The man of the world indulges his paffions, freely and without conftraint; only taking care to keep within the laws of his country, and fo much reputation as is useful to his affairs. In this, he is in the right, according to his own principles: his expectations are only from the world; it is fit, therefore, that he should make the best of it.

The fervant of Chrift, at the very entrance into his religion, promised to "fight against the world, the flefh, and the devil;" and to promote God's glory, and the good of his fellow-creatures, not only by fome, but by all the means in his power; in fhort, to be wholly the property of Jefus Chrift and of God.

Which, now, of thefe two characters will you affume? If you are a man of the world, you have the advantages which the world promises, though it does not always pay them: if you are a christian, you give up fome feeming advantages for the fake of thofe invifible but ineftimable treasures, the present and future favour of God, through Jefus Christ our Lord. But, there is no mixing these characters there is no " halting between these

two

two opinions." It is abfurd to think of it; and a trifling unsteady conduct is ridiculous in any important bufinefs, and least of all tolerable in religion.

I may, perhaps, make this clearer to you by a familiar inftance. Some of you keep fervants. Suppofe your fervant should refufe many of your orders, because they were not agreeable to his own inclinations, or thofe of his fellow-fervants ; and at fome parts of the day was ready to serve you, and at others determined to please himself. Or, fuppofe he should do what he called his proper business, but neglect your general intereft; or fee you injured or difhonoured frequently, without being any ways grieved at it, or endeavouring to prevent or redress it; would fuch a conduct oblige, or even incline you to "reward him, as a good and faithful fervant?"

your

Nay, further, let us only fuppofe that fervant refufed one command, which he plainly knew you had given, and persist in fuch refufal; or neglect your interest grossly in any one particular; how, let me afk, would you confider him? I believe you

would

What

would both vindicate your authority, and expect an univerfal fidelity and no one would wonder if you fhould. And are not we, by our very profeffion, fervants of Jesus Chrift; bound, not only to obey his commands as far as cuftom or common morals go, but even to promote his glory, with every member of our body and every faculty of our foul, to the end of our lives. then shall we say to those flothful and unprofitable fervants, who have only fo much of religion as to condemn themfelves; a mere profeffional outfide: who are decent, perhaps moral, for the most part, in their conduct, but from fome other principle than devotion; who love not goodnefs and good, men, and who will not ftir a step out of the common road to promote them; who.coolly anfwer, "it is not their bufinefs, and that they fhall make themselves enemies by fuch condu&t."

May Almighty God be merciful unto them! but our fears for them may well exceed our hopes. The prophet David faith of God and his perfections, "like as the hart defireth the water-brooks, fo longeth my foul

after

after thee, O God;" and of the bleffed influences of divine worship, "Oh! how amiable are thy dwellings, thou Lord of hofts! my foul hath a defire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord; yea, my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God." And our faviour, fays, "if ye love me, keep my commandments;" that is, ye will fet your minds upon keeping them without any referve; ye will heartily and uniformly endeavour it; ye will go out of the way to promote them; ye will ftrive against every contrary emotion; ye will lament deeply when ye fail, and, praying for " that grace which is fufficient for you," will watch more carefully for the time to come.

Perfection, indeed, is not in man; and, therefore, is not required by a merciful God. But thus much is required of every chriftian, first, that he indulge no habits of fin; that is, neither habitually practifing what he knows to be wrong, nor habitually omitting what he knows to be right: and, fecondly, that he confiders every thing to be his duty which the providence of God puts in his way to

do,

do, by which he

may, in

any wife, promote his glory, or the good of his fellow-creatures, though it is not the immediate bufinefs of his calling, or even if it be somewhat contrary to his interefts. Lefs than a fincere endeavour after duty, comes not up to the point of being a confiftent christian and " a friend of God;" and, therefore, cannot inherit the promises."

And, now, let us apply thefe obfervations to ourselves, and to our prefent fpiritual condition.

I fear, that the greater part of you, have fome unfubdued diforderly affection, which you prefer before the law of the eternal God. But I will not accufe you; ask yourselves, therefore, these plain queftions. "Am I a confiftent chriftian? do I perform with my best endeavours what I know God expects from me? do I read the fcriptures with thankfulness; or, if I cannot read, do I take all proper opportunities of hearing them read? do I keep the Lord's day holy;" that is, devote it intirely to my own inftruction, and the fervice of God? do I hinder no one else from " keeping the Lord's

"

day