Profeffion of the Gofpel, but he became a good Man, a holy Liver, a Mortifier of all his carnal Lufts and Appetites; he became dead to the World, and all the Vanities of it, despised all earthly Pleasures and Glories, and was ready to lay down his Life for his Lord and Mafter, whenever he was called to it. It was then a ftrange uncouth Thing to hear of a lewd, vicious, debauch'd Chriftian.

But now in these Days, tho' we have the fame Religion, tho' the fame Doctrines be preached, the fame Arguments enforced, the fame Affiftances of God's Grace and Spirit afforded, yet we fee there are none, or but very few of these Effects amongst us. Christianity looks like another Thing. We can now believe the Gospel, and communicate with the Church in all her Offices, and hear our Sins reproved, and our Duty told us, and all the glorious Promises of Chrift difplayed to us, and the dreadful Threatnings of God denounced against us, and yet we are still the fame Perfons that we were before. We continue as vain and as loofe in our Conversation as ever, as uncharitable, and worldly-minded, as wrathful, and peevish, and cenforious, as if we were still in the Darknefs of Heathenifm, and the Gofpel had never been preached to us. What now is the Reason of this ftrange Disparity between the Effects of the Gospel then and thofe now? Why truly the greateft Reafon feems to be this,

that

that the Chriftians in those former Times did seriously confider their Religion, and weigh its Arguments and Motives, but we do not. They took up their Christianity by Choice, and we by Chance or Education. They, at their firft Entrance upon the Profeffion of the Gofpel, gave themselves the Trouble of a diligent Enquiry into the Doctrines and Duties of it, and the Evidences for it; they confider'd the Goodness and Reafonableness of the Precepts, the Greatness of the Promises, and the mighty Encouragements to Holiness and Virtue it laid upon Mankind: And all these Things they thought so long upon, till they found themfelves transformed into the Spirit and Temper of Jefus the Author of it; till they found in themselves fuch Fruits and Effects, as fo excellent a Religion ought in Reafon to produce: And fuch Fruits and Effects will always be produced, where the fame Confideration and Application of Mind is used.

But farther, to fhew the mighty Influence that serious Confideration hath upon a good Life, I ought alfo to take Notice of this, that even in our Days, as barren and ineffectual as our Religion proves among us, as hardened, and as infenfible as we feem to be, yet there is none of us, but if we are at any Time, upon any Occafion, brought to a ferious Confideration of our own Ways, and of the Concernments of our Souls, we prefently find ourselves changed; we are in a

Manner

Manner another fort of Men.

We have

new Thoughts, new Defires, new Purposes, and Resolutions; and if that Thinking and Confideration did continue, we should, without Doubt, change our Lives in Deed, as well as we do then in Purpose. This we fee frequently in fick Perfons; they who have been the most carelefs of Men, they who have most despised Religion, who have been Proof against all the Arguments of it while they were in Health, yet when they come to their fick Beds, and begin to be awakened by the Apprehenfion of Death, into a serious Confideration of their own State, how strangely are they affected? how much do they repent of their former Actions? how abfolutely neceffary doth Virtue and a holy Life then appear to them? how full are they of strong Refolutions to amend their Ways, if ever God restore them to Health again? how earnestly do they ask God's Pardon for what is paft, and pray for his Grace for the future?

What now is the Reafon of all this? there was the fame Difference between Virtue and Vice before. They had the fame Arguments to fly the one, and to purfue the other before; only they now deeply confider them, and apply them to their own Hearts, which before they did not. They before liv'd at random; but now thinking it no Time to fool or trifle any longer, they begin to entertain more ferious Counfels concerning themfelves.

VOL. VI.

G

And

And thus will it always be with all Perfons in all Circumftances. If they can once be brought seriously to reflect and confider, there is a good Step made towards their Repentance; and if they continue their Confiderations, there is no doubt but they will at laft become truly virtuous and holy Persons.

Oh! that we would now begin to apply our Minds seriously to our spiritual Concernments, and entertain the fame Thoughts that we shall be sure to have when we come to die! Oh, what a World of Trouble, Care, and Confideration would it fave us, which will certainly fome time or other come upon us! We cannot always live without Thinking. A Time will come, when we shall confider and reflect, whether we will or no. A Time will come, when we shall not be able to divert our Thoughts from those Things, which we are now fo loth to think upon; and perhaps it may be then too late. Oh, happy they, who do, with the Prodigal, come to themfelves in time, before their Father's Mercies be fhut up against them! do with him fo confider their Ways, as to take up the fame Refolution that he did, I will arife, &c.

SER

SERMON IV.

Of the true Notion of Scandals and Offences. Popular Mifapprehenfions about them rectify'd. Ufe to be made of the Confideration of their ill Confequences and Frequency, &c. Preach'd before King William, 1701.

83

MATTH. Xviii. 7.

Woe unto the World, becaufe of Offences; for it must needs be that Offences come. But Woe unto that Man by whom the Offence cometh.

UR Saviour, in the Verfe before, had been saying, that whosoever ver. 6. Should offend one of these little ones that believe in him, it were better for him that a Mill-ftone were hanged about his Neck, and that he were drowned in the Depth of the Sea. And in the next Words he adds what I have now read, Woe unto the World, &c. We may ga

G 2

ther