Of Temperance. 16 y and enticed to fin, and to fall away from our SERM. ftedfaftnefs. No inftruclion can be more VI. 'nimble, no duty more properly inculcated 4."*"" than fobriety ; by it temptations will be molt fuccefsfully defeated, for the root and founda- tion of them is taken away when our affec- tions to the things of the world are mortified. The fruits of this virtue in our converfation will be very ornamental to the chriflian pro- feffion, and the exercife of it in our hearts will yield great inward peace and confidence towards our Lord Jefus Chrift at his appear- ing. There cannot be a more neceffary qua- lification for running fuccefsfully our religious race, as the apoftle calls it *, for as he adds in the verfe following, Every man thatflriveth for mafleries is temperate in all things, refer- ring to the difcipline, particularly the regular abftinence ufed by the candidates for a crown at the antient game celebrated in Corinth. Now, fays he, they do it to obtain a corrupti- ble crown, but we chriftians have a higher profpe&, and we ufe temperance, in order to obtain an incorruptible crown ; let us there- fore, imitate the example of the apoftle, who in the fame context, and on the occafion * i Cor, ix. 24. NI 4 already
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