts; can He (I say) in reason suppose, that he has not made himself twofold more a Child of Hell than a Saint of Heaven? Can he be said to be strong in Faith, who, notwithstanding our Saviour's Resurrection, the Consent of the best and wisest Men, the wonderful Conquest made by the Gospel over the Hearts and Lives of many, (showing It to be the Power of God unto Salvation, 
Rom. 1. 16. ) who, (I say) notwithstanding all this clear Evidence of Belief, can yet show themselves the only obdurate Wretches, and disown their Saviour, now that He is in his Kingdom? And what reasonable Grounds of Hope can such Men have, who are so far from being pure from their Sins, that they daily strengthen Themselves in their 
1 Joh. 3. 3.  Wickedness? And as to their Charity, Is it possible that they should have any true Love for their Brother, who have little or none for themselves? How can they commiserate another's unhappy Condition, when they do not so much as pity their own? Or, How can they pretend to any Love for God, whom they intent to affront 
John 14, 15.— 15. 14.  all their Life-time, and at their Death to seek him, more out of Dread and Fear of him, than an ardent Affection towards him? How shall they delight in the Presence of him hereafter, whom they could not endure to think of here? or supposing They could hereafter relish any Pleasure in the sweet Society of Him, who now is least in all their Thoughts, yet what Foundation have they laid for such a Conversation in Heaven? Alas! their Graces are all to seek, and yet without these, it is impossible that they should ever be meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance 
Heb. 12. 14.  of the Saints in Light.  
But further, The Circumstances and Manner of this Penitent's Death were such as never any Sinners were before Him, nor ever can be again, unless our Blessed Lord should once more become obedient unto Death, even the Death of the Cross; and one of those, (who desires to make this Penitent's Case his own,) had never heard of the Name of Christ, till he chance to suffer with him, and then, by instantly believing in him, should once again procure an extraordinary share of Mercy from our merciful High Priest, who was pleased to give the first Proof of his being such to this Blessed Penitent, when he said to Him, To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. Now such another lucky juncture as this can never occur again, (because Christ was not to offer himself often; 
Heb. 9 25. ) but supposing it could, yet this surpassing the standing Measures, and Methods of God's Grace, cannot be fairly drawn into Example, no more than Acts of Mercy and Oblivion from a Prince upon extraordinary Occasions, can encourage his rebellious Subjects always to expect the like Favour. The only Ground whereon they can found any reasonable Hopes of Pardon, is their immediate return to their Duty and Obedience; and this must be every Man's great Care and constant 
Leu. 26. 41, 42. Luke 15. 12, etc. Job 8. 5, 6. 1 Joh. 3. 3. Prov. 10. 9 Prov. 14. 32. Psal. 23. 4. Prov. 12. 2. Rom. 2. 7.  Endeavour in respect to God, in order to procure Pardon and Acceptance of him. His early Application to all the Duties of Religion, and his final Perseverance in Them, is the only hope of Mercy. This is certainly most acceptable to God, most safe to himself, and will afford him the greatest Comfort when he shall stand in the greatest need of it, I mean, at a dying Hour: For a well-spent Life infallibly secures to us (as ye have seen) the Favour of God here, which is better than Life, and his Glory and Happiness hereafter, which is the Life and Perfection of our Souls.  

A short Prayer to be said upon our first Kneeling down at Church.  
PArdon, O Lord, all my Sins, which make me unworthy to come into thy Presence, or to tread thy Courts: Quicken my Devotions to Thee. Open my Heart to attend unto Things that shall be spoken, and grant that we may all come together for the better, and not for the worse, for Jesus Christ his sake. Amen.   

A short Prayer to be said at Church immediately after Prayers, or Sermon.  
BE pleased, O Lord, to accept this my Duty and Service, and to pardon the Imperfections of it. Grant it may so tend to my Spiritual Improvement, as may enable me to serve Thee better for the future; that going from Strength to Strength, I may at length appear before thee in Zion, even in thy heavenly Kingdom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   

A Prayer for the Divine Grace to assist us in the performance of the various Duties mentioned in the foregoing Treatise.  
MOST glorious Lord God, the great Creator of Heaven and Earth, and our most merciful Father in Christ Jesus. Thou art the Fountain of all Perfections, and the very Life and Happiness of all our Souls; we therefore thine unworthy Cereatures sinful Dust and Ashes, present ourselves before Thee, to praise thee for the infinite Perfections of thy Nature, and to beg of Thee the necessary Supplies of thy Grace and Holy Spirit, that we may give thee the Honour due unto thy Name, and Worship thee suitably to thy Nature, with an holy and a spiritual Worship. Thou art of purer Eyes than to behold the least Iniquity; and therefore how shall such polluted Wretches as we are, dare to approach thy dreadful Majesty, who by our Sins and Follies have made ourselves so unlike to thee, who art righteous in all thy Ways and holy in all thy Works? How then shall we presume to come into thy holy Presence, who are defiled in our very Natures, having nothing but Vanity and Blindness in our Minds, Perverseness in our Wills, both spiritual and carnal Iniquity in our Affections and Appetites, and what is worse, have defiled ourselves yet much more, by our many actual and habitual Sins against thee, so that we are altogether unworthy to approach thy Presence, or expect thy Favour, and yet have so great need of both, that without them, we are lost for ever: O therefore cast us not away from thy Presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from us! but out of Pity to thy defective and diseased Creatures, receive us graciously, and heal our Souls, though we have sinned against Thee. Rescue us from the Power and Bondage of our Lusts by the greater Power of thy Grace. Renew and purify our corrupted Natures. Create in us a clean Heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within us. Teach us a perfect Denial of all our Sins, and establish us in a steadfast Obedience to all thy Laws. To which End, enlighten our Minds to form clear and true Notions of Thee, and open our Hearts to attend upon all the Means that may help us to discharge our various Obligations to Thee. Inspire our Souls with thy heavenly Graces. Strengthen our Faith, confirm our Hope, increase our Love, quicken our Fear, establish our Trust, inspire us with Patience, Constancy and Sincerity. Inflame our Devotions, and envigorate our Endeavours, in a faithful Discharge of our Duty to Thee. Give us thy Grace also to assist us in the Performance of our Duty to our Neighbour, that we may ever remember, and constantly observe thy great and righteous Law, to love him as ourselves, and to this End grant, That we may never defraud Him of his Right, but give him his due in all the Relations towards us wherein he stands. Dispose us therefore, good Lord, cheerfully to obey Them that have the Rule over us, whether in Church or State; and bless them in an happy Government of us; that under them we may lead qulet and peaceable Lives in all Godliness and Honesty. Bless all Sorts of Parents and Masters; grant that they may faithfully discharge the various Duties of their Stations, and their respective Inferiors may, in a grateful Return thereof, ever Love, Honour, and Obey them. Grant to all Men, we beseech thee, the Spirit to think, and do all such Things as be rightful, ever adhering to that equitable Rule, the d●ing as they would be dealt by. And grant us, O thou Fountain of Mercy and Love, a universal Charity towards all Men, even to our Enemies, that we may be ever ready both to forgive and also to provide, that they which are in need and necessity have Right in a suitable Relief of their various Wants; and because our Prayers to Thee, from whom every good and perfect Gift cometh, are oft the best and only Helps we can afford them, therefore do thou, O Lord, abundantly for them, more than we can ask or think. Suit thy Mercies according to their various Necessities; sanctify their Afflictions to them, and when thou seest it best for them, give them a happy Deliverance out of all their Troubles. And Lastly, O Lord, we come unto thee for a Blessing upon ourselves, who, as we are here Living Instances of thine Almighty Power and Goodness, so be pleased to make us the happy Instruments of thy Praise and Glory; to which Purpose enable us to subject all the Faculties of our Souls, and the Powers of our Bodies to thy blessed Will, which is the Law and Perfection of our reasonable Nature. Direct our Understandings to the Knowledge of those glorious Manifestations which thou hast been pleased to give us of thyself. Clear up our Apprehensions both of the Perfections of thy Nature, and the Excellency of those Perfections. Direct our Wills to the Choice and Imitation of such thy Perfections as are imitable by us. Teach us the Wisdom to proportion our Affections of Things, according to the Nature and Value of them, that having a less Concern for this World, we may fear thee more, and love thee better: Give us a r●ght Understanding of ourselves, of our own Insufficiency, and of our entire Dependence upon thee, that so we may not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. Teach us a cheerful Submission to thine alwise Dispensations, and in whatever State we are, therewith to be content. Endue us with a calm and gentle Temper of Soul, such as may invite thy Blessed Spirit to come, and take up his Abode with us, that through his Blessed Operations, we may bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit in Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance. Subdue our bodily Appetites to the Laws of our Reason, and the End of their Creation, ever remembering that our Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Spirit; and that he who defileth the Temple of God, him thou hast threatened to destroy. Out of an holy Fear and Dread of this, and all other thy reasonable Threats, grant that we may be ever careful to keep under our Bodies, and cleanse ourselves from all Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit, that so we may (as we are in Duty bound) glorify thee in our Body, and in our Spirit, which are Thine; and we not only beg thy Grace to assist us in, but thy heavenly Wisdom, to show us the reasonableness and necessity of our Performance of these Duties, that we may make haste and delay not to keep thy Commandments.  
AND as we desire this Morning to enter into 
For the Morning.  the World upon our lawful Occasions, with this holy Frame and Disposition of Soul, so grant, that we may never lose it, either through Surprise, or wilful Neglect, but guide us safely by thy Grace, through all the Dangers and Temptations of this, and all other Days of our Life; that, escaping the Corruption that is in the World through Lust, we may live and die thy faithful and obedient Servants.  
AND now, O Lord, that we are going to repose 
For the Evening.  ourselves, keep us from all Dangers and Adversities that may happen to our Bodies, and from all evil Thoughts and Dreams, which may assault and hurt our Souls, that we may rise in the Morning with a fresh sense upon our Minds of thy Mercies to us, and a full Conviction of the absolute necessity of expressing our Thankfulness, not only with our Lips, but in the constant Obedience of our Lives, spending that Strength which thou hast given us, to thy Honour and Service; to whom we own our utmost Praises, for all thy free and undeserved Mercies: Therefore  
We not only pray unto thee, but desire to bless thee for all thy Benefits from time to time conferred upon us, for thy Creation of us out of Nothing, for thy Preservation of us ever since we had a Being, for all the Accommodations of this Life, and the plentiful Provision thou hast made for our Happiness in the other; for all that thy Son our dear Redeemer, has done and suffered for us, for his wonderful Incarnation and Birth, for his exemplary Life, his meritorious Death and Passion, for his glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and for his sending the Holy Ghost to comfort us; for all thy Saints and Servants departed this Life in thy true Faith and Fear, beseeching thee to give us Grace so to follow their good Examples, that with them we may be Partakers of thy heavenly Kingdom: These Prayers and Praises, with whatever else thou in thine infinite Wisdom, seest most necessary and expedient for us, we humbly offer up in the Name and for the Sake of thy Son, our blessed Saviour and Redeemer, who has commanded us, when we pray, to say, Our Father which art in, etc.  
This Prayer may be used by one Person, only changing the Words We, Us, and Our, into I, Me, and My, and saying instead of Creatures Creature, etc.  
FINIS.