is

IV.

the Gofpel, but if thou observest it not, thy bap-SER M. tism shall fignify nothing. Though a man cannot be faved under any religion, yet he may perish under any one. What a poor pretence it when one has nothing to trust to and rely upon, as the ground of his eternal hope, but only that he is an orthodox man! An orthodox fon of this or that Church! So far it is well. But what does it fignify to be an orthodox drunk, ard, an orthodox fwearer, an orthodox fabbath breaker? If fuch would but admit one to reafon foberly with them, I would ask them, "What! "do you not believe, that holiness is as effential

to Christianity, as truth? Do you not think "that the decalogue is of as good authority, as "the articles of your creed? Is there not the "fame authority for the agenda, as there is for "the credenda of a Chriftian? Has not any man, "that owns the Chriftian name, as great obli

gations to be pious, fober, and chafte; as he "has to be true, or right in his principles?" There is certainly the fame authority for the one as for the other. What does a man hope he fhall gain, by tearing the effential parts, of the Christian religion afunder, as much as in him lies, or by dividing Christianity from it self!

VI. WE fee how weak a thing the light of an unregenerate perfon is, and how little reafon fuch a one has to glory in his profeffion. How weak, I fay, is this light! too weak to reftrain him from fuch grofs inconfiftencies as these are: as weak it

must

II.

VOL. muft be, fince it permits him to run into the moft palpable abfurdities; and even fuffers him to make a profeffion that he knows GOD, the great Lord and Ruler of all things, whilft he lives in a continual difobedience to him. With fome, indeed, the knowledge of the true religion does fignify more. We read of fome that by the knowledge of GOD, have escaped the corruptions of the world, thro' lufth; but with many others, you see their light is fo impotent and inefficacious a thing, that it cannot withhold them from making beasts of themselves, instead of Christians. And that is a doleful thing to think of, that a man fhould have light to no other purpose, than to damn him! A light, which upon all other accounts is darkness, and makes his profeffion of religion fo much the worse and more dangerous. To this purpose our Bleffed Saviour fpeaks, If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! The knowledge of fome Chriftians is no better than meer' paganism. Whatever it is, they do the fame things they would do if they had none. As to certain points indeed they are of fuch a belief; but they walk and practice, as if they were of a quite contrary faith. How weak then is their light, and how deplorable is the case of such men!

Do we not fee then how little they have to boast of? Such a profeffion as this is can furely be a matter of no glory to them. Nor is to be accounted

accounted fo, any more than we would efteem SER M.. the title of Lord of Knight, a glory to the IV. man who is forced to go naked or in filthy rags every day. So they walk in their nakedness, like accurfed creatures; as they are implied to be by the bleffing which is pronounced on those, who keep their garments fo, as that their nakedness may not appear. It is but a poor glory, and empty honour to be called Chriftians on fuch terms!

VII. WE farther learn, how mysterious a piece of felf-contradiction fuch a wicked profeffor is, and how unhappy his condition must neceffarily be. A Christian, of an unchanged heart and vicious life, has one and the fame object of worship and contempt. It is a strange kind of monfter that this muft needs be. No eye hath ever seen any thing more monftrous! Having the head and face of a Chriftian, joined with the hands and heart of an atheift. So true and pertinent was the faying of a noble Italian lord, "That "there is no monster in all the world, worse "than a fpeculative atheist, except one; and "that is the practical atheist, who is the more "horrid monfter of the two."

How unhappy then muft fuch a perfon be! To every good work reprobate, and yet a profeffor! How uneafy muft his life be, who muft do many things, which, in fubftance are good works, that he may keep up the fhew of religion,

VOL. let them be never fo much his averfion! How II. uneafy a life, I fay, is this to go against the grain,

and to do things in a continued course for which a man has no heart nor relifh! To come into the affemblies of God's people when he had rather be fomewhere else; and many other fuch like things muft he do to keep up a profeffion. This is indeed a moft grievous thing, for a man to have only an artificial religion, which proceeds from no vital principle, and perfectly difagrees to the habit of his foul, and the bent and temper of his heart. And that a man fhould toil at it all his days, is a fad cafe; especially when it is confidered, that it is but for a fhadow, for that which will turn to no account, or rather to a heavy one.

VIII. LASTLY; We fee hence the neceffity of renewing grace. This is abfolutely neceffary, not only to reconcile man to GOD, but also to reconcile him to himself to make the man to agree with himself; who without the grace and fpirit of regeneration, neither agrees with GOD, nor his own foul. He fights with heaven, and his whole life is a continual fighting against himfelf. He practices wickedly against his profeffion of godliness; directly contrary to all his worship and his own prayers. Methinks, therefore, this should make fuch a man long to feel the power of regenerating grace, that he may bring things to an agreement between GoD and himself. For the light which makes him profess, does not govern his practice. It is too weak, as you

have

have feen, and infufficient for this purpose. SER M. There needs fomething more to change him, and IV. to give him a right spirit; and when that is done, then all will be well. Then he can take pleasure in GOD, his worship and converse, and to no good work will he be reprobate any more.

BUT here a great question might arise; to wit, "What should a man do in the mean time, who "has not attained, as yet, the regenerating grace "of the fpirit of Chrift? Is it not better (that "fo there may be a greater harmony of things) "that he should give over profeffing, fince he "has only that in his own power? For it is in "his power to give up his profeffion, though "not to change his heart and life. Or, at least, "fhould he not do fo till there be a change, "that may bring his profeffion and the courfe "of his walking, to a perfect confiftence and "agreement with one another ?" To this I anfwer briefly :

1. WHEREAS there must be a change in order to an agreement between profeffion and practice, certainly that must be changed which is wrong. It is very evident the change ought to be where the fault is. He profeffes a religion which is true; the alteration then must not be there, but in his spirit and his courfe, which are wrong. And,

2. As the question fuppofes the laying down a profeflion as being in one's own power, there must and ought to be a greater regard here to moral power than natural; that is, to what I may do, rather than to what I can do. There is no

thing