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not expect to be admitted There without Humility.

3. Meekness is a Diftinguishing part of Chriftian converfation; all Caufelefs or Immoderate anger, the Raging heats of Sudden paffion, and the more fettled and fixed Sullennefs of Malice and Revenge, together with all Railing and Reviling, Turbulency and Clamour being directly Oppofite to the Spirit of the Gofpel, which breathes nothing but Peace and Gentlenefs, Mildness and Forbearance.

And this Virtue of Meeknefs is not only required of us, as it is the great condition of our receiving the Ingrafted Word, in the Best manner, and to the Best Purpofes, or, as it is a Difpofition of mind, Best fitting and preparing us to receive Spiritual and Saving Knowledge; But it is recommended to us, in a Peculiar manner, by the Command and Example of our Bleffed Lord, * Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly, and ye shall find reft unto your Souls. Since his Life was one uninterrupted Scene of Invincible

* Mat. xi. 29.

Meeknefs,

Meeknefs, under the Worft of Treatment; fince Compaffion, and Forgivenefs, and Beneficence were the only Returns which he made to the baseft Indignities, and most virulent Provocations; fince the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit was thus Inviolate and Illuftrious in Him; and fince we are Infallibly affured, that if any Man hath not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of His; Therefore Angry and Boisterous Men can have no just reason to esteem themselves his Followers, or to hope for his Favour. No Soul, but what is adorn'd with Meekness, can Poffibly be received into those Manfions Above, where Tranquillity and Serenity, Concord and Complacency fhall be the Ornament and Delight of all the Bleffed Inhabitants for ever.

4. Charity is a Principal Qualification in a Christian. The Neceffity and the Excellency of this Virtue will easily appear to any one, who does but confider, that if the moft Eminent Duties to God and Man ftand feparated from it, they are Trivial and Contemptible.

*

Though

** 1 Cor. xiii. 2, 3.

Dd 3

I had

I had all Faith, fo that I could remove Mountains, and have no Charity, I am Nothing. And though I beflow all my goods to feed the poor; and though I give my body to be burned, and have not Charity, it profiteth me nothing. A man's whole Life fpent in the most exalted Acts of Faith and Devotion towards God, and in a moft Laborious and Expenfive course of Beneficence to his Neighbours, if this Grace fhould not be the Foundation of it, would neither have any Excellency or Value in it self, nor give Him

or Title to a Reward.

any claim

Our Bleffed Lord hath taught us, that on thefe two Commandments (wherein the Love of God, and of our Neighbour is required) hang all the Law and the Prophets. Charity does, at once, most Effectually Excite us to Duties, carry us on, with Delight, to the Accomplishment of Them, and recommend them as Odours of a fweet smell, facrifices acceptable, well pleafing to God. Charity is the Band of Perfectness: The Harmonious and Bleffed union of Hearts and Minds, amongst Christians, is grounded

in it; and the Connection and Completion of all Other virtues depend upon it; Faith it self is made Perfect by it; and the feeds of it cannot fail of producing a Plentiful Harvest of Good Works. 'Tis the Pureft and the Nobleft offering that Man can poffibly make to God, in this Life; and the Eternal exercife of it is to be the Source of eternal Bliss in a Future State. All those therefore, who are Destitute of Charity, must Unavoidably be Excluded from the manfions of Blifs.

5. Hope is another great Branch of Christian Converfation. Tis, in it's own nature, a most Powerful Inftigation, and pusheth us on, in a manner not cafily refiftible, through the Use of the Means, to an attainment of the End we have in View; And, as Future happiness is the Commanding Aim and View of fincere Chriftians; the Hope of it is ever Irritating and Preffing them forward, in the Pursuit of it. Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure*. Whilft the men of the

I

John iii. 3.

Dd 4

World

World do either yield themselves entirely up to their Corruptions, or, at best, ftruggle but very Faintly against them; the Faithful Servanrs of Chrift are Strenuous, and Conftant, Refolute and Brave in performing the great work of Sanctification. For they have Hope as an anchor of the foul both fure and fedfaft, and which entreth into that within the 'veil*; into the regions of Eternal Glory, which were Typified under the Law, by the moft Holy place, within the Veil. Whilft we are toffed, in our spiritual course, by the Sharpest Trials and Afflictions, by the fwelling Waves of our Sinful Paffions within, or the most Ruffling and Violent. Temptations from without; the Power of a Lively Hope ftill fecures us from Shipwreck, abundantly strengthens and fupports us, amidst all Dangers, and preferves us Steddy and Immoveable in our Voyage, till we Safely arrive at the Haven, where we would be. Let us therefore, under all our Infirmities, and in all our Diftreffes, have Recourse,

Hebr. vi. 19.

for

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