520 T'he Difficulties of a them the Minifters of the Gofpel in general, that they fhould be diligent and i'ait11fU1 in their xefpedive Stations, teaching Men to obferveall things, whatfoeverr Chrifl hath commanded. And ifwe would make this our great Work, to inttruét our relpe 5ive Charges, in the neceffary Doarines of Faith, and the indifpenfa_ ble Duties of a goodLife, we fhould have far lets trouble with them about other matters. And that we may do this, Work effeótually, we mutt be ferious in our 2nffru6tions, and exemplary in our Lives. Serious in our Inflrutlions ; this cer- tainly the Apofile requires in the higheft degree, when he chargeth Minifters, fo to fpeak, as the Oracles of God, to which- nothing can be more contrary, than to trifle with the Wordof God and to fpeak ofthe weightieft matters in theWorld, the great and. everlafting Concernments of the Souls of Men, in fo flight and indecent a manner, as is not only beneath the Gravity of the Pulpit but even of a well regulated Stage. Can any thing be moreunfuitable, than tohear a Mi- oifter of God from this folemn place to break Jeffs upon Sin, and to quibble upon the Vices ofthe Age? This is to (hoot without a Bullet, and as if we had no mind to.do Execution, but only to make Men fmile at the mention of their Faults ; this is fo naufeous a Folly, and of fo pernicious consequence to Reli- gion, that hardly any thing too fevere can be, laid of it. And then if we would have our Inftructions effe&ual, we muff be exemplary in our Lives. 'Ariflotle tells, that the manners of the Speaker have rwgcozriryv .7411, the mofk. fovereign power of Perfwafion, And therefore Cato puts it in- to the definition of an Orator, that he is vir bonus, dicendiperitus, a goodMan, and an eloquent Speaker. This is true as to all kinds of Perfwafion ; the good Opinion which Men have of the Speaker, gives great weight to his Words, , and does ffrangely difpofe the Minds of Men to entertain his Counfels. But the Reputation of Goodnefs is more efpecially neceffary and ufeful to thofe whole proper Work it is to perfwade Men to be good ; and therefore the Apo- file, when he had charged Titus to put Men in mind of their Duty, he imme- diately adds, in all things 'hewing thy felf a Patern of good Works. None fo fit to teach others their Duty, and none fo likely to gain Men to it as thofe who praûife it themfelves ; becaufe hereby we convince Men that we are in earneff, when they fee that we perfwade them to nothing, but what we chufe to do our felves. This is the way to flop theMouths ofMen, and to confute their Malice, by an exemplary Piety and Virtue. So St. Peter tells us, i Pet. z. r 5. For fo is the will of God, that by well doingyeput tofilence the Ignorance offoolifh Men. SERMON LXXI. TheDifficulties of a Chriftiaii Life confider'd. LUKE XIIL 24.. Strive to enter in at the irairGate ; for many, I jay unto you, will feek to enter. in, and (hall not be able. HERE are two great Miffakes about the Nature of Religion, equally falfe, and equally pernicious to the Souls of Men ; and the Devil, whole great deign it is to keep Men off from Religion by any Means, makes life of both thefe Miffakes, to ferve his own Purpofe and Defign, upon the fe- veral Tempers of Men. Thole who are melancholyand ferious, he difheartens and difcourageth from attempting it, by the extream trouble and difficulty of it,
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