Diffatisfactions, even before that Diffolution which muft end them with our Lives; and we have the infallible Word of God himself to affure us, that his faithful Servants shall shine as the Stars in the Firmament of Heaven for ever and ever.-We have the Calmness and Serenity of the good Man, even in the most adverse and afflicting State, to fatisfy us, that prefent Trials and Conflicts often bring inward Peace and Confolation with them even here; and we have the fecret Dread and Remorfes of the bad in the midst of all outward Advantages, to forewarn us of the horrible Confequences of Guilt and Impenitence hereafter. -And how great, how neceffary then, is the Wisdom of the one? How dreadful, how inexcufable the Folly of the other?-Of this we find the rich Man in the Parable so very fenfo fible when it was too late, that, finding all Attempts to relieve himself ineffectual, he, who had neglected his own Salvation, becomes folicitous for the Prefervation of his Brethren, whom he left behind him, and implores the fending a Meffage from the Dead for their Conviction.-And though this Requeft was denied him, as well as the former; yet to us is the Word of this Salvation fent.— For our fakes was this written, that every Eye might fee, and every Ear hear it, Left we also come into that Place of Torment.

And what is this Work of Salvation, but that as we have not only Mofes and the Prophets,

Q2

phets, but alfo the Apostles and Evangelifts, we fhould hear them; fhould embrace the Comforts of the facred Writings with an humble Joy and ftedfast Faith; should not only believe the great Doctrines they teach, but immediately and earnestly set about the great Work which they give us to do, even the Work of our Salvation; fhould labour to eradicate every Luft, and fubdue every proud and vain Imagination in our felves; fhould diftribute the good things we receive here to every Man according as he has Need, and we have Power; fhould, under the evil things which we receive here, be like Lazarus, patient and contented, like him humble and refigned; should covet earnestly the best spiritual Gifts, and not content ourselves with any prefent Attainments, but be continually going on from Glory to Glory, from one Degree of Chriftian Perfection to another, till our bleffed Lord comes to call us to himself, and happily finds us fo doing; that we should, as the Means of doing all this, apply ourselves frequently to God in his Worship and Inftitutions, and implore earnestly the Affiftance of the Holy Spirit; that, as our Encouragement to it, we fhould look forward to the Resurrection of the Juft, who shall then differ from each other, only as one Star differeth from another Star in Glory; and lastly, that we should always remember, that a trué Foundation can no Man lay, either for folid Peace or Piety here, or for Happiness

here

hereafter, other than that which is laid in the Gospel, which is Jefus Chrift?

We now live in a Time when many Deceivers are entered in among us, who confess not that fefus Chrift is come in the Flefb.We ought therefore to form new Refolutions of a steady Adherence to the facred Truths of our Religion. Whatever Pretenfions Men may have to Moral Philofophy, or to Moral Virtues of any kind, the Holy Spirit has declared, in St. John's fecond Epiftle, (Ver. 9.) That whosoever abideth not in the Doctrine of Chrift hath not God; but that he who doth abide in it hath both the Father and the Son.And hath commanded us, if there come any to us, and bring not this Doctrine, not to receive him into our Houfes, as encouraging him in his Defigns, neither to bid him God speed, left we thereby become Partakers of his evil Deeds, Ver. 10, II.

Let us then put on the whole Armour of God, that we may be able to ftand in this evil Day; and that neither the Frowns nor the Favours of Men, neither Custom nor Example, neither Flattery nor Reproaches, may be able to Separate us from the Love of God in Chrift Jefus our Lord.

And then, whatsoever things upon these Principles are true, whatsoever things are juft, whatfoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good Report, if there be any Chriftian Virtue left in us; if any Defire of the Praise

of God and good Men either here or hereafter, let it be the first Business of the remaining part of our Lives to think on and to practife all these things.

And may God, who is the Protector of all that trust in him, without whom nothing is Strong, nothing is holy; may he increafe and multiply upon us bis Mercy; that fo he being our Ruler and Guide, we may pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal.-Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jefus Chrift his Sake.

SERMON

SERMON XIII.

MATT. iii. 15.

Suffer it to be fo now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all Righteouf

ness.

T

HESE Words contain the Reason which our bleffed Lord was pleased to give for the Expediency or Propriety of his receiving the Baptifm of John.The Baptift was fent by God to proclaim his Coming to the Jews, and to prepare them for receiving him as the Son of God, and Saviour of the World.-In order to this, his Commiffion was to preach to them the Neceffity of a fincere Repentance, and to baptize with Water all fuch as fhould profess that Repentance, and confefs their Sins, in order to the Remiffion of them by him whofe Coming he proclaimed. Whilft he was executing this Commiffion, and baptizing fuch as came to him in the River Jordan, our bleffed Lord himself came, and defired to be admitted to his Baptism.—But John, who, having never seen him Q4 before,