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laERM.-XXa1
t8RT5TIAN. MOaALiTY,
óCC.
j$g
proaches
theycan upon
the
doctrine of the
cross,
.may
not
be ,able
to
find
any
flaw in
your conversation, or
any
ground
to
slander
the
doctrine
which you profess.
The, rule
is
this,
whatsoever the light
of
nature,. and
the
better sort
of
heathens, esteem true and honest,
or
decent, and
just,
and pure, and
lovely,
and of
good
re-
port, let
these things
be
your meditation, let
these,
be
your
constant
aim
and
design,
let
these
be
the business
of
your
lives,
and your perpetual practice
;
Think of
these
things, says
the apostle,
and
think
of
them
.so
as to
per
form them.
.
In
a
day wherein
.the
professors
of
christianity,
and of
the glorious doctrines
of
the
gospel, grow
degenerate
and
loose
in
their
lives,
and
fall sometimes..into vices,
which
the better sort of
the
heathens
have
utterly
condemned,
I
think it
may
not
be
amiss
to
stir
you
up together with
myself to all holy watchfulness and
caution
;
that
Christ
-
ianity
in
our
profession and:in,
our
practice
may
appear
and
.shine in its own
bright raiment
:
that
the
doctrine
of
God our
Saviour
may
be
adorned
in all things,
and
that
it
may look,
as
it
is
indeed
.
in itself;
a..doctrine
according
to
godliness..
Without
any
further
preface, or
division
of
the words,
I
shall
take these
several sentences,
in
the text, as
so
ma-
ny
distinct characters
of
morality,
or
virtue, which the
apostle recommends
;
and
in
discoursing
of
each
of
them,
I
shall
follownearly the
same
method,
viz.
.
I.
Shew
the
sense,
latitude,
and
extent
of
the
duty.
IL
Make
it
.appear,
that
these duties
are required
by
the
law
of
nature.
III.
Discover
what
additional
influence the gospel
should
have
upon our
consciences to
the meditation
and
performance
of
such
duties
;
and
sometimes,
IV.
I
shall
give
directions toward
the performance
of
them,
and
guard
against the 'contrary
sins.
Whatsoever
things
are true,
The
first thing
that
the apostle mentions
is
this,
what-
soever
things
are true,
let
these
be
our
meditation,
and
our
practice.
First,
let
me shew
the sense,
latitude,
and
extent of
this
advice.
Truth
in
general
lies
in
a
conformity
of
one
thing to
60me
other
which
is
made
the standard or
rule of
it.
So
,