hate them as a Company of impertinent Bufy-bodies in Religion, that ferve only to raise the Market for Heaven, and readily give God all that he asks. But generally the World looks upon them as too precise, and making too much ado about that Salvation, which elfe would come at an easier Rate. Look to it, left this Difrespect, and Villifying of the Power of Godlinefs, and Practical Holiness ; left the Contempt and Obloquy that is caft upon a severe and mortified Life, be not charged upon you, who by a vain, carnal, frothy, and light Conversation, have perfwaded the World, that Christ was a more ftrict Preacher, than he will be a Judge, and that his Laws ferve rather to fhew what Holiness is, than to exact it.

And thus I have fhewn you, How that by the unfuitable Lives of Profeffors, this twofold Shame will befal Religion it self; that wicked Men will be ready to account it either falfe or frivolous.

And upon both Accounts, confider what dreadful Confequences will follow:

First, To bring this Blemish upon Religion, that it is either falfe or unneceffary, is in a great measure to evacuate the Death. of Chrift, and to fruftrate one of the great S Ends

Ends for which he fuffer'd. There were Two great and important Reasons of Chrift's Death:

The One was, The Satisfaction of Divine Juftice as a Redeemer.

The Other, The Atteftation of the Truth of his Doctrine as a Martyr: He hath fealed to the World by his own Blood, both the Certainty and Neceffity of the Doctrines which he taught: And therefore Chrift himself tells Pilate, John 18.37. To this End was I born, and for this Caufe came I into the World, that I fhould bear Witness to the Truth. And the greatest Testimony he gave to the Truth of the Gospel, was upon the Crofs, laying down his Life, and hedding the last Drop of his most precious Blood, rather than he would difavow or recant the least Article of that holy Doctrine which he had delivered: And therefore we have that Expreffion, 1 John 5. 8. There are Three that bear Witness in Earth, the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood. Which, I think, may be congruously enough expounded if we here take the first of these Witneffes, the Spirit, for the Spirit, or Soul of Chrift, which he breathed forth when he gave up the Ghost: And the Water and Blood, to be that mix'd Stream that flowed out of his Side, when

the

the Soldier's Spear opened unto us that I Fountain of Life and Salvation. These Three bear Witnefs on Earth to the Do&rine of Chrift, that it is both true in it I felf, and neceffary also to eternal Salvation. Now confider, you who by a loose and wanton Conversation, give Occasion to the World to fufpect either the one, or the other, what do you lefs than in= validate the Death of Chrift; and bring Men at last to believe, that he died for that which is either falfe or frivolous? Which is the greatest Affront and Indignity that can poffibly be put upon our Lord and Saviour. Muft not the World think it very strange, that Chrift should willingly fubmit himself to fo cruel and ignominious a Death as that of the Cross, for the Confirmation of a Doctrine, which few of those who profefs the Truth of it, will yet be perfwaded by all the Rewards it propounds, to put in Practice? Must = they not needs judge it a most absurd Thing, to spread a Religion, and then die for it too, the Rules and Precepts of which are either impoffible, or unneceffary to be obferved? And if they look into the Lives of Chriftians, and take Notice how vastly repugnant their Actions are to the Rule I which they profefs; what else can they think but that Chrift loft his very Death,

as well as his Life, when he died to confirm fuch a Religion, whose Laws are fo rigorous that they cannot be kept, or whofe Indulgence is fo large, that it cannot be out-finned? Is this a Doctrine worth fuch Pain and Shame, worth Martyrdom and the Cross, that hath so little Influence upon those that imbrace it, to conform their Lives to the Principles it teacheth? Are the Rewards it promiseth fo inconfiderable, or the Punishments it threatens fo eafy and gentle; or the Evidence it gives of the Certainty of both, fo glimmering and obfcure, that it cannot prevail with those who own it, to abandon their Vices, or their present Pleasures, for future Fears and Hopes? And what! Shall we think fuch a Religion can ever bring its Followers to Heaven, when as it cannot bring them to Virtue? Believe it, this reflects highly upon our Lord Jefus Christ, and lays an Imputation either upon his Sincerity, or his Wisdom, in dying for a Doctrine, which ordinarily hath no more Power over those who profess and own it, than only to name them Chriftians.

Secondly, Confider that the Profeffion of Religion, without a fuitable Practice, tends only to harden the Hearts of wicked Men, and to ftrengthen their Hands

in their Course of Sin and Profaneness: For fuch is either the Weakness, or Corruption of Humane Nature, that we are fooner led by Examples, than by Precepts; and follow the Herd, rather than the Guide; accounting nothing a furer Mark of the right Way, than the Tracts of others that go before us. Now when wicked Men fhall fee thee, who art a Profeffor, live unanswerably to that Religion thou makeft Shew of, will they not be ready to bless themselves in their Ways, and to cry, Peace, Peace, to themselves; fince thou who thinkeft well of thy felf, and whom others perhaps think well of too, art in Reality no better than they? Do not I fee (may fuch an one fay) that those who are taken for Saints, are proud, and impatient, and covetous, and revengeful? And if fuch Men get to Heaven, as they pretend they fhall, why may not I? 'Tis true indeed, they talk of Self-denial, and Contempt of the World, and Communion with God, and great Spiritual Enjoyments; but look into our Lives, and mine is as harmless and innocent as theirs. If they let themselves loose to the Pleasures of the World, drink till Wine inflames them; difcourfe lewdly, and lasciviously by Tropes and Metaphors; cozen and cheat in their Bar$ 3

gains,