to his heavenly Father: However, he will not fail, at least once every time he Rifeth, and once every time he goes to Reft, to offer up a folemn Sacrifice of Prayer, and Praife. Lefs than this, I fay, he must not do, for fear he break the Commandment of praying frequently, praying continually. But more than this it will become him to do, in order to the giving himself Satisfaction, that he hath fully performed it.

Thus again, To give Alms to the Poor, is an indifpenfable Duty of our Religion. But what Proportion of our Subftance we are to give away in Alms and Charity, is no where fet down; but is wholly left to our Difcretion. Now in this Cafe, it is certainly much more advifcable to give liberally, and largely, and plentifully, even as much as our Condition in this World, and the Neceffities of our Families can allow; though by fo doing, we shall prove to have given in greater Abundance than we were strictly obliged to: than by giving fingily and pinchingly, now and then a little Pocket-money or fo, to run the Hazard of being Tranfgreffors of the Commandment, and having our Portion among the Covetous and Unmerciful.

There is no Damage comes to a Man by doing the former; but, on the contrary, a great deal of Good: For God never fails bounteously to reward the bountiful Hand. But there is both Damage and infinite Danger in the latter. And thus we are to practise in all other Duties.

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Only this Caution we must take along with us; That we are always fo to proportion the Meafures of every fingle Duty, as to render it confiftent with the Performance of the other Duties of our Lives.

As for Inftance, We must not spend fo much Time in Prayer, as to hinder the Pursuit of our Callings, and neceffary Bufinefs. We muft fo give Alms, as yet to leave ourselves 'enough to pay every one their own, and to make a competent Provifion for our Families. But let us but take care to fecure this, and then we cannot eafily exceed in the Measures of any Duty. The more we Pray, and the more we give Alms, ftill the better: And fo in all other Inftances of Duty.

But now in the Second Place, the quite contrary to this, are we to practise, in Matters of Liberty. There the Rule is, rather to take lefs than is allowed us, than to take all: Rather to abridge ourfelves of our Lawful Liberties, than by doing all that we may Lawfully do, indanger our falling into Sin.

There is no harm at all in departing from our Rights and Privileges with which God hath indulged us: But there is a great harm in extending them beyond their Bounds. There is no Evil in not gratifying our Defires and Appetites in all the Things they crave, which are allowable, and which we are permitted to gratify them in: But there is an infinite Evil in gratifyingthem in unlawful, forbidden Inftances. And, therefore, every wife and good Man, will be fure to keep on the fafe Side; and to preVOL. I.

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vent the Danger of doing more than he should do, he will not always do all that he may do.

The Truth is, That Man that makes no Scruple of using his Liberty to the utmost Stretch and Extent of it upon all Occafions, and regards nothing more in his Actions, than just that he do not fall in fome direct Sin; that Man cannot always be innocent, but will be drawn into a Hundred Irregularities and Mifcarriages.

Thus for Example, he that ufeth himself to eat or to drink to the utmoft Pitch that can be faid to be within the Limits of Temperance, it is impoflible but fuch a one will, now and then, be unavoidably overtaken in the Sin of Gluttony or Drunkenness.

He that will ufe all the Liberties, that the Law allows him, for the making Advantages to himself in his Trade, or his Dealings with other Men; fuch a one will not be able to avoid the juft Imputation of being in many Instances an Oppreffor, or a hard Confcienced Man.

The fafeft Way, therefore if we mean to preferve our Virtue, amidft the Multitude of Snares and Temptations that we meet with in the World, is to fet Bounds even to our Lawful Liberties; to keep our Actions within fuch a Compafs, as not to come even near the Confines of Vice and Sin.

Though it is but a Point, and that often an undifcernable one, that diftinguifheth between what is Lawful and what is Unlawful; yet there is a great Latitude in what is lawful. That is, if I gratify my Appetites but a little, I do that which is lawful; and if I gratify

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them more, I may do that which is lawful likewife: But he fhews the moft Honeft and Virtuous Mind, that in his Actions takes but a little of this Latitude, and by that Means, keeps himself at a good diftance from that which is Vicious and Criminal.

III. But Thirdly and Laftly, To what degree foever we may think fit to make use of our Liberty, yet at all Times, As foon as we begin to doubt or fear we have gone as far as we lawfully can go; it is then high Time to break off, and to proceed no farther. This is the laft Rule I have to offer upon this Occafion. And thus alfo, where-ever we have a juft Ground of Sufpicion or Doubt, whether a Thing be lawful or no; this Doubt or Sufpicion, is of itself Reafon enough to make us forbear that thing. Unless indeed there be a Neceffity, or a great Charity to be served by the doing of it, which may in Reason over-ballance the Sufpicion of its Lawfulness.

Thus in Matters of Recreation, if we have the least doubt, whether this or the other Pleasure or Divertisement be innocent and lawful; why that is Argument enough, without more ado, to make us forbear it ; forbear it; though perhaps, we fee others use it without Scruple.

Thus in Matters of Temperance, when we first begin to fufpect that we have drunk as much as is convenient for us; let us by all Means leave off, and break from the Company.

Thus in Matters of Sobriety, when we have Reason to doubt, that we are come up to the full Bounds of the Chriftian Gravity and

Modefty;

Modefty; and that any degree more of Pomp or Bravery in our Garb, or in our Attendance, or in our Equipage, will relifh of Pride or Vanity, or Affectation; it is high Time, rather to abate fomething of our Sumptuoufnefs in thefe Things, than to proceed any farther.

And thus, Laftly, in Matters of Equity and Juftice, when we firft begin to have a Sufpicion, that fuch a Practice is an Indirect or Knavish Trick, or that we are too fevere and hard upon a Man, upon whom we have got an Advantage; why this Sufpicion alone is enough in reafon to check us in our Career, and to put us upon more fair and moderate Courfes.

This is a Rule, that will for ever be fit for us to practise; for it is grounded upon Eternal Reafon. Indeed, it is as old as Morality: Quod dubitas, ne feceris: Do nothing that you doubt of, is a Maxim that obtain'd among Heathens, as well as among us Chriftians.

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I dare not, indeed, fay, that this Rule holds univerfally in all Cafes; for Cafes do fometimes happen, wherein it will be advifable for a Man to act even against his Doubts. But in fuch Matters as I am now fpeaking of, Matters wherein a Man is at perfect Liberty, to act or not to act; in all fuch Cafes, it will always, without Exception, be a true, and a fafe, and a wife Rule. And I am fure, if Men would ferioufly charge themselves with the Practice of it, they would hereby prevent a multitude of Sins and Tranfgreffions, with which they ufually inflame their Accounts against the Day of Judgment.

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