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him a little more particularly under thofe feveral Refpects and Capacities, in which his Uprightness is principally feen and exprest.

And here we must confider him with refpect to God, and with refpect to Men. Under the former Confideration we are to view his Religion, under the latter his Civil Converfation.

And none ought to be furpriz'd, that in the Character of an Upright Man, we take notice of his Religious Carriage towards God. For in truth, that is a Point which is Effentially neceffary to Uprightnefs. He (faith Solomon) Prov.14.2..that walketh in Uprightness feareth the Lord: Indeed, take away Religion and the Fear of God, and the Foundation of Uprightness is deftroy'd. For all the Principles of Confcience, and all the Obligation to live up to those Principles, is thereby taken away. He that hath no Senfe of God and Religion, can never think himself bound to obferve any Rules in his Actions and Behaviour, but what are fubfervient to the carrying on his private sensual worldly Intereft: And confequently, whatever is inconfiftent with that, be it never fo bafe, and vile, and injurious, he cannot take himself in point of Duty oblig'd to ftick at it, when he hath the leaft Temptation to it.

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refult of which is, That he may commit all the Villainies in the World, and yet think himfelf as Innocent, and his Actions as Commendable, as if he had been never fo Honeft and Virtuous.

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He therefore that is an Upright Man, hath a ferious and hearty Senfe of God and Religion upon his Spirit, and is above all Things careful to preferve and increafe that Senfe. But then his Conduct in this Affair is much different from that of ordinary Pretenders to Religion.

For he is a Man that doth not content himself with a mere fpeculative Belief, or an outward Profeffion of the Truths of Religion; but doth fo far imprefs them on his Heart, that they influence his whole Life and Converfation. He doth not think it fufficient to be orthodox in his Opinions; or to be a Member of a true Church; or to be zealous in maintaining and promoting the right Way: But he takes Care to live as he believes practise fuitably to the Profeffion he makes. As he holds faft the Form of Godliness; fo he never fails to exprefs the Power of it, in an innocent and a virtuous Life.

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He is a Man, that in the whole Conduct of his Religious Affairs, minds Confcience more than any felfish Confideration. He takes not up his Principles, either out of Humour, or Paffion; to advance his Intereft, or to please a Party But he believes a Thing, because it is true, and profeffeth it, because it is his Duty. In Matters of Religion, he hath the Indifference of a Traveller, whofe great Concernment is to arrive at his Journey's End; but for the Way that leads thither, be it high or low, all is one to him, fo long as he is but certain that it is the right Way. L

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And as he doth not chufe his Religion out of worldly Confiderations; fo neither doth he quit it upon fuch. But is refolute and conftant in bearing Witness to the Truth, against all Oppofition whatfoever. As he doth not make Shew of his Religion the more when it is in Fashion, and when it may prove Advantageous to him; So neither doth he practife it the lefs, when it may prove Ignominious or Dangerous. He is.obftinately tenacious of his Principles, when he knows them to be good; and prepared to endure the utmoft Extremities, rather than violate the Laws and Dictates of his Confcience.

He is a Man that thinks Religion too Sacred a Thing to be prostituted to mean Purposes and therefore he never ufeth it as an Inftrument for the ferving a Turn; never makes it a Cloak for the covering a private End, though he were fure he could compafs his Defigns by it. He knows that the greatest Impoftures have laid hid under this Mask, and by fuch Artifices God hath been often made a Patron of the most horrid Villanies.

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He is a Man that doth not place his Reli gion in outward Forms and Services; or in little cheap Duties that coft him nothing. He hath a nobler Senfe of God, than to think that fuch Things can alone recommend us to him: And therefore his principal Concernment is about the great indifpenfable Duties of ChriMat. 23. ftianity; The weightier Matters of the Law, Juftice, and Mercy, and Faith. He hath the Everlafting Notions and Differences of Good

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and Evil deeply engraven in his Heart; and in the practising or the avoiding them, he chiefly lays out himself.

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He is a Man, that doth not pick and chufe out of God's Commandments which to ob ferve to the Neglect of the reft: But endea yours uprightly and fincerely to obferve them all. He calls no Sin little, because his Temper inclines him to it, or the Courfe of his Life leads him more frequently into the Temptations of it; but he hath an hearty uniform Averfion to every Thing that is Evil. He holds no fecret Friendship or Correfpondence with any Enemy of God; but fights as refolutely against his moft agreeable and moft gainful Sins, as thofe that he hath lefs Temptations to upon thofe Accounts.

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He is a hearty Enemy to all Factions in Religion, as knowing the Life and Soul of Chritianity is often eaten out by them. All dividing Principles he abhors; and as much as he loves Truth, he is not lefs concerned for Peace. And he is better pleased with one Inftance of his Charity in Compofing, or his Zeal in Suppreffing Religious Differences, than with Twenty of his Skill and Abilities in difputing them. For he knows that LOVE is more acceptable to God than a right Opinions and to be la Martyr, rather than divide Dionyf. and rend the Church, is not lefs glorious than Alex, in Eufeb. to be a Martyr for refusing to offer Sacrifice to Idols.

baftly,He is a Man Religious without Noife, and ufes no little Arts to make his

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Piety

Piety taken Notice of in the World. For he feeks not the Praife of Men in any Thing he doth, but studies to approve himself to God only. And therefore he is as careful of his Thoughts, as of his Actions; and hath the fame Fear of God, and Regard of his Duty, when no Man fees him; as when he is in the moft publick Places.

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These are the great Strokes of Uprightness, as to Religion. And whoever makes good thefe Characters, may unqueftionably conclude of himself, that he is an honest Man to God-ward, a true Ifraelite indeed, in whom there is no Guile.

Come we now, in the Second Place, To take a View of the Upright Man in his civil Converfation To give fome Account of him, with Reference to his Carriage and Demeanour amongst Men. And here again we muft confider him under two Capacities; as a private Perfon, and as a Magiftrate.

And Firft, as a private Perfon, The General Rule by which he frames and models his whole Converfation, is fuch a prudent and diligent Care of himself, and his own Good, as is not only confiftent with, but doth effectually tend to promote the Good and Happiness of all others that he deals with. This is the Fundamental Principle which he lays down to obferve in all his Commerce with Mankind. For he confiders that every Man in the World hath a Right to be happy as well as himself: And he confiders, that, as Things are fo contriv'd, that he cannot be happy without the

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