many are not capable of debating them with acute and artful Opponents: or if they were, ftill would not be a Match, on other Accounts, for the Bold and Overbearing, the Contemptuous and Ridiculing. Whatever Caufe a modest Man, of common Parts and Attainments, were to maintain against fuch, the Combat would be unequal, and therefore is better avoided by him. But fuppofing him ever fo accomplished; what Succefs can be expected against scornful Levity, conceited Self-sufficiency, hardened Unfairness, or stupid Senfuality against thofe, 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, becaufe of the Blindness of their Hearts; who being paft Feeling, have given themselves over unto Lafcivioufness, to work all Uncleanness with Greediness *. Probably formal Oppofition would only provoke fuch to more shocking Expreffions of Irreligion at the Time, and greater Mischievousness afterwards. Therefore Solomon's general Maxim and Direction is: He that reproveth a Scorner, getteth to bimfelf Shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked Man, getteth himself a Blot. Reprove not a Scorner, left he hate thee: rebuke a wife Man, and he will love thee +.

*

Eph. iv. 17, 18, 19.

† Prov. ix. 7, 8.

Still they, to whofe Province it belongs, muft, while there is any View of Succefs, inftruct thofe who oppose themfelves*, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all Authority. And others must never even feem 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 Anfwer to every Man, that afketh them a Reafon of the Hope that is in them §. But ufually it will be most adviseable, on all fuch Occafions, to speak briefly and in fo 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 alfo laftingly, the Force of what is faid 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 faftened **. Excepting what this Act of Charity may require, we fhall do well to keep our Mouths, as it were with a Bridle, while the Ungodly is in our Sight: not difagreeably abftaining from all Converfation, but ftudiously 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, befides pitying them and praying for them, goes little further, than firft fecuring themselves, and those who belong to them, from the Contagion; and determining with Joshua, that let others ferve whom or what they chufe, They and their Houses will ferve the Lord: then, as Opportunity may offer, ftrengthening the rest of their Brethren |, and using the Means of being mutually ftrengthened by them, in the fame Refolution.

This Method, we find, the Pious and Virtuous took in the Days of Malachi. Doubtlefs the faithful Priefts and Meffengers of the Lord of Hofts, whofe Lips were to keep Knowledge §, uttered it also: lifted up their Voices like Trumpets to fhew the People their Tranf greffion, and the Houfe of Jacob their Sins **. But of the Bulk of Believers we read, not that they were forward to difpute, indeed we may be fure 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. Luke xxii. 32:

t Matth..vii. 6.
Mal. ii. 7.

t Josh. xxiv. 15. If. lviii. 1. bearkened

bearkened and heard it, and a Book of Remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his

Name.

Now in thefe Words we have it plainly fignified to us,

I. That ferious Conference amongst good Perfons is peculiarly needful in thoughtless and irreligious Times.

II, That God obferves and remembers, and will reward, the proper Ufe of it.

of

These therefore fhall be the two firft Heads
Difcourfe and then

my

III. I fhall apply them to the present Occafion.

I. That serious Conference amongst good Perfons is peculiarly needful in thoughtless and irreligious Times.

Indeed we ought in all Times to fhew by our Conversation, what we are and fhall, in fome Degree, fhew it of courfe, 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 fufpected 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 Perfons we are, fo 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 Interefts of this World only: let us take Notice, that fuch as are the Subjects that we dwell on, fuch in all Likeli hood 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 unpromising Sign then, if we feldom or never fpeak any Thing, which proves our Solicitude for Religion and Morals? Poffibly indeed the Prevalence of bad Custom in that Refpect, or Fear to be thought guilty of Affectation, may restrain us from expreffing our Sentiments, when we could wifh to do it. And, in the Cafe of others, we should be as ready to allow this Excufe, as there is any Colour of Reafon. But in our own, we fhould examine strictly, what the real Truth is: and amend our Manner of converfing, for a Memorial to amend likewife, if there be Need, our inward Difpofitions.

* Matth. xii. 34, 35:

:

+ Ecclus xxvii. 6.

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