It is offered to man, in its progress towards its ultimate end, to restore his nature, and spiritualize his affections. But man in general, wedded to the world, despises its call. Still, however, it maintains its course; and in some instances preserves its purity. purity. At length the gospel spreading from east to west, and from north to south, all the world, as we have reason to believe, shall have the offer of it. Butstill we suppose it mixed with its usual impurities till at length this vast mass, by the over-ruling power of Providence, and those secret means, of which we can form no idea, will purge itself pure. Then the grand effects of the gospel will display themselves. An illustrious scene will open, in which the world and all its views, and pageantry, will be depressed; and heavenly truth shine out in all its splendour. The glory of God, and the happiness of man, will then be united. We christians, who live in the infancy, as it may be, of the gospel, can have no idea of these splendid scenes. It hath pleased God, however, in a small degree, to raise the curtain of futurity, and give us afar off a glimpse of these happy times to animate us still more in the glorious pursuit, both of securing our own happiness; and of being, as far as our influence extends, the favoured instruments of bringing forward this amazing scheme of glory. III. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.-John, xiii. 17. CONSIDER, first, the necessity of knowing these things; and secondly, the necessity of doing them. In every art, trade, or profession, we must first know what we are to do, before we can do it. It is so in religion: but, God be thanked, the knowledge of religion lies in a very narrow compass. Though it takes up time to learn an art, or profession, yet the lowest amongst us may easily obtain sufficient knowledge of religion, for all the purposes of life. The great difficulty lies in the second point we are to consider-not in knowing these things, but in doing them. In every thing, as well as in religion, practice is the end of knowledge: without it knowledge is useless. But what is singular in religious practice, it is the best way of gaining religious knowledge. If you apply every little knowledge you gain, to practice, you will soon become a greater proficient in religious knowledge, than if you had applied yourself with the greatest attention to the knowledge of it, and left the practice of it out of the question. If any man will do God's will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God.-Besides, we are not so liable to error in practice, as we are in knowledge. Right and wrong are much clearer ideas, than truth and falsehood. A well-intentioned mind may be led into enthusiasm, or superstition; but cannot so easily be led into wickedness. IV. Stand in awe, and sin not.-Psalm, iv. 4. THE occasion and primary intention of many of the psalms of David, are uncertain. It is of less moment however, as we may still apply to ourselves the instructive precepts, and noble strains of piety and devotion, with which they abound. The psalm before us is of this kind. The occasion is obscure: the instruction distinct, and manifold. I have chosen the fourth verse to discourse on, Stand in awe, and sin not : from which words I propose to shew you the several ways, in which standing in awe prevents sinning and you may consider, as I go on, in which of these ways you yourselves are restrained. There are some people indeed, whose wicked lives suffer no restraint-who stand in awe of nothing. These are totally excluded from the idea of the text. There are others who stand in some awe-but it is only of the laws of the land. Though they have no fear of God before their eyes, they stand |