fion, the Negligence and Inactivity, and are provided against the Hazards and Surprifes, of this Spiritual Sleep.

2. The Second Figure, by which this Purity of Life is exprefs'd, we have (V. 12.) in cafting off the Works of Darkness, and putting on the Armour of Light. By Darknefs here may be meant, either Ignorance, or Privacy. And confequently the Works of it will import, Either fuch, as no Man in his Senfes would be guilty of, did he rightly understand the natural Turpitude, which is in them; Or elfe füch, as They who do commit, are fo far ashamed of, as to affect Secrecy, and by all poffible Means labour to conceal them from the Eye of the World. Night and Shades, and the privateft Corners are fought, as the only proper Scenes, for Facts, which carry their own Condemnation along with them, and brand the Actor with Infamy. He therefore would not be seen, because conscious to himself, that if feen, he must of course be difapprov'd, and despised, and detefted. These then Chriftians must throw afide and leave off, like those tattered or fullied Garments, in which it would be a Reproach to see Company. And, in their ftead fuch Habits must be put on, as are fit to appear in broad Day, fuch as will bear the nicest Obfervation, and make them shine as Lights in the World. And, as their Comelinefs juftifies the Title of Light; fo are they very properly termed Armour too. For thefe Difpofitions and Habits fortifie the Mind, and repel the Darts of the Spiritual Enemy. There being no better Prefervative against Temptations, than that of being well employed, and a ftrict regard to the Decency of every thing we do. And thefe good Habits are once more faid to be put on, with Allufion to our common Cloathing; Intimating, that, as no part of the Body is left naked, which would either -be offenfive and unfeemly to the fight, or fuffer by being expofed to the Weather; fo no part of the Soul fhould be deftitute of the Virtues proper for it, no Gra

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ces wanting, which may contribute either to its Ornament, or to its Defence.

3. Another Expreffion of like Importance, we have in thofe Words, V. 13. Let us walk honestly, as in the Day; In Oppofition whereunto are those feveral Vices, fpecified in the following part of the Verfe, which draw upon Men the Scandal and Scorn of all that behold them. And this Metaphor is likewife taken from the Care Men ufually take, to recommend themselves to the Efteem of Others, by a Garb clean, and decent, and suitable to their Quality. Now, fince the Sight and Obfervation of Others is the Argument infifted upon here, Chriftians must be careful to take this in its juft Extent. In Deference to Men, a fordid or too negligent Outfide is all we are folicitous to avoid, because Their Obfervation can go no farther than the outward Appearance. But the fame Reafon obliges Chriftians in cloathing their Souls, to confider, whofe Infpection they are under in This Regard: Not only That of their Brethren, who may be impofed upon with artificial Difguifes; but that of Saints and *Angels; and especially of Chrift and God himself; One, whofe Eyes are in every Place, to whom our very Hearts are open, and from whom no Secrets are hid: So that this Argument leaves no room for Hypocrify, no covert for the private things of Dishonesty; but requires Purity in our very Thoughts and Intentions; because even These are as vifible to God's all-feeing Eye, as any the most publick Indecencies, of our Garb and Behaviour, are to the Obfervation and Cenfure of Men. And, as the Respect due to thofe Spectators is greater far, than that we owe to any of the fame Nature with our felves, tho never fo much above us in Quality and Wordly Diftinctions; So are we always to remember, that, in regard of God, we act as it were upon a common Theatre; and ought no more to be guilty of the leaft Evil or Indecency, even in Imagination or Defire, than if

#1 Cor. xi. 10.

I

we stood before the fevereft Judges, and did it in the Prefence of all Mankind.

Now the vicious Practices mentioned here, are all of them fuch as tend to the Difhonour and Detriment of Men, and are utterly inconfiftent with the Dignity and Character of Chriftians. Such are the Revellings and Exceffes; the Rioting and Drunkennefs; Of which this Apostle fays elsewhere, They that be drun

I Thef. v. 7, 8.

Ephef. v. 12.

John xiii. 35.

ken are drunken in the Night; But let us who are of the Day be fober. Such the Chambering and Wantonnefs, The Lewdnefs and Bestialities of the Heathen, fo far felf condemned, even among Them, as to endeavour their own Concealment. But for Chriftians it is a Shame, he fays, for fuch, even to Speak of those things which were done of them in fecret. Such again the Strife and Envying, so directly oppofite to that univerfal Kindness and Peace, which our Bleffed Master hath made the Badge and Livery, as it were, of all who retain to Him. For by this, fays he, fball all Men know that ye are my Dif ciples, if ye have Love one to another; and accordingly we are told, He that hateth bis Brother is still in Darkness, and 1 John ii. II. walketb in Darkness. And we cannot wonder, that these Sins, of Bitterness, and Disorder, are here added to those of Luxury and Lewdnefs; when it is confidered, how naturally Hatred and Contention spring from the Heats of Excefs; and that the moderating Men's fenfual Appetites and Paffions, were certainly the most effectual Course, to preferve Amity and good Order in the World. The moft furious Quarrels and Heart-burnings, whether publick or private, are not about the neceffary Supports of Life; but for thofe Superfluities, which feed our Lufts and our Pride, and minister to Pomp and Extravagance. And therefore, in oppofition to thofe fcandalous Qualities, which, like Filth and Rags, difparage and disfigure a Chriftian, we are commanded in the

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4. Fourth

4. Fourth and Laft Place, to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and not make Provifion for the Flefb, to fulfil the Lufts thereof. Whether this Metaphor of putting on Christ allude to our Cloathing in general; Or whether more particularly to that Emblem of InnoGal. iii. 27. cence, the White Robe formerly used to be put on at Baptifm; is no very material Enquiry. The Design of it is manifeftly this. Inftead of thofe Vicious Habits, which are a Deformity to Christians, and a Difhonour to their Profeffion, to recommend fuch Ornaments, as fuit with our Condition, and will not fail to procure us refpect, from thofe with whom we converfe. And the Expreffion imports, that Chrift fhould be our Pattern; that His Sobriety and Gravity, His Meekness, and Moderation, and great Charity, and all the Virtues and Graces fo confpicuous in Him, fhould be (if I may fo fay) the things in Fashion with all his Followers: That They who are out of this Mode make a very aukward and ridiculous Figure, fuch as derives Difgrace and Contempt upon them; And that these Excellencies in Chrift, fhould be as familiar to us, as infeparable from us, as evident a Diftinction of our Quality, as the Apparel we conftantly wear, is to our Bodies. Particularly, That we fhould let this World, and its Affairs and Delights, fit as loose about us as may be; by imitating his abftemious Life, and making a difference, between the Supplies neceffary for the Subfiftence of our Outward Man, and the fuperfluous Vanities, which heighten its Appetites, enflame its Paffions, and indulge it in Luxury and Sin. Some Provifion we may, nay we ought to make for the Flefb; fuch as may preserve it, in the Condition God hath fet it in, as a Servant and Inftrument to the Spirit: Such as may render it fit for Duty, and preferve it in Obedience to the higher and commanding part of us. But, as our Creator hath appointed the Body in a State of Subordination to the Soul: So all the Comforts and Delights of it should aim, not at Enjoyment, but Ufe; and be directed

directed to the Benefit of that Better Part, of which the Man, and the Happiness of his Nature, principally confifts. And this is a Caution, highly seasonable, and pertinent to the Apostle's Defign; in regard that all the Vic s mentioned before, and whatsoever else is either a Blemish or an Obftruction to the Spiritual and Divine Life, proceed from an undue Preference of the Bodily and Fleshly Part, and making the Gratifications of, and Care for That, the main End and Measure of our Actions.

II. I have now at length done with the Duties enjoined, and pass to my Second General Head, The Motives made ufe of here to enforce them. Which are contained in those Words, And that knowing

Ver. 11, 12.

the time, that now it is high time to awake out of fleep, for now is our Salvation nearer than when we believed. The Night is far pent, the Day is at hand. Thefe Paffages admit of a Two-fold Interpretation, each of which furnishes an Argument very pertinent to the Apostle's Purpose.

Rom. iii. 11.

1. For First, Some by the Night and the Day understand the Darknefs of the Times before, and the Light of those under, the Gofpel; And these, by Salvation being nearer than when they believed, do fuppofe St. Paul to mean, the Advantages, which thefe Romans, who acknowledged a Meffias already come, now enjoy'd, above what belonged to them, while only expecting the promised Meffias yet to come.

The Force of the Argument, taken in this Senfe, lies here; That it highly concerns Men to confider the Bleffings of a clearer Revelation, and the Profit God expects they should make of it: That they are obliged to improve in Holinefs, proportionably to the Means and Opportunities of living better, put into our Hands: That, after fo full Instructions and fo bright an Example, as those of the Holy and Merciful Jefus, it would be a most indecent, a most inexcufable Abfurdity; if They, who are

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