SERM. that as ye have receiv'd, how ye ought to IX. walk and to please God, fo ye would abound

more and more (r), and that ye would walk worthy of God, who bath called you to bis Kingdom and Glory (s), worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleafing, being fruitful in every good Work, and increafing in the Knowledge of God (t).

WHEREAS thefe Directions vigorously profecuted will fecure us from Evil, and preferve us blameless unto the Kingdom of Heaven: Efpecially as they must prevent our fleeping on Duty,----our becoming idle, when we have full Employment upon our Hands,---or even making too light of the Inadvertencies, we are fubject to. For an Offence does not lofe its whole Malignity by being undefigned; it is ftill odious to God, and cannot be quite innocent, though it may not be imputed. No true Chriftian confequently acts in Character, who does not exert himself in the gradual Conqueft of his very Infirmities, and place a double Guard, where he is by Nature or Custom weakeft. If he neglects these Miscarriages, as-flight and trivial, they will come in Time

(r Theff. iv. 1.
(Coloff. i. 10.

(s) Theff. ii. 12.

to

to wear a different Face, and be changed SERM. into great and heinous Crimes.

BUT admitting, that there is no Room to diftrust God's loving Kindness on the Score of any accidental Backflidings, where no proper Caution is wanting to guard against, them; What Notion fhall we entertain of fuch Sins, as are apparently willful and premeditated? Can they plead any Title to Indulgence? Rather, is not the ill Defert in this Cafe too glaring to be concealed, too notorious to be palliated? Obftinate Sinners are beyond all Difpute in a State of En. mity with God, be their Tranfgreffions more or fewer, nor can he be reconciled to them, fo long as in any of their Ways they choofe to run counter to his Will.

HOWEVER, though their Condition be hazardous, it is not altogether defperate; and though Deftruction lies before them, and they will furely rush into it, if they proceed, yet they may stop their Courfe, and change their Road, and get from the Highway leading to Death into the Path of everlasting Life. It is the peculiar Excellency of Chrift's Religion, who came to feek and to fave that which

Y

IX.

SERM, which was loft (u), both to call Men into IX. this bleffed Path, and to conduct them in it,-

to invite them by Repentance to forfake the dreadful Way they are in, and to renew them by Grace in the Spirit of their Minds.

HENCE it comes to pafs, that, under the Gofpel, and by the efficacious Atonement of an infinite Saviour, Sin, which is always ruinous in its Nature, is not always deftructive in its Effects; and though when it is finished, it ringetb forth Death (x), ftill its deadly Qualities may be corrected, and its pernicious Fruits blafted. The mighty Conqueror, who has fubdued both thefe dreadful Enemies, will refcue us out of their Hands, if we are wife enough to return to the Post, which we have deferted, and for the future fight manfully under his Banner. If, after Examination into our paft Lives devoutly made, we diligently pursue the propofed End and Defign of it, by an humble Confeffion to God of all the Faults we can charge ourselves with on the Review,----by a contrite Sorrow for them,---by an earnest Supplication of Forgiveness,---by a firm Refolution of forfaking them,---and, to crown all, by an immediate actual Amendment, we have this comfortable Hope permitted

(z) St. Luke xix. 10. (x) St. James i. 15,

us,

us, that in the Righteoufnefs, we shall have SERM. done, we shall live, we hall not die (y).

If we do not make Shipwreck of the Faith by Apoftacy, as well as of a good Confcience by Immorality, we may still retrieve our Affairs. Be our religious Circumstances never fo low, we ought not to give ourfelves over for loft,---whilit any Remains of Spiritual Life are left, our Recovery is poffible,---we may obtain God's Pardon for what is past, on exercifing a right Faith, and stedfaftly refolving to do better,---may regain his former Love by a more regular Obfequioufnefs for the Time to come,--and may ferve him with a quiet Mind, a Mind free from the Terror of any foregoing Guilt, and the Dread of any fubfequent Punishment, if we are industrious to bring forth. Fruits meet for Repentance (z).

So that no actual, no habitual Crimes fhould tempt us to defpair of Mercy; unlefs we are fo monftrously disengenuous, as to make this an Handle for our retaining them, and to continue in Sin, that Grace. For then, indeed, we make Y 2

may abound (a).

(y) Ezek. xviii. 17. (a) Rom. vi. 1.

ourfelvés

(z) St. Matth. iii. 8.

IX.

SER M. ourselves Veffels of God's Wrath, not of his IX. Love,---we vilely pervert the Ways of the Lord,--we promote Wickedness by the Means appointed to fupprefs it,---we cease to be Chrift's living Members, nor are we Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven.

LET us not then deceive ourselves, nor be deceived by our Vices in fo momentous a Concern, where every Mistake is dangerous, and be fatal. God looks for an unmay limitted Submiffion to his Commands; there are no Points of Duty, of which it may not be truly faid, Thefe ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone : And if he has engaged to receive reforming Criminals with a compaffionate Tenderness, Let us learn to improve the Mercy according to his Purpose by renouncing as compleatly as poffible every evil Work, and labouring to perfect Holiness in the Fear of the Lord.

WE must not think to compound Matters with God: He will fuffer no Rival in our Hearts, but expects, that we should in all Things be his by Choice, as we are always his by Right. Little Children, fays St. John, let

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