And in the first place, it is but too plain that very many fatisfy themselves with the bare name of being Chriftians. And they that would think it a great misfortune to want christian baptism, can yet be content to live all their days in an utter neglect of the vows they then made of leading an holy life. They can be content to do that which they would not have the patience to hear any man say they might do with fafety; that is, that provided they be Chriftians, it is no matter how careless lives they lead.

Chriftians would do well to confider what the Spirit of God faith, That we are heirs of falvation upon no other terms but thefe, That denying ungodliness and worldly lufts, we live foberly, righteously, and godly, in this prefent world. And whoever does not do fo, his Christian name will be of little use to him.

The next great mistake is of those who place holiness in outward devotion; in attendthe publick worship; in hearing the word, and obferving ordinances.

ing

Chriftians fhould confider, that these are only means of attaining holiness; that as fuch they are neceffary to be obferved; but that they are otherways of no value in the fight of God, if they do not help to free us from the flavery of fin; cure us of an immoderate love for the world; increase our faith and hope in God; and bring us to love him with all our hearts, and our neighbour for his fake.

Who has required this at your hand, to tread my courts? was the very queftion which God afked thofe Jews, who were careful to attend the temple fervice, but took no care to lead ą life anfwerable to fuch a practice.

There are many who fatisfy themselves with leading a moral, harmless life, (as people love to speak) but without any regard to the law of God, or taking any care to regulate the heart, or to cure its corruptions; and lastly, without acknowledging the neceffity of a Redeemer.

Now, though this fort of holiness might be commendable in an Heathen, yet it will never be accepted from Chriftians. To bring forth no fruit was cause fufficient for that sentence upon the barren tree, Cut it down, and caft it into the fire.

Chriftians fhould know, that faith is the only principle of holiness; because it is faith only that can create in us those holy difpofitions, of thankfulness to God for his mercies, of loving his law, of defiring to please him, and of dreading his anger; all which are abfolutely neceffary to fit us for the vifion of God.

There is another fad mistake which many Christians labour under, and that is, in depending upon good purposes. They know they are not what they fhould be; they wish, and hope, and refolve, that it fhall not always be fo; and are fo weak as to imagine, that there is fomething which pleaseth God in fuch good

e Ifaiah i. 12.

good purposes; though at the fame time they fuffer the world, its cares, its pleasures, and all its idols, to poffefs their hearts. Now this is fo far from leffening, that it increases their guilt; while they make no better use of those holy purposes which the good Spirit of God put into their minds, in order to lead them to a true conversion.

There is another mistake as fatal and as common; it is that of thofe, who confefs, are forry for, and forfake their fins for a while, and then return to them again. Now this is just as much an holy life, as that man's is a regular life, who lives diforderly till he is fick, takes up till he is well, and then returns to his follies, and does fo till death puts an end to an ill-fpent life.

Christians are but too apt to feek for their own juftification in the bad lives of others. I am not as bad as that publican was an old device to make the mind eafy without true holinefs; and Chriftians follow the example without perceiving it. God grant that the judgment which our Lord has given in this very cafe, may cure all Chriftians of fo pernicious a mistake!

But then there are those who comfort themfelves with this thought,―That they are no worse than others:-Every man has his failings, and I have mine. So that covetousness is one man's failing; drunkenness is another's; whoredom, perhaps, is another's; injustice, pro

fane

fane fwearing, backbiting, hatred, variance, defpifing the ordinances of God, are the failings

of others.

Now, what a place do Chriftians fuppofe that heaven is, if fuch as thefe fhall be its inhabitants? St. Paul's words, if seriously attended to and believed, would cure Chriftians of this mistake: I tell you, that they which do fuch things, fhall not inherit the kingdom of God: and then they may know what is like to be their portion.

Why then, fay others, this is enough to make people fall into defpair; if fuch a change of heart and life, fuch a care of the foul, fuch holy difpofitions, are neceffary to fit us for heaven and happiness,

Why now in truth, Chriftians, while they lead unholy lives, fhould defpair of falvation. And it would be the greatest cruelty to perfuade them to hope well for themselves, until they can be perfuaded to live up to that meafure of knowledge and ftrength which Godhas for the present given them, and according to the condition of life in which the providence of God has placed them. It is not required that Chriftians fhould be perfect at once, or all equally perfect; but it is abfolutely neceffary that all Christians should fincerely endeavour to please God to the best of their power, and then they are as perfect as God would have them to be.

f Gal. v. 21.

We

We know how hard it would be to cure very many Chriftians of another great delufion, of thinking that they have time enough before them to get fuch habits of holiness as the gofpel requires. Some think they are too young to fet about fo ferious a work; others imagine that worldly bufinefs will excufe them for the prefent. Let us put thefe and fuch-like pretences into their true language, and fee how it will found:-It is too foon to be holy; that is, it is too foon to love God, to keep his commands, to ftrive to please him: but when I have had my fhare of worldly pleasures as others have had before me, which I cannot have if I fhould now devote myself to God, then I will begin to be holy. When I have got wealth enough to make the remainder of my life very eafy, which I cannot do fo foon as I would without breaking some of God's laws, then I will become a new man. I know it may be faid to me, as it has been to thousands before me, Thou fool, this night fhall thy foul be required of thee. I know likewife, that God hath faid, To-day, if ye will bear my voice, harden not your hearts; left ye never enter into my reft. I know too, that the longer I go on in the ways of fin, the harder it will be to take up. But all this fhall not difcourage me; I will go on, though I perish eternally.

This, I fay again, is the true language of fuch as put off their converfion. Let but peo

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