them and live accordingly; for we are in a state of deep corruption.

But then the defign of religion is, to deliver us out of this miferable ftate; to restore us to the favour of God; to obtain his grace to enable us to do what by nature we are not able to do; to gain us a title to eternal happinefs, which we have no right, no pretence to.

Now, the Chriftian religion, where men embrace it fincerely, will do all this for us. If a man fears God, trembles at his word, believes the promises of God made to us when we were baptifed; if a man is afraid of offending God, forry for it when he knows he has done amifs; begs God's pardon, prays for his grace; keeps out of the way of temptation; makes ufe of the means of grace which God affords him:-Whoever does this fincerely, may depend upon it that God will give him a new heart, new defires, a better understanding, more strength, a firmer faith, and wellgrounded hope; or, in the words of scripture, he will become a new man, a new creation.And then he will fee plainly, that religion is as neceffary for a man who would fave his foul, as meat and drink are for a man who would preferve his body from death.

But if, instead of doing this, Christians, notwithstanding their promifes, will follow the inclinations of their own hearts, which too often lead to fin; why then religion will become a burthen to them, they will get into

a way

a way and habit of finning; and, wanting ftrength to break the bonds in which fin has laid them faft, they will have nothing left but anguish and defpair; they will commit iniquities with greedinefs, and not fee their danger till there are no hopes of a remedy.

I know very well what people are apt to fay in their hearts to all this. All this ado cannot be expected from us; we are ignorant; we have too much of other bufinefs upon our hands; it is enough if we can do the outward duties of religion; let those that have more learning and time think, and watch, and pray, and keep out of the way of temptations.

This is the language of thofe who would lead a careless life, and yet expect to be happy. To all which one may give thefe fhort anfwers:

Those who say they have no time, do not, it feems, know what it is that religion requires of them.

He is not always the beft Chriftian who fpends moft time in reading and praying, but he who honestly difcharges the duties of his place and calling.

And if a poor man, who is burthened with a family, or encumbered with bufinefs, will yet find a minute's time to pray for God's grace and bleffing as well as he can, and give God thanks for the favours he receives; if he is content with his condition, and does not attempt to better it by unjust ways; if he

teaches

teaches his children to fear God, and takes care to correct them when they do what they should not; if he is upright in his dealings, obedient to his governors, peaceable in his converfation, temperate in his way of living, and in charity with his neighbours; why, this man's religion is fuch as it fhould be, and here is no great deal of time spent in doing what he ought to do.

So that want of time will never be a juft excufe for any man, for not being as good a Christian as he ought to be. Much less want of learning. And yet people are apt to think fo. At the fame time, if any man should take upon him to preach and to advise men to live at the rate moft people do live, he would be looked upon as the worft of men, even by the most ignorant man that should hear him. If a man fhould tell you, you need not be over-exact in your dealings, nor do to others as you would wish to be dealt with yourself; if he should bid you to enjoy the world while you may, and take no thought for what may come hereafter; if he should tell you, that as wife people as you have done fo, and have put off their repentance to the last moment of their lives; the most ignorant would foon fay, this is no fafe doctrine, we understand better than fo ourselves. Do you fo? Why then, ignorance will be no cloak for your fin, neither now, nor at the day of judgment.

But

But how fhall one refift fo many temptations that he is fure to meet with? Chriftianity furnishes you with fufficient means of avoiding, refifting, or overcoming, all the difficulties you can poffibly meet with provided you embrace it in good earnest. God, who has fet us in the midst of temptations, and yet requires us not to yield to them, has bound himself to help us, if we do our duty.

But here is the cheat we put upon ourfelves:-Our inclinations lead us to do fomething or other which we know God has forbidden us; we do not confider that he has forbidden us fuch things out of pure love to our fouls. We firft wish that he had not forbidden us; then we confider all the difficulties we have to ftruggle with; then we flatter ourselves with the hopes that God, who knows our circumftances, will pardon our tranfgreffions; we confider his goodness, but not his juftice, or else we hope fome time or other to repent, and make fatisfaction for the fault, and fo we commit it without further fcruple or reflection.

Whereas a ferious Chriftian, in the first place, keeps out of the way of temptation as much as may be. By that he fhews his love to God, whom he would not willingly offend. If he cannot well avoid the temptation, then he foberly refolves not to yield to it; he confiders who it is that he fhall offend if he fhould do fo; he reflects upon the folemn promifes

promises he has made of not doing any thing which God has forbidden him; and knowing that God is able and ready to help him, he flees to him for fuccour and grace to withstand the temptation, and he is fure to find help in time of need.

But the generality of Chriftians live without laying these things much to heart; the more is the pity. But will you go head ong to destruction, because other people are running carelessly, to their ruin? A wife man

will not ask, what do others do; it that God would have me do? my profeffion require of me?

but what is

What does

When once people find that a Christian is refolved to live fo as becomes his character, they will not expect that he should do as the world does-live at all adventures; nay, they will cenfure him if he does fo. This man, they will fay, makes profeffion of christianity, why does he not live as becomes a Christian?

In fhort; few people are fo hardened as to fay, I am refolved to have no religion; but there are an infinite number of Chriftians who are content to live like heathens, and yet hope that all will be well with them at the last. What fhall one fay to make them fenfible of their stupidity? Shall we ask them, whether they believe an eternity to come, of endless joys or endless mifery? Yes, they will fay, they do. What, and yet live as if you neither feared nor believed them? Seek ye first the

kingdom