of the Arguments for it are grown ftronger than they were formerly, to make Amends for such as may have grown weaker; fo we have others which must always continue of the fame Force: thofe, which arife from the Amiablenefs, the Dignity, the Perfection of our Saviour's Character; from the Excellency and Efficacy of his Precepts; from the internal Marks of Genuineness and Veracity in the Writings of the Evangelifts and Apostles.

Yet all this Proof, we confefs, amounts not to the abfolutely full Conviction, which they had, who saw with their Eyes, who looked upon, and their Hands handled the Word of Life". It is neither fo obvious, but we may overlook it; nor so powerful, but, if we take Pains, we may refift it. Here then we undergo a Test of our Fairness and Integrity, which, in Comparison at least, the very firft Chriftians did not. But then, you fee, our gracious Mafter hath proportioned a Bleffednefs to it. And befides, they and their Succeffors underwent a much feverer Teft, which we do not; that of dreadful worldly Sufferings for the Profeffion of the Gofpel. Ours is far gentler, and more eligible: only whether we will be

lieve on Evidence abundantly fufficient, though not the highest poffible: whether we will walk by Faith, not by Sight'; and preferve our Loyalty to our Lord and our God, unshaken by the falfe Opinions and bad Customs of a thoughtless World, by the Cravings of sensual Appetites, and the Tumults of irregular Paffions and Fancies, This is the whole of what Heaven requires of us; and if we do it but confcientiously for the fhort Space, that we have to remain here, the Trial of our Faith fhall be found unto Praise and Honour and Glory at the Appearing of Jefus Chrift: whom having not feen, we have loved; in whom, though now we see him not, yet believing we may justly rejoice with foy unspeakable and full of Glory; aflured of receiving the End of our Faith, even the Salvation of our Souls*.

SERMON X.

ROM. X. 10.

For with the Heart Man believeth unto Righteousness and with the Mouth Confeffion is made unto Salvation.

A

Confiderable Part of professed Christians

go through the World without forming to themselves any fixed Rules of Action at all: but in fome Things follow their own Inclination and Fancy, how often foever it varies; in others, general Cuftom or particular Examples, with much Indifference, whether they be good or bad and so they patch up a most inconfiftent Life; many of them scarce ever reflecting enough to see their Inconfiftencies; and not a few abfurdly imagining, that human Conduct was not intended to be of a Piece with itself.

Others, who do preserve Uniformity of Behaviour, have yet no inward Principle from whence

whence it flows, beyond Reputation or private Convenience. Even they who profess a high Regard to Morals, and in some Instances appear to feel it, have too commonly no Feeling at all of the strongest moral Tie which can be, that which binds us to our Maker; perhaps have never asked themselves in Earnest, whether they believe in him: or, if they think they do, have no ferious Impreffions of Gratitude to the Author of all Good, of Duty to the Governor of the Univerfe: will acknowledge, it may be, when preffed by Argument, that all poffible Reverence is owing to him; yet absolutely never worship him in private, and very feldom condefcend even to feem to worship him in public. Whatever the hafty Reasonings of a partial Heart fuggeft to them, they will efteem a Law of God and Nature. But if any Thing unwelcome either to their Vanity or their Senfuality be offered to their Belief, they will reject it inftantly, as Bigotry and Folly, without Examination. And if their Way of thinking and living be but fuch, upon the whole, as recommends them to the Indulgence of thofe who need the fame Indulgence; as to any Thing further, concerning the Regulation of their Tempers or Behaviour, the Means of Pardon

when

when they have finned, or of Help to do better, there is little Occafion, they apprehend, to trouble themselves.

This View of Things cannot but raise compaffionate and melancholy Reflexions in every pious Breaft. But what completes the Unhappiness is, that while fuch Numbers openly defpife Religion, great Numbers more, who have no doubt of its Truth, nor, when they confider, of its Importance, are yet so far from being zealous for it, that they seem afhamed of it either omitting those public Evidences of their Chriftianity, which they know they are commanded to give; or meanly excufing their Obfervance of religious Duties as Weakness or Compliance with Custom: and feldom fhewing in their common Converfation near fo much Concern for that Faith, from which they pretend to promife themselves eternal Felicity, as they do for their flightest worldly Interests, not to fay their most trifling Amusements.

The Spirit of God therefore, who clearly foresaw, that this, however ftrange, would be the Turn of Mankind, that fome would think it needless to believe, and others to profess their Belief, hath warned Men feparately against each of thefe Errors in many Places of the New Teftament,