The truth is, we have a great defire to go to heaven; but then we do not take pains to be convinced, that without an holy life we cannot poffibly go to heaven. Nay, we often endeavour to impofe upon ourselves, and strive to believe, that an holy life is not necessary at all times; but that one may love God and the world by turns, without any ill confequence; and that this is what people generally do, who yet hope to be happy when they die.

Now this is a delufion which one fhould oppose with all one's might: and the way to do it effectually is, to find out the cause of this dangerous disorder, that one may be able to propose a proper cure.

And if we feriously confider it, we shall find this double mind, and the inconftancy and unfettledness that attends it, proceed first and chiefly from the want of a true and lively faith. For faith being the foundation of religion, where that is weak or rotten, it is impoffible that the religion which is built upon it should be certain or lafting. If we do not believe what we pretend, it is no wonder if we are not what we profefs to be-fincere Chriftians.

A man therefore, who would not deceive himself in a matter of fo great concern, would do well to confider, why he is at the trouble of doing any thing that religion requires of him? Why, for example, he worships God at all? Why he is fometimes ferious, and begs pardon

pardon for his offences? Why at any time he refolves to keep God's commandments?

If we would commune thus with our own hearts, we should often find, that we do this, not because we firmly believe the great truths of religion, (for no man who has these much at heart can poffibly be double-minded and unftable) but we take up refolutions of being religious, either upon fome melancholy accident, fome folemn occafion, fome fit of devotion, or, it may be, upon the apprehenfions of fome approaching danger.

Now these are motives which very probably will not last long; and then the good purposes which are occafioned by them are fure to be foon forgotten, and fin by turns gets the masterv.

And yet, after a man has acted this part a thousand times, he will hardly be perfuaded, but that his faith is found and as it should be. He faith, that he believes the gospel, and yet he takes little care of his foul: why then he does not believe the gofpel; for the gofpel tells us plain enough, that if we do not work out our falvation with fear and trembling, (that is, with a carefulness and concern becoming fo great a ftake) we shall certainly be ruined. A man may believe that these are the words of the gofpel, and yet live in great unconcernednefs; but it cannot be faid, with truth, that his faith is what it fhould be.

Another

Another caufe of this inconftancy is, a wilful ignorance of the corruption of our nature. It is evident enough, that our inclinations to evil are more powerful than to good: now if we are ignorant of this, or if we do not lay it to heart; how shall we look out for help to enable us to overcome the evil bent of our own will? It is this that has ruined millions. before us: they would not fee and acknowledge their own weaknefs, blindnefs, pronenefs to evil; and therefore they were not concerned to afk help from God, nor accept it when graciously offered them.

Another cause of this evil is, a too great confidence in our own strength and refolutions. It is ftrange, after all, that we, who every moment meet with proofs of our own weakness and inconstancy, fhould yet depend upon ourfelves. If we fee another man fickle, we know he is not to be depended upon, and accordingly we put no confidence in him. We know ourselves to be fo, and yet we hope we may depend upon ourselves, though this prefumption has always ruined those that do fo.

I shall only mention one other cause of our inconftancy, and that is, a moft fcandalous neglect of the means of grace, appointed and afforded us by God, for overcoming all difficulties and occafions of fin. Without me ye can do nothing, faith Jefus Chrift. Do we act as if we did indeed believe this? Do

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we,

we, diftrufting ourselves, watch and pray that we fall not into temptation? Do we fearch the Scriptures, as if we did believe, that in them we have eternal life propofed to us? Do we preferve in our hearts a fenfe of our dependance upon God, by praying to him for what we want, and giving him thanks for his favours? Do we confider repentance as a means of escaping the fnare of the devil, and therefore a reason why we fhould fin no more, left we find no more place for repentance? Do we look upon mortification and felf-denial, as abfolutely neceffary for a disciple of Jefus Chrift? Do we fubmit to difcipline, as if they that have the rule over us did, in truth, watch for our fouls?

It is becaufe Chriftians have little or no regard for thefe precepts of the gospel, that their religion is uncertain, and that they are unftable in all their ways.

And it is utterly impoffible we fhould ever be ferious, and conftant, and fincere, in the profeffion of Chriftianity, until we take away thefe caufes of our carelefsnefs and inconftancy; until, in the first place, we poffefs our hearts with a true and lively faith; for according to our faith, fo fhall it be with us.

My meaning is this:-The most effectual way to prevent or to cure this double-mindednefs will be, to keep our minds intent upon thofe motives or reafons which firft inclined us to be ferious and thoughtful for our latter

end:

end:-The fear, for inftance, of being for ever undone; the hopes of being happy for ever in heaven; the goodness and love of God, who has the compaffion of a Father for us, notwithstanding our rebellion:-Thefe confiderations (while they are warm in our hearts) will not fuffer us to be unconcerned, doubleminded, and trifling, when we see that our fouls are at stake.

But here is our misfortune:-We hear the gofpel; we believe what is faid of the happinefs and mifery of the world to come; we are awakened by these truths which fo nearly concern us, and we refolve to live as becomes fuch a faith; and fo far it is well with us. The feed is fown, but then if it happen to fall among thorns, the thorns grow up, that is, the cares or the pleasures of this world choak the word; they divert the mind, and hinder the will from hearkening to what the confcience would direct to be done; which is the true reason why we are fometimes very ferious, and fometimes very little concerned, for our fouls' welfare.

But, for God's fake, let us not deceive ourfelves. If when I lay things to heart, I fee by faith a neceffity of being seriously religi ous; why then there is ftill the fame neceffity, though I do not always fee it, nor live as if I believed it.

In short; eternal happiness, and eternal mifery, are very ferious things; and if a man,

who