be ended, finally attain unto it. How are we delighted at feeing the man of integrity going about doing good, fulfilling his duty to God, to man, and to himself! Piety, fair dealing, and felf-government, when combined, and blended into one character, form that exemplary excellence, which muft ever attract our veneration and applaufe. How do our hearts burn within us with delight, when we read in ftory of heroic characters, who, defpifing the dangers of an evil world, ftand forth as the champions and protectors of the helpless and forlorn. How glorious is a difinterefted, a virtuous action! How worthy of our imitation! Virtue is no lefs delightful to the mind than light to the eye, or harmony to the ear. Virtue is that pearl of great price, which is infinitely more valuable than any earthly diadem: it exalts and purifies our nature, it wonderfully enlarges our fphere of happiness, and it gives us a refemblance to our Father which is in heaven. And is it a fmall thing that can give us that peace which the world cannot give? that can give us the bleffed hope of a joyful refurrection into an eternity of bliss? Is it a fmall thing that can conciliate us to the

favour of God? It is virtue alone that can do this. Surely we do all know, that without virtue there can be no fubftantial comfort, no reasonable hope. This is a plain, but a very weighty truth; it is univerfally acknowledged, but yet it hath but little effect upon the minds of men; and therefore it behoves the preachers of the gospel to urge it frequently, and to demonstrate, that to walk in the way of the Lord in truth, is to be in the fafest and most pleasant path. Solomon affures us, that "he that walketh uprightly walketh furely;" for he is fafe not only from the lash of human laws, from all those punishments and infamous disasters which we daily find to be closely attendant upon fraud and injustice; he is alfo fafe from the fear or danger of meeting with any infurmountable obftacle in his road, having the ablest adviser and the most unerring guide to conduct him, even the holy Spirit of God, which is all-fufficient to deliver him out of every trouble; for "God preferveth the state of the righteous, he is a shield to them that walk uprightly." This confideration is a fource of unspeakable comfort to the pious man; and therefore knowing the

certainty of his deliverance, at God's good time, he bears the calamities of human life calmly and without difmay: worldly evils have no power to deftroy his peace, for "his heart is fixed, trufting in the Lord :" nay, although he walk through the valley of death, he feareth no evil, being poffeffed of a clear confcience, and a well-grounded hope he, unlike the hypocrite, is not alarmed by any vexatious apprehenfions, for he never intended any ill, and therefore he fears none. The wicked often flee when no man purfueth; often are often are they harraffed with mean fears and fufpicions, hating and dreading those whom they have wronged, but "the righteous is bold as a lion." Dishonesty leads mankind into many intricate labyrinths and perplexities; it is a dark, and a very dangerous path; fo full of curvatures that men foon lofe their way, and confequently they foon become full of fear and dread: whereas the good man is free from uneafy doubts; he fees his way clearly before him, and he takes heed to his goings. The way of virtue is ftrait and regular; it is vifible to all men, and although narrow, yet it is open and delightful: no one that

would

would journey through it to heaven need to defpair of a safe arrival, provided that he be intentionally and practically good; “ for the path of the just is of itself a shining light,” his own integrity shall guide and direct “ his going in the way." He builds, like the wise man, upon firm ground, upon a foundation immoveable, upon a rock, which neither the ftorms of an evil world, the winds, the rains, nor the floods can overturn: he is not to be fhaken to and fro with every wind of vain doctrine; by the fond, but unfcriptural conceits of enthusiastic men, who, whether they be or be not fincere in their wild opinions, do nearly equal mischief by fomenting divifions in the church, and rene dering it fubject to reproach.

If we be defirous of learning the truth, let us search the fcriptures; but if for want of ability, of opportunity, we find some things therein that are hard to be underfood, let us confult the tenets of the church of England; which is most excellent both for the moderation and purity of its principles; approaching nearer to the pure fpirit of our bleffed Saviour than any other religion in the world: for the faith and pracD 3

tice

tice therein recommended are to believe in, and to adore the holy Trinity in Unity, and to truft for falvation abfolutely and really in the abundant merits and mediatorial power of Jefus Christ the Lord; who hath the power and the will to cleanfe us from all fin and wickedness, and to prefent us an holy people unto God, provided always that we do, on our part, to the best of our abilities, confirm this our faith and truft, by a pious obedience to his holy will and command

ments.

With this faith and practice, the Chriftian is armed in proof against the enfnaring wit of bad men, against the bitter invectives of that zeal which is not according to knowledge. He is armed in proof against the unavoidable calamities of life, knowing that, at the last, he shall affuredly realize to himself everlasting comfort and fe licity. A good man walks in the most pleafant path to heaven, because his delights are not only many, but without allay; for who lives more to his own fatisfaction,' or is lefs disturbed with the viciffitudes of the world, than he? Who can more reasonably expect to find a great number of friends or fewer enemies,