from the Grace in which many of the primitive Christians were established; and it foon after his Decease came to país.

But we fay, that the dark Night of Apoftacy is over, and we live in Gofpel-days again; if fo, where are the Fruits? We may, I confefs, hear Gospel Words, but where is the Gospel-Power, by which Believers come to be Sons of God; to bear his Image in Righteousness? Why are not we, call'd Chriftians, grown to the Stature of them that were the Children of Heathens?

The Reason to me is this, we have not built upon the fame Foundation: Those built on the fure Rock, and living Foundation; on Chrift; as he in all Ages was, and ftill is, in a spiritual Appearance, the Light of the World, and the Life of Righteoufnefs; and taking his eternal Spirit in themselves for their Guide, turn'd from whatsoever they were reproved for. Thus their finful Defires came to be mortified; and fuch as were carnal came to be spiritual; and this made them a peculiar People. Did we walk in their Footsteps, we might rife to their Attainments; but if we build on Words, and outward Services, without Spirit and Life, we can never rise. For as Paul faid in another Cafe, If I speak with the Tongue of Men and Angels, and have not Charity, I am become as founding Brass, &c. So I fay in this Cafe, if we hear Men and Angels; if we could live continually under the Sound of good Words, if we have no Regard to that inward Light, which difcovers Evil, and gives Power to turn from it, we can never mortify Sin, cleanse our Souls, and become an holy People. The Work of Sanctifi

cation is inward in the Heart, and to be effected. by inward Means: Nothing but inward Light can expel inward Darkness: Since Men fondly perfuade themselves that tho' they fow Tares, they shall reap Wheat; tho' they go down into the Grave Sinners, they fhall rife Saints; and attain in another World, what primitive Christians attain'd in this: Their Converfation hath not been in Heaven; but in Earth: They have walked in Darkness, and not in the Light; the God of this World hath been ferved, and not the God of Heaven.

And notwithstanding this is the unhappy and deplorable Circumstance of many of the Profeffors of this Age; yet from the Mouths of fuch, how frequently do we hear Exclamations and Complaints, against the daily Growth of Infidelity and Deifm! never fo much as imagining that they are any way acceffary or inftrumental to this Mischief; yet one great Cause thereof, I take to be, the irregular and unholy Lives of Professors. And till fuch can be perfwaded, that a confiftent Practice with the Religion they profefs, is abfolutely requifite, to recommend the Chriftian Religion; and till they produce the most convincing and prevailing Argument, Example, how can they hope or expect to be credited by this Infidel Race, which fo much abounds; as every one must be fenfible of the Difficulty of enforcing a Precept (tho' never fo laudable in itself) in Words, which in our Lives and Practice we notoriously deny? Therefore the only Expedient that I know of, to ftop the Mouths of Unbelivers, will be, To fhew forth your good Converfation in Chrift Jefus, coupled with the Fear of God; to let your Light jo fhine before Men, that they feeing your good Works, may

I 3

glorify

glorify God, and be excited to follow your good Example.

And now dear People, having, in a broken Manner, declared to you thefe Things which lay as a Weight on my Mind, there remains little but to propofe to you, to try the Foundation of your Faith and Hope: Truth never lofes by Examination, but shines with greater Light and Splendor: Therefore, agreeable to the Apostle's Advice, Examine yourselves, whether you be of the (true) Faith; know you not yourselves, how that Chrift Jefus is in you, except you be Reprobates?" That is, (fays Grotius) Chriftians in Name, and not in Deed." Do not trifle, I befeech you, in a Matter of fuch Importance, as the future Well-being of your immortal Souls! To be mistaken in this Point, will be of fatal Confequence; Errors of this Sort being only to be rectify'd while we remain in this Life; for we are pofitively told, That there is no Wifdom, nor Knowledge, Work, nor Device, in the Grave, whither we are all haftening. And our Lord tells us, He wrought while it was Day, and excites us so to do, by saying, The Night cometh wherein no Man can work. Let us therefore enquire whether our Faith is fuch an One as operates by Love: If ye love me, keep my Commandments, fays our bleffed Lord. Let us remember what Obftacles this true Faith removed for the primitive Christians, what Difficulties it enabled them to furmount. Heb. xi. Without this Faith (in the Power of Chrift) it is impossible to pleafe God. I will (fays the Apostle James) fhew thee my Faith by Works; for as the Body, without the Spirit, is dead, fo Faith without Works is dead alfo. Ye are my

my

Friends

Friends (fays Chrift) if ye do whatsoever I com

mand.

What will it avail us, tho' his outward Gofpel be taught in our Land, if we do not obey his Law written in our Hearts, and conform to its Rule and Government? And tho' Chrift our Lord is the Fountain to cleanse us from the Pollution of Sin; yet if we refufe to be purified by his fpiritual Baptifm; If he wash us not, we can have no Part in him, nor his Merits. And indeed my Friends, I have taken fome Pains, by divine Affiftance, to examine and enquire how I might have a well grounded Hope to obtain Salvation, or in other Words, eternal Life and Happiness. And in all my Enquires and Researches, I have not been able to discover any other Way than this, which the Almighty continues to direct Mankind in at this Day, as well as heretofore, The Way of Holinefs thro' Chrift, he being the Author of eternal Salvation to all Believers. Be ye holy,. as I the Lord your God am holy; and without Holiness, no Man (ball fee the Lord: And I find I can be made for no other Way, but thro' Sanctification of the Spirit, unto the Obedience of Faith, and Sprinkling of the Blood of fefus Chrift. For every one who has, or can reasonably have any Foundation of Hope to be faved by Chrift's Life, Sufferings, Resurrection, Afcenfion, and Mediation, muft, by his Grace affifting, purify himself, as he is pure; as no unclean Thing can poffibly enter his holy Kingdom. And it is by his Grace we are faved, through Faith, operating by Love; not of ourselves, it is the Gift of God!

I 4

Thus,

Thus, as I became obedient to the Teaching of this Grace received, I came to witness Mercy and Peace multiplied to me; for which, in great Reverence and Humility, I defire always to blefs God, the Father of our Lord Jefus, for his un-fpeakable Gift! and for his abundant Mercy wherewith he hath visited my Soul in his Dayfpring from his high and holy Prefence; and afforded me a good Foundation to hope for his Salvation; and I defire to give all the Glory to God, and to say, not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy great Name and Power, be the Glory! Be ye holy, is a Precept which contains no Myftery; here is no Enigma to unriddle; no Need of Commentators; no Room for Scepticism, nor Controverfy; but a plain and pofitive Command, fo legible, that he that runs may read; the Wayfaring Man, tho' a Fool (with Refpect to the Wildom of the World) cannot err here. Therefore fuffer me to counsel you, to break off the Sin that you find easily befet you, by Righteousness; and your Iniquities by Amendment of Life; that fo your Tranquility may be lengthened, and attend you beyond the Grave.

And to you, as I have faid before, who may not charge yourselves with grofs Immoralities, yet who prefer a Portion in this Life, to the durable Riches and Righteoufnefs in another; who fay unto Gold, Thou art my Hope, and make fine Gold your Confidence; who have for faken God, the Fountain of living Waters, and bewn to yourselves Cifterns, broken Cisterns, that will hold no Water; who have changed the Glory of the incorruptible Being, and given it to your corruptible Things: Remember,

God