*ciple? I answer, I judge no man's heart; but, while I leave it to the decifive judgment of God, would willingly fubject its actings to its own review. It is but an appeal to the inward court of conscience, or rather a citation of the perfon, with conscience as the witness, to the tribunal of him that "trieth the reins and the heart." But after all, there is no difficulty in going a step farther. We may often know the "tree by its "fruits." We may often difcern the falfhood of these plaufible moralifts, by an habitual worldlinefs of temper and conversation, by a great indifference about the ordinances and worship of God; nay, fometimes a bold and avowed oppofition to vital experimental religion, to the language and exercifes of the fpiritual life.

To prevent the misunderstanding of what hath been faid, it will be neceffary to obferve, that I intend not to deny the propriety or the use of these affiftant motives, as they may be called, which arife from the present benefit and advantage of true religion. I have faid only, that the obedience or reformation which flows from no higher principle, is not fuch as will be acceptable to God; it is not that change which is neceffary before we can enter into life eternal There are, however, various uses to which these confiderations may justly, and ought in duty to be applied. They ought to fatisfy us of the excellence and truth of religion in general, and to

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be produced in oppofition to the licentious and profane topics of converfation, fo often to be met with in promifcuous company. When any one begins to declaim in favour of luft and fenfuality, and alledges that nature has given us defires, and why fhould it give them, but in order to their gratification? Let the hearer immediately obferve, that, by the corruption of nature, our appetites are greatly inflamed, and not at all in a found state; that, as is plain from the most incontested experience, the best and most defireable enjoyment of any fenfible delights is, that thankful, felf-denied, moderate ufe of them, which the word of God authorises or prescribes.

The fame reflections may very properly serve for awakening groffer finners to a sense of their danger. The prodigal feems to have been first brought to himself by a deep reflection upon his own folly. But he did not reft here: he did not content himself with endeavouring to recover, by fobriety and induftry, the wealth which he had fquandered away, but returned to his father for the forgiveness of his crime. In the fame manner, no doubt, the lofs of health, fubftance, and reputation, fhould convince the finner of the evil of his ways. This argument is used by the apostle Paul: "What fruit had ye then in the "things of which ye are now afhamed *?" But * Rom. vi, 21.

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I would never call that religion, which proceeds to no higher views; nor that repentance, which is compleated by no better principle.

Such reflections should also be improved by every good man, to imprefs his mind with a deep fenfe of the goodness of God. Every thing that ⚫he commands is truly moft eligible in itself, and moft beneficial to us. His will is as gracious as his authority is abfolute. Religion's "ways "are ways of pleasantnefs, and all her paths are peace.*" Well might our bleffed Mafter fay, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;

for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye fhall "find reft unto your fouls: for my yoke is easy, "and my burden is light +." This should daily difpofe us to thankfulness to that God who furrounds us with his care, and who follows us with loving-kindness and with tender mercies. His very restraints are favours, his commands are bleffings.

Is it poffible to avoid adding, that the fame views fhould be made ufe of to fortify us against temptation. When a fenfe of duty is the prevailing defire, we may very fafely corroborate it with all these inferior confiderations. It fhould make fin the more hateful and abominable, and prevent us from yielding to that party which Matt. xi. 29, 30.

* Prov. iii. 17.

ftill

ftill fecretly pleads for it in our imperfectly fanctified hearts.

Before I leave this branch of the fubject, I muft fpeak a few words to finners of a different character. If then many decent and regular perfons are neverthelefs under the wrath of God, what terror fhould this give to the more openly prophane, who are living in inftances of grofs wickedness? How many are there to be found among us, nay, how many appear from fabbath to fabbath in our worfhipping-affemblies, who live in the habitual practice of fome of the most notorious crimes? How many, who live in a bold defiance of the truths and laws of our great Mafter, who are not only ftained with original pollution, but labouring under a daily increasing load of actual guilt? Are there not fome fwearers and blafphemers of the great and dreadful name of God? fome despisers and prophaners of his holy day? Some who add drunkenness to thirst, wafting the creatures of God by diffipating their own fubftance, defacing the image of God by undermining their own health, at one and the fame time procuring and haftening their final deftruction? Are there not fome walking in the luft of uncleannefs? fome retaining, without reftitution, the gain of unrighteousness? Is it not furprising that fuch do not tremble at the word of God? Can there be any doubt that all of the

above characters are unrenewed? Is there any pretence for their deceiving themselves? There is no juft excufe even for the more regular and sober building their hope on a false foundation, but there is not so much as a fhadow of excufe for them. Dare any fuch entertain a doubt of a judgment to come? Can any mortal be infenfible of the precarioufnefs of time? The king of terrors lays his hand upon one after another, as he receives a commiffion from the King of kings; and it is diftreffing to think in what an unprepared state many receive the fummons, which nevertheless they muft of neceffity obey.

Whoever thou art who readeft these lines, if thou art yet unrenewed, but particularly if thou art one of those whofe fins are open and manifeft, I befeech thee in the most earneft manner, to be reconciled unto God. "Behold now is the ac"cepted time, behold now is the day of falvation. "God is in Chrift reconciling the world unto "himself, not imputing their trefpaffes unto "them." The blood of this Saviour is of infinite value. His Spirit is of irrefiftible efficacy. He is able to fave to the uttermoft all that come unto God by him." Delay not one moGive immediate thanks that thou art not already in the place of torment. Believe in the Son of God for righteoufnefs and ftrength. Add

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