( 332 SERMON XX. CHRISTIAN MORALITY, viz. TRUTH, SINCERITY, &cc, PHILIP. iv, 8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are 'honest, or grave, whatsoever things -are just, whatsoever things are . pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good 'report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on` these things. Ocia ssw aryz&n, &c. FAITH and practice make up the whole of our reli- gion : A sacred compound, and divinely necessary to our happiness and our heaven ! Nor does the blessed apostle in any of his writings ever dwell so entirely on one of them, as to forget the other. In this letter to the saints at Philippi, practice has the largest share. Through every chapter he scatters up and down particu- lar directions for the conduct of those believers who dwelt among the gentiles; but he gives them two general rules, by which they were to walk. The first is in the beginning of his epistle ; Philip. i. 27. Let your conversation be as becomes the gospel Act always agreeably to the temper and design of that gospel, which brings salvation_by Jesus Christ, and then you will certainly practise every virtue, of life ; your carriage can never be amiss. And toward the latter end Ofhis letter he saith, Finally, brethren, before I take my leave of you, I would give you another general rule to direct your practice : I would recommendholiness to you under another view, and describe it in such colours and characters, as will not only approve themselves to your fellow christians, but even to the heathens among whom yod live, that you may be, as he expresses it in chap. ii.. ver. 15. that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of Godwithout rebuke in a wicked and perverse nation, amongwhom ye shine as lights in the world; that they that have a mind to speak evil of christianity, and cast what re-
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