many are not capable of debating them with acute and artful Opponents: or if they were, still would not be a Match, on other Accounts, for the Bold and Overbearing, the Contemptuous and Ridiculing. Whatever Cause a modest Man, of common Parts and Attainments, were to maintain against such, the Combat would be unequal, and therefore is better avoided by him. But supposing him ever so accomplished; what Success can be expected against scornful Levity, conceited Self-fufficiency, hardened Unfairness, or stupid Sensuality: against those, who, as the Apostle admirably describes them, walk in the Vanity of their Mind, having the Understanding darkened, being alienated from the Life of God, through the Ignorance that is in them, because of the Blindness of their Hearts; who being paft Feeling, have given themselves over unto Lasciviousness, to work all Uncleanness with Greediness *. Probably formal Oppofition would only provoke such to more shocking Expressions of Irreligion at the Time, and greater Mischievousness afterwards. Therefore Solomon's general Maxim 'and Direction is: He that reproveth a Scorner, getteth to himself Shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked Man, getteth himself a Blot. Reprove not a Scorner, left be hate thee : rebuke a wife Man, and he will love thee †. * Eph. iv. 17, 18, 19. † Prov. ix. 7, 8. Still they, to whose Province it belongs, must, while there is any View of Success, instruct those who oppose themselves *, reprove, rebuket, exhort with all Authority ‡. And others must never even seem to countenance licentious Talk, and to give up the Cause of Religion when attacked; but walk in Wisdom toward them that are without, that is, towards Unbelievers; take Care that their Speech be alway with Grace, feafoned with Salt || ; becoming, inoffenfive, difcreet; and that they be ready always to give an Answer to every Man, that afketh them a Reason of the Hope that is in them §. But usually it will be most adviseable, on all fuch Occafions, to speak briefly: and in so mild a Manner, that the Party concerned may not think himself challenged to attempt a Reply; yet in fo home a one, that he may feel inwardly, and if poffible also lastingly, the Force of what is said to him: which he will oftener do, than he will care to own it. For the Words of the Wife are as Goads, and as Nails fastened **. Excepting what this Act of Charity may require, we shall do well to keep our Mouths, as it were with a Bridle, while the Ungodly is in our Sight: not difagreeably abstaining from all Conversation, but studiously from all which they can be likely to pervert; keeping Silence, where there is Danger of that, even from good * 2 Tim. ii. 25. Col. iv. 5, 6. † 2 Tim. iv. 2. § 1 Pet. iii. 15. † Tit. ii. 15. ** Ecclef. xii. 11. Words Words*; and not cafting our Pearls before Swine, left they trample them under their Feet, and turn again and rend the wellmeaning Giver. The Duty therefore of the Generality of Christians, in Regard to the Enemies of their Faith and Practice, besides pitying them and praying for them, goes little further, than first fecuring themselves, and those who belong to them, from the Contagion; and determining with Joshua, that let others ferve whom or what they chuse, They and their Houses will Serve the Lord‡: then, as Opportunity may offer, strengthening the rest of their Brethren ||, and using the Means of being mutually strengthened by them, in the same Resolution. This Method, we find, the Pious and Virtuous took in the Days of Malachi. Doubtless the faithful Priests and Meffsengers of the Lord of Hosts, whose Lips were to keep Knowledge §, uttered it also: lifted up their Voices like Trumpets to shew the People their Tranfgreffion, and the House of Jacob their Sins **. But of the Bulk of Believers we read, not that they were forward to difpute, indeed we may be sure they were backward to intermix, with Unbelievers; but only, that they, who feared the Lord, Spake often one to another, certainly of Things relating to his Fear; and the Lord * Pf. xxxix. 2, 3. + Matth. vii. 6. ‡ Josh. xxiv. 15. If. lviii. 1. bearkened Luke xxii. 32: bearkened and beard it, and a Book of Remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his Name. Now in these Words we have it plainly signified to us, I. That ferious Conference amongst good Persons is peculiarly needful in thoughtless and irreligious Times. II. That God observes and remembers, and will reward, the proper Ufe of it. These therefore shall be the two first Heads of my Discourse: and then III. I shall apply them to the present Occafion. I. That serious Conference amongst good Persons is peculiarly needful in thoughtless and irreligious Times. Indeed we ought in all Times to shew by our Conversation, what we are: and shall, in fome Degree, shew it of course, whether we mean to do so, or not. If we express no Concern for the Interests of Piety and Virtue in our Words, we shall be justly suspected of having but little in our Thoughts. For out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth Speaketh. A good Man out of the good Treasure of his Heart bringeth forth good Things; and an evil Man Man out of the evil Treafüre bringeth forth evil Things *. Therefore, as it concerns us infinitely to know, of what Sort of Persons we are, so we should learn to judge of our felves by our common Talk, as well as our Actions. For as the Fruit declareth, if the Tree have been dressed, fo is the Utterance of a Conception in the Heart of Man. If then the Conceptions which we utter, the Sort of Language, into which we naturally run, be, though not profane or immoral, yet frothy and vain and trifling; or, though of a graver Kind, favour of the Interests of this World only: let us take Notice, that fuch as are the Subjects that we dwell on, such in all Likelihood are We. For in Cafes of much less Moment, we are fufficiently apt to speak of Things, about which we are folicitous: and is it not a very unpromifing Sign then, if we feldom or never speak any Thing, which proves our Solicitude for Religion and Morals ? Poffibly indeed the Prevalence of bad Custom in that Respect, or Fear to be thought guilty of Affectation, may restrain us from expreffing our Sentiments, when we could wish to do it. And, in the Case of others, we should be as ready to allow this Excuse, as there is any Colour of Reason. But in our own, we should examine strictly, what the real Truth is: and amend our Manner of converfing, for a Memorial to amend likewise, if there be Need, our inward Dispositions. * Matth. xii. 34, 35. + Ecclus xxvii. 6. By |