devote themselves to the Service of their SERM. rightful Lord, and pay fuch an Obedience VII. to God and our Saviour as fhall be ac

cepted by him for Righteoufnefs..

If we reflect, how much Duty we owe to God, and what mighty Obligations wel are under to our most gracious Redeemer, for all he has done and fuffered for us, yet how little we perform, and how poorly we discharge the Debt of Gratitude unto him, we fhall find but fmall Grounds to rank ourfelves among his Servants, to boast of belonging to his Family, or to think our Offices entitled to a Reward from his Bounty.

HOWEVER, as Chrift Jefus, our heavenly Master, experimentally has felt, whereof we are made, having been himself subject, according to the Flesh, to all the finless Infirmities of our Nature, he does not therefore demand or expect from us more than we are able to do: A Service complete in all its Parts, without Fault or Defect, being in Man's prefent Circumstances impracticable. He does not forfeit his Lord's Favour, nor is he turned off, as incorrigible, even after repeated Misdemeanours. The Readiness and the Ability of Angels is not looked for at his

SERM. Hands; but that Service only, which the VII. Incumbrance of the World and the Flesh permits him to fulfil.

WOULD We indeed be Fellow-fervants with the Saints and favingly of God's Houfhold, the most exprefs Claufes in our Covenant-charter require us to become or do our Part towards becoming new Creatures, begotten again unto good Works. Thus it runs in one Place, If ye love me, keep my Commandments, and ye are my Friends if ye do whatfoever I command you (b), and in another, Hereby do we know, that we know him, if we keep his Commandments. He, that faith, I know him, and keepeth not bis Commandments, is a Liar, and the Truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his Word, in bim verily is the Love of God perfected: Hereby we know, that we are in him. He, that faith, be abideth in him, ought himself fo alfo to walk, even as he walked (c).

YET that none may be terrified by the fuppofed Hardship of the Conditions, we are affured, that the Obedience indifpenfably 'bound upon all Chriftians, is not a perfect, exact and unfinning Obedience; fuch an one

(b) St. John xv. 14.

only

(c) St. John ii. 3,4, 5,6.

dear Son;

only is demanded, as in our weak depraved SERM. State, we are able by God's Help to perVII. form. The main Bufinefs in this Service is always to maintain a Purity of Heart, though not of Life,---to bewail our Frailties and Infirmities, and implore his Pardon of them through the Merits of his and when we have fallen, as all of us are liable to fall, into wilful Sin, not to rest in a drowfy Thoughtleffnefs under the Pollution, left we awake fuddenly in eternal Mifery, but to return haftily to God with true Penitence of Soul, and keep a better Watch over our Ways for the future.

THE beft of Men have been fubject to moral Defilements,---have been fenfible of numerous falfe Steps in the Course of their Service to God,---have humbly acknowledged them before him, and have not rendered themselves the lefs acceptable to him by fuch Acknowledgments. They have been conscious of many Failures in their Duty, have deplored their Weakness, and upon their fo doing have doubtlefs received Pardon for the past, and Grace to strengthen them for the Time to come.

MANY likewife have through Ignorance
R 4

or

SERM. or Miftake tranfgreffed the Divine Laws; VII. and altho' fuch an unhappy Turn of Mind

does not justify Misbehaviour, or make Wrong to be Right, yet it must alleviate the Guilt of Offending: So that this Sort of undutiful Servants alfo, who rather blunder than difobey, may modeftly hope for Mercy, if they proftrate themselves at their Lord's Feet, and in the Words of the Pfalmist pray every one, Cleanse thou me from my fecret Faults (d), or in the Language of the Publican, fay, God, be merciful to me a Sinner (e).

SOME, again, are hurried into Sin by Surprize; and not having Time or Power to recollect themselves under fome terrifying Apprehenfions have acted fuch Things, as were most contrary to their fettled Difpofitions, and they on Deliberation would have abhorred the Thoughts of. St. Peter, though he was of a bold Spirit naturally, yet being intimidated by a fudden Fear of Death, cowardly denied his Lord and Mafter; but on one piercing Look he foon recovered himself,---lamented his Offence with the bitterest Compunction, and being readmitted to Favour and ftrentghened in Spirit afterwards

(d) Pf. xix. 12.

(e) St. Luke xviii. 13.

wards laid down his Life for Chrift's Sake SERM. and the Gospel's. And fo may others in VII. like Circumstances hope, that God will look graciously upon them, if they behave in like penitent Manner,---will forgive them their Tranfgreffions, and give them Power to go on fteadily and with Vigour in his Service.

THE Breaches of Duty, we have hitherto taken a View of, as they have a very small, if any, Confent of the Will leading to the Commiffion of them, may perhaps be thought not wholly inconfiftent with the Singleness of Heart proper to good Servants; and confequently fuch as will not cut them off from the favourable Indulgence of the kindeft Mafter.

BUT this inferior Degree of Undutifulness is not the worst, we may be charged with. For what fhall we think of known, willful, and premeditated Faults,---Faults, which no earthly Mafter would pass by, but utterly difcard fo wicked a Servant, as is guilty of them, be his Sorrow never so deep, his Promises of better Behaviour never fo vehement? What fhall we fay of these? Will God forgive his offending Creature in those Inftances, where Man will not his offending

Brother