II.

SERM. all things are naked and open unto His eyes, that we may live as having Him the constant witness of our words and actions. I must not, therefore, deceive myself, nor fancy, that if I should be so unhappy as not to believe, or not to mind these things, that therefore I have no reason to fear what will follow: for God's Word will come to pass, though all the world should not mind it.

'I see, therefore, how necessary it is to have the articles of my Christian Faith in my memory, and before my eyes continually; and to beg of God daily to increase my faith. I will read or hear God's Word with reverence, and endeavour to lay up in my heart what I hear and understand. And, knowing that faith is the gift of God, I will not fail to ask it of God with all the earnestness of my soul; for I have been told, and do believe, that the most learned man on earth cannot convince or convert me, unless I attend to the Word spoken, and ponder it in my heart, and beg of God to enlighten my mind.

'I will not be afraid to ask myself this short question, Do I live by faith? that is, does the fear of God hinder me from doing what I know will displease Him? Do the promises of God affect my heart, and make me desirous to be made worthy to obtain them? Do the judgments of God upon wicked people, which are recorded in the Holy Scriptures, make me take warning, and fear to draw down the like judgments upon myself? Have I a just value for the Christian Religion, and its ordinances and ministers, and for whatever has any relation to God? Have I a love for the Gospel, and for the truths contained in it; and do I resolve to govern my. self according to them? Do I consider what a dreadful thing it is for a christian so to live as if not one word of the Gospel were true? Do I hate sin as most displeasing to God, and hurtful to my own salvation? Do I distrust myself and my own strength, and put my whole trust and confidence in God? Do I constantly pray for His grace to increase my faith, and that I may be able to live as becomes my profession? If I do this in the sincerity of my heart, then I may be assured that I live by faith; and that I have a principle of a new life, which, if I do not stifle it, will in the end bring me to everlasting life and happiness.'

These, I say, will (through the blessing of God) be the fruits; these, or such like, will be the observations and resolutions which a serious christian will make, who has carefully minded what has at any time been said upon the subject of faith.

Let us, in the next place, suppose, that you have heard a sermon concerning THE LOVE OF GOD. The love of God being the first and great command; it would be unpardonable [Matt. 22. 36-38.] for a christian to hear a sermon upon that subject without minding it, and without being bettered by it.

I will endeavour to shew you how you may be truly edified by such a discourse, if you have seriously attended to it. You will, in the first place, have been put in mind, that God is worthy of your greatest love, and that He may justly require it of you, that you love Him above all things; because He made you, and it is He who by His providence preserves you. every day of your life, and who is the giver of all the blessings you either enjoy or hope for. Besides this, He intends, out of His infinite goodness, to make you happy for ever, if it is not your own fault. And though you know in your conscience, that you have grievously offended God, yet He is ready to pardon you upon your sincere repentance. And to convince you of this, after the most kind and gracious manner, He sent His beloved Son from heaven to assure us thereof, and of His GOOD-WILL TO MEN: by Him proposing [Luke 2. terms of pardon and mercy upon most reasonable conditions, and eternal happiness upon performing them.

His Son also procured for us this great favour, that we might apply to God, as to a father, in all our necessities; for whatever we want in all our troubles: and this with confidence that He would hear us with the tenderness of a father. Besides this, you will have been instructed what it is To LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART. That it is, to desire and to strive to please God in all your actions. To have a great regard to His laws; to what He has commanded, and to what He has forbidden. To love His Word, in which His will is made known to us; and His ministers, who are by Him appointed to instruct you, and to watch for your souls as they that must give an account. It is to speak of God after the most respectful manner, that others may learn by your ex

14.]

II.

SERM. ample to love and reverence Him. It is to be pleased and rejoice when God is honoured; when things go as God would have them; when justice, piety, and charity, do thrive and are encouraged; and to be grieved, when God's laws are transgressed, neglected, or despised. Lastly, it is to submit to God's will, and what He orders for you; and to suffer any thing, rather than knowingly and wilfully to offend God; and to deny yourself every thing which you have reason to believe will displease Him.

Having heard all this with seriousness and attention, you cannot but come to some such resolutions as these following:

'I see plainly, that I can have no security, no real satisfaction in life, until I can bring my heart to love God sincerely. In order to this, I will often call to mind the many blessings which I have received from God, that I may give Him thanks for them: the surest way to increase my love for Him who has been so good and kind to me. I will read or hear His Holy Word with care, that I may know His will, His promises, and the great reward He has proposed to His faithful servants. I will abhor and avoid all such persons, principles, company, and conversation, as may lessen my esteem for and love of God. I will not let the love of the world possess my heart, lest I forget God, and forget that He is my only good. And because love amongst friends is soon lost for want of conversing with one another, I will go to God daily, and lay my wants and my desires before Him: particularly, I will beg of God to pour into my heart such love towards Him, that I may love Him above all things, and that His love may be the commanding principle of my life.'

These, I say, or some such, will be the thoughts and resolutions of every sober christian, who has attended to a sermon concerning the Love of God. And he will be more careful to put these resolutions in practice, when he considers, that such as do not love God, do really hate God (as monstrous a sin as that is); that is, they wish that there were no such a being to call them to account for their wicked deeds. And they are pleased with such men, and such arguments, as tend to lessen their belief of a future state, and a future account. So dreadful is the sin of hating (that is, of not loving) God.

39.]

We will suppose again, that you had been instructed in the meaning and importance of the second great command, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF. It is pro- [Matt. 22. bable you will have been put in mind of the great stress that is laid upon this command by Christ Himself: "This com- John 4. 21. mandment have we from Him; that he who loveth God, love his brother also." From which you will conclude, that nothing can more effectually recommend you to the favour of God, than a love for your neighbour; since God has placed this duty the very next to the love we owe to Himself. You will be careful therefore to remember, what you have learned from Christ Himself as well as from His ministers, whom you are to account your neighbour, and how you are to shew your love to him.

You will remember, that every man is your neighbour and your brother, who may be benefited by your love. That God is our common father, and that all we are brethren. That we are all members of the same body, of which Jesus Christ is the head. That God has so ordered matters, that the members of this body should depend one upon another. That the poor shall depend upon the rich for their subsistence; and the rich, whatever they think of it, shall receive a greater advantage from the prayers of the poor. You will then call to mind how you are to express your love to your neighbour. The command says, YOU ARE TO LOVE HIM AS YOURSELF. You know, without a teacher, how you love yourself. That you wish and take satisfaction in your own welfare and prosperity. That you are sorry, when any evil or mischief befalls yourself. You do not love to have your own faults aggravated, or your good name abused; and how ready you are to find excuses for your own mistakes. In short, you know very well how you would have others to shew their love for you. And that it is no small comfort for the ignorant and unlearned, that their duty is contained in so few words; and that they can easily understand it, by considering how they love, how they would be dealt with themselves.

These things considered, you will, if you have any grace in your heart, come to some such resolutions as these following:

'I see that I am bound as a christian, and at the peril of

II.

SERM. my soul, to be just to, to forgive, and give to, and love, and pray for, my neighbour, as becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ. I will therefore do no wrong to any man, though I could hope to be never so great a gainer by it. I will not oppress, over-reach, vex, or harass others, though it should be in my power. I will not envy my neighbour's prosperity, nor bear malice in my heart, though I could never so well conceal it. I will despise no man living for the meanness of his condition, or for the misfortunes that may have befallen him; knowing very well, that we are all subject to misfortunes, to failings, to every thing that may make a man contemptible. I will be ready to do good with what God has blessed me, and even glad to communicate, knowing that with such sacrifices God is pleased. I will not render evil for evil, though revenge is sweet to flesh and blood. If any man is my enemy without cause, I will pray that God would convert him; that He will restrain and keep him from evil and mischief, which otherwise will be the greatest injury to himself. I will not say, that my neighbour does not deserve my love; for if God should deal with me according to my deserts, I should be the most miserable creature alive. I will not dare to say, such a man has injured me, and I will not forgive him; because God Himself has declared, that just so He will deal with me. I will bear with the infirmities of others, hoping that others, and especially God Himself, will bear with mine. I will thus endeavour to express my love to my neighbour, out of love to God, who has commanded me so to do; and because I believe it will be most acceptable to the Divine Majesty. And I will beg of God to give me the spirit of love; and that the love of God, and of my neighbour, may be the commanding principle of my life. And, that every night of my life, I may lie down to sleep with the same charitable dispositions with which I desire and hope to die.'

This will be the true way oF PROFITING BY SERMONS, and you will return home from God's house with a blessing.

We will suppose, in the next place, that you had been instructed by God's minister, concerning the necessity, the indispensable necessity, of AN HOLY LIFE. You would not, sure, go home, and think no more upon a subject, which it so much