should be my sad lot to be one of those many that go in thereat?

Have I no reason to fear miscarrying? Have I no enemies to be afraid of? Has the world no longer any snares, no temptations? Is Satan no longer "a roaring lion, seek- [1 Pet.5.8.] ing whom he may devour;" finding them off their guard, and from under God's protection? Why then are we so often warned, to fear; to be sober; to be upon our watch continually? Have we no examples of people given up to work all iniquity with greediness?

But, you will say, you have thought of these things. And have you, therefore, no longer reason to be afraid? Are christians no longer subject to backslidings? Does not every man's heart witness against him, that he has often, very often, broke his resolutions? And is there no fear of doing so again?

But God, you say, is infinitely merciful: indeed He is so, or else no man would have been saved.

But let us christians consider, that God is true as well as good; and He will be merciful to us according to the terms He has set down in His holy Word. They that will not submit to these terms must inevitably feel the effects of His severe justice; or else, to what purpose is the book of God filled with judgments threatened, and judgments executed, upon impenitent sinners, but to give those that survive just impressions and reasons for fear?

[Eph.4.19.]

And then, if we add to these reasons the manifold transgressions of our whole lives, the punishment of which is only suspended on condition that we repent and persevere; if we set before our eyes the holiness of that religion which we profess; the majesty of God, to Whose eyes all things are naked and open, Who requires of His servants a sincere endeavour after holiness, and Whose anger is to be dreaded more than death; when we consider, that our lives are not in our own power, and that, within a very few years, we shall every soul of us be in another world: verily, whoever dare think of these things, and are not concerned and fearful for themselves; they must be such, who, as the Prophet speaks, "have made a covenant with death;" that is, who fear no Isa. 28. 15. evil, no judgments.

SERM.

XI.

Ps. 9. 20.

But christians, who have any concern for themselves, will see their danger, and will prostrate themselves before God, and pray Him to put and preserve His fear in their hearts; and to give them all that seriousness, care, and concern, that is necessary to keep them awake, and mindful of what must come hereafter.

These duties may indeed discourage ignorant people, and such as have no care for their souls; for such people look only on the difficulties of a regular life, but know nothing of the happiness of such a life. For example: they do not see what snares, dangers, and troubles, a christian escapes, who is careful of his ways, and is for that reason under the direction of a good Providence. They do not feel with what peace that christian lieth down at night, who hath feared and shunned every evil of the day past; nor with what comfort he riseth in the morning, who is resolved, by the grace of God, to walk circumspectly that whole day. Nor, lastly, will careless people believe, with what peace that man will give up the ghost, who so orders his life, that when his Lord cometh he may be found watching.

All serious people understand, that there is great recompence in such blessings as these for all their care; and for such as are not yet become serious, the best service one can do such is to pray with the Psalmist, "Put them in fear, O Lord, that they may know themselves to be but men;" that they may see their great danger before it be too late to prevent it.

After all, some unfortunate people will be apt to think, that their fears are too great already; and that they rather want advice to lessen them. And indeed it must not be denied, but that fear may exceed its just bounds, and even hinder our serving God as we ought to do. Our great enemy aiming at two things; either to make us careless and fearless, which is a state of perdition, as you have already heard; or else to plunge men into despair of obtaining pardon, of overcoming the corruption of their nature, or of pleasing God by any thing that they can do.

And Satan very often takes advantage of the disorders of the body, to heighten such people's fears, as far as God shall permit him, towards despair.

But they that fear God, their comfort is, that they are in the hands of God, and that no power on earth or hell can touch them any farther than God judges it shall be for their eternal advantage.

And this should keep them from impatience, from repining at God's dealings with them, from charging Him foolishly; and make them more importunate for grace to secure them (as far as God thinks fit) from both these extremes, from a sinful security, and from causeless fear; that they may serve Him "acceptably with reverence and godly Heb. 12. 28. fear."

There is another fear which we are far from recommending, and that is, a slavish fear; such as wicked people, until their consciences are seared, do always labour under-a fear of the vengeance of God for the wickedness they are not willing to forsake.

But this slavish fear is easily known from that religious fear recommended in the text. A slave looks for no favour when he has done amiss; he hates the master he fears; he is obedient only for fear of punishment, and has no concern but to hide his faults. On the contrary, a child of God is afraid indeed when he has done amiss; but he remembers, that He is a Father whom he has offended, and with an humble confidence hopes for His pardon, and loves Him the more because He is so good as to forgive him.

You see by this time, my christian brethren, what I have aimed at; namely, to recommend to you a serious temper, which is the true christian frame of mind and spirit. That this consists in loving God, and fearing to offend Him, and lastly, in resolving to amend wherever we are sensible we have done amiss.

I consider that the approaching season [LENT] is observed by all serious christians with a more than ordinary regard for religious duties.

Many, it is to be hoped, will call themselves to an account for the errors of their lives past, and make sober resolutions of amendment for the time to come.

Such as are sensible that they have transgressed through intemperance, have a good occasion offered them of taking revenge upon themselves by mortification and self-denial;

XI.

SERM. for misspending their time, by retirement; and for neglect of duty, by resolving upon, and setting about the duties of their proper calling, with more care and diligence.

Such as have been at variance will take this occasion of labouring to be reconciled, and to forgive, as they hope for forgiveness themselves at God's hands.

They that are engaged in a sinful way of living of any kind should consider, that this may be the last opportunity offered them by God, of beginning a repentance not to be repented of.

In short; we should all take this occasion of considering, (and this the most ignorant can do, as well as the most learned,) that we have not long to sojourn here; that death is ever at hand, and to be surprised would be the most dreadful thing in the world, for that we shall rise out of the grave just as we lie down in it, either the objects of God's wrath, or of His mercy to all eternity; that therefore we should at all times endeavour to preserve ourselves in a serious temper of mind, and avoid every thing that may make us forget that we have souls capable of the extremest misery if not taken care of; that we are sure to be most happy when we die, if we are careful to please God while we live; and

Lastly, that whenever we suffer ourselves to grow unthoughtful, indifferent, and careless, we are in greater danger than we are aware of, of hardening ourselves against all motives and means of salvation, the fear of hell, and the hopes of heaven.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, let it be seen, by the seriousness of our lives, that we hope to go to heaven when we die.

Which God grant, for Jesus Christ's sake, our most blessed Lord and Saviour.

SERMON XII.

THE CHARACTERS OF A FAITHFUL SERVANT CONSIDERED, AND APPLIED (FOR OUR DIRECTION AND COMFORT), AS WE ARE THE SERVANTS OF GOD

MATTHEW XXV. 20, 21.

He that had received five talents, came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, Thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained besides them five talents more. His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

THE more thoughtful people are, the more apt are they to be cast down with the remembrance of their imperfections and failings; while they that are less careful of their ways are apt to run into another extreme, and hope well for themselves, not always with good reason.

Now all this proceeds from people's having wrong apprehensions of God. And there is no way so likely to free our minds from false hopes on one hand, and on the other from unreasonable fears, as this: to consider well the way of speaking which our blessed Saviour has made use of in the Gospel, to convey to us just and worthy notions of God, and the relation we bear to Him.

For instance: sometimes He calls God Our Father, to assure, and shew us, with what goodness and compassion He will treat us, if we behave ourselves like dutiful children. Sometimes He is called a Judge, to imprint upon our minds, what an impartial sentence we must expect from His justice. Sometimes He is called a King, to shew us the authority He has over us; and that, as a mighty prince, He has power to punish His rebellious subjects, who will not return to their