In one word; it is by the good blessing of God, that fo many of us here present want nothing that is needful either for our fouls or our bodies; whatever we are able to give cometh of him, and of his own do we give him.

Let us therefore, inftead of withholding our charity, let us befeech God to pardon all our vain expences; to make us fo careful of his bleffings, as that we may always be able and ready to offer fome teftimony of our gratitude for the many bleffings we have received from God, to be given where his providence fhall direct us to give.

And the good LORD give a bleffing to all our charities, and especially to this before us, that they may continue, and always answer the ends proposed by them.

And God Almighty grant, if ever it should be his pleasure to change any of our circumstances into a worfe condition, that we may bear it patiently, knowing that we have a treasure in heaven.

To which place may we all be admitted, through the merits and interceffion of Chrift Jefus our Lord, where our portion fhall be to praise God continually, and afcribe to him, with the Son, and the Holy Spirit, all honour, power, might, majesty, and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.

SERMON

SERMON XLV.

THE DANGER OF LIVING IN ANY KNOWN SIN.

ROMANS i, 28.

AS THEY DID NOT LIKE TO RETAIN GOD IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE, GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO A REPROBATE MIND, TO DO THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT CONVENIENT.a

IF

F people were but well aware and afraid of the causes of God's forfaking men, and leaving them to themselves, as they are startled at the very thoughts of the condition of those that are fo given up, it is certain they would be more careful of their ways than generally they are.

Now, the reafon here given why God left the heathens to themselves, and fuffered them to fall into idolatry and all manner of wickedness, is this: They would not retain God in their knowledge; that is, They forgot their dependance upon him; they were not afraid of his displeasure; they were not thankful for his favours; upon which God gave them up to a reprobate mind, or, as it is tranflated in the margin of our bibles, a mind void of judgSee Exod. x. 27. Zeph. i. 17.

ment.

ment. In which words we have a juft account and reafon of God's deferting men; of the causes and steps which lead to this dreadful judgment; and of the confequences and effects which attend it.

For the fhort account is this:-Men fall into finful company and courses; and either from the good education they have had, or from the checks of natural conscience, finding it uneafy to live in fin, while they have a lively fenfe of God upon their fouls, they therefore endeavour to divert fuch thoughts and fears as make them uneafy, until time, and wicked principles, and wicked company, reconcile them to every abomination. And that which most effectually helps on their ruin is this; They often fin with hopes and purposes of fome time returning to fober reafon, until they fall into fuch courfes as make them forget both their purposes and their God.

Therefore, in treating upon this fubject, I shall be obliged to lay before you the danger of living in any known fin, for that is the beginning of all our mifery; and to fhew you that people run a greater hazard than generally they are aware of, who go against their confciences in leffer things, and venture to break the laws of God, in hopes of taking up when they please.

And how neceffary it is that we should be truly convinced of this, appears from hence, because

because most people do find, by fad experience, that they have fallen into fuch fins and courses as fometime in their lives they abhorred the thoughts of; and because there was a time when the most profligate finners hated vices which now they are fo fond of, and were afraid of the anger of God and his judgments, which now they despise.

It will therefore be of great use to us to know by what means men come to change their thoughts and practices fo much for the worfe; to know that the wickedness, and confequently the miseries of men, are owing to their own careleffness, and wilful continuing in known fin, and not to any harsh and fatal decree, which brings them to ruin; and that men are virtuous and good, not because they cannot be otherwife, but because they find it reasonable and just to be afraid of judgments and danger, when God gives them warning, and to avoid those things which he has told them will bring them to deftruction; by which means they fecure his favour and protection, and by his goodness and providence are kept from fuch wickedness as would otherwife ruin them.

So that we shall from hence learn how much every man ought to contribute to his own happiness; and how much he may contribute to his own misery, if he will be obftinately careless.

For