for at their Hands. But now, how this fhould be done any otherwife, than by being truly Just and Honeft, by abftaining from Violence and Injury, by being true to our Truft, and faithful in performing our Contracts; and in a Word, by doing all thofe good Offices to others, which we expect they fhould do unto us, which, as our Saviour tells us, is the Sum of Religion, is a very hard Thing to

conceive.

The Usefulness, or rather the Neceffity of fuch a Behaviour as this, in order to the gaining the good Opinion of others, and fo ferving our own Ends by them, is fo univerfally acknowledged, that even thofe that make no real Confcience of thefe Things, are yet nevertheless, in all their. Dealings, forced to pretend to them. Open and barefaced Knavery, rarely ferves a Man's Turn in this World; but it is under the Mask of Virtue and Honefty, that it ufually performs thofe Feats it doth; which is no less than a Demonftration of the Conduciveness of thofe Things, to promote our temporal Interests: for if the mere Pretence to them, be a great Advantage to us for this Purpose, it cannot be imagined, but that the Reality of them will be a greater. Certainly the Power of Gadlinefs will be able to do more than the Form, alone; and that if it was upon no other account than this, that no Man that is but a mere Pretender to Honefty, can long hope to keep his Credit among Men. It is impoffible to act a Part for any long Time; let him carry it never fo cunning, his Visor

will fome time or other be thrown off, and he will appear in his true Colours, and to what a World of Mischiefs and Inconveniencies he will then be expofed, every one that knows how hated, how detefted, how abandon'd by every one a Knave and a Villain is, may easily determine, I hope I need say no more to that Religion is the beft e you Policy and that the more hearty and confcientious any Man is in the Practice of it, the more likely he is to Thrive and Improve in the World.

So that I may now proceed to the Second general Point to be spoken to, which is, The Profitableness of Religion for the attaining a good Name and Reputation. How very much it conduceth to this Purpofe, will appear from thefe Two Confiderations.

First, it lays the fureft Gounds and Foundations for a good Name and Reputation.

Secondly, Men are generally fo juft to it, that it rarely miffes of a good Name and Reputation: The First is an Argument from Reafon; the Second, from Experience.

First of all, Gadlines layeth the trueft Foun dation, for a fair Reputation in the World. There are but Two Things that can give a Man a Title to the good Opinion and Refpects of Men; the inward Worth and Dignity of his Perfon, and his Ufefulness and Serviceablenefs to others. The Firft of thefe challengeth Mens Efteem, the other their Love. Now both thefe Qualities Religion and Virtue do eminently poffefs us of.

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For,

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For, Firft, The Religious Man is certainly the most Worthy and Excellent Perfon; for he of all others, lives moft up to the great End for which he was defigned, which is the natural Measure of the Goodness and Worth of Things.

Whatever external Advantages a Man may have, yet if he be not endow'd with virtuous Qualities, he is far from having any true Worth or Excellence, and confequently cannot be a fit Object of our Praife and Efteem; because he wants that which should make him perfect and good in his Kind. For it is not a comely Perfonage, or a long Race of famous Ancestors, or a large Revenue, or a multitude of Servants, or many fwelling Titles, or any other Thing without a Man, that speaks him a compleat Man, or makes him to be what he fhould be: But the right Ufe of his Reafon, the employing his. Liberty and Choice to the beft Purposes, the exercifing his Powers and Faculties about the fittest Objects, and in the moft due Meafures; thefe are the Things that make him Excellent. Now none can be faid to do this, but only he that is virtuous.

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Secondly, Religion alfo is that which makes a Man molt Useful and Profitable to others; for it effectually fecures his Performance of all thofe Duties whereby both the Security and Welfare of the Publick, and alfo the Good and Advantage of particular Perfons, is moft attained.

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It makes Men Lovers of their Country, loyal to their Prince, obedient to Laws: It

is the fureft Bond and Prefervative of Society in the World: It obliges us to live peaceably, and to fubmit ourfelves to our Rulers, not only for Wrath, but alfo for Confcience fake: It renders us modeft and governable in Profperity, and refolute and courageous to fuffer bravely in a good Caufe, in the worst of Times: It teacheth us to endeavour, as much as in us lies, to promote the Good of every particular Member of the Community, to be inflexibly upright, to do hurt to none, but good Offices to all; to be charitable to the Bodies and Souls of Men, to do all manner of Kindneffes that lie within our Power: It takes off the Sowrnefs and Morofenefs of our Spirits, and makes us affable and courteous, gentle and obliging, and willing to embrace with open Arms, and an hearty Love, all Sorts and Conditions of Men.

In every Relation wherein we can ftand to one another, it influenceth upon us, in order to the making us more ufeful: It makes Parents kind and indulgent, and careful of the Education of their Children; and Children loving and obedient to their Parents: It makes Servants diligent to pleafe their Maflers, and to do their Work in Singleness of Heart, not with Eye-fervice, as Men-pleafers, but as unto God; and it makes Mafters gentle and forbearing, and careful to make Provifion for their Family; as thofe that know they have a Mafter in Heaven, that is no Respecter of Perfons, In a Word, there is no Condition or Capacity, in which Religion will not be fignally

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fignally an Inftrument of making us more ferviceable to others, and of doing more good in the World. And if fuch be the Spirit and Temper of it, how is it poffible, but it muft needs acquire a great deal of Respect and Love, from all Sorts of Men? If Obligingness and doing good in one's Generation do not endear a Man to those that know him, do not entitle him to their Love and Affections, what thing in the World is there that is likely to do it?

But Secondly, True and unaffected Goodness feldom miffes of a good Reputation in the World. How unjuft to Virtue foever Men are in other refpects, yet in this they generally give it its due; where ever it appears, it generally meets with Efteem and Approbation; nay, it has the good Word of many that otherwise are not over-fond of Religion: Though they have not the Grace to be good themfelves, yet they rarely have the Confidence not to commend Goodness in others.

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Add to this, that no Man ever raised to himfelf a good Name in the World, but it was upon the score of his Virtues, either real or pretended. Vice hath fometimes got Riches, and advanced itself into Preferments; but it never was accounted honourable in any Nation.

It must be acknowledged, indeed, that it may and doth fometimes happen that vicious Men may be had in Efteem; but then it is to be confidered, that it is not for their Vices that they are efteemed, but for fome good Quality or other they are eminent in. And

there