have, with the help of God, cut out my way through the rock, not finding any path that others had gone in before me; so that I have not offered that to you which cost me nothing. For the style of it, it is plain; but truth, when it is in the plainest dress, is most comely. The star shines brightest in its native lustre. Divinity hath so much intrinsical beauty, that it needs no art of wit or fancy to set it off. Who goes to embroider a pearl? or paint over gold? this would but debase and eclipse it; it is a sign of a wanton christian to look most at the fringing and garnishing of a truth. I wish it be not the sin of many in this city; they like the dressing, but loath the food. The blue flowers which grow among the corn make a fine show, and are pleasing to the eye, yet are prejudicial to the harvest. Rhetorical flourishes may please the fancies of men, but I much question whether they will not lessen Christ's spiritual harvest at the end of the world. When men preach rather words

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than matter, they catch people's ears, not their souls; they do but court, not convert. If the patient's wound bleeds, nay rankles, it is better for him to have a deep incision made in the flesh, than to bind it about with silk, or dress it with aromatic ointments.

True it is, ministers ought to clothe the truths they preach in decent expressions, to preserve them from contempt; though they must come in plainness of speech, not in rudeness of speech. But, let them take heed, lest, with their affected newcoined phrases, unsuitable to that gravity the apostle speaks of, Tit. ii. 7, they adulterate and corrupt the simplicity of the word; like some kinds of sauces and compounds which take away the natural taste and savour of the meat. As for you, my friends, I hope the Lord hath given, (at least some of you,) a spiritual palate, to relish and thirst after the sincere milk of the word, 1 Pet. ii. 2. A savoury heart is for wholesome doctrine. How glad should

I be, dear friends, if I might either by preaching, or writing, become savingly instrumental for your good, and before I die, might help to make up a happy marriage between Christ and you, 2 Cor. xi. 2. I bless God that I see some of you walking in the truth, 2 John 4. when so many in the world are marching apace towards hell. But O that I might see an increase of holiness among you, that more converts might be brought in, and as so many jewels, make the crown of Christ shine the brighter! Do not hearken to the syren songs of the world: the sins you commit in haste, you will repent at leisure. Sugared poisons go down pleasantly, but afterwards they wring and torment the body.

Let me earnestly beseech you to put a bill of divorce into the hand of your sins; let not error gangrene, lust burn, malice boil, pride swell, intemperance overflow, covetousness root in any of your souls. Purge out the old leaven; and, as ever

you expect to go to the new Jerusalem when you die, become new creatures while you live.

Rest not in baptismal privileges: all are not Israel which are of Israel, Rom. ix. 6. what is a man the better to have Christ's name upon him, if he still retain Satan's image? What is he advantaged to have the oracles of God, and want the Spirit of God? Think not that an empty profession will save; millions will be sent to hell in Christ's livery, Matt. vii. 22.—viii. 12. O labour to "know the grace of God in truth!" Col. i. 6.

The Lord hath been at much cost and charges with you to bring you near to himself; let not God be a loser by you. Pindar saith, it was an opinion of the people in ancient times, that Jupiter rained down gold upon the city of Rhodes; give me leave to apply it to you: God hath rained down golden showers upon you. What mercies hath he enriched you with! what talents hath he intrusted you with!

Now if

your estate is a talent, your health (in these sickly times especially) is a talent, your sanctuary blessings are talents, every motion of the Spirit, every opportunity for heaven is a talent, and nothing more sure than that you will be called to an account shortly, Matt. xxv. 19, 20. you have let your talents lie rusting, and done no good with them, the hiding your talents will not hide your sin; expect a heavy doom. Think not these things impertinencies. Be not so evil, as to be too good to be advised.

I confess myself, with Ignatius, the least of all that labour in God's vineyard, but though I am with you in weakness, yet, as the apostle saith, "in much trembling," 1 Cor. ii. 3. I tremble to think how sad it will be, if any of you shall perish in these days of the gospel, though you have been placed under a trumpet, less shrill and powerful. It shall be my prayer for you all, that you may be fruit-bearing trees, that when the great vine-dresser

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