SERM. the confideration of the goodness of God, II. which appears to all his creatures, and his

mercies which are over all his works, would lead men to hope he will not be extreme to mark the unallow'd defects of them who are uprightly endeavouring to do his will fo far as they know it, and are diligently ufing the best means in their power to know it better yet it must be acknowledged an invaluable priviledge, to have an exprefs declaration to this purpose from God himself well attefted, and that it is a condefcenfion every way worthy of his wisdom and his grace.

Sincerity in doing the will of his heavenly Father is that which Chrift indispensably requires of all his difciples, that is, doing it with a true intention, with the conscious approbation of their own minds, and with good affections. He has in another part of this fermon on the mount (chap. vi. taught us the difference in the examples of prayer and alms-giving, between external works to appearance good, but really hypocritical, as being done only to be seen of men, and fuch as are fincere and acceptable, being done from a real inward love of goodnefs, and with a true intention to approve ourselves to God. One would think it should

te

be no great difficulty for a man reflecting on SERM. himself to know the fprings of action in his II. own mind, and the motives which determine him; whether he is influenced by private, felfish, and corrupt views, or if he acts in those works which outwardly appear virtuous and religious from hearty good-will to his fellow-creatures, love to God, and a defire of being approved by him; yet many impose upon themselves, imagining they do the will of God fo far as is abfolutely neceffary to their acceptance, when really they do it not. This mistake arifes from a fupine negligence in felf-examination, or the ftrong prejudices of a heart hardened thro' the deceitfulness of fin..

And generally the false cover under which the infincerity of the heart, and disobedience of the converfation are disguised, is what I mentioned before, a vehement zeal in the profeffion, and in the externals of religion, or the refolutions of a future amendment and obedience, which men fondly flatter themfelves will be accepted.

But, be not deceived, God is not mocked,what fo ever a man foweth, that shall be alfo reap. For he that foweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap -corruption, but he that foweth to the spirit fhall VOL. II.

E

of

SERM. of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And he II. only who doth righteousness, as St. John teaches, not who profeffeth or purpofeth it, is righteous. Let it be further obferved, that if we do the will of God in the fenfe in which our Saviour requires it as the condition of entering into the kingdom of heaven, we must do it univerfally. A partial obedience will never please him. To fingle out fome of his commandments, which we will obey because they do not interfere with a favourite vice, or selfish intereft, whilft we obftinately continue in the violation of others as plainly declared to us, but which stand in direct oppofition to a prevailing luft, this is to rebel against God. A cafe of this kind we have in the 15th chapter of the 1ft Book of Samuel, and the guilt of it is fully reprefented. A commandment was given from God to Saul, which he executed in part only, boafting of it, however, to Samuel, that he had performed the commandment of the Lord. But when Samuel challenged him upon his apparent failure for that he heard the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the oxen, he palliated the omiffion by several excufes, fuch as the importunity of the people, and the pretence of a pious defign to offer

* Gal. vi. 7, 8.

the

the cattle in facrifice to God, ftill infifting SERM. that he had obeyed the voice of the Lord, as II. verfe 20. but Samuel rejects all his defences verse 22. faying, Hath the Lord argreat delight in burnt offerings and facrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord; behold, to obey, is better than facrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams; and adds in the 23d verfe, Rebellion is as the fin of witchraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Rebellion against the true God, by disobeying his commandments is like ferving a falfe God; and a pretended obedience to God which is only partial, while men seem in fome things to do his will, but omit other things as plainly enjoined, and will ftubbornly conduct their profeft obedience according to their own pleafure or humour, this is really not ferving God at all; for the mind which is truly devoted to him, muft be determined by his fupreme authority, both as to the matter and manner of obedience whenever his will is made known; and no pretence can be more unreasonable and trifling than that we do the will of God, because we do it in some instances, when we knowingly neglect it in others And, therefore, wilfully to tranfgrefs any one

II.

SERM. of the divine precepts is to work iniquity, fo as to expofe ourselves to this fentence of Chrift at the laft day; Depart from me, I know you not to offend thus in one point is to be guilty of all: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, Jhall inherit the kingdom of God: if a man habitually indulge himself in any of thefe vices, though guilty of none of the reft, he is as certainly excluded as if he were abandoned to them all, the latter may be more criminal, and punished with greater severity, but one wound may be as furely mortal as a multitude, and by the plain express declarations of the gofpel, the wages of every deliberate fin unrepented of, and unreform'd, is death.

A perfevering continuance in well doing, is alfo neceffary to our obtaining eternal life; to them only which endure to the end, is the promise made that they shall be faved; but if any man draw back, faith God, my Soul fhall have no pleasure in him: and the prophet has expreffly affured us in his name * When the righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and

doth

* Ezek. xviii. 24.