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feffions, but perfidious and forfworn Perfons also. And tho' this Obligation does chiefly belong to those who are most strictly Members, and have by their own voluntary Engagement and Oath particularly bound themselves to the Rules and Statutes of the Society; yet even those others, who are Members in a lefs Degree, ought not to think themselves, even on this Account, wholly free and at Liberty. The very Defire and Acceptance of Admiffion into a Society, which is known to be under certain Laws and Inftitutions, being a tacit Agreement to them, and implying fome Kind of Promise of the Obfervation of the fame. So that upon the whole, no one among us can intirely be difengaged, even in Point of Veracity and Faithfulnefs to his Promifes, from obeying the pious Rules of our Society, from the endeavouring with all Zeal and Sincerity to promote the great Ends of this, and all other fuch like religious and charitable Foundations, the Advancement of Virtue, Learning, and true Religion in the World.

III. This Obligation is alfo founded upon Gratitude, or the Sense of Favours bestowed upon us. And this Particular, to be fure, reaches every one of us, and ought to fecure our univerfal Compliance to all that is good and useful in this Society, of which we are Members; and that whether we regard thofe generous Founders and Benefactors, by whofe immediate Bounty we are maintained, or whether we go a Step farther, and have Refpect to the Providence of God; which is the ultimate Source and Original of all our Bleffings. And fure

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in the first Place, if we go.no farther than our immediate Founders and Benefactors, we have such mighty Obligations to them as should be abundantly fufficient, even tho' they had only defired, and not at all commanded any of thofe Duties which are proper in fuch Societies; according to all the Rules of Generofity and Good-nature, to fecure their Performance. If we had been only told by their laft Wills and Teftaments, that they, out of a Senfe of God's Mercy, in beftowing this World's Goods upon them, and for the continual Advancement of the Chriftian Religion, and promoting of all thofe Sciences, thofe Offices, that virtuous Behaviour, and unblameable Converfation which should most adorn and advance the fame; and particularly in order to the ftrict and regular, the fober, pious, ftudious, and religious Education of those who might afterward enter upon the most facred Function of the Miniftry, and become learned and exemplary Preachers of the Gofpel, that they, for thefe great and noble Ends and Purposes, did bequeath fuch large Portions of their Estates for a collegiate Foundation. Conjuring all those who should in future Ages to the End of the World, be Partakers of the Benefits of their Endowments, that without any other Force or Tie upon them, as ever they had any Senfe of Gratitude to themselves, and Inclination to fulfil the laft Requefts and dying Words of their Benefactors; they would ftrictly and conftantly perform the Duties of of their Places, and answer the Ends of their Inftitution. [Nay, as ever they hoped to fee them with Alacrity and

Comfort

Comfort at the laft Day.] If I fay we had no other Obligations laid upon us than fuch parting Defires of our Founders and Benefactors (which are no other than the juft Construction, if not fometimes alfo the proper Sense of those Writings, thofe Wills and Teftaments, by which our Colleges were fettled and established for us) we must forfeit our Pretence to all that is humane, if we reject these Obli gations of Gratitude, and can refolve to behave Qurfelves ftill as if we owed no Acknowledgments to them. And shall even the most preffing and affectionate Intreaties of our best and most generous Benefactors have no Manner of Influence upon us? even when they importune us only to take care of our Duty, and fo by Confequence to fecure our present and our future Happiness? But if this Part of Gratitude, which regards Men, and those who are the bare Instruments of our Bleffings should be too weak to affect us; yet fure the other Part which regards Almighty God, the Fountain and Origin of all our Enjoyments, will prove stronger, and engage us effectually to a ready Return of Duty and Obedience, in Confideration of his peculiar Bounty to us, and that plentiful Provifion he has made for us in this Place. We indeed can only fee the external Means which confer thefe Benefits upon us; but cannot fo readily observe that invifible Hand which fecretly, but most properly, orders and disposes of all Events, and bestows the good Things of this Life on whomfoever it pleaf

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It was the Complaint of God by his Prophet Hofea, Ch. ii. 8, 9, 12. concerning the People of Ifrael in their plentiful State, that they did not take Notice of his fecret Providence and Bounty in that Affluence they enjoyed, nor use it to his Service as they ought to have done and threatens, that to convince them of their ingrateful and wicked Miftake, he would take it away from them. She did not know that I gave her Corn, and Wine, and Oil, ard multiplied her Silver and Gold: Therefore will I return and take away my Corn in the Time thereof; and my Wine in the Seafon thereof, and will recover my Wool and my Flax, and will deftroy her Vines and her Fig-trees. And the like Complaint I am afraid the Almighty may but too justly take up against the prefent, as well as the past Generations; nay against us in particular, who in this Place enjoy fo many of his Bleffings, and are so abundantly provided for by his gracious Providence over us. And I wish we may every one be for the future fo deeply fenfible of the divine Goodness to us in these our great Advantages here, that Eafe and Security; that Maintenance and Leisure; that Freedom from the Cares and Troubles of Life; that happy Opportunity of an ingenious and learned Education, as may in fome good Measure correspond to the Proportion of God's Mercies, and oblige us to fhew our grateful Refentment of them not only with our Lips, but in our Lives; not only with verbal Praises and Acknowledgments, which yet are very fit and fuitable in our Cafe; but with a great Zeal for God's Honour, with a fervent Endeavour

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deavour of doing Good in our Places, with a hearty Dedication of our Time and Lives to the Service of our Saviour; and, in one Word, with leading a godly, a righteous, and a fober Life, both during our Stay here, and in our future Behaviour in the World: Which are the best Expreffions of our Thankfulness to God; the best Returns to the Kindness of our Benefactors, and will yield us the greatest Comfort both now in our own Mind, and at the last Day of Account. Which brings me to the

Ild General Head of my Difcourfe, which is to enquire, what our principal Obligations themselves are; or to what Duties and Offices we are in particular obliged by the Enjoyment of thefe Advantages of our religious Foundations. And here, because the Time will by no Means give me Leave to be at all large, I shall confine myself to a few Particulars; and only take Occafion to recommend to your Practice three Things, the Observance of which will be of special Advantage in a collegiate Society, and will in great Part fecure the main Defigns of these charitable Endowments.

And thofe three Things I fhall pitch upon fhall, agreeably to the known Divifion of our Duty to God, to ourselves, and to our Neighbours be (1.) The conftant Attendance upon the Worship of God in this Place. (2.) A ftrict Temperance and Sobriety towards ourselves. (3.) A diligent Improvement of ourselves in Learning for the Advantage of others.

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(1.) We

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