following the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World, which we have renounced in our Baptism. I deny not but every one may fo far conform himself to the Guife of the World, as to go in the fame Habit, and ufe the fame Way of Living that others do; but then it is always to be remember'd that there is a great deal of Prudence to be ufed in thefe Things. We ought to confider our Religion, which, by the Nature and Contrivance of it, is a grave, serious Thing, and enjoyns great Modesty and Severity as to our outward Garb and Behaviour; and therefore every Thing about us that is loose, that is undecent, that is light, that minifters to Pride, and Luft, and Vanity, all that is perfectly abhorrent from it. We ought also to confider the Rank and Quality in which we are in the World. As it is fordid, and favours of an avaritious penurious Spirit, to live below our Rank; fo to live above it is an Inftance of Luxury. And lastly, in these Things we are alfo to confider our Eftate and Fortune, and the neceffary Charges they are to fupport. We áre but Stewards of God's Bleffings; and the main Ufe he gave them us for, is, after our own Neceffities are fupplied, to make Provifion for our Children and our Families, and to minifter to the Poor and Needy. If therefore we fpend our Revenues in unneceffary Finery and Entertainments; if we put them upon our Backs, or into our Bel

lies; or if we throw them away in Drink, or Gaming, or in maintaining a needless Pomp and Grandeur. among Men, whilft Our Families are not duly provided for, nor the Poor relieved, nor the Publick ferved" by the Wealth we are blessed with, what a fad Account have we to make to God in the other World for thefe Extravagancies!

7. But laftly, to conclude this Head: Befides all the fashionable Vices I have named, there is one more, which ought by no means to be forgot upon this Occafion, as being one of the forbidden Cuftoms of the World, which comes within the Compass of my Text; and that is, the Practice of Duelling, or fighting in private Quarrels. A Practice which, tho' both the Laws of God and Man forbid under the fevereft Penalties, yet is ftill accounted fo creditable, that he is no Man of Honour, who either dares not, upon any direct Affront, fend a Challenge, or dares not accept one. It were heartily to be wifh'd that Men would confider to what Mafter they belong, and what Religion they profefs. Was this the Spirit of our bleffed Saviour, who came to give us an Example? and whofe Example we muft either follow, or we cannot be his Difciples? Is this an Imitation of his Meeknefs, and Patience, and Gentleness, and Charity, who, when he was reviled, revi-1Pet.2.23. led not again; when he suffered, he threat

ned

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Ifai. 50.6.ned not, but willingly gave his Back to the Smiters, and instead of revenging himself on his Enemies, as he eafily might have done, laid down his Life for them? And what is there which his Religion doth more feverely forbid, than this revenging of Injuries in a private Way; or doth more ftrictly enjoyn, than Forbearance and Forgiveness, even fo ftrictly, that we cannot, according to his Religion, without Hypocrify, fay our daily Prayers, unless we be in Charity with all the World?

Well; but a Man's Honour lies at ftake, and for the faving of that a Man muft demand Satisfaction when he is affronted, or he muft give Satisfaction when it is demanded. Why let it be fo: But fure there are other Kinds of Satisfaction both to be demanded and given befides that of murdering one another, especially in a civilized Country, where the Law hath provided for the Reparation of all fuch Injuries as need Reparation, and where the Execution of Vengeance is only entrufted in the Hands of publick Authority. But fuppofe a Man's Honour cannot be faved this way, yet is it not very unreasonable to prefer our Honour before our Chriftianity? If our Honour and our Obedience to God muft neceffarily come into Competition, furely we should refolve to part with that, and every other Thing that is dearest to us, rather than to depart from this. Oh! if Men had any Belief or

Confideration of another World, when they engage in these kinds of Actions, they would tremble to think what a desperate Venture they run. If either of the Parties should happen to die in the Encounter, in what a difmal Condition are they both! the one in dying without Repentance, with all his Sins about him; the other for being his Murderer!

But after all, what is this Honour, which we prize fo much, that we will venture upon Damnation rather than it shall suffer? Is it not an unaccountable Fancy without any Foundation in Reason or Nature, taken up at firft by boisterous unthinking Men, and afterwards as foolishly embraced by others? Sure I am, thefe Notions of Honour which obtain in the World, and which occafion these private Quarrels, were never put into the Minds of Men by God Almighty, but are rather of the Devil's devifing, because they do fo directly tend to make us of his Spirit and Temper. The natural Notions of Honour are of another Strain. That Man only, according to the Measures of Reafon and Nature, is a Man of Honour, who hates to do any Thing that is mean and base, be it never so much for the gratifying his private Interests or Paffions; and who hath fuch a quick and tender Senfe of Virtue and Goodnefs, that he always chufes to do the best, and the worthieft Actions, without any Refpect to

himfelf, or his private Concernments. Now this is truly generous, and brave, and honourable, and all the World muft acknowledge it fo; for it is to act as God doth ; it is to copy out his Perfections, and to live up to the Dignity of our Nature. But now for a Man to venture upon a bad and wicked Action, an Action that he knows his Religion hath strictly forbidden; an Action which, befides the ill Confequences to his Family, doth expofe both his Body and Soul to Destruction; and this too for no other Reason, but to gratify a private, blind, impotent Paffion of his own, viz. either the Paffion of Anger, that he may be revenged of his Adverfary; or, which is worse, the bare Paffion of Fear, that he may not be thought a Coward: I fay, for a Man upon fuch Accounts to venture upon fuch an Action, (and yet there is not a Duel fought, but it is both fuch an Action, and is undertaken upon fuch Account) where is the Senfe of Honour in this? Where is the Bravery, and Greatnefs, and Magnanimity that is expreffed? Certainly thus to act is fo far from being an Argument of a great and generous Mind, that it rather fhews a Man to be of a mean, narrow, selfish, and contracted Spirit. I cannot indeed deny but that there may be a great deal of Courage expreffed in these kinds of Underta kings; but yet muft fay, it is a brutish Courage, fuch as is common to other Animals