were grievous fins, for which he was to anfwer?

Need any fervant to be told, that he has a master in heaven, to whom he will, one day, be accountable for his fidelity to his earthly master?-that if he has been an eye-fervant, that if he has wafted his master's goods, or fuffered others to do fo, that it will be required at his hands?

And the fame Lord and Judge of the world will require it of the mafter, that he hath been just and kind to, and careful of his fervants, there being with God no refpect of perfons.

The most ignorant knows, as well as the most learned, that God will require it of him, if he does any violence or hurt to his neighbour, if he wishes any man's death, if he takes pleasure in the calamities that befal other men, if he is inhuman and hard-hearted.

And they that know, (and who is there that does not?) that they themselves shall stand in need of pardon from God, cannot but conclude that, if they do not forgive others, God will not forgive them at the great day.

Whoredom, adultery, and all fins of uncleannefs, are fo contrary to the notion which every body has of heaven, and the happiness we there expect, that the most ignorant Chriftian cannot, dare not hope for any favour from God, who has been fo unhappy as to fall into thefe fins, and has not bitterly repented him of his folly.

Drunkenness,

Drunkenness, intemperance, and an idle life, because they send men out of the world fooner than God and nature defigned; God has therefore strictly forbidden these things, and will therefore ftrictly require it of all Christians if they do not obey his commands.

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Who will fay, that we have not received a mighty bleffing, in having the will and laws of God, and the way of life, made known to us, after fo plain a manner, that, as the prophet speaks, The wayfaring men, though fools, Shall not err therein? And will not much be required of every Chriftian man, who has thefe helps to falvation, and will not make use of them?

Will any Chriftian fay, that the things which are commanded are too hard for him to obferve, who confeffeth, that with God all things are poffible, and who knows that God has promised all neceffary affiftance to them who fincerely pray for it? And what will any Christian have to fay for himself, who hath fuch encouragement to pray to God, and yet neglects to do it; or does it after fuch a manner as fhews plainly, that he is very indifferent whether God grants or denies him his petitions?

Christians confefs, that the laws of God are holy, juft, and good, and that they are defigned purely for our good; they readily confefs their own inability, without the fpecial grace of God, to keep these laws, and yet they will not

afk this grace as they should do. Will not fuch have a great deal to answer for?

And because the most ignorant perfon may not have it to fay for himself, that he knows not how to pray, our Lord has given us a most perfect form of prayer, which we may use without fear of praying amifs, provided our hearts be well difpofed; that is, if we are truly fenfible of our fad condition, and that we want God's help, and that we refolve to do what he has commanded to the best of our power.

Will it not then, do we fuppofe, will it not be required of every Chriftian, that he has let no day of his life pass without praying to God for himself, and for all Chriftians, as that holy prayer directs we should do? That we pray for pardon, for grace, for God's protection and bleffing upon ourselves, upon our neighbour, upon our children, upon our families, and upon our labours.

Will it not be required of every Christian, that he has given God thanks daily, for the bleffings he has daily received from his bounty; for the means of grace; for the dangers he has escaped, whether ghoftly or bodily; for fuccefs in his labours, and for the continuance of his life.

Lastly; Will it not be required of every Christian, who pretends to love God, that he has prayed daily that God may be honoured and glorified by the good lives of Christians;

that

that God would fet up his kingdom in all the world, and in all our hearts; that we may close with the will of God whenever it is made known to us.

This, we must fay again, will be required of the most unlearned Chriftian, who can but fay the Lord's prayer, (and who will, for very fhame, say that he cannot?) it will be required of him, that he has devoutly, and upon all occafions, begged of God to hear him according to the full importance and meaning of that divine prayer. And fad will be the account of every Chriftian, who has not done fo to the best of his understanding and power!

To proceed:-God has appointed certain ordinances, as moft fure means of conveying pardon to finners, grace to fuch as fincerely defire it, and falvation to all who devoutly

close with them. These ordinances God has put into the hands of his minifters, to be difpensed to all fuch as fhall be religiously disposed to receive them. Very much, therefore, will be required of every man, who shall flight or neglect fuch means of falvation, which are defigned by God to admit us into, and to keep us in his favour.

By baptifm we are admitted into the church of Chrift; and by that facrament we have a right to all the bleffings and promises of the gospel. And when, through infirmity, through temptation, or for want of due care, we have broken the covenant of our God, he

has

has in great mercy appointed another facrament, whereby we may be restored to his favour upon our true repentance.

What will any Christian have to fay for himself at the great day, who, having been dedicated to God in baptifm, has taken no care to live as became the holy profeffion he then made of continuing Chrift's faithful fervant unto his life's end?

What will thofe parents have to answer for, who have taken no care to have their children inftructed in the faith and fear of God; who have taken more care of their bodies than of their fouls; and by doing fo, have exposed both their fouls and bodies to eternal deftruction?

And can we imagine, that it will not be required of all perfons that are come to years of difcretion, and fee the fin and the dangers they are expofed to, if they did not take upon themselves the covenant made for them in baptifm, and thereby fecure a greater portion of the fpirit of God, to enable them to encounter the difficulties they had to struggle with?

And fuch will ftill have more to answer for, if, after they have taken upon themselves their baptifmal vows, they fall into a careless, or a wicked way of living.

Jefus Chrift has given unto Christians one of the greatest pledges of his love, in the sacrament of the Lord's fupper; in order to keep up the remembrance of his death, by which alone we obtain remission of our fins.

f Luke xxii. 19.

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