He therefore that in an Upright Man, hath a ferious and hearty Senfe of God and Religion upon his Spirit, and is above all Things careful to preferve and increase that Senfe. But then his Conduct in this Affair is much different from that of ordinary Pretenders to Religion.

For he is a Man that doth not content him. self with a mere fpeculative Belief, or an outward Profeffion of the Truths of Religion; but doth fo far imprefs them on his Heart, that they influence his whole Life and Converfation. He doth not think it fufficient to be Orthodox in his Opinions; or to be a Member of a true Church; or to be zealous in maintaining and promoting the right Way: But he takes care to live as he believes; to practise fuitably to the Profeffion he makes. As he holds faft the Form of Godlines; fo he never fails to exprefs the Power of it, in an innocent and a vertuous Life.

He is a Man, that in the whole Conduct of his Religious Affairs, minds Confcience more than any selfish Confideration. He takes not up his Principles, either out of Humour, or Paffion; to advance his Intereft, or to please a Party: But he believes a Thing, because it is true, and profeffeth it, because it is his Duty. In Matters of Religion, he hath the Indifference of a Traveller, whose great Concernment is to arrive at his Journey's End; but for the Way that leads thither, be it high or low, all is one to him, fo long as he is but certain that it is the right Way.

VOL. I.

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Mat. 23.

23.

And as he doth not chufe his Religion out of worldly Confiderations; fo neither doth he quit it upon fuch. But is refolute and conftant in bearing Witness to the Truth, against all Oppofition whatfoever. As he doth not make Shew of his Religion the more when it is in Fashion, and when it may prove Advantageous to him: So neither doth he practise it the lefs, when it may prove Ignominious or Dangerous. He is obftinately tenacious of his Principles, when he knows them to be good; and prepared to endure the utmoft Extremi ties, rather than violate the Laws and Dictates of his Confcience.

He is a Man that thinks Religion too Sacred a Thing to be prostituted to mean Purposes; and therefore he never ufeth it as an Inftrument for the ferving a Turn; never makes it a Cloak for the covering a private End, tho' he were fure he could compass his Designs by it. He knows that the greatest Impoftures have laid hid under this Mask, and by such Artifices God hath been often made a Patron of the moft horrid Villanies.

He is a Man that doth not place his Religion in outward Forms and Services; or in little cheap Duties that coft him nothing, He hath a nobler Senfe of God, than to think that fuch Things can alone recommend us to him: And therefore his Principal Concernment is about the great indifpenfable Duties of Chriftianity; The weightier Matters of the Law, Fuftice, and Mercy, and Faith. He hath the Everlasting Notions and Differences of Good

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and Evil deeply engraven in his Heart; and in the practising or the avoiding them, he chiefly lays out himself.

He is a Man, that doth not pick and chufe out of God's Commandments, which to obferve to the Neglect of the reft: But endeavours uprightly and fincerely to observe them all. He calls no Sin little, because his Temper inclines him to it, or the Courfe of his Life leads him more frequently into the Temptations of it. But he hath an hearty, uniform Averfion to every Thing that is Evil. He holds no fecret Friendship or Correfpondence with any Enemy of God; but fights as refolutely against his moft agreeable and most gainful Sins, as those that he hath lefs Temptations to upon those Accounts.

He is a hearty Enemy to all Factions in Religion, as knowing the Life and Soul of Chritianity is often eaten out by them. All dividing Principles he abhors; and as much as he loves Truth, he is not lefs concerned for Peace. And he is better pleased with an Inftance of his Charity in Compofing, or his Zeal in Suppreffing Religious Differences, than with Twenty of his Skill and Abilities in difputing them. For he knows that LOVE is more acceptable to God, than a right Opinion; and to be a Martyr, rather than divide Dionyf. and rend the Church, is not lefs Glorious than Alex. in Eufeb. to be a Martyr for refusing to offer Sacrifice to Idols.

Lastly, He is a Man Religious without Noise; and uses no little Arts to make his L 2

Piety

Piety taken Notice of in the World. For he feeks not the Praise of Men in any Thing he doth, but ftudies to approve himself to God only: And therefore he is as careful of his Thoughts, as of his Actions; and hath the fame Fear of God, and Regard of his Duty, when no Man fees him; as when he is in the most publick Places.

Thefe are the great Strokes of Uprightneß, as to Religion. And whoever makes good thefe Characters, may unquestionably conclude of himself, that he is an honest Man to God-ward, a true Ifraelite indeed, in whom there is no Guile.

Come we now, in the Second Place, To take a View of the Upright Man in his civil Conversation: To give fome Account of him, with Reference to his Carriage and Demeanour amongst Men. And here again we must confider him under Two Capacities; as a private Perfon, and as a Magiftrate.

And, Firft, as a private Perfon, the General Rule by which he frames and models his whole Conversation, is fuch a prudent and diligent Care of himself, and his own Good, as is not only confiftent with, but doth effectually tend to promote the Good and Happiness of all others that he deals with. This is the Fundamental Principle which he lays down to obferve in all his Commerce with Mankind. For he confiders that every Man in the World hath a Right to be happy as well as himself: And he confiders, that, as Things are fo contriv'd, that he cannot be happy without the Affiftance

Affistance of others; fo it is infinitely reafonable, that he in like manner fhould contribute his Endeavours to the making them happy also. These now being the main Principles of his Mind, he takes Care in his whole Converfation, that his Actions and Carriage be fuitable to them, and bear fome Proportion with them.

And therefore we may be fure that he is a Man exactly Juft in all his Dealings, and would not knowingly do the leaft Wrong or Injury to any, tho' he could gain never so much by it; and were he never fo fecure, that he could do it without Discovery.

He is is a Man, that where he is trusted, is faithful to the uttermoft. Never making Advantages of Mens Credulity, nor abufing the Confidence they repose in him.

He is one, that in point of fair Dealing between Man and Man, is fevere even to Scrupulofity; and he would rather fit down with Lofs, than ferve his own Ends by any Practife that hath but a bad Report, that hath but even the Appearance or Sufpicion of Evil in it; though in the mean Time he knows, that what is got by fuch Practices, is by fome Men accounted lawful Gain.

He is a Man of great Candour and Sweetnefs, and Obligingness in his Behaviour: But withal, as on one Hand he is careful not to run himself into Inconveniencies by his good Nature; fo on the other Hand, the Kindness and good Will he profeffeth to all about him, is more than a Compliment, or a Semblance