the World would love its own; (and confequently you) but because ye are not of the World, but I have chofen you out of the World, (to be my DĎifciples) therefore the World hateth you. And then again, Remember the Word that I faid unto you, the Servant is not greater than the Lord; if they have perfecuted me, they will also perfecute you; if they have kept my Sayings, they will keep yours alfo. But all thefe things will they do unto you for my names fake, because they have not known him that fent me.

Thirdly, He commands them, a little before his Paffion, when he infti tuted the Holy Sacrament, to keep up the Memorial of his Death, by a frequent Celebration of that religious Duty. Do this, fays he, in remembrance of me. St. Luke 22. 19. And St. Paul hath fully expreffed it thus, Do this, (fpeaking of the Cup) as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 1 Cor. 11. 25. As if our Saviour had faid, Let what I have done before you, be a reviving Inftance of my Love to you, and a Pattern for your Imitation; for by thus doing, you will abundantly teftifie your

Love towards me, and the Sense you have of my Sufferings for you.

Again, Fourthly, He chargeth them to maintain fuch a virtuous and innocent Conversation, as may tend to God's Glory, and the good of others. Let your Light fo shine before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven. St. Mat. 5. 16. By thus doing, they would maintain the Character of his Friends and Followers; his, who was himself the most compleat Pattern of Piety and Vertue. By being therefore careful of their Behaviour, and adding to the Soundness of their Do&trine, the Integrity of their Lives; by being wife as Serpents, and yet harmlefs as Doves, in the midft of a crooked and perverfe Generation; they would demonftrate the Excellency of their Religion, and bring Honour to God; as he intimates in the 8th Ver. of this Chapter of the Text; Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much Fruit, fo fhall ye be my Difciples. It is not here to be expected, I fhould produce every Precept and Rule given by our Saviour to his Difciples, for then must I tranfcribe a great F 2 part

part of the Gospels; but what I have thus briefly faid, will ferve to fhew, what is to be done by us, to deserve the Title and Character in the Text, Te are my Friends; for this I have proved is the Condition of it, If ye do whatsoever I command you.

I pass on therefore to the 3d Particular propofed, The Obligations that lie on Chriftians from that Title and Character: And here the firft Obligation that I shall mention is, To repent heartily of their Sins, and to forfake their evil Courses.

The admiffion of Chriftians, into the Profeffion and Service of Chrift's holy Religion, brings them into Covenant with Almighty God, and strictly engageth them to Purity of Life; and the Son of God, who is the Mediator of this Covenant, did appoint those that were his immediate Disciples, to preach Repentance in his Name, which they faithfully and earnestly did: for they went out and preach'd that Men fhould Repent; as we read in the Evangelift St. Mark, Chap. 6. 12. Now as Impenitency or a wicked Life, is inconfiftent with that holy Profeffion; fo it deftroys the Cha

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racter which Chrift moft graciously confers upon his Difciples. An ungodly Chriftian ceafeth to be his Friend, by taking part with the Devil, and joining, as it were, in a Confederacy, with the Powers of Darkness and we know, the Apoftle affures us there is no Concord betwixt Chrift and Belial; no Agreement between Righteousness and Unrighteousness; no Communication between Light and Darkness, 2 Cor. 6. 14, 15. fo that unless he that profeffeth himself a Chriftian, does depart from Iniquity, he hath no Part nor Portion in Chrift, but forfeits his Favour and Intereft, and in effect declares himself to be his Enemy. Too many, I am afraid, fatisfie themselves with the bare Profeffion of Chriftianity; rely upon their outward Relation to Chrift, and think themselves fafe and fecure under that Character, though they take no care at all to live answerable unto it: and how many are there in the World, that talk confidently of their Election, and imagine themselves to be the fpecial Friends and Favourites of the Almighty, though they difcover F 3

no

no fuch extraordinary Marks of Piety and Goodness, above other Men; vainly prefuming upon their own Salvation and eminent Privileges; as if they had, like St. Paul, been already caught up into the third Heaven. But then, What fhall we say of thofe, who make Christianity a Cloak for their Impieties, and under a pretence of Religion, undertake the most impious Actions? That like the Pharifees make long Prayers, that they may the better devour their Neighbour's Patrimony; and proclaim a Faft to deftroy the Innocent? That call Faction and Rebellion by the glorious name of Conscience, and entitle their Obftinacy and Difobedience, Zeal for God's Caufe. Certainly we cannot fay they are Chrift's Friends, that commit fuch notorious Villanies, under the Profeffion of his Religion, and ufe his Name to the Infringement of his Commands. Men may call and fancy themselves what they pleafe, but furely God will not be mocked, nor the Son of God impofed upon, by fuch as pretend to Honour him fometimes with their Lips, whilft