Serin. 26. the life of Religion without publick ordinances f 605 tience is alway a part of our duty, but in this cafe it is alto an infiance ofour prudence :for he is a fool that will hazard 411e beating out of his brains, rather than bear a fillip. 9. Be much in prayer to that God who alone can fecure front fuffering, fit for fuffering, firengethen under, and infinitely reward after we hsve fuffered. 2. Let the Serpents wifdome be feconded with the Doves harm lefnefs and innocency ç walk fo honeftly, and inoffenfively that wick- ed men may be put bard to it, to finde an occalion to quarrel or wrong you ; this was remarkable in Daniel, as you may fee Chap. 6.4. this was the Apaitles dire &ion, i Theff.4.12. Walk, bovetly toward thole that are without ; and it was according to his pra &ice, 4l . 24. 16. And herein do 1 exerci a ray el to have elwayes a confcience void of offence toward God, and toward men. Now this Chriffian in nocency or iìmpictty ought to be like a thred to run through the whole courfe of our converfe with others ; we fhould neither injure the perfon, good name, ef}ate, triend, or any thing which an other ma Y call his if the Lamb among Wolves and Foxes begin to butt,and contend, no wonder if thefe loon bite and devour ; we fhould be fo honeft and plain hearted in our Promifes, Contra &s, Covenants, and dealings wi' h others, that they may reverence our Religion as teaching us to do the belt things, and fuffer the worti, and not hate our Religion, as being onnly a defg_ì to make us the better able to deceive and injure others. ' ('would be no fmall part of our fecurity if our carriage towards others might fpeak for us that which the Poet makes Achilles fpeak concerning himf.lf, and his Tutor Chiron, efus Chrif is my Teacher, and he bath learnt we to safe femplicity and honefty in all my manners. But now if neither of thefe two will fecure us from fufferi.-.g,but Gods providence do: :h call us to a publick owning of him, and the Religion of the Gofpel, we muff then joyn :be Lions courage to the wifdome of the '.erpent, and the innocency of the Dove, that we may be imboldned to look the greaten danger in the face, rather than turn our back upon God and Christ, and the Religi- on of the Gofpel. And this brings me to the fecond branch of the lat- ter part of the Cafe, How fnould believers encourage thernfelves a- ,gainl} fufferings? In anfwer to which take th°fe brief Dire &ions: i. Be often remembring how infinitely more worth the foul is than the body ; be often weighing in the fcal:s of fober and ferions p le i a 2 confidetatiop, a precious foul againft a vile body ; and duo minde 3' H h,h h thy
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