his Precepts or his Practices as I fee you do. He, as your own Story tells, was a meek, modeft, quiet-fpirited Man: But you are all Fire, when you are in the leaft provok'd. His Character was, that he did not only forgive great Injuries, but did Good to thofe that did them, and prayed for his bittereft Enemies: But you, on the contrary, on the least Affront, meditate a Revenge, and think your Honour never fafe till you have effected it. He despised the World, and was very well contented with his innocent Poverty: But you are for getting no more than all you can; and that too by all bafe and unjuftifiable Ways; and when you have done all, you are not contented with what you have, but ftill Ewould have more. He was much a Stranger to all bodily Pleafures, and very moderate in the Ufe of the good Things of this Life: But you cannot live without Luxury, and Uncleannefs, and Drunkennefs. How can thefe Manners comport with the being a Difciple of Jefus ?

I must confefs, I cannot fee how the fubtileft Man can answer these Reproaches of a Pagan. Either therefore let us live like Jefus Chrift, or throw away the Name of his Difciples. To keep that, and yet do the other, is a Piece of as great Hypocrify and Impudence as any Man can be guilty of.

But,

But, Thirdly and Laftly, to conclude all. If neither of these two foregoing Confiderations will perfuade us to fet ourselves to the Imitation of Chrift's Example, let it be confidered further, that there is an abfolute Neceffity that we fhould do it, even to fuch a Degree, that we are no way capable Subjects of the Mercies of Chrift, or of any of the Benefits he hath purchased for Mankind if we do not.

The Proof of this is that known Maxim of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 6. 15. What Fellowship hath Light with Darkness? or what Agreement bath Chrift with Belial? All Chriftians do agree, that whatever they are to hope for in another World, was purchafed for them by Chrift, and that he is the Bestower of it; and that the Sum of it confifts in this, that they fhall be where Chrift is, and fhall for ever enjoy him. Now I ask, Can any Man reafonably expect that Chrift fhould have any Kindness for him, or confer any of the Benefits he hath purchased upon him, if he be of a different Spirit and Temper from what he was? Can he think that Chrift intended any Drop of his Blood, that was fhed for Man's Salvation, for thofe ungrateful Wretches, that had fo little Regard to him, that they would not fo much as endeavour to frame their Minds and Souls to his Will, and copy out his Example in their Lives?

No

No Man can, with Reafon, think he did: for if the Spirit and Temper of Chrift was really amiable, was to be efteemed and beloved, then the contrary Spirit and Temper is to be defpifed and hated. And therefore, if we will fuppofe our Saviour to make true Estimates of Things, he must not, he cannot have any Kindness for those that, notwithstanding all the Obligations he hath laid upon them, do ftill retain and hug thofe evil Qualities which, of all Things in the World, are moft contradictory to his holy Nature.

But fuppofing we could imagine that our Saviour was as unaccountably kind, as fome prefumptuous Men would have him; fuppofing he would fave thofe very Perfons that were moft oppofite and contrary to him in their Natures, and continued to their dying Day fo to be; yet it ought to be confidered, whether there be not a Repugnancy in the Nature of the Thing, that fuch Men fhould be faved or made happy by Chrift. My Meaning is, How good foever Chrift's Intentions may be fuppofed towards them, yet their own Qualities, which they carry out of the World with them, will put an eternal Bar to their Salvation. For, as I faid before, from St. Paul, What Concord hath Chrift with Belial? If the fupreme Happiness of a Christian be to be with Chrift, and to enjoy

him, what a small Portion of Happiness are fuch Men like to have in the other World? nay rather, what Uneafinefs and Torment fhall they not have, if they be put into that State? Can it be any Pleasure to them, to be continually in the Company of one whom they cannot heartily love, and whofe Nature and Temper is as contrary to theirs, as Fire is to Water? Are they like to have any Enjoyment of such a Perfon, nay, will it not rather be unfupportable to them to be near him? Can Bafenefs, and Luft, and Sottishness, and Villany, and Filthinefs, receive any Delight or Gratification from the Society and Communication of perfect Purity, and Holinefs, and Charity?

Ay; but it may be faid, that at the Moment of their Deaths, Chrift may, in Kindness to them, quite change their Nature, and make them like unto himself, and then all is well.

I answer, if it be fo, yet ftill what I affert is true, namely, That every one muft be, fooner or later, conformed to the Life of Chrift; must be poffeffed of his Nature and Temper, before he is capable of the Happiness that he hath purchased for us.

But then, fince the effecting fo fudden, fo miraculous a Change in us as is here pretended, is by no Means to be expected, fince Chrift has made no Promifes, given

no

no Encouragement to hope, that any that live unlike him, fhall, dying, be made like him. It will infinitely concern us all, while we are alive and in Health, to conform our felves to the Example of our bleffed Lord, and to poffefs ourselves of that Spirit, and thofe Qualities, that he was fo remarkable for in the World: Which is all that I meant to prefs upon you; And God Almighty grant we may all do fo, &c.

VOL. V.

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