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gradually and infenfibly infinuate them→ felves into our affections, whilft we are inattentive, and think our piety fecure.

Let us therefore often refpect and examine our hearts, and look well if there be any way of wickednefs in us; and let us refolve to difmifs every finful inclination as foon as difcovered, and to retain none, though ever fo fecret, nor fpare it, though ever fo beloved. Vices are the difeafes of the mind: a complication of them is not required: one inveterate diforder is fufficient to ruin the foul's health and endanger its falvation.

For though GoD will not be extreme to mark what is amifs, nor extreme to mark infirmities or imperfections; yet he will hot confer heaven on thofe who wilfully and deliberately go on in the habitual practice of any one tranfgreffion; nor does he in the gospel give them any grounds to believe that they will ever be the objects of his favour, or ever be put on a level with those who pay a fincere obedience to the whole law. We have no ground to think,

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think, that the fupreme Lawgiver will for our fake foften and relax the terms of falvation; or that he will grant a difpenfation for favourite paffions, or permit us to felect from the catalogue of duties fuch as most recommend themselves to our taste.

In every instance, his authority is facred, and demands univerfal fubmiffion. We must offer up our whole heart to GOD; and this facrifice, like thofe prescribed by the Mofaic law, must be entire and without blemish.

Let us then remember, that religion requires an uniform regard to the whole fyftem of duties. Let no vice become fuch a favourite as to gain indulgence, and no duty appear of fuch flight confequence as to be overlooked and neglected. We ought indeed to give greater attention to the more important duties, fuch as piety to GOD, and justice and benevolence to men; but yet no grace or virtue of inferior confideration is to be overlooked, and no fin to be thought unimportant or trivial which may offend GOD, and endanger and dimi

nifh our future portion of happiness. Let us then have respect unto all God's commandments: let our ways be fo direct, that we may keep all his ftatutes: let us give a general discharge to all irregular defires, and all false ways let us utterly abhor.

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SERMON XXII.

On the univerfal PRESENCE and KNOWLEDGE of GOD.

PROV. V. 21.

The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.

THE

HE DEITY has been pleafed to communicate to his creatures, by reafon and revelation, only a limited information concerning himself. It is not in this world given to us to fee or know the Supreme BEING as he is; we cannot find out the Almighty to perfection; clouds and thick darknefs are round about him; his nature infinitely surpasses all our conceptions. But

yet

yet our knowledge of him may fuffice, and our ideas are clear enough, for all the purposes of morality and duty.

The know

ledge of the Divine Nature, so far as is neceffary to virtue and religion, may be acquired by a common understanding; but more than this, human fagacity and penetration will in vain attempt to investigate.

That there is a GOD, the Creator and moral Governor of the world; that it is his will that we fhould do juftly and love mercy, and obferve and practise all the virtues and duties that reafon and nature suggest; that he approves and will reward the good, and disapprove the disobedient, are truths as evident as they are useful; truths which ly level and obvious to the mind; which Reason, when its eye is not blinded, cannot fail to discern; and without which, virtue, morality, or true religion, would but ill fubfift. But that Gon fhould thus limit our knowledge of him; that he should unveil just so much of his nature as religion requires to be known, Y 4

and

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