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We do not pretend that any Church is Infallible, and therefore not ours: But this we dare fay, and we can juftify; That if we take our Measures concerning the Truths of Religion from the Rules of the Holy Scriptures, and the Platform of the Primitive Churches, the Church of England is undoubtedly, both as to the Doctrine and Worship, the Pureft Church that is at this Day in the World; the moft Orthodox in Faith, and the freeft on the one Hand from Idolatry and Superftition, and on the other Hand, from Freakifbneß and Enthufiafm, of any now extant.

Nay, I do farther fay, with great seriousness, and as one that expects to be called to Account at the dreadful Tribunal of God, for what I now fay, if I do not speak in Sincerity, That I do in my Conscience believe, that if the Religion of Jefus Chrift, as it is delivered in the New Teftament, be the true Religion (as I am certain it is:) Then the Communion of the Church of England, is a fafe Way to Salvation, and the fafeft of any I know in the World.

And, therefore, I do exhort you all in the Name of God,, fted faftly to hold and to perfevere in this Communion.

Here you have the Things that are True, Think of them, and embrace them Heartily; and Live and Die in the Profeffion of them. This is the Doctrine I have always Taught you, and by the Grace of God, I mean to Practife accordingly.

II. The next Thing I have to recommend to you, from thefe Words of the Apostle, is Uni

verfal Honesty, and Justice, and Righteousneß in your Converfation. Whatfoever Things (faith he) are True, what foever Things are Honest, whatsoever Things are Just; think on thefe Things.

You fee I join thefe Two Words Honest and Just together, as importing the fame Thing: Though yet I am aware that the Word we here render Honest, is often ufed in another Signification, that is to fay, for Grave or Venerable: But fince that other Signification falls in moft properly under my laft Head, I wave it here, and take the Word as our Tranflation renders it.

Indeed, it is vain to expect any Advantage from our Profeffion of the Truth, if we be not fincerely Just and Honest in our Actions.

Whofoever can allow himself in the Practice of any Dishonest, Knavifh, Indirect Dealing, let that Man be never fo Orthodox in his Belief and Opinions, yet I am fure he is no true Chriftian.

O therefore, let me exhort you all, whatever Interefts you have to ferve; whatever Dealings you are to engage in, to be always ftrictly Just and Upright in your Conversation. Ufe no Tricks, practife no ill Arts for the ferving your Ends, but in all your Tranfactions with Men, deal with that Simplicity and Integrity and good Confcience, that becomes those who would be accounted the Disciples of him who was the moft Innocent, the most Sincere, and the leaft Intriguing Perfon in the World.

Are your felves, no Dishonesty can prof

g. Whatever Turns you may ferve by

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it at prefent, yet you will bitterly Repent of it fome time or other. But Righteousness and Juftice doth establish a Man's Ways: And the upright Man, though he is not always the Richeft, yet always walketh moft furely. And as for the final Event of Things; remember this, that God Almighty has pronounced, that no Unrighteous Men, no Covetous, no Lyars, no Extortioners, fball enter into the Kingdom of Hea ven. But to go on.

III. The next Thing I have to exhort you to, from the Words of my Text, is the Practice of Purity. For after the Apostle hath recommended the purfuit of Things that are True, and the Things that are Honest and fust, he next adds the Things that are Pure. Meaning hereby that we should ftudy to be Pure, and Chaste, and Temperate both in our Hearts and Lives; avoiding all Exceffes, and Lewdnefs, and Senfuality.

And if he thought it convenient in that Age of Strictnefs, and Severity, and Devotion, to put the Chriftians in Mind of this; I am fure it is not only convenient, but neceffary to do it, in this Age of ours, when Luxury and Debauchery, when Whoredom and Drunkenness, of Vices that are contrary to Purity, are grown to that height among us, that we feem to defy God Almighty by our impu dent Practice of them, and provoke him to give us up to Deftruction.

and all Sorts

I pray God make the whole Nation deeply fenfible of the Folly and Wickedness, as well as of the Danger and Dreadful Confequences of

thefe

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thefe Practices. And as for you, who are here prefent, let me befpeak you in the Words of the Apoftle; Dearly Beloved, I befeech you, as Strangers and Pilgrims, to abstain from Flefbly Lufts, which war against the Soul. I befeech you, as you have any Honour for any Honour for your Lord and Mafter; as you have any Regard to the Prefervation of a Senfe of Religion in your Minds; as you have any Concern for your Health, for your Eftates, for your Families; as you have any Refpect to the Publick, that Effeminacy, and Sottishness, and Difeafes, may not be entailed upon our Pofterity. Lafly, as you love your own Souls, and hope ever to fee the Face of God in Heaven, learn to live Soberly, learn to live Chaftly, learn to pra&ife Purity and Temperance in all your Converfation. Avoid Whoredom and Drukennefs, as you would the Plague; for certainly they are the worst of Plagues to them that ufe them: For other Plagues do only put our Bodies in Danger, but thefe do endanger both our Souls and Bodies. Nay, as to the one (I mean our Souls) they will prove certain inevitable Destruction, without Repentance and Reformation.

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I know these Things are made flight Matters of by a great many among us. But affure yourfelves, God will not account them fo; it is certain he will not, if we may believe his Word; for it is there told us exprefly, that Whoremongers and Adulterers, God will judge. And withal, that neither Adulterers, nor Fornicators, nor unclean Perfons, nor Drunkards,

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fball ever inherit the Kingdom of God, or of Christ.

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IV. I proceed to the laft Head of Advice, that is given in my Text. The Apostle having Inftanced in Three Things neceffary to be Daily thought upon and purfued by all Chriftians, viz. Truth, and Honefty, and Purity; leaves off to meddle any farther with Particulars, and fums up the reft of his Advice, in Generals. And that Sum comes to this; That as we are Chriftians, we fhould not only take care of the Three fore-mentioned Things, but fhould make it our Business to improve ourfelves in every other Sort of Vertue; Nay, in every other Sort of Thing that is Praife-worthy, or that is well efteemed of among Mankind. So that really it fhould be the Endeavour of our Lives, to render ourselves as excellent, and as exemplary for all Sorts of amiable Qualities, as it is poffible for Men to be in this World.

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This I take to be the full meaning of thofe Four Expreffions that follow in my Text, Whatfoever Things are Lovely, whatsoever Things are of good Report; if there be any Vertue, if there be any Praife, think on thefe Things.

And now, Brethren, fee from hence what your Obligations are. You that have fuch a glorious Light vouchfafed you; fuch unvaluable Promises, fuch mighty Affiftances made over to you by the Gofpel of Chrift; You must in Reason imagine, that in return of thefe great Advantages, great Things are expected from you.

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