Character, that though I haften to the main Design, yet I cannot pass them without making fome remark upon them: He prayed to God always. This was true Devotion, as fteady and conftant as it was fincere and fervent; the effect not of a heated Imagination, or a fhort-liv'd Paffion, but of well-rooted Principles, and of a purified and exalted Mind: The next thing remarkable is, He feared God with all his Houfe: How lovely how charming is a bright Example and how active and invincible is a devout Zeal of God? 'twas it seems in Cornelius like light that could not be confined, but breaking out fhed a vital Influence round about it? But to find now all this in a Pagan, 'tis not a little furprizing; Devotion clad in Steel, hands armed with Inftruments of Death lifted up continually in Prayers; Valour govern'd and fupported too by the humble fear of an invifible Power; A devout Souldier, a devout Roman; I read of the Apostles being continually in the Temple blefing and praifing God, Luke 24. But this was a Man of a different Light and Profeffion too. I read of Mofes and Joshua whofe Devotion was equal to their valour, who owed their victories

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no less to their Prayers than Arms, but this was owing to extraordinary Infpirations and miraculous Appearances of God; what was it then that produced such a Devotion in Cornelius, his com mand was mean, that is plain; as to his Birth and Fortune, whatever it was, it was not confiderable enough to be recorded. As to his Religion, That he was a Pagan is plain, and Interpreters seem to me rather to take it for granted than proved that he was a Profelyte of the Gates: The Vifion of St. Peter, and the Refentment which the Chriftians of the Circumcifion exprefs'd of his converfing with him, Acts 11. 3. give no great countenance to it, but be it fo, all that we can infer from hence or from any other ground amounts to thus much; that he was inftructed in natural Religion, believed one God the maker of Heaven and Earth, and lookt upon him as the Rewarder of all thofe that diligently feek him: This was the Creed that produced the wonderful Fruits in the Text; and now give me leave to put you in mind how reafonable it is you should exceed, at least equal this Man in your Devotion, for whether Religion be the refult of gratitude or hope, I 3 your

your both Obligations and Expectations from the God of Heaven are infinitely above his Your Wealth and Dignity does much exceed that of a Centurion, a Commander of a hundred Men, and that gained not by your Bloud and Hazard, but by the eafie and delightful Arts of Peace: But what is more, you are as much above him in Spiritual as in Temporal Mercies; the Love of God to mankind in giving his Son to die for them was unkown to him, but revealed, demonftrated, and inculcated to you; whatever grace he might enjoy, you may much more; for though God be the God not only of the Jew once, and Chriftian now, but also of the Gentile, no doubt but that the measure of Gospel-Grace much exceeds what ever God vouchfafed either Jew or Pagan. Laftly, what opinion Cornelius had of a Life to come we know not, because we cannot tell what proofs or evidences of it were vouchfafed him, but we are sure they could not be as clear nor as ftrong as thofe you enjoy, who behold Life and Immortality brought to light through the Gospel, and to whom God has given an affurance of a Judgment to come, by the Refurrection of Jefus from the

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dead; it might therefore be reasonably expected, that your Devotion should as much exceed his as your Obligations and your Hopes do; and yet if it do but equal it, what Bleffings will you not procure to your felves and to this City? What Judgments may not a fervent and united Devotion of fo many avert from our dear Country? What Mercies may it not obtain for it? What influence would not so many illustrious Examples have upon the Nation? to what degree might this not advance a general Reformation? Ah! were but you your felves inflamed with a devout Love, how foon would this fire catch the breast of your Families, and from thence pass into the Neighbourhood round about, and fo Religion be diffus'd and transmitted from this City to all the rest of the Nation, like vital heat and warmth from the Heart into all the parts of the Body. But by this time I believe you begin to wonder what I mean by stopping fo long upon Devotion, e're I enter upon the great Subject of the Day, that is Charity; I had these two Reasons to do so, 1st. Because Devotion is an excellent Introduction to Charity, there is a close connexion and dependance between both: They

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They both proceed from a just Sense of what we receive from and owe to God, and are proper teftimonies of our gratitude to him: By Devotion, we facrifice our felves, by Charity our fubftance to God; and it cannot reasonably be ima gin'd, that he who has given himself to God, fhould deny him a Portion of the Fruits of his Flocks and Herds: Therefore St. John argued closely, when he concluded that breaft to be destitute of the Love of God, which was fo of compaffion for his Neighbour: Who Jo bath this World's Goods, and feeth his Brother has need, and fhutteth up his howels of compaffion from him, how dwel leth the Love of God in him? I Joh. 3.

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2ly, Because I would have the Charity I fhall perfuade you to, no Counterfeit or Adulterate, but a true Chriftian Vertue, I would not have it want that worth and value which Religion must flamp upon it: I must confels rather than the Tears of Orphans fhould not be wiped off; rather than the hungry and the naked fhould not be fed and cloath'd; rather than the groans and cries of the diftreffed thould not be calm'd, I hould be content, that generofity ar good