from their hearts: accept with faith, and humility, the redemption of Christ; and become new men. But till this happy change is produced, we must consider them as men, who are called indeed; but cannot be chosen.

FROM the notoriously wicked man, let us consider the character I proposed next to describe, the specious or decent man. By the decent man, I mean him, who governs all his actions by apHe is satisfied with a fair outside; pearances.

and seeks no further. The openly wicked man is under no restraint, but that of law: he endeavours to keep clear of mischief; but aims at nothing else. The decent man confining his actions in a narrower compass, pays the same respect to the opinions of men, which the other does to the laws of the land. Thus the decent man is often seen at church: not to pay his devotions to God, or to confess his sins, or any thing else, that comes from his heart. With all this he troubles his head very little. But he considers it as a step to obtain the character of a serious man. Who will distrust a serious man, who goes constantly to church, and appears to have a sense of religion always about him?

Again, the decent man seldom gives any offence. You rarely hear him swear, or talk blasphemy, or ridicule scripture. Not that he reverénces the name of God in his heart; or values scripture but he sees that all such light behaviour gives offence to sober people; and makes them think the worse of the man in whom it appears.Indeed, sometimes, when he is quite sure of his company-when he knows none are within hearing, but men of his own stamp-he will then give a loose to his thoughts and language then the oath comes glibly from him; or the obscene jest, or any thing bad that lies uppermost in his heart.

Again, with regard to his neighbour, his actions always appear fair and open-at least, he thinks every body believes so though he is often deceived in this matter, and the knavishness of his heart appears when he little suspects it.In the mean time, he talks much of honesty; and gives many hints of his abhorrence of knavery.

The same regard for his character he preserves in private life. He is rarely seen in liquor, except among his choice companions; and all his secret pleasures are conducted with so much caution,

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is the engine, with which he works on those whom he has any designs. It is not God man, with whom he endeavours to keep Common observers think him what he prof They who know him better, suspect him they who know him intimately, know enough, that if he were turned inside ou would appear the very lowest, dirtiest, and of mankind.In short, both the notori wicked man, and the decent man, are ed men of the world, and alike intent to impo the simplicity of others: the one only acts covertly than the other.

The specious man also is among the many are called. He is called, not only by the nary methods of God's grace; but by the s sense he himself has of the excellence of vi as his whole behaviour is against convi

-But though the decent man is among who are called; we cannot suppose him a

those who are chosen.

God values only the heart. Before him pretences only make us more guilty.

Not that I would affirm the decent man to be worse than the profligate. He does less injury to society, as his example is less offensive: but whether he be not as far from the kingdom of heaven, I will not take upon me to say. The downright wicked man is perhaps as often brought to a state of repentance, as the cool, deliberate, hypocritical sinner. The corrupted heart of the former may be touched by some calamity; and one extreme may produce another; but the hypocritical sinner has always lived, if I may so speak, within sight of his duty; and yet his duty has never had any effect upon him.

HAVING thus considered the openly wicked man; and likewise the specious and decent man; let us next consider the truly good man. Here we shall find a very different character. In the decent man, all is appearance: in the good man, all is real. In his religious duties he does not sound a trumpet before him, as our Saviour speaks; as who should say, Now I am going to church

now

The eye of God, he

Again, in his dealings with his neighbou is fair, and honest, and open from the ver tom of his heart. Have you a bargain to with him? You need not be on your He is as fearful of defrauding you, as you of being defrauded. It is not your kno of his fraud, but God's, of which he sta awe. It is nothing to him whether your upon him, or not. is always upon him. Does he profess an tion to serve you? He does not mean it cover of some deceit or as a courtly exp that means nothing: you may depend u he intends to serve you, if he can and much disappointed as you are, if he canno you.In his charities too, (if he have withal to bestow on his poor neighbours, the same. His left hand knows not w