A Vindication Of Godliness, Discourse I

A VINDICATION OF GODLINESS

DISCOURSE 1. EPHES. 5: 15.

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.

In the first verse of this chapter, the Apostle exhorts to the whole duty of Christians,” Be ye followers of GOD.” The same exhortation he gives in other terms,” Walk as children of the light: “ (ver. 8:) both which exhortations are comprehensive of the whole duty of Christians.

In the following verses he gives particular directions respecting the particular duties of religion: As, 1. Walk in love. (ver. 2.) 2. Flee all iniquity: both (1.) Greater iniquities; fornication and all uncleanness, and covetousness: (2.) Smaller iniquities; such as the evils of the tongue; both filthiness, that is, filthy talking, and foolish talking, and jesting, which are not convenient. 3. Be not partakers of, other men's sins: (ver. 7:) which he further dehorts from, (ver. 11,) charging them to have no communion with them, and to be guilty of no connivance at them, but rather to reprove them.

Of the strict rules in the text, he presses the strict observation;” See that ye walk circumspectly,” with an eye to every duty, to every direction; not only the greater and more weighty duties of religion, but the smaller parts of it, even to all that the LORD requires.

In the words you may observe,

1. A strict charge;” See,” or look diligently and carefully to it.

2. The matter given in charge,” Walk circumspectly,” which some render, walk warily; others, accurately, exactly; others, walk precisely,-and that, a learned critic affirms, the word;xgi,3,os most properly signifies.

3. A commendation of this circumspect walking; this is wise walking: “ not as fools, but as wise;” intimating, that to walk loosely is to walk foolishly; to walk circumspectly is to walk wisely.

The observations from these words are chiefly these two:

1. Christians must be Precisians.

2.. Precisians are no fools:, or Christians of an exact, and circumspect life are, whatever the world accounts them, truly wise men. This latter observation it is which I intend to insist upon.

Beloved, I am, entering upon a discourse on a sort of people, of whom we may say, with those Jews,” Concerning this sect, we know that it is every where spoken against; (Acts 28: 22;) and who, with the Apostle,” are made a spectacle to the world, to angels, and -to men;” (1 Cor. 4: 9;) concerning whom, heaven and earth are divided, and the world is divided within itself; of whom God says,” the world is not worthy;” of whom the world say, they are not worthy to live; of whom GOD says, they are the “apple of mine eye;” of whom the world say, “they are a sore in our eye;” whom GOD accounts his jewels; whom men account” the filth of the world,” and” the offscouring of all things;” of whom GOD says, they are the “sons of wisdom,” but men say they are fools. And as God and men are thus divided, so are men no less divided among themselves. Some few say concerning these, as they of old concerning CHRIST,” They are good men;”_ others say,” No, but they are deceivers of the people.” A Precisian, with the most, is grown into a proverb of reproach, a mark of infamy. To be a drunkard, a fornicator, a swearer, is no reproach, in comparison of being noted for a Puritan.

Well, but let us inquire a little more narrowly into this sort of people, about whom the world is thus moved, and has been in all ages. In order hereunto, I shall show you,

First, What a Precisian is; and Secondly, prove to you, against all the world, that he is no fool, but a truly wise, yea, the only wise man.

Touching the former, What a Precisian is, a Scripture Precisian, let me first tell you, to prevent mistakes, who he is not.

1. Not a Pharisee, a painted sepulcher, whose religion is a mere show; who has the form of godliness without the power; who is pure in his own eyes, and yet not cleansed from his filthiness; who is exact about the punctilios of religion, and hath a great zeal about the lower and more circumstantial matters, and neglects the weightier things of the law. This is not be.

2. Not an Enthusiast, properly so called; (though that be a vizard put upon him by some, as the hides of beasts were put upon the Christians of old;) not an Enthusiast, I say, whose religion is all fancy, imagination, enthusiasm, the dreams and visions of his own heart. Neither is this he. Christianity is not a castle in the air, but is a building that has foundation.

3. Not a Phrenetick, no son of violence or contention, who, not knowing what spirit he is of, calls for fire from heaven, to set all in a combustion, if every thing be not exactly fashioned according to his own mind. Neither is this he.” The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable. The servant of the Lo RD must not strive, but be gentle.”

By a Precisian, I mean, a sincere, circumspect Christian; one whose care and endeavor it is” to walk uprightly, according to the truth of the Gospel;” who, withdrawing himself from the fellowship, fashions, and lusts of the world, and denying himself the sinful liberties thereof, does exercise himself to keep a good conscience towards GOD and men. This is the person against whom the great hate and envy, the severe censures and calumnies of ungodly men, are chiefly intended, under what color or disguise so ever they are carried. The enmity is not betwixt sinners and hypocrites, but betwixt the seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman; not the pretended, but the true seed: Israelites indeed are the men whom the Ishmaelites persecute;” He that was born after the flesh persecuted him” not who pretended to be, but” who was born after the Spirit.” (Gal. 4: 29.) Of this sort of people I shall give you a more full description in these two particulars:-I. By their Make, or Constitution. 2: By their Way, or Conversation.

I. By their Constitution. They are made and cut out exactly according to the pattern; they are born of the SPIRIT, born of GOD, and they bear the express image of their Father upon them: “ Renewed after. the image of him that created him;” (Col. 3: 1O;) they are of a new make from what they were; there is a mighty change wrought in and upon them. * “We are changed into the same image.” (2 Cor. 3: 18.) In our first birth we were brought forth in the image of our first father: “ADAM begat a son in his own image;” (Gen. 5: 3;) that is, a fleshly and earthly image. The first man was of the earth, earthly; and such are all his natural progeny, an earthly seed, an earthly generation: he that is born of the SPIRIT is brought forth in a spiritual frame.” That which is born of the SPIRIT is spirit: “ (John 3: 6:) He that is born from above is of a heavenly nature, as well as original.' The change which religion makes on men is not such a low and inconsiderable thing as some men make it, standing only in some little reformation of the life; but it consists chiefly in the renewing of the soul after the image of GOD, the forming of CHRIST upon the heart. As that second change, which shall be at the resurrection, will be the transforming of our vile bodies into the likeness of CHRIST'S glorious body; so this first change is a transforming of our vile souls into the likeness of his glorious SPIRIT. Christians are the temples of the LORD; and as MOSES made the tabernacle exactly according to the pattern which was showed him in the Mount, so these spiritual temples are made as exactly according to their pattern;” They are the epistles Of CHRIST, written not with ink, but with the SPIRIT of the living GOD; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.” (2 Cor. 3: 3.) Carnal men plead hard for their Christianity; they are all Christians, though they be ignorant, unbelieving, earthly, sensual; yet some kind of profession (such as it is) there is amongst them, a profession of faith, a profession of repentance, which though it amount to little more than the bare saying, ”I believe, I repent, I am sorry for my sins,” yet this must pass for Christianity. But ”whose is this image and superscription” Where is the divine stamp and impress Where is your likeness to CHRIST Is there not still the visage of the old man Are not the old pride, the old envy, the old enmity against holiness, the old guile, and falsehood, and lust, still spread over you Is this the image of CHRIST Christians, who are truly such, are precisely formed according to this pattern; they have face for face, limb for limb, grace for grace: all the grace that is in CHRIST is truly, though yet not perfectly, copied out upon them though the characters may be somewhat blotted and obscured, by reason of the remainders of corruption, yet there they are; the same mind, the same heart that was in CHRIST, is in them. A true Christian is a transcript of CHRIST: “ As lie is, so are we in this world.”

I. By their Constitution. They are made and cut out exactly according to the pattern; they are born of the SPIRIT, born of GOD, and they bear the express image of their Father upon them: “ Renewed after the image of him that created him;” (Col. 3: 1O;) they are of a new make from what they were; there is a mighty change wrought in and upon them. *, “We are changed into the same image.” (2 Cor. 3: 18.) In our first birth we were brought forth in the image of our first father: “ADAM begat a son in his own image;” (Gen. 5: 3;) that is, a fleshly and earthly image. The first man was of the earth, earthly; and such are all his natural progeny, an earthly seed, an earthly generation: he that is born of the SPIRIT is brought forth in a spiritual frame. “That which is born of the SPIRIT is spirit: “ (John 3: 6:) He that is born from above is of a heavenly nature, as well as original.’ The change which religion makes on men is not such a low and inconsiderable thing as some men make it, standing only in some little reformation of the life; but it consists chiefly in the renewing of the soul after the image of GOD, the forming of CHRIST upon the heart. As that second change, which shall be at the resurrection, will be the transforming of our vile bodies into the likeness of CHRIST'S glorious body; so this first change is a transforming of our vile soul, into the likeness of his glorious SPIRIT. Christians are the temples of the LORD; and as Moses made the tabernacle exactly according to the pattern which was showed him in the Mount, so these spiritual temples are made as exactly according to their pattern;” They are the epistles of CHRIST, written not with ink, but with the SPIRIT of the living GOD; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.” (2 Cor. 3: 3.) Carnal men plead hard for their Christianity; they are all Christians, though they be ignorant, unbelieving, earthly, sensual; yet some kind of profession (such as it is) there is amongst them, a profession of faith, a profession of repentance, which though it amount to little more than the bare saying,” I believe, I repent, I am sorry for my sins,” yet this must pass for Christianity. But” whose is this image and superscription” Where is the divine stamp and impress Where is your likeness to CHRIST Is there not still the visage of the old man Are not the old pride, the old envy, the old enmity against holiness, the old guile, and falsehood, and lust, still spread over you Is this the image of CHRIST Christians, who are truly such, are precisely formed according to this pattern; they have face for face, limb for limb, grace for grace: all the grace that is in CHRIST is truly, though yet not perfectly, copied out upon them though the characters may be somewhat blotted and obscured, by reason of the remainders of corruption, yet there they are; the same mind, the same heart that was in CHRIST, is in them. A true Christian is a transcript of CHRIST: “ As lie is, so are we in this world.”

This inward change, this forming of CHRIST upon the heart, is the very soul and life of Christianity. You may as well call him a man whose soul is not in him, as you may call him a Christian who has not the SP I R IT of CHRIST in him. Let no man count himself a Christian from any outward privileges, much less from any outward paint of Christianity, but from the inward prints of it upon his heart. Thou hopest that thou art a Christian; but where is the image and superscription of CHRIST upon thy heart Dost thou not find, not only an unlikeness to CHRIST, but a dislike of CHRIST, an inward loathing of the holiness of CHRIST, and a rising of heart against the strictness of that holy life which lie requires Dost thou not find a savor of earthliness and fleshliness bearing the sway in thine heart Is this thy likeness to CHRIST Dost thou not find an emptiness of the light, life, love, and grace of CHRIST in thy soul Whatever thou hast of CHRIST without, thou hast nothing of CHRIST within. Deceive not thyself; GOD is a spirit, and his eye is first upon the spirits and souls of men: he loves truth in the inward parts; he loves holiness in the inward parts. ”He is a Jew which is one inwardly,” and he is a Christian who is one inwardly: he is not a Christian who is only outwardly so. Nay further, as he is not a Christian who is not inwardly so; so neither is he who hath something of the inwards of a Christian, and hath not radically all the graces of CHRIST in him: he who hath faith, and hath not charity; he who hath the light of a Christian, and not the love; he who hath the desires of a Christian, and not the conscience of a Christian; he who wants any one of the vital parts of Christianity, hath nothing at all; a thorough Christian is throughout conformed to the pattern. And thus you have a description of Scripture Precisians by their make and constitution.

II. I shall describe them by their Conversation: and that, 1. By the End of their conversation. 2. By their Course or Motion to this end.

1. By the End of their conversation. What is it that these men would have, or whither are they bound They cannot be content to go along with their neighbors, to live and do as others: whither is it that they are going, or what is it that they would have Why this is it; they are traveling heaven-ward, and trading to another country; they are bound for the holy land, for the holy city; they are going towards Sion, or Jerusalem which is above: they are those strangers and pilgrims here on earth, mentioned in Heb. 11: 13, 14, that are seeking a country,-not an earthly, but a heavenly country. A traveler's eye is much towards his journey's end: Christians that are making heaven-ward are much and often looking heavenward: a Christian's heart is in his eye, and his eye is on his home.

And this is a further description of this sort of people; they are men for another country, men for another world; they are born from above, and they seek things above; they are risen with CHRIST, and they are ascending unto CHRIST; their treasure is above, and their hopes are above, and thither are they hastening. Whatsoever they have of this world's goods for the support of their life, yet these things are not the scope and end of their life: they seek that glory, honor, and immortality, which come from GOD; and they are going on from strength to strength, till they come and appear before GOD in Sion. Hearken, O you foolish worldings! You say, every one of you, that you hope for salvation; but which way are your faces set Whither are you going Is that way of carnal liberty, and covetousness, and sensuality, to which you give up yourselves, the way of life In this a sincere Christian is differenced from all others in the world; he fixes his heart, and his hope, and his aims, upon an eternal happiness; and he bends his course towards the obtaining of it.

2. By their Course or Motion towards this end.

And here I shall give you a threefold description of them.

(I.) They are such as walk in the right way.

(II.) They are upright and exact in the way.

(III.) From this way they will not be turned aside by any flatteries on the one hand, or frowns on the other.

(I.) They are such as walk in the right way, which is called sometimes the way of the LORD, sometimes the way of truth, sometimes the way of righteousness, sometimes the way of life. (Ps. 1: 1, 2; cxix. 1.) They understand which is the right way, by these three marks:-I. The Old and Good Way. 2. The New and Living Way. 3. The Strait and Narrow Way.

1. The Old and Good Way, that is the right way; that is the way which they. are commanded to inquire after and take: “ Stand ye in the ways and see; ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein; stand ye in the ways and see.” (Jer. 6: 16.) There are many ways in the world, some which are apparently the way of death, and not a few which pretend to be the way of life. If you would know which of these ways is the right, ask for the old path, the good way; the old path, that which was from the beginning. Godliness is no innovation; it is as old as the world;” that which was from the beginning declare we unto you.” (1 John 1: 1.) Then it is the good, as well as the old way. Antiquity alone is not enough to prove that we are in the right way; there is an evil way, which is an old way; the way of sin is very ancient. The right way is the old and good way; there is a three-fold good, profitable, pleasant, and honest. Though the right way have both profit and pleasure in it, yet its proper character is, that it is the honest way, the way of righteousness, mercy, and holiness. “He has showed thee, O man, what is good; to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy GOD.” (Mic. 6: 8.) This is good,-the good way: “ Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, these things do, and the GOD of peace shall be with you.” (Phil. 4: 8, 9.)

2. The New and Living Way. Three things, it maybe, you will ask me about this:

(L) What is the new and living way

I answer, CHRIST is this way;”I am the way.” (John 14: 6.)”Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of JESUS, by a new and living way which he has consecrated for us,” &c. (Heb. 10: 19, 2O.) A Christian who walks heaven-ward, walks in CHRIST (Col. 2: 6:) he walks in union with CHRIST, in the name, and strength, and SPIRIT of CHRIST: he that is not in CHRIST is out of his way.

(2.) Whether there be two right ways

I answer, No, but one. It is true, there is mention made also of the way of GOD's commandments; but these make not two distinct ways, but are one and the same way faith in CHRIST, and obedience to the law of GOD, are the one way of life. He that walks with GOD walks in CHRIST: it is through CHRIST, and our union with him, that we are enabled to do the will of GOD; it is through CHRIST that what we do is accepted of GOD: there is no act of obedience, be it ever so excellent for the matter of it, that is a step to the kingdom of GOD, which hash not something of CHRIST in it, which is not done through his SPIRIT, and sprinkled with his blood: and so, on the other side, whatever faith, and hope, and confidence we have in CHRIST, if it be not such a faith, such a hope, as brings forth obedience to the will of GOD, it cannot save us. This way of faith and obedience, this is the right way, and the one and only way of life. In all that “general assembly and church of the first-born in heaven,” there is not one soul but entered by this way. ABEL, and ENOCH, and ABRAHAM, and MOSES, and DAVID, and PETER, and PAUL, with the whole generation of Saints now in glory, they all went the same way; they walked with GOD, and lived and died in faith, and now inherit the promises. And all the residue of Saints that are yet in their pilgrimage, yea, and whoever shall be, in the ages to come, must by this one way enter into the kingdom of GOD. This is the good and old way which was from the beginning; this is the new and living way which shall be to the end: “ These things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in GOD be careful to maintain good works: these things are good and profitable for men.” (Tit. 3: 8.) If this be so, if this be the one and only way of life, then in what case are the sinful and unbelieving world Whither are you going, O ye sons of folly You tell us you hope to be saved; what, in your unbelief and folly Search and see if, in the whole book of GOD, you find any other way of salvation, but faith in CHRIST, and obedience to the Gospel.

(3.) How can one and the same way be old, and yet new

I answer, it is old, and yet not antiquated; it is new, and yet no innovation. It is old, because it was from the beginning; it is new, because now, in the latter end of the world, it has been newly cast up, made more plain, easy, and open.

3. The Strait and Narrow Way: “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life.” Christians must go by a line; there is no elbow-room for lust to expatiate; every step on this hand, or on that, is a deviation it is a way which is hedged in; the commandment is the hedge, which limits us within a narrow path. Christians must live by rule; they must not eat or drink but by rule; they must not buy or sell but by rule; they must not work or sit still, they must not speak or keep silence, but by rule: “ As many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them.” (Gal. 6: 16.) It is also a narrow way: the word might have well been translated, a troublesome, or painful way: there are many afflictions to be met with in this way; the Cross is a Christian's way-mark: “ through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of GOD.” The way of sinners is a plain; there is neither hedge nor ditch to limit them; there is neither bush nor bark to discourage them.

Now this is the way which circumspect Christians take; this good and old way, this new and living way, this strait and narrow way, this is the right way; and this is also the most excellent way. For,

1. It is the Way of Truth: 111 have chosen the way of truth: “ (Ps. cxix. 3O:)”1 am the way and the truth; and the life.” (John 14: 6.) It is the way which the truth or word of GOD does prescribe to us; it is the true way, which is indeed, in all the parts of it, that which it declares itself to be. The way of sinners is a lie, a way made up of lies; the evil works of sinners are lies; “the wicked work a deceitful work,” (Prov. 11: 18,) the work of a lie;-the words signify, that their words are lying words: their very duties are a lie;” Ephraim compasses me about with lies;” (Hos. 11: 12;) that is, with lying duties, lying prayers, lying sacrifices, lying praises; their prayers are no prayers, their sacrifices are no sacrifices, they do but dissemble with GOD, and deceive themselves in all their performances; their hopes are a lie, their comforts are a lie, their refuges are a lie; the way of sinners is wholly made up of lies but the way of Christians is the true way; their duties, their comforts, their joys, their hopes, have truth and reality in them; “all the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth to them that keep his covenant.” (Ps. 25: 1O.) Now what excellency there is in truth above a lie, so great is the excellency of this way of Christians above all other ways.

2. It is the Way of Holiness: holiness has a glory in it; every thing by how much the more pure it is, by so much the more precious is it in its kind. What other excellency have the Angels of light above the Devils, but their holiness What was it which transformed the Angels who fell into Devils, but the loss of their holiness Wherein stands the reasonable creatures' likeness to the GOD of glory, but in their holiness This is the divine nature of which they are made partakers; the SPIRIT of GOD, and of glory, resting upon them. (1 Peter 4: 14.) There is such a beauty and majesty in holiness, as does command an acknowledgment of it from all sorts of knowing men.

3. It is the Way of GOD; not only the way wherein the LORD has commanded them to walk, but wherein the LORD appears to them, and wherein they have the vision and fruition of GOD; and therefore a godly life is often expressed by “walking with GOD, by living in fellowship or communion, or acquaintance with GOD: (Ps. 16: 8:) u I have set the LORD always before me; I will behold thy face in righteousness.” (Ps. 17: 15.) ENOCH walked with GOD; NOAH walked with GOD. Good company will make any way pleasant: how craggy or dirty so ever be our way under foot, it is pleasant to see the sun shine over us: “To him that orders his conversation aright, will I show the salvation of GOD.” (Ps. 1. 23.) The LORD meets his people in his ways, and causes all his goodness to pass before them; proclaiming his name, “The Lo RD gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness.” This vision of GOD makes all the labors and difficulties of this way sweet and easy to them; certainly this is the blessed way, for GOD is in it. Christians, let all the ungodly world say all they can to disgrace and disparage the way of righteousness, as a wretched, disconsolate, and contemptible way; yet until they can confute your senses, and make you not to believe what you taste and see, be not discouraged: neither let them delude you into any better opinion of the ways of sin from any pleasure, credit, ease, or gain, that is in them; whatever there is in them, GOD is not in them: GOD is in the way of righteousness, and there alone to be found and enjoyed, and therefore this is the most blessed and excellent way.

4. It is the Way of the Kingdom. The proper excellency of the means stands in this, that it will certainly bring about its end;. that is our best way which will bring us safely home. This way is called the Way of Life; “Thou wilt show me the path of life.” (Ps. 16: 11.)”Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness:-for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.” (2 Pet. 1: 5-11.) If there were no other excellency of this way, yet this is enough to commend it, and exalt it above all other ways, that it is the way to heaven. The way of the LORD, whatever men may say against it, to discourage, or make you unwilling to travel in it, is the only way which you have to save your souls, the only way to eternal blessedness. When you have made' all your objections, and all your excuses, you must take up this holy course of life, or you can never come into the kingdom of GOD: The way of jollity and merriment is, as you think, a more pleasant way; but is this your way to heaven The way of covetousness you count a more profitable way; but is this the way of life The way of slothfulness is, you think, an easy way; but is this the way of the kingdom The strict way of holiness has little carnal delight, ease, or profit in it; but is not this the way to everlasting life “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the LORD.” (Heb. 12: 14.)

Now, if all this be so, (search, sinners, search and consider if it be not so, consult the Scriptures, consult your reasons and consciences, and see if you find them not bearing witness to this truth;) and if these things be so, then come, all ye foolish, and judge of the unreasonableness of these scoffing demands, addressed to the people of GOD” Why must you be so nice Why so precise Why so strict in making so much ado about every small matter Why cannot you be content to do as others, and take the same liberty as others” This is all one as if they should demand of them,” Why will you keep your way, the way of life Why will you be saved Why cannot you be content to be damned as well as others” Is there not a great deal of wisdom in such questions If you stood by a dangerous mire through which there was one narrow tract of firm ground, and should see a company of poor creatures sunk, and almost swallowed up, on the one hand and the other, and yet should see them laughing, and mocking, and jeering at those who kept on the narrow tract of firm ground; would you not say, that they were all mad, or bewitched This is the case of foolish worldlings; they are sunk in the mud, they are even swallowed up, and ready to perish, and yet they fall a laughing, and deride those who will keep the sure way. Sinners, what do you mean You are sinking, you are sinking; a few steps farther, and you are swallowed up. Why will you not come back, and get into this safe way Leave your scoffing at the saints, and learn of them; leave your judging and censuring, and follow them in the same steps in which they are going before you.

(II.) They are upright and exact in the way; they walk on in the strait way, with a strait foot: “ Blessed are the undefiled in the way;” (Ps. cxix. 1;) or the perfect, or entire in the way. It is said of CALEB, that lie” followed” the LORD “fully;” (Num. 14: 24;) and of ZACHARIAS and ELIZABETH, that they walked “in all the commandments and ordinances of the Loan blameless.” (Luke 1: 6.)”This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, we have had our conversation in the world.” (2 Cor. 1: 12.)”Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and blamelessly, we behaved ourselves among you.” (1 Thess. 2: 1O.)

But here, that I may be not mistaken, I must distinguish betwixt their aims, or what they are reaching towards, and their attainments, or what they have reached to. The aims of these circumspect Christians, in their whole course, are at perfection: “I press toward the mark: “ (Phil. 3: 14:) they would keep their way, without the least wandering; they would not tread one step awry; they would not speak one word amiss; they would not think one thought amiss; they would not neglect any one duty, nor commit any one sin, but would be what the Apostle would have them to be, “holy and harmless, the children of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked generation.” These are their aims, though their attainments fall short of their desires; they follow the LORD with the best of their understanding, and serve the LORD with the best of their strength; and when they have done their best, they mourn and grieve that it is no better.

That I may more distinctly open this exact and upright walking in the way of the LORD, I shall consider it, 1. As it hath respect to the Commandment; 2. As it hath respect to Conscience.

1. Their exact walking, as it hath respect to the Commandment, stands,

(1.) In having respect to every commandment, to the whole word of GOD: “Then shall I not be ashamed,

when I have respect to all thy commandments: (Ps. cxix. 6:)”Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” (1V att. 28: 2O.) The life of a Christian is a busy life; the word of GOD finds us much work to do; we have work for every faculty and member: our understandings have their work; our wills, affections, consciences, tongues, ears, eyes, hands, have all their particular works assigned them: every grace hath its work; faith hath its work, love hath its work, patience hath its work: every lust makes us work, to restrain, -deny, watch, and crucify it; these are weights and clogs that will hang on, and hinder us from all other works, if we let them alone; these are working against us continually, and are apt to set us on work against ourselves; working mischief and ruin to our souls, if they be not continually looked to, and kept under. We have work against us for every condition. Our prosperity finds us much work, to keep ourselves humble, heavenly, watchful, and in a holy fear and jealousy, lest the pleasures of this life should make an inroad upon our hearts, and spoil us of our graces. Our afflictions find us work, to keep our spirits from sinking and fainting, from murmuring and envying at those whose way does prosper. We have all the set and solemn duties of religion to attend upon; we have praying work, and hearing work, and sacrament work, and reading work, and heart-searching work, and meditating work. We have work to be done for others, our neighbours and acquaintances, our friends and enemies, our families, our servants, our children. We have not only work to do for them as men, but work to do for God with them: God hath work for us to do among our neighbors; GOD hath work for us to do in our families, and for our friends and enemies, instructing work, reproving work, praying work, works of mercy and charity. We have a continual succession of works; every day hath its business: Christians must have no sleeping days; their very Sabbaths must be working days; we must be at work for our souls, even on those days wherein we must do no bodily work. _” There remains rest to the people of GOD;” such a rest, wherein they shall work no more, nor be weary any more, wherein all their work shall be to ”eat of the fruit of their doings“ but on this side of that rest, there is no rest, but we must be full of labor.

You see that the Word hath provided much work for Christians: now those who are circumspect and upright in the way, will be thorough-paced, and stick at nothing which the Word requires; they are for any service, ready to every good work; they will not pick and choose, they will not halt or balk with GOD, but, as the Apostle says, they will endeavor to stand ”complete in all the will of GOD.” (Col. 4: 12.) Those duties which have most pain and hazard attending them, those duties which have the greatest contrariety to their natural temper, if they be duties, if the Word says, “They must be done; this is that which the LORD requires,” an upright heart will yield and stoop to them. Brethren, if there be any one thing required in the whole Book of GOD to which you cannot consents if you allow yourself in the neglect of it, and say concerning it, with NAAMAN,” The LORD spare me in this one thing,” -whatsoever else you do, your hearts are not upright.

(2.) In having respect to the most spiritual and inward part of the commandment. The commandment contains sins to be avoided, and duties to be performed; and both these are either outward or spiritual.-As there are outward sins to be avoided, sins of the mouth, sins of the eyes, ears, and hands; so there are inward sins, spiritual wickednesses, evil thoughts, “unclean lusts,” (Jer. 4: 14,)”inordinate affections,” (Matt. 5: 28,) an evil conscience. Now sincere Christians have an eye to, and hold a strict hand upon, these spiritual wickednesses; they labor to have their consciences purged, their “hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,” their affections and lusts mortified.” They that are CHRIST's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts;” their care is, not only that they be no drunkards, nor swearers, nor liars, nor railers, nor oppressors, nor of proud, froward, fretful, impatient carriage and behavior,-but they do not covet, they den not lust; they are not of a proud, impatient, fretful, envious, unpeaceable heart; they would not that an evil thought, or a vain thought, should lodge within them.-As there are outward duties to be performed, praying, hearing, and works of mercy, so there are spiritual duties, purely spiritual, as the internal acting of faith, and love, and hope, and the fear of GOD, the soul's choosing of GOD, its cleaving to GOD, and its rejoicing and delighting in GOD. Exact Christians have a special respect to these spiritual duties, in the exercise whereof stands chiefly their living in a holy fellowship, communion, and acquaintance with GOD. And for outward duties, their care is to perform them spiritually: they pray with the mouth, and pray in the spirit; they praise the LORD with their lips, and offer up their hearts as a spiritual sacrifice; they hear with their ears, and with their understandings also; they labor to bring their souls under the word, to pour forth their souls in prayer, to draw forth their souls in their very alms: “if thou draw forth thy soul to the hungry;” (Isa. lviii. 1O;)”1 chastened my soul with fasting.” (Ps. lxix. 1O.)

Oh! Brethren, if this be to walk exactly, then how much looseness does this discover in us!-a looseness in our very duties: men do not only drink like libertines, and swear like libertines, and neglect duties like libertines, but perform duties like libertines. Thou that usest to pray in thy closet, or in thy family, or in the congregation, in an outward formal way, and dest not pour out thy soul in prayer, thou prayest like a libertine: Thou that fastest, and dost not”chasten thy soul with fasting,” thou fastest like a libertine: Thou that hearest, and dost not bring thy soul under the word, thou hearest like a libertine: This is loose praying, and loose hearing; loose from the rule, which requires the exercising of the inner man, as well as the outward.

(3.) In observing the commands to the utmost. And here I shall give a four-fold further description of them.

First, They endeavor to get up their hearts to the highest pitch of affection, care, and activity: they would be the best Christians, the most humble, the most mortified, the

most patient, the most exemplary and active Christians; “not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the LORD.” A sincere Christian is a zealous Christian; in his sincerity stands the truth of his Christianity; in his zeal stands the height of it. Zeal is not a distinct grace, but the height of every grace; love in the height of it, desire in the height of it. A zealous Christian exercises every grace, performs every duty, and does it with all his might; he is not willing to spare, or to favor himself, but will spend and be spent in the work of the LORD. The flesh will be pleading for a little ease, and for moderation; it will be soliciting the soul, as PETER did CHRIST, saying, “Pity thyself, favor thyself; thou wilt never hold out at this rate; thou wilt pull all the country about thine ears, if thou art thus hot and forward: “ but the soul returns the same answer as CHRIST did to him; ”Get thee behind me, SATAN: hold thy peace, slothful heart; let me alone, for I will speak for GOD while I have a tongue to speak; while I have a heart, while I have a hand, while I have an eye, while I have a soul, while I have a being, I will follow on after the LORD. I will serve him, I will praise him, I will sacrifice all I am and have to Him; and then, come on me what will!”

Secondly, They are studying and seeking out opportunities for service. Such Christians are of strict lives, but of large hearts; of strict consciences, but of large desires and aims. Grace sets limits to their consciences, but none to their holy affections; they never do so much for God, but they are studying how they may do more. ”A liberal man devises liberal things;” a merciful man devises merciful things; a righteous man deviseth righteous things; he does not only exercise liberality and mercy, and work righteousness, when he hath an opportunity put into his hand, but he sits down and considers what great things the LORD hath done for him, and what marvelous loving kindness the LORD hath showed to him; and thereupon he studies and casts about what greater things than yet he hath done, he may do for the name of God. As it is said of the wicked,'“ He devises mischief continually; ”(Prov. 6: 14;)”they search out iniquity, they accomplish a diligent search;” (Ps. Ixiv. 6;)-search out for every opportunity to work wickedness, and to satisfy their lust;-so righteous men search out, and make a diligent search after opportunities to work righteousness. “Is there not yet a man left of the house of SAUL,” said DAVID,” to •whom I might show the kindness of GOD” (2 Sam. 9: 3.) Is there not yet a poor soul in distress, to whom I might show kindness for the name of GOD Is there not yet a poor family in misery, to whom I might show mercy Is there not yet a poor sinner to whom I -might give counsel Is there not yet a poor saint to whom I might administer comfort for the sake of my GOD As it is said of the Devil, “He goes up and down seeking whom he may devour,” so it may be said of such, that they are going up and down seeking whom they may save.

Thirdly, They shun occasions and temptations to sin they keep at as great a distance from sin as possible; they are careful to keep far enough within their line; they dare not venture to their utmost border, lest -they go beyond it ere they are aware. A wary Christian, having observed what things have proved snares and temptations to him, and have drawn him aside to iniquity formerly, will take heed bow he comes nigh them again. If company lath cooled and damped his heart, he will take heed how he comes into such company again: if going to his utmost liberty in the use of the creatures, either meat, drink, or apparel, hath enticed him beyond his bounds, he will be wary how he allows himself the like liberty, and will deny himself the freedom he might use, rather than again run upon danger he is sensible of his weakness to stand against a temptation, and thereupon is the more watchful that he run not into temptation. Men that are bold to venture into temptation, or to venture among vain persons, especially when they have proved what a snare such have been, they have little fear of sin, care of their souls or consciences, or regard to God Or godliness. Circumspect Christians dare not venture so profane men wonder at them, why they will be no more free, nor familiar with them, not so much as to sit and be merry with them: they think it strange, (says the Apostle,) that you run not with them: the reason is, they are afraid of the hook, and therefore dare not meddle with the bait.

Fourthly, They “abstain from all appearance of evil;” for that is the command: they would live, not only sine crirnine, but sine labe; not only without any fault, but without any flaw or scar upon them. To the end that they may cut off all occasion from them that seek occasion against them, they would do not only things honest, but things of good report too; they inquire concerning what they are about to do, not only whether it be lawful, but whether it be comely; for there may be divers things that may be lawful in themselves, which are yet unseemly, and may look with an evil face. The servants of CHRIST see that there are many eyes upon them, which will espy the least spot upon them; and therefore their care is, to keep themselves “unspotted from the world;” to carry themselves so, that, if it be possible, the world may have nothing to spot them with: they are sensible how obnoxious they are to the censures of the world, and that all the reproaches that, fall on them, fall on the LORD and his Gospel. What an outcry is there in the world against those who fear GOD-as if they were briars and thorns, the fire-brands of the world, and the troublers of nations, who turn the world upside down; as if there were no lions in the world but CHRIST'S lambs; as if CHRIST'S sheep were all wolves: and therefore, to prevent this, and to put to silence the ignorance and malice of evil men, they endeavor, as much as may be, to gain upon the hearts of all men; to walk so, that they may not only profit, but please others, and render the Gospel the more lovely with them: they would not only wrong no man, defraud no man, provoke no man, but they would displease no man, and give no man any occasion of offence or distaste at them and their way. Sinners, as much as these men are cried out against for troublesome and unquiet, yet they are desirous rather to please than provoke you; they would please all the world as far as they may without hurting themselves or them: indeed they would not sin against GOD to please men; they would not wound their consciences to save their credit; they would not lie, nor dissemble, nor flatter, nor connive at you, nor comply with you in sin, to gain your good will; but as far as they can, in order to your good, they are willing to become all things to all men: let them alone but to do their duty to God, to your souls, and to their own; and, if that do not displease you, they are willing in all things to do their best that they may not offend you.

And thus have I given you the description of these men,' by the exactness of their walking according to the Scriptures, which stands in their endeavor to have respect to every command, to the most inward and spiritual part of every command, and to observe every command to the utmost. To this I shall add two things:

1. When they have done all they can, after all this care and circumspection, they acknowledge themselves unprofitable servants. They are thankful, and bless God for helping them on in his way; but yet they are humble they are so far from boasting that they have done so much, that they are ashamed they have done no more: whilst they admire the grace of God towards them, they abase and abhor themselves in dust and ashes: “I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I,” (no thanks to me,)”but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Cor. 15: 1O.) The world brands them for a proud generation, who say to their brethren, ”Stand aside, I am holier than thou.” What more common in such mouths, than ”Precise, but as proud as the Devil” It is true, and Christians will freely acknowledge it, and take the shame of it upon them, that this pestilent evil, pride, is a weed that is apt to spring up in the richest gardens. Many a Christian has groaned and travailed in pain under the bondage of a self-exalting heart; but yet he is bewailing it, and bemoaning himself for it. And the constant desire and labor of his soul is, to bring himself to, and hold himself in such lowliness, that whatever he be, or has done, the excellency of the power may appear to be of GOD, and not of him.

2. Whatever they have done, they dare not trust in it; they dare not be found in their own righteousness, but cc count all things but loss, so that” they a may win CHRIST, and be found in him.” They labor as zealously in the works of righteousness, as they would have done, if this must have been their righteousness in which they must have stood before the LORD; and yet they depend as singly upon CHRIST and his righteousness, as if they had never done any thing.

Before I proceed, let us consider what it is, of all this which has been spoken of these men, wherein their folly lies. Are they fools for making so wise a. choice-for choosing the better part, those true riches, that enduring substance, those everlasting treasures, which are laid up in another world or because they will not be cheated by the Devil of that better inheritance, by those toys and fooleries, the pleasures, honors, and vanities of this world That is, Are they fools because they are not brutes Are they fools, who have taken the right way to obtain that blessedness which they have chosen-because they do not content themselves with idle wishings, and hopings for heaven, and promise to themselves they shall not fail of it, though they never take the course which leads to it That is, Are they fools because they be men; and will hearken to their reason and understanding, which tell them, that the end cannot be attained without the means Are they fools because they will be upright; because they will not lie, nor swear, nor riot, nor defraud, nor oppress, but walk in all the commandments of the LORD blameless, That is, Are they fools because they are honest men Is this their folly, that they will not content themselves with a formal, outside religion, but will take care of the heart, as well as the Outside; will perform spiritual duties, and purge themselves from spiritual wickedness; will make sure work, by laying the axe to the root of that wickedness which breaks forth in their lives, those lusts that war in their members That is, Are they fools because they are not hypocrites Is this their folly, that they are so flee and forward, and zealous, in that which is good That is, Are they fools because they will love GOD so much, and fear GOD so much, and go on so far, and so fast, in obedience to him; or because they do not give up the strength of their hearts, the vigor of their affections, and care, and labor, to the Devil and their lusts, and reserve only some little for GOD and their souls Are they fools because they will be so wary, and watchful against sin and temptation, and because they will keep themselves as far out of danger as may be That is, Is it their folly that they are not fools Stand forth, ye wise men of the world, who charge the saints with folly; read over all the particulars of that true description which I have given you of them; and tell us in good earnest, if you can, in which of the particulars their folly lies: Is it because they are not brutes, that they are men, that they are honest men, that they are not hypocrites, or that they are not fools, that you account them such You say, a Men are fools that they are so precise: “ It is all one as though you should say, If they were wise, they would be brutes, knaves, and fools. Behold here the wisdom of this world! Has not GOD made the wisdom of the world foolishness

2. Thus we have seen what this exact and upright walking is, as it respects the Commandment: Now we shall consider it as it respects Conscience. (l.) They take great care of Conscience. (2.) They give good heed to Conscience.

(l.) They take great care of conscience, and take great pains about their conscience. Their care is two-fold; about the informing and instructing their conscience; and about the keeping their conscience tender.

They take great care about the informing and instructing of their conscience. Conscience is to be the inward Guide of their way. As the word is to be their guide without them, so conscience is to be their inward guide; their care therefore is, that it may not be a blind guide. Hence it is, that they are so much employed in searching the Scriptures; they are much conversant in their Bibles; they are frequent in hearing sermons, and diligent in noting and repeating what they hear; they are often putting their doubts, and opening their difficult cases, to those who are able to resolve them; and all this in order to get their consciences enlightened and instructed in the will of GOD. Though there are many things of which they are ignorant, yet there is nothing of which they are willingly ignorant their desires and prayers to the LORD are the same with the Psalmist's,” Hide not thy commandments from me;” (Ps. cxix. 19;) and with *,” That which I know not, teach thou me. (Job xxxiv. 32.)

They also take great care to keep their consciences tender. Tenderness of conscience is sometimes taken for weakness of conscience. A weak conscience is that which is weak-sighted, not able to discern between things that differ, and very subject to mistakes; it mistakes good for evil, lawful for unlawful; and it is also full of troublesome and unreasonable fears, and endless scruples; it often fears where no fear is: this tenderness their endeavors are to cure, and not to cherish.

Tenderness of conscience is the perfection of it: a truly tender conscience is a sound conscience, which is quick of sense, and presently feels and smarts, and is put to pain, with any thing that is really an offence to it. A tender conscience is as the eye; the least dust that blows into it will make it smart; and this not from soreness, but quickness of sense. The dim-sighted world looks upon all tenderness as weakness. It counts all as weak, whose consciences cannot down with any thing; and all their doubtings it reckons to be humor, and conceit, and causeless fears but this tenderness is so far from being the sickness, that it is the health and soundness of the heart.. It was the commendatory, and not the reproach of King JOSIAH, that his heart was tender. (2 Kings 22: 19.) Circumspect Christians labor to keep their hearts in this temper; and therefore they carefully shun any thing that would harden them; as the eye that cannot endure the dust which falls into it, is quick at its ward, to keep off any thing that would be obnoxious to it. And this is the reason why Christians can bear any thing rather than sin, because it is this alone that is hurtful to conscience: they are hardy enough to bear afflictions, for these are no prejudice to conscience; it is not against their consciences to suffer, but it is to sin Affliction may perplex the thoughts, but will never trouble conscience.

Objection. Tender Conscience! Who more stubborn and st f in their way Do you call this tenderness

Solution. There is a three-fold stiffness, manifested,

First, In refusing to receive conviction touching any thing wherein men are faulty, or in an error.

Secondly, In refusing to revoke their errors, upon conviction that they are so. Let either of these be charged upon them, and the charge be made good; and then call them stubborn, or what you will.

Thirdly, In refusing to act contrary to their conviction, or to do that in which conscience is not satisfied,-that which, after most candidly inquiring into, and most impartially weighing, all that is said for it, their conscience still tells them, that they should sin in doing. Hereupon, though all their friends should come and persuade and entice them, and though all their adversaries should reproach and persecute them, yet still they refuse to yield. This stiffness is that steadfastness which the LORD requires in them, and is so far from being inconsistent with true tenderness, that it is their tenderness.

If an idolater should come and persuade such to worship an idol, if he should threaten them with the fiery furnace, or with the lions' den, and yet they will not; is this their stubbornness, or is it their tenderness If an adulterer should persuade them to uncleanness; if a libertine should think to scoff them out of their holy course, in such way as this;” Why,, what hurt is there in a little mirth What great matter is it, to take a little liberty now and then Why should you think yourselves wiser than other men And yet they will not hearken; will you call this their obstinacy Here are obstinate creatures indeed! They will not be idolaters, they will not be unclean, they will not be libertines, they will not be liars nor disablers, they will by no means be persuaded to rebel against GOD and conscience; and therefore they are obstinate! Persuade them to do that which is good, convince them that they are in an error, and then try whether they will be obstinate.

Christians, prove yourselves to be conscientious.

How ever the world reproach you, and call your uprightness hypocrisy, and your tenderness obstinacy, yet part not with it so, but still resolve with Jon,” Till I die, I will not remove my integrity from me.” (Job 27: 5.) There is a double way wherein we may be said to remove our integrity;-by departing from it, and by belying it.

Our integrity is “removed” by departing from it; by turning aside to iniquity; by being found false to. GOD and conscience; by exchanging • this truth and tenderness of heart, for hardness and hypocrisy. Take heed you do not thus depart from your integrity. Beloved, you live in a world wherein conscience is• like to cost you dear; if you will own any such thing, as conscience, or conscientious walking, you are like to smart for it: look to it that your conscience be sound, such as is worth the suffering for. Look to it, that whatsoever you suffer for conscience, you suffer nothing from conscience for wronging, or abusing, or violating it. Sufferings for conscience, for an upright conscience, are precious: sufferings from conscience, from an evil and abused conscience, will be bitter. Let all the world be against you rather than conscience: whom the world smites for conscience, GOD will heal; whom the world judges, GOD will justify: but if our hearts condemn us, who-shall plead for us, or comfort us Carry yourselves so, that conscience may be your comforter, not your tormentor. There is no torment like the stings and revenges of an abused conscience. Keep your conscience tender, and it will neither hurt you, nor suffer you to be hurt by others: keep your integrity, and it will keep you. Give the world leave to talk and do what they will; but when they have said and done their worst, keep yourselves honest, and you shall keep yourselves safe: your conscience will be your confidence and your security: He that walketh uprightly, shall walk surely.” Be not reproached out of your refuge: let not the world find you obstinate against duty, nor yet yielding to iniquity: be not stubborn, but yet be steadfast; yield to reproofs, while you slight reproaches. Let us be so gentle, flexible, and easy to be entreated, so fearful to offend, so ready to please all men in all things which are not against conscience, that we may convince them, that in those things wherein we fix and do not yield, it is because we cannot, not because we will not. And let us yet be so steadfast in those things which would be a wound and defilement to conscience, that we may let them see that it is but a vain attempt for them to think to reproach or persecute us out of our integrity. Let us be sincerely tender, not out of any fickleness or weakness of conscience, or from groundless scrupulosity, much less from sullenness or humor, but from a sound mind, and a pure conscience. Let us be universally tender of every evil, not only of the greatest and most scandalous, but of the smallest sins; not only of open sins, such as come to the view of men, but of the most secret sins, the most inward and spiritual wickedness, such as need fear no reprover but conscience. Let us be tender not only of committing sin, but of any omissions or neglects; not only of our neglects of duties, but of our negligences in duties, and of that deadness, formality, cursoriness, coldness, hypocrisy, distraction, which hence arise; of the neglects or negligent performances of our duty to GOD, to men, to our families, to our friends, to our enemies; of our not pitying them, not praying for them, not wishing them well, not doing them good for their evil, and endeavoring, by our soft, meek, inoffensive, and loving carriage towards them, to win and gain upon their hearts. O, brethren, we have much to blame ourselves for, though evil men have little; or if they have more, they are so unhappy as not to hit upon the right things; judging us and condemning us, not for our faults, but for the good that is found in us. But, however, we have much to blame ourselves for: the LORD help us, for we have many haltings and many failings! O, it were well for us, if our hearts had no more to say against us than

men can say. What unevenness and inequality is there in our goings! What intermissions in our care and watchfulness!

Whatever our aims and desires are, whatsoever universal regard we have to the will of God, yet when we come to practice, in how many things do we halt and go away! We dare not lie, nor swear; but are we so watchful as we should be against idle and vain talking It may be, that we cannot suffer any rooted malice to abide in our hearts; but are we not fretful and impatient Does conscience check us for, and make resistance against, every evil Let us be universally tender, universally careful. O that our consciences were but as tender as our lusts! Our pride will not bear any thing that reflects upon our reputation; our covetousness will not bear any thing that is a hindrance to our gains; our passions will hardly bear the least cross or unpleasing word; how touchy are we at every little thing that does offend us! O, if conscience were in every thing as tender as lust, what Christians should we be! But woe to us, whatever we should be, how short we fall! How unequal are our goings! How unsteady are our tempers; sometimes tender, sometimes hard; sometimes watchful, sometimes heedless; in some things careful, in some things careless! How do we too much justify the wicked, and harden them in their reproaches of us! Let us press on with so much earnestness to this evenness and exactness in all our ways, that i t may be seen, that if we have not yet attained, yet we are following after. Such a conscience as this, such a course as this, will plead for itself against all the calumnies of the world. Our integrity is “removed,” also, by belying it. And that is the sense in which JOB says, “I will not remove my integrity;” (Job 27: 5;) that is, I will never rely my integrity: call me a hypocrite, or what else you please, God forbid that I should justify you by belying myself, and saying as you say. Brethren, do not out of any base fear, or to make your peace with sinners, do not say of your tenderness and watchful walking,” This was my pride, hypocrisy, humor, or self-will;” but stand upon your own uprightness: “ Till I die I will not remove my integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.” (Job 27: 5, 6.) Thus we have shown how good men take care of Conscience. But we also observe,

(2.) They give good heed to conscience; they will hearken to and follow conscience. The voice of a well-instructed conscience is the voice of God; and to this voice they will hearken, without turning aside in any thing, either to the right hand or to the left.

By turning aside to the right hand, I mean, the making the narrow way narrower than the LORD has made it. And this may be done, First, by putting religion in such things in which God has put none; laying other bonds and burdens on our necks than those which the HOLY GHOST has laid on us Secondly, By putting more religion in any thing than GOD has put in it; by laying a greater weight and stress upon the smaller things of religion than GOD has laid on them. By the lesser duties of religion, I mean not any moral duties, (for the lowest of these, the lowest duties of mercy, justice, charity, and truth, are to be reckoned among the weighty matters of the law, wherein we cannot err by being too strict,) but the circumstantials of the worship of GOD, the outward forms of worship, and the gestures, &c., to be used in it. Let us not put more in these circumstantials, than the Scriptures have put.; let us not be so zealous for or against them as if religion stood or fell with them: “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of GOD.'' (1 Cor. 8: 19.) These are not the things wherein religion stands; keep the commandments, fear GOD, walk before GOD in holiness and righteousness; let your zeal be spent that way; but trouble not yourselves so much about these lesser matters. Yet these two things must be here added.

Firstly: This is not so to be understood, as if Christians were to swallow all things of this nature, without examining whether they be agreeable to the will of GOD or not; a due regard must be had to the satisfying of conscience, even in the smallest things. We may not yield so as to practice any little things which are against our consciences, though we may not spend our zeal about them as if religion lived or died with them.

Secondly: Even against these lesser things there ought to be zeal expressed, if they should be likely to prove destructive to the substantials of religion, and hinder the main end which they pretend to promote,

By turning aside to the left hand, I mean all declining-, to licentiousness: either, First, By making duties no duties, making sins to be no sins, and so making the way of life broader than CHRIST has made it, throwing off those burdens which GOD hath imposed, making it no matter of conscience to be strict, not only in the circumstantials, but neither in the substantials of religion; so blinding conscience, that it accounts it not a duty to be so strict and so precise in any thing, but that there may be a greater latitude allowed, especially in cases of danger Secondly, By making bold with duties and sins, neglecting known duties, running upon known sins, and making shipwreck of conscience to satisfy lust; when, though conscience stands convinced, that holiness, in the strictness of it, is our duty, and that licentiousness, and living after the flesh, are our sin, yet we will indulge ourselves' in fleshly liberty.

Now this is another character of circumspect Christians; they will walk according to conscience in all things, without turning aside either way, either to the right hand, or to the left. They are not willing to turn aside to the right hand, either by putting religion in those things in which GOD hath put none, or by putting more of religion in any thing than GOD has put: their zeal is for the substantials and weighty things of religion; as for the circumstantials, though they will not act in these contrary to conscience, yet they will not be contentious about them, nor censorious of those who, agreeing with them in the main, differ from them in these things.

But their great care is, not to turn aside to the left hand. They will not, for fear of being too precise, grow profuse and profane; but, as the Apostle PAUL, (Heb. 13: IS,) they “have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly;” denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and living righteously, soberly, and godly, in this present world; “ being” blameless and harmless, the sons of GOD, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.”

(III.) From this way they will not be withdrawn, either by any hopes or advantages on the one hand, or by any fears or dangers on the other: they have not taken up religion on such slight grounds, as to be either flattered or frighted out of it. Christians, at their first engaging in the way of the LORD, sit down and consider what it will cost them to be CHRIST's disciples; they count all the charges, they cast up beforehand all the damages to which they can be subject, and foresee, that there is enough in CHRIST to make amends for all, and to save them harmless at the last, whatever falls. They count upon tribulations, losses, reproaches, and the greatest of temptations; and if they did not foresee that the gain of godliness would countervail all the inconveniences with which it is likely to be attended, they 'would not have adventured on it; but seeing they can be no losers, hereupon they set up their staff, determining not to depart for ever. They take CHRIST, and his way, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in prosperity and affliction; they resolve to stand or fall, to suffer and reign, to live and die, with him. He that hath not thus engaged is no true Christian; this absolute• resolution to be ever the LORD's, and never to forsake him, is the essence of true conversion. He is no true convert who is content to follow CHRIST in fair weather only, as far and as long as he safely may: a sincere convert will follow CHRIST absolutely and unalterably. Now, being thus engaged, whatever befalls them, it is no more than they looked for: they are called fools, and counted stubborn, self-willed, self-conceited; they look to be counted such, and so it moves them not: they are set upon by flatteries, and tempted by outward prosperity, but it cannot prevail; “Thy money perish with thee,” says PETER. It may be said of the true Christian as it was said Of LUTHER, “Money will' do nothing with him; preferment will do nothing with him,- prisons, banishments, death itself, can do nothing with him.”“ None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto me, so that I may finish my course with joy.”

And as true Christians will not be drawn to a total apostasy from CHRIST, so neither will they be brought to allow themselves in any little deviation: “All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant: our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way.” (Ps. xliv. 17, 18.) We read, that when a decree was made, that whosoever should ask any petition, for thirty days' space, either of GOD or man, save of the King of Babylon, should be cast into the lions' den, yet DANIEL would not forbear to pray to his GOD. When he “knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed.” Carnal men would have been ready to have said, What a precise fool was this DANIEL What great matter was it that he stood so much upon He was not urged to the commission; but only to forbear for a time to pray to the true GOD. Was this such a crime, to forbear praying for a few weeks, for the saving of his life Or, if he would needs pray, he might have done it secretly, and kept his devotion to himself: must he needs keep his hours, and open his windows too Yea, he must do it, and he will do it. DANIEL would not only continue his course of prayer, but he would not give his adversaries occasion to think that he was afraid to pray; he held it his duty (being called out to a confession of his religion) to let his adversaries know, that he was not afraid to trust GOD with his safety, whilst he continued in the exercise of his duty.

In matters which GOD has left to their liberty, they are willing to use their liberty. In matters that concern their personal interest, as men, they are not careful; they desire not to be contentious: spare them but the liberty to keep a good conscience; give them leave to fear GOD, and to worship GOD; give them leave to be holy and righteous, and to walk before the LORD in their integrity; and for any thing else you may persuade them to it with ease. But if you attempt to entice them away from their GOD, o to impose upon them to the prejudice of a good conscience, you might as well spare your labor; speak no more to them in such matters; they are at a point; GOD they will follow, and a good conscience they will maintain, whatever come upon them, to the end of their days.

Thus I have given you a description of the Scripture Precisians, which is summarily this: They are the same with sincere and godly men, men fearing GOD, who are inwardly renewed after the image of GOD, who are adventurers for another world, are gotten into the way of life, and are walking on carefully and heedfully in that way; whose aim and endeavor is to live, not according to the wills and lusts of men, but according to the word and will of GOD; not according to humor and fancy, but according to conscience: a people that will neither make the way to heaven narrower than it is, by being scrupulous and nice, where GOD hath given them liberty, nor will make it broader than it is by taking up looser principles, or allowing themselves in loose practices: a people who dare not adventure their souls upon that easy, formal, careless, outward way of religion, which the most do; but are willing to make sure work, by walking to the exactness of their rule, and living up to the height of their principles; and who in this holy course are steadfast and unmoveable, will neither be bribed off by the flatteries, nor beaten off by the frowns of the world; but will retain their integrity, hold fast their holy profession, and hold on in their holy course; and this to the death.

Concerning these men, I shall now make evident to the consciences of all impartial persons, in the second place, that they are no fools, but truly wise men.

In order hereto, I must first discover what is meant by fools. A fool is a man void of understanding, a man void of true wisdom.

Wisdom is of two sorts:

1. Fleshly wisdom or policy; which consists in under. standing where the interest of the flesh lies, and in the ordering ourselves and our affairs so that we may advance and secure this interest. By the interest of the flesh, I mean, all those things which please and gratify nature, as outward peace and quiet, plenty and prosperity, credit and reputation: he that can order his affairs, and steer his course, so as will most advance, and best secure these, that, which way so ever the world go, lie may live in peace and quiet, and credit, and plenty, and pleasure, this is a fleshly-wise man. Concerning this wisdom, the question is not: it will easily be granted, that “the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.”

2. Spiritual wisdom; which consists, (1.) In understanding where our main interest lies; not in things temporal, meat and drink, clothes and money, houses and lands, pleasures and honors, but in things spiritual, in the love and favor of God, in a good conscience, in righteousness, peace, and joy in the HOLY GHOST; and in things eternal, in that glory, honor, and immortality, which shall be given of God.: (2.) In ordering ourselves and ways so as to make the best provision for securing this great and eternal interest, that whatever miscarriages there may be in things of lower value, that wherein our eternal happiness stands may be secured; this is called in Scripture, “the wisdom which is from above, “wisdom to salvation;” and this is the only true wisdom. GOD hath made, and will make, all fleshly wisdom appear to be but folly. Concerning this true wisdom, this spiritual wisdom, it is, that I shall now prove that circumspect, precise Christians are no fools, but the only wise men; and that from these reasons:-I. GOD accounts them no fools. 2. They will not be accounted fools at last, neither by God nor men. 3. The properties of wise men are found in them. 4. The treasures of wisdom are found with them.

1. GOD counts them no fools. They are no fools whom the world counts fools, but they are such whom God counts fools. Beloved, whose judgment will you take Will you stand to the judgment of God in this case His judgment we have plain: “ Unto man he said, The fear of the LORD, this is wisdom; and to depart from evil, this is understanding: “ (Job 28: 2S:)” The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments.” (Ps. exi. 1O.) The “beginning” of wisdom: that notes either; (1.) The entrance of wisdom: men never begin to be wise till they come to be godly. Look how long thou hast lived a stranger from GOD, so long thou hast lived a fool. When the repenting prodigal came to his father, he came to himself, his understanding returned to him; he was beside himself before, but then he, came to himself. (2.) The top or height of wisdom, caput sapientim: the word signifies a godly man; for true wisdom is the head, and not the tail: “excellent wisdom is found in him.” In these, and multitudes of other Scriptures, you have the judgment of God concerning these men: Are you wiser than •he Will you believe your own conceits and make it broader than it is by taking up looser principles, or allowing themselves in loose practices: a people who dare not adventure their souls upon that easy, formal, careless, outward way of religion, which the most do; but are willing to make sure work, by walking to the exactness of their rule, and living up to the height of their principles; and who in this holy course are steadfast and unmoveable, will neither be bribed off by the flatteries, nor beaten off by the frowns of the world; but will retain their integrity, hold fast their holy profession, and hold on in their holy course; and this to the death.

Concerning these men, I shall now make evident to the consciences of all impartial persons, in the second place, that they are no fools, but truly wise men.

In order hereto, I must first discover what is meant by fools. A fool is a man void of understanding, a man void of true wisdom.

Wisdom is of two sorts:

1. Fleshly wisdom or policy; which consists in under. standing where the interest of the flesh lies, and in the ordering ourselves and our affairs so that we may advance and secure this interest. By the interest of the flesh, I mean, all those things which please and gratify nature, as outward peace and quiet, plenty and prosperity, credit and reputation: he that can order his affairs, and steer his course, so as will most advance, and best secure these, that, which way so ever the world go, he may live in peace and quiet, and credit, and plenty, and pleasure, this is a fleshly-wise man. Concerning this wisdom, the question is not: it will easily be granted, that “the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.”

2. Spiritual wisdom; which consists, (1.) In understanding where our main interest lies; not in things temporal, meat and drink, clothes and money, houses and lands, pleasures and honors, but in things spiritual, in the love and favor of God, in a good conscience, in righteousness; peace, and joy in the HOLY GHOST; and in things eternal, in that glory, honor, and immortality, which shall be given of God: (2.) In ordering ourselves and ways so as to make the best provision for securing this great and eternal interest, that whatever miscarriages there may be in things of lower value, that wherein our eternal happiness stands may be secured; this is called in Scripture,” the wisdom which is from above,” 11 wisdom to salvation;” and this is the only true wisdom. GOD hath made, and will make, all fleshly wisdom appear to be but folly. Concerning this true wisdom, this spiritual wisdom, it is, that I shall now prove that circumspect, precise Christians are no fools, but the only wise men; and that from these reasons:-1. GOD accounts them no fools. 2. They will not be accounted fools at last, neither by God nor men. 3. The properties of wise men are found in them. 4. The treasures of wisdom are found with them.

1. God counts them no fools. They are no fools whom the world counts fools, but they are such whom GOD counts fools. Beloved, whose judgment will you take Will you stand to the. judgment of God in this case His judgment we have plain: “ Unto man he said, The fear of the LORD, this is wisdom; and to depart from evil, this is understanding: “ (Job 28: 2S:)”The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all they that do his commandments.” (Ps. cxi. 1O.) The”beginning" of wisdom: that notes either; (1.) The entrance of wisdom: men never begin to be wise till they come to be godly. Look how long thou hast lived a stranger from GOD, so long thou hast lived a fool. When the repenting prodigal came to his father, he came to himself, his understanding returned to him; he was beside himself before, but then he came to himself. (2.) The top or height of wisdom, caput sapientite: the word signifies a godly man; for true wisdom is the head, and not the tail: “excellent wisdom is found in him.” In these, and multitudes of other Scriptures, you have the

judgment of GOD concerning these men: Are you wiser than-lie Will you believe your own conceits and apprehensions before the word of the all-wise and true GOD Either you must make sinners fools, or GOD a liar.

2. They will be accounted no fools at last, neither by GOD nor men: they only are to be accounted fools now, who will be accounted such at last. At present men's eyes are blinded; they cannot discern between light and darkness; but at last men's eyes shall be opened: this blind world shall then see, and look upon all the ways and transactions of men here below, and all the various states of the several sorts of persons in the world, with another eye than it does now. When the designs, and ways, and actions of men shall be brought to their issue; when all disguises shall be taken away, and all faces and hearts shall be made bare, and naked, and open; then every one will see who have behaved themselves wisely, and who have played the fool: “Every man's work shall be made manifest;” (1 Cor. 3: 13;) and thereby every man shall be made manifest; “The day shall declare them: “ If you ask, “what day” I answer, The last day, when every man shall have finished his work; the day of judgment, which is both a day of trial, when all shall be proved what they are; and a day of recompense, when every man shall be rewarded according to his work. Let this now determine the question; let those persons, who, both by GOD and men, by good men and evil men, will be accounted fools at that day, let them be ’accounted fools now; and let those men be accounted wise now, whom GOD, and all the world, will account such in that day of trial. Now the world are divided in their judgment; some think Christians fools, others think them wise; but at last all the world shall be agreed, and of one mind; and those that shall be judged fools then, by the common judgment of all, let them pass for such now.

But you will say, What is this to the satisfying of our present judgment How can we tell now who shall then be accounted wise, or fools I answer, Besides that the Word is before you, which is the law by which that judgment must proceed, let every man appeal to his own conscience. Here are two sorts of persons in the world. One sort are such as own GOD in the world, and follow GOD, and follow the Scriptures, and withdraw themselves from the ways of the wicked, spending much time in praying; and hearing, and meditating of GOD, exercising themselves in holy watchfullness over their hearts, and overall their ways, and laboring in all things, that both here and hereafter -they may be approved of GOD. The other sort live at their ease; they mind their farms and oxen, and Fulfill the desires of the flesh; they hope that they shall do well enough hereafter, but do not much trouble themselves about it. Let every man ask his own heart thus, Which of these two sorts do I think in my conscience will be found fools, and which wise, in the day of judgment Beloved, will you speak your consciences in this thing If it were put to your choice amongst which of these you would be found, and take your portion at last, what choice do you think you should make- Whether would you be found amongst those who spend their days in ignorance, or amongst those who seek after the knowledge of GOD Amongst those who labor and strive to make sure of the love and favor of GOD, or amongst those who take no care about it Amongst the vain or the serious, the diligent or the slothful, the heavenly-minded or the earthlyminded Dare any of you say, Let my soul stand among the drunkards and gluttons; among the covetous, and proud, and careless ones of the earth; among the formalists, the mockers, and the scoffers at the ways of the LORD: let my portion be with them; let my sentence be acording to their sentence If you dare not make this your choice, to be found amongst such at that day, you perceive what the verdict of your own conscience is in this case; whatever you say of them now, your conscience tells you, that these will be found the fools in that day, and those only will be found wise, amongst whom you would choose to stand.

3. The properties of wise men are found in them. Of these I shall give but two instances:-(I.) They understand themselves aright. (2.) They build surely.

(I.) They understand themselves aright: for,

First, They understand wherein their interest lies. We say of a wise man, He is a man who understands himself, who understands what he has to do. Christians are men of understanding; they understand what that one thing is for which they live, in the securing whereof, if they prosper, they know that they shall be happy, whatever else they miscarry in; and upon their miscarriage wherein they know that they are undone, whatever else they prosper in: they know that there is but one thing needful,' and that one thing is their eternal interest, the blessedness to come, the happiness of the other world, the obtaining and enjoying of GOD.

This one thing is in their hearts;” One thing have I desired, that I may dwell in the house of the LORD for ever: “ and this one thing is in their hand too, the work and the business which they mind to carry on;” This one thing I do; forgetting that which is behind, and reaching forth to that which is before, I press to the mark, for the prize of the high calling of GOD in CHRIST JESUS.” Sinners, you who imagine yourselves to be so wise, you are a company of poor mistaken creatures, mistaken in your interest; you are in the world, you know not for what; you know riot what you have to do here; it is no wonder that you shoot so wide, when you mistake your mark; it is no wonder that you do you know not what, when you know not what you should do Is this the work for which you came into the world, to eat and drink, and sleep, and buy, and sell, and marry, and bring forth children, and load yourselves and them with thick clay; to sport, and play, and riot, and laugh, and spend your days in mere vanity and foolery Are there no higher things than these, which God has set before you, and more worthy of your choice and labor Have you no souls to mind which are of an immortal being And are there not lasting riches, abiding pleasures, an enduring substance, that may be had, that must he had, for these souls of yours to live upon, or else they will be eternally miserable And do you not understand that your souls are of more value than your perishing carcasses; and that the making provision for your souls is of far higher consequence than the pampering of your bodies If you do not understand this, yet do not judge them to be fools that do.

Secondly, They understand their way. The wisdom of a merchant lies, not only in his skill, to choose the best and richest commodities, which will bring in the greatest and most certain gain; but in his understanding the mystery of his trade, whereby he may upon the best and surest terms procure these commodities. Christians, by their being acquainted with the Scriptures, and having been trained up in the school of CHRIST, are come to understand their trade, the mystery of godliness; they have not only learned to prize the salvation of GOD, and the glory and blessedness of the world to come, but are well acquainted with the way that leads to it. Carnal men are ignorant of the way; though they understand in general that religion is the way to salvation, yet, poor miserable creatures! They mistake their religion: and little smatterings of the knowledge of God, with some profession of faith and repentance, especially if it be joined with some little outward devotion, and with the now and then calling upon God for mercy,-this they count religion enough to bring them to heaven; and any thing that is more than this, they think more than is necessary: these are the fools indeed, if we may believe the Scripture;” Surely they are poor, they are foolish, they know not the way of the LORD. (Jer. 5:4.) Sinners are wise enough in their own ways; the way of sin they know; the way of lying, and oppression, and unrighteousness, the way to wealth, and honor, and temporal preferments, they sufficiently know; they have studied and traveled these ways: but all this while they are foolish children;” Surely they are foolish, they know not the way of the Loan.” Christians are wise; and herein their wisdom stands, “they know the way of the LORD;” they have a light without them, showing to them this good way; they have a voice behind them, saying to them, This is the way, walk in it: they have made it their business to inquire, and study, and travel this way; surely these, are wise, they know the way of the LORD, they know their way to heaven. If they know not the way to be rich in this world, yet they know the way to be rich towards GOD. If they know not how to escape trouble and affliction, they know how to suffer it; if they know: riot how to- escape the wrath of men, yet, they know how to escape thee wrath to come: if this' be wisdom, to be skilled in the matters of religion and righteousness, in the matters of faith and a good conscience, to have found out the way of life, by which to escape from hell beneath, then these godly men are wise men; surely they are wise, “they know the way of the LORD.

But you will say, Why may not we be in the right way as well as they Why may not our way of religion be as, good a _ way, and as wise a way, and as safe a way as theirs I answer: Will you make use of your reason If you will, you shall answer this objection yourselves; the difference betwixt you and them is this: You take up but a little part of that religion which you both profess, and you will have but a little’ to- do with that little of religion which you do take up; you little mind or study that which you count your religion: these precise ones take up the whole of religion, and they give themselves wholly to the study and practice of it; they make it their business to search the Scriptures, that they may understand the will and way of the LORD, and to govern their hearts, and order their lives, in all things according to it. So that now, if you will answer two easy questions, you shall yourselves answer the objection. The first question is, who are most likely to be in the right; those who endeavor to practice all that they profess, or those who, though they profess the truth, practice scarcely any thing, but a small part of it, and that the lower and less considerable part of it, the bare outside of it I hope you will acknowledge that this is no hard question to be resolved; and the second question shall be as easy. Who is likely to be in the right; the diligent Christian who makes-it-his have A study his relic on, or the careless Christian who seldom spends a serious thought about it Answer but these two questions, and then yourselves will be able to give a reason why it is more likely that they should be in the right than you. Brethren, show yourselves men; here are a company of poor creatures of you, who have spent your time in ignorance and idleness as to the matters of GOD and your souls, and who little meddle with that religion, which yourselves say you must do if you will be saved: you say you must believe, you must repent of your sins, you must pray to GOD for forgiveness, and yet what great strangers are you to these things! It may be, if you consider it, you have often gone whole days and weeks together, and have scarcely ever prayed, not so much as after your own fashion, nor scarcely had any thoughts of repentance, or asking forgiveness of GOD.-, you eat and drink,, and go forth and come in, and lie down and rise up, and never so much as look up to GOD for his mercy and blessing: these others, in the mean while, make praying, and reading, and hearing, and minding GOD and their souls, their daily study and business. Now, what an unreasonable thing is it to imagine, that those who so little meddle with any thing of religion, should be as likely to understand it, as those who make it their daily work! O beloved, how can you be so confident that you are in the right, when you never seriously inquire whether you be or no

And how can you think you have any wisdom in you, when you trust a matter of such weight upon a mere presumption You are strongly conceited that you are as wise as others, and in as good a way; and upon this conceit you venture your souls. Friends, you are a sad wonder to me. I wonder men should think, that carelessness is as good as diligence; licentiousness as good as strictness; that that loose, and blind, and easy way which men take up, is as good, and as sure, nay, a better and more certain way of life, than the strict and industrious way of the saints. I very much wonder, how men, who know any thing of the Scriptures, can make themselves think, that the foolish, *, they endeavor to satisfy themselves, can give the least hopes of salvation.

They build surely, so that whosoever or whatsoever falls, they stand sure for ever. They are those wise builders of whom CHRIST speaks: “ Whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not. (Matt. 8: 24.)” My foot standeth in an even place.” (Ps. 26: 12.) All other persons stand upon slippery places. When they are in the height of all their glory and confidence, they are often gone in a moment. A Christian stands sure; whichever way the wheel of Providence moves, it moves in favor of the upright; he is still uppermost, when he is undermost; all the vicissitudes and returns of prosperity and affection make no change upon him as to the main; he is as happy under all his outward losses as in his greatest gains; he is as honorable under the greatest contempt poured out upon him, as under the highest applause; he is as safe in the greatest dangers, as when there is no danger appearing; lie has religion, righteousness, innocency, yea, the truth and strength of the Almighty GOD to uphold him; if a Christian falls, the Scripture must fall with him; that word, concerning which CHRIST has said,” Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away.” (Matt. 24: 35..) He shall never be disappointed of his hopes, unless faithfullness can disappoint; he shall never be deceived, till truth becomes a lie.

The men of the world build all their hopes on the sand, on the wisdom of the flesh, on riches, strength, and multitude; they bottom their very souls upon mere fancies and presumptions, upon that wood, hay, and stubble, the doctrines, inventions, and traditions of men: nay, they have their foundation in the dirt and mire; they strengthen themselves in their wickedness. If iniquity be able to support them, if unrighteousness be able to exalt them, if ungodliness van secure them, they have something to lean upon; but if righteousness, simplicity, and godly sincerity, -if the favor of GOD, and an interest in CHRIST,=be the only sure refuge, then where are the generation of the ungodly When they are in the height of all their glory, it is but one turn of the wheel, and they are thrown off their hopes, and their joys vanish, and all their thoughts perish. If GOD, and CHRIST, and the Scriptures, and conscience, be of any consistency, Christians have enough. If unrighteousness should carry it in this world ever so clearly, yet if holiness will but carry it in the world to come, Christians are safe enough. If men build their hopes on this earth, when the earth is shaken, their hopes are shaken, and their hearts are shaken, and they are even at their wits' end. But “we will not fear though the earth be removed, and the mountains be carried into the sea, though the waters there of roar and ’be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.” Though all the earth should be in an uproar, though the whole world should be turned topsy-turvy, yet we will not fear; though the mountains shake, yet our hearts shall not shake. Are they not wise men who are gotten into such a case

The treasures of wisdom are found with them. You will yet, it may be, be ready to say,” What have they gotten by their wisdom If you were to give us an account of their losings, you might easily bring in a long bill; some of them have had so little wit, as to lose all they have; but, will you take your bill, and write down their gains” Why if you will hearken to me a while, I will show you what they have gained: they have gotten great treasure; as poor as any of them seem to be, they are the richest men in the world. Particularly,

(1.) They have gotten the Pearl; CHRIST is theirs they are those merchants, who have sought goodly pearls; and they have found the pearl of great price: that Cornerstone which is laid in Sion, which is a precious stone, is theirs; that pearl which is the price of souls, the ransom which was paid for them; which is the food of souls, their bread and water, the living bread, the water of life, of which whoso eateth and drinketh shall live for ever He is theirs: GOD hath given them Him whom they sought. This is the richest of treasures, which comprehends all treasures in it; this will supply all their necessities, and make up all their losses; they who have CHRIST want nothing. When I look upon the pomp and the glory of the world, I must say, These are none of mine; when I look upon the rich fields, the pleasant valleys, the fruitful hills, the oxen and the sheep, the gold and the silver of the earth, I must say, These are none of mine; but yet the Pearl is mine, and that is all things.

(2.) They have gotten the” White Stone,” the stone of absolution: “ I will give him a white stone,” (Rev. 2: 17,) which is a token of absolution. It was a custom among the heathens to absolve persons by giving them a white stone, and to condemn by giving a black stone. “We have received the atonement;” (Rom. 5: 11;) GOD is reconciled, our sins are forgiven, our souls are absolved from those black bills of indictment which were laid against us; we have received the signal of this atonement, the Holy Dove, the SPIRIT of the LORD in our hearts; and the sense of this atonement hence arising, the peace of God possesses our hearts; we taste and see what it is to be at peace with God, in those smiles from his face, in those dawnings of the light of his countenance, and the shedding abroad of his love in our heart3. When you consider your own fullness, your dainties and delicacies, your ornaments and jewels, your possessions and honors, you are transported with pride, and have almost forgotten that you are men: but what means that black stone in thy breast, that guilt which thou carriest in thy conscience Consider, sinners, what it is to have GOD your enemy, wrath your portion, the curse cleaving to your possessions, the sentence of death written in your hearts; and then you will think that those men have gotten something, who have gotten their absolution from all this.

(3.) Theirs is the White Robe, or Sanctification. Holiness is not, only imposed on Christians as their duty, but bestowed on them as their privilege; therefore the LORD promises to his people as their encouragement under affliction, that thereby they shall ”be made partakers of his holiness.” (Heb. 12: 1O.) This is the precious treasure of the saints. A good man, though he has no treasure in his house, nothing in his purse, nothing in the field, yet he has a good treasure in his heart, a treasure of wisdom and knowledge, a treasure of grace and holiness, a treasure of faith, and patience, and humility, and mercy; and this is a rich treasure. It is the man rich in faith, rich in grace and holiness, who is a rich man indeed; a heart full of grace is a better treasure than a house full of gold. As much as strong men glory in their strength, as much as wise men glory in their wisdom, as much as great men glory in their greatness; one grain of grace is more worth than all: as much as holiness is despised and trampled upon by the men of this world, it is of greater value than mountains of gold and silver.

Holiness is the health of our souls; sanctification is the restitution of the soul, with all its faculties, to their rectitude and soundness. By holiness the soul is, 1, Made fit for service; and that is a great blessing. What a misery is it to be a useless and unprofitable lump, good for nothing To be serviceable, and that to such high and noble ends, as honoring the name, carrying on the designs, and showing forth the virtues of the eternal GOD; what a blessed thing is it 2. The soul by Holiness is made capable of enjoying the LORD, and all the gifts of GOD. What is the reason that Christians, under a decay of grace, and overgrown with corruption, can take comfort in nothing Tell them of the promises of the Gospel, of the privileges of the Gospel, of the joys, and hopes, and glory to come, they can take no pleasure, they can find no sweetness in them: promises do not affect them, privileges do not affect them, future hopes and expectations do not affect them: what is the reason of this Their souls are sick, and cannot taste any thing that is good. The more healthy men are, the greater delight they can take in their business, the greater comfort they can take in their friends, the greater pleasure they can take in their meat and drink, or in any thing else which they enjoy: and so it is with a healthy soul; by how much the more holiness, by so much the more sweetness: duties are sweet, ordinances are sweet, promises are sweet, the society of the saints is sweet, the meditations of GOD are sweet. They whose souls are in a holy, healthful state, can truly be said to enjoy their friends, to enjoy the promises and ordinances, to enjoy their very duties, to enjoy God in all they have or do. This is another of the treasures of wisdom which the saints have gotten; they have gotten holiness.

(4.) Theirs is the Adoption.” Who are Israelites, whose is the adoption.” (Rom. 9: 4.) There is a twofold Israelite; an” Israelite after the flesh;” such were the natural posterity of ABRAHAM; and an” Israelite after the Spirit;” such are all believers, the children of the faith of ABRAHAM. And according to this distinction of Israelites, there is a twofold adoption, outward and visible, which pertain to the natural seed; inward and invisible, which is the peculiar privilege of the spiritual seed, the children of the faith of ABRAHAM. The adoption comprehends in it, 1. The grace of Adoption, whereby the LORD has given us the relation of children, and a right to all those privileges and blessings that flow from that relation: “ To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of GOD.” (John 1: 12.) 2. The Spirit of Adoption: “ And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his SON into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” (Gal. 4: 6.) This Spirit is called,” the Spirit of Adoption,” not only because it works in us the dispositions and dutiful affections of sons, but especially because it witnesses our sonship: “Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father the SPIRIT itself beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of GOD.” (Rom. viii. 15, 16.) The SPIRIT evidences and witnesses our sonship, and thereby enables us to cry, Abba, Father; that is, to call GOD, Father the SPIRIT gives us the boldness and confidence of children, to come to him on all occasions; to make our complaints to him; to make known our wants, our fears, and our dangers to him; to make our requests to him; to depend upon him for provision and protection; to put in for a child's portion, for a share in his riches; to lay claim to, and to lay hold upon, the inheritance of sons; to cast our care upon him, and to comfort ourselves in the sufficiency of our Father. This is a blessed and glorious privilege which Christians have obtained, to be the sons and daughters of the LORD Almighty: “Behold what manner of love the FATHER has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of GOD!” (1 John 3: 1.)” Seemeth it a small thing unto you,” said DAVID,” to be the son-in-law of a King” Why, what King was it It was one that was none of the best; and yet he was a King, and that was a great thing, for such a poor man as DAVID was, to be son-in-law to a King. But what is it to be sons and heirs to the King of Glory The LORD says to all his sons, as the father of the Prodigal said to his eldest son,” Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine: “ (Luke 15: 31:) ”Son, daughter,” says the LORD, ”thou shalt be ever with me; all that I have in heaven and earth, all is thine.” “ Blessed are the peacemakers;” Why so They are the children of GOD. GOD's children are blessed children; not one of them shall go without their Father's blessing: the LORD has not only, as ISAAC, a blessing for one of his children; but as JACOB, he has a blessing for every child: if thou be GOD's child, GOD, even thy GOD, will give thee his blessing.

(5.) Theirs is the Kingdom.”Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12: 32.) To whom is the kingdom given To the little flock, not to the herd of swine, the profane multitude, but to the little flock of CHRIST; those few whom he has called out of the world, who follow him; theirs is the kingdom: What kingdom Why, the kingdom of heaven, a kingdom of glory, of righteousness, of peace, of joy and blessedness, the everlasting kingdom.

And here we are fallen upon that height, and depth, and length, and breadth, which cannot be fathomed or measured. Here is the wisdom of Christians; they have gotten the birth-right and the blessing, the sonship and the inheritance; theirs is the kingdom of heaven: here is the faith,. and patience, and hope, and prayers, and sufferings, and labors of the saints; the riches of their faith, the fruit of their patience, the matter of their hope, the return of their prayers, the reward of their sufferings, the end of their labors, the everlasting kingdom.

Now judge whom ye will account the wise men. Shall those be accounted wise, whom God, or those whom men account such Shall those pass for fools now, who will be found wise at last Are those the wise men, who never understood what they had to do here, and so never minded. that necessary work for which they were sent into the world Are our children, who mind nothing else but their play, and their meat, and their clothes, are those the wise ones of the world Are they the wise builders, who have laid their foundation on the Sand When the winds, and the floods, and the waves, have blown away all you have been building, will you then boast of your wisdom You that count yourselves such wise men, and demand what the saints have gotten, tell us what you have gotten by all your wisdom. The saints have something to show for themselves, as witnesses of their prudence. CHRIST, the hidden manna, that living bread which they have laid up for themselves against a time of need; that peace which they have gotten to support them in a time of trouble; these are some things to show that they have not foolishly lost their time; every grace which they have gotten, every comfort which they have treasured up. There is something more to show; every dead lust pleads for them. SAMSON'S dead lion was not a greater proof of his strength, than the dead lusts of Christians are of their wisdom. They have gotten the birth-right and the blessing: who was the wiser of the two; ESAU, who sold the birth-right, and lost the blessing, or JACOB, who got both They have gotten the kingdom too; theirs is the kingdom of heaven: whilst others have been dividing the spoils here below, scrambling for shadows and fancies, the dignities and preferments, and pleasures of this world, these have been laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come. Both this speak them such a foolish company as you would make them Is this your serious and sober judgment Do you in earnest think, that in that change which the Gospel hath made upon them, they are changed for the worse That in the choice which they have made Of GOD, rather than the world; of CHRIST, instead of their lusts; of things eternal, before things temporal; they have chosen to their loss Is this your thought Will you write down this as your judgment, and put your hand to it, and be content that this writing should be produced at the last judgment, as the test by which you will be tried, whether you are wise or foolish Are you Christians, and do you believe the Scriptures; and are you not yet ashamed that any such thoughts should come into your hearts Will you say, The Devil is the best master, and he is a fool that will not be his servant; but CHRIST is a hard master, and no one who is wise will venture after him

Will you say, that MOSES was a fool, in refusing ”to be called the son of PHARAOH'S daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of GOD, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;” that the Apostles and the Disciples were fools; that PETER, and PAUL, and JOHN, and JAMES, were fools; with the rest of those holy men and women, who denied themselves, took up their cross, and followed CHRIST; and that the Scribes and Pharisees, and publicans, and drunkards, and gluttons, had more wit than they Is not this the very thing you say, in charging folly upon those whose aim and desire is to walk in the same steps in which those primitive Christians walked Is this your reason, and religion, and honesty Speak out your hearts in plain terms:-” No man would hearken to CHRIST, unless lie were a fool; no man would be holy, unless he were a fool; no man would leave his pleasures, and his liberties, and his vanities, unless he had first lost his wits: or, at least, no wise man would take up more of Christianity, than the name, and the shell, and the shadow; none but a fool would make sure work for his soul, would go through with CHRIST and Christianity, would be an inward, hearty, resolved, universal, sincere Christian.” What do your brutish hearts and ways speak less than, *, thus to speak or think If it be, be it known unto you all, that these foolish saints have more wit than to count the reproaches of such brutish spirits to be any disparagement to them; and therefore, if you will, mock on, and go on to admire yourselves, and the oak which you have chosen, and the gardens which you have desired, whilst you despise these, or their ways: but however, whilst they have this assurance, that GOD does not count them what you call them, and that you will not call them at last what you call them now, you must give them leave, (though they think ever so meanly of themselves,) still to have the same high thoughts of their GOD, of their Gospel, and of that holy profession and way which they have chosen.

I. Let the ungodly world hence learn to have a better opinion of these men, and to forbear reproaching them. Think with yourselves upon what hath been said These men may be wiser than we are aware of; we may be mistaken; these may be the Israel of GOD; these may be those ”little ones,” concerning whom it is said, that” whosoever offends one of these, it were better that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the midst of the sea.” And what if they should be so In what case are you then, who have reproached and persecuted them But I must be bold to say, there is no )nay be in the matter. I question not, but that if you would impartially weigh what hath been spoken, you will see, that if GOD hath any people in the world, these are they; and therefore my advice is, that you refrain from these men, and let them alone, lest, if you go on, you” be found to fight against GOD.”

But you will ask, ”Where are there any such There are some who make specious pretences to the strictness of religion, but they are hypocrites and deceivers; and these are they against whom we speak.” l answer,

1. Let this be granted, that such men as have been described, if there be any such, are truly wise men; that men of such principles, that men of this profession, if they really be what they profess, and live according to their principles, are -lien-fiwrshom: ao'out grant that godliness' Is wisdom, and that” the fear of the Lo RD is understanding: “ I would that I could bring you thus far, heartily to grant that godliness path an excellency in it, and that a life led according to those principles of godliness which have been laid before you, is the most excellent life: Hence these two things will unavoidably follow: (1.) That the more exactly any persons live according to the principles of godliness, the more have they attained of true wisdom: if godliness be our wisdom and excellency, then the more precisely godly any persons are, the more wise and excellent they are; the more precise a Christian any one is, the more he is a Christian; and therefore let never any man be blamed for being so much, but for not being more precise. (2.) The more loosely persons live from the rules of religion, and the more liberty they take to walk after the flesh, the more foolish they are; and so you may without controversy conclude, that whatever these precise people be, you that are fools.

2. Are there none such What, hatii GOD no people in the world Has the Devil gotten all GOD hath a people somewhere, and a peculiar people, whom he hath chosen to salvation, whom he hath redeemed, and called, and justified, and sanctified, and set apart for himself from the rest of the world. All are not Israel, all are not disciples; but there are some whom GOD hath peculiarly set apart to himself, from the rest of men; and where are these to be found, if not among these precise walkers The people of GOD are, as hath been proved, a holy people, a hearing people, a praying people, a zealous people, a watchful, painful, industrious, sober, meek, merciful, and patient people. Now, where shall we look to find out such a people Must we rake the kennels, and search the sinks of the earth Must we seek in the ate-houses, or taverns, or play-houses Shall we take out the drunkards and riotous, the swearers and liars, the covetous and oppressors, the blind people, that brutish generation, that know not, and mind not, the LORD or his ways; and say of any of these, Surely here they be; these are the people of GOD; here be the men that are no hypocrites; these are that royal priesthood, that holy nation, that peculiar people, whom GOD hath called to show forth his praise before the world Sinners, if you have so much reason or conscience, as to conclude that none of these are they, then tell us farther, who, or where they are; or else at last acknowledge, that if GOD hath a people any where, it is amongst those whom you have reproached.

3. If you say, a There are hypocrites amongst them; and these are they against whom you speak, and not against those who are upright,” let me give you this double advice.

(1.) Take heed you mistake not your mark; do not shoot at Saints indeed, under the name and disguise, of hypocrites; do not count that hypocrisy, which GOD accounts sincerity: you may be mistaken, (as I told you before,) and what if you should be mistaken What if it should prove, not only that the men whom you reproach for hypocrites, GOD should account sincere; but if the very thing which you call their hypocrisy, the LORD counts their excellency: what if it should be so then you have shot a fair shot! Every reproach which you have thus cast out is as so much dirt which you have thrown into the face of GOD, so many darts which you have shot into the apple of God's eye: you who are so free in reproaching professors, take heed that it be not found, that the ground of all your evil language against them, and evil usage of them, be, not because they are, but because they are not hypocrites.

(2.) If they be hypocrites, and only such, against whom you speak, take heed that you mistake not your arrow; do not cast that upon them for a reproach, which is good; do not take good names to reproach evil men. If they be hypocrites, any of them, and you know them to be such, call them hypocrites; but do not take the name of Saint, or Precisian, or Holy Brother, and put them as marks of disgrace and scorn upon them: he that calls a saint hypocrite, reproaches the Christian; he that in scorn calls a hypocrite saint, or holy brother, reproaches Christianity itself.

USE 2: But I have yet a greater request, than that you should merely have a good opinion of these men, and no longer reproach them; my request to you farther is, That you would come in, and be of this number. Some of you, it may be, will be ready to reply,” He shall have hard work to persuade me to be a Precisian;” and truly I am afraid so too, if all that the Devil cap do. do will hinder it; if all that your carnal reason and fleshly lusts can do, if all that your sinful companions can do will hinder it, I shall be sure enough not to prevail: yet know that the motion which I make to you is from the LORD; and if you deny me, you therein deny Him; and if you deny him, there is a day coming when He will deny you. You say, you will not be persuaded; but what is it to which you will not be persuaded Why, this is it, You will not take the yoke of CHRIST upon you; you will not be ruled by him, so as to live as he would have you live, but you will still walk according to your own mind and heart; that is, you will not be Christians. Will you not Are you in good earnest Are you content that the LORD should take you at your word, and for ever give you up to your hearts' lusts, and let you alone to walk in your own counsels Are you content from henceforth to give up your hope in CHRIST Are you content to be damned Brethren, this is the choice which you are called to make; either a holy life, or everlasting death; either you must submit to tile yoke of CHRIST, or you can have no benefit by the Cross of CHRIST, either you must kiss his golden sceptre, or be broken in pieces with his rod of iron. Refuse to follow him in his kingdom of grace, and you thereby shut yourselves out of the kingdom of glory: Whereof, that I may the more effectually convince you, I shall yet farther prove to you, both by Scripture and reason, that this strict and precise way of life is so absolutely necessary to salvation, that whosoever does not thus walk cannot escape the damnation of hell.

I know that men are confident that they shall be saved without so much ado; and that this it is which hardens them in their sins,-their strong conceit that the way is not so narrow as many would make them believe: they doubt not but they have found out an easier way than this; and what is this easier way Why, it is but this, a Call upon GOD for mercy, attend the church, do nobody any wrong, be no drunkard, no swearer, no adulterer; or if you be sometimes overtaken, ask GOD forgiveness, and then hope well; never despair of GOD's mercy, fear not, you shall be safe enough.”

Now! I shall make it plain to you, that this way of religion will certainly leave every soul, which goes no farther, to perish everlastingly; and that this strict, holy life, which hath been described, is indispensably necessary to salvation. Beloved, the matter upon which I am discoursing is weighty; a mistake in your religion is mortal; if that which you have taken up for the way of life be not so, you are undone for ever; and that this your easy way is not it, I shall now make evident.

1. From Scripture. Let us but seriously examine and weigh those many high expressions which we find in Scripture,-in the commands, exhortations, instructions, instances, promises, and prayers recorded in it,-in all which, the one way of life is described; and then let any reasonable man judge, if all this amount to no more than that poor, and pitiful, and empty thing, which carnal men count religion.

(1.) For Scripture Commands, consider these:-Strive to enter in at the strait gate. Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of GOD. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Fervent in spirit, serving the LORD. Put off, concerning the former conversation, the old man which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts; and put on the new man, which after GOD is created in righteousness, and true holiness. Wash thine heart from thy iniquities, that thou mayest be saved: how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good, to the use of edifying, that may minister grace to the hearers. Walk in love, love one another, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, pray for them that persecute you; render to no man evil for evil, but overcome evil with good. Mortify your members which are upon the earth. Walk in the Spirit. Abstain from all appearance of evil. Be watchful. Stand with your loins girded, and your lights burning.”

(2.) For Scripture Instructions, consider these:- The grace of GOD which brings salvation hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live righteously, godly, and soberly, in this present world. They that be CHRIST'S have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts. He that is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. He that looks on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart. Of every idle word men shall give account at the day of judgment. If any man seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, this man's religion is vain.”

(3.) For Scripture Instances:-Of JOSIAH it is recorded, that his heart was tender, and perfect with the LORD his Go D, and that he turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. PAUL professes that he served the LORD instantly, night and day; and that forgetting those things which are behind, he reached forth to the things that are before, pressing to the mark.” The life,” said he, which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the SON of GOD. To me to live is CHRIST, to die is gain. I so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beats the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast-away.”

(4.) For Scripture Promises, consider these:-11 Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are the meek, the merciful, they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, the pure in heart, they that are persecuted for righteousness' sake; for they shall see GOD, theirs is the kingdom of heaven; they shall be comforted, filled, and great; s their reward in heaven.”

(5.) For Scripture Prayers, consider these:-11 The God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray GOD that your whole spirit, soul, and body, may be preserved blameless, until the coming of our Loan JESUS CHRIST. Now the God of peace make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight.”

Multitudes of such like Scriptures might be added, but these may suffice. Now, wherefore are all these things written Wherefore are these strict commands given, these holy lives of Saints left upon record, these promises made, and these prayers kept upon the file Are they not all written for our instruction, to let every man and woman understand what manner of persons they must be, what manner of lives they must live, if they will be saved If a lower religion would serve, to what purpose is this waste People may forbear to charge Precisians with keeping more ado than is necessary; and lay in their charge against the Scriptures, for requiring more than is necessary. But do you. think, indeed, that the Scriptures have spoken these things in vain If it be not in vain; if all this be comprehended under the” one thing needful;” if all this do but show us the one and only way of life; if we must be thus renewed and changed in our minds, and must thus holily and unblameably order our lives, or else we cannot be saved, then what will become of that poor confident multitude, with whom we are now dealing Does all this amount to no more than attending your church, saying your prayers, learning and repeating the Creed and Ten Commandments, living peaceably with your neighbors, paying every man his own, crying to GOD for mercy, when you have committed a sin, and the like Can you call this cold, lifeless way, your striving “to enter in at the strait gate” Is this your “working out your salvation with fear and trembling” Is this all that is meant by “fighting the good fight of faith,” by “wrestling against flesh and blood, and against principalities and powers,” by “being instant in prayer, fervent in spirit, watching and running, and pressing towards the mark” Brethren, if there be one way of life; if all this which has been represented to you out of the Scriptures, be to show you from the Loan what a strait way this one way of life is; and if you will compare with this the way upon which you depend; methinks you should need nothing more to convince you of your dangerous mistake hitherto, and to leave you more ready to embrace the exhortation which I am pressing upon you; namely, to come in among the number, and take the holy course, of these circumspect Christians.

2. But if this be not sufficient, I shall yet make it more evident by reasons, drawn from the Scriptures, which I shall give you in these six propositions.

(l.) The Gospel requires, as indispensably necessary to salvation, inward holiness, or the renewing of the heart. Does this need any proof to them who understand the Scriptures There must be” a new heart;” (Ezek. xxxvi. 2G;) ”a clean heart;” (PS.lxxiii. 1;)”a true heart,” or an upright heart, “sprinkled from an evil conscience;” (Heb. 10: 22;)” Make you a new heart, and a new spirit: for why will ye die (Esek. 18: 31O” O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved.” (Jer. 4: 14.) What do these Scriptures, especially the addition in the two last,-'-For why will ye die” and, ”that thou mayest be saved”-what do these import less than this, that there is no salvation possible, that there is nothing certain but death and destruction, to those whose hearts are not washed and made new.”

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of GOD.” (John 3: 3.)” Except ye be converted, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of GOD. Some there are, it is true, who interpret this conversion, which is made so necessary to salvation, to be nothing else but the coming of persons from Judaism, or Paganism, to Christianity, to the owning and embracing the Christian Faith. But if this be true, then all who believe CHRIST to be the MESSIAH, and who are baptized, and live in the profession of the Christian faith, shall be saved. Come ye drunkards, come ye adulterers, liars, covetous, with all the profane rout of nominal Christians, and keep a holiday to the memory of these new Doctors, who bring you such a large and easy Gospel, as will carry you all to heaven; with all your lusts and lewdness upon your backs! But is this true Is this Gospel Is this all the conversion that is necessary to salvation It cannot be: For, First, There are many that embrace the Christian Faith who are hypocrites: and shall hypocrites be saved Secondly, There are many such converts who walk disorderly, “whose GOD is their belly, whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things;” of whom the Apostle tells us, that their “end is destruction.” (Phil. 3: 19

(2.) This inward holiness, which the Gospel requires, stands not in some sudden good thoughts, or some transient good affections, but is a holy frame or habit; thus much is intimated in the before-mentioned expression, “anew heart.” A holy thought, a good desire, is another thing from a new heart. True holiness is not a fit, but a frame there may be fits of devotion, fits of zeal sometimes, in a sinner, and yet he is a sinner still. Holiness is the temper and constitution of a Christian, his new nature which abides in him.

(3.) This inward habitual holiness stands in a universal compliance of the heart with the whole will of GOD; the heart which is formed after the image of GOD, is conformed to the will of GOD: “Thy law is within my heart;” (Ps. xl.;) not a piece, but the whole; every word and tittle of it. “Thy law is within me.” The law is said to be within the heart of a Christian, in a double sense. First, It is published, and revealed, and made known in the heart; it is understood by the soul; there is the light of the word shining in every Christian. Secondly, It is embraced, approved, consented to; there is the love

of the law in the heart of a Christian; the heart closes with it, and with all that it requires, as a good word, and worthy of all acceptation.

A Christian does not only accept the promises of the Gospel as good and comfortable words, but can heartily write, “Good is the word of the LORD,” upon every precept; he likes his duties as well as his privileges, his work as well as his reward. This is set forth in those expressions of a willing mind, a ready mind, a forward mind. And as his heart is towards his work, so is it ready for any work to which the LORD calls him; he has respect to all the commandments; he would not be without one leaf, no, nor one line, of the whole word of GOD: he is ready to every good work; he would not have one duty abated to him of all which GOD has required; he would not have one sin allowed to him of all which GOD has forbidden. He that says concerning any one word1 in the whole will of GOD, “Thus I must have dispensed with, ere I can be a Christian,” his heart is not upright. He that would have any one sin to be no sin, any one duty to be no duty, any one sin to be allowed him, or any one duty to be abated him, is no Christian.

(4.) This inward habitual holiness is such as bears the sway, and has the pre-eminence in the heart: though sin may be there still, yet where there is true grace, sin is an underling, and brought into captivity; it has lost that power which it had in the soul before, and the heart is now given up to GOD: the stream runs heaven-ward; the stream of the thoughts, the stream of the affections, run that way: GOD and the way of holiness have a greater share and greater power in the heart, than all the world; there is more love to GOD, stronger resolutions for following GOD, than can be balanced by the highest interest of the flesh.

(5.) This inward, habitual, prevailing holiness, wherever it is, will infallibly bring forth a strict, precise, and holy life. For, First, That holiness in the heart will bring forth holiness of life, is as naturally certain, as that a root will bring forth such branches and fruit as partake of the nature of the root, as that ”a fig-tree will bring forth figs,” or that “an olive-tree will bring forth olives.” Secondly, It is as certain, that according to the proportion of holiness in the heart, such will be the proportion of it in the life: if holiness bear the sway in the heart, it will bear the rule in the life; if that little good which is in the heart be held as an underling in the soul, thereafter will the life be. Thirdly, It is no less certain, that the lowest degree of prevailing holiness in the heart will bring forth this precise holy life, in the sense which I have described: that is, though there be not perfect holiness brought forth; though lie who hath a lower degree of true grace fall much shorter of that perfection than he who has a higher degree, though there be many failings, and wanderings, and weaknesses, through corruption and temptation; yet thus far the lowest of Saints has arrived, that his aims, desires, and endeavors, are after a perfectly holy life: he hath a respect to every commandment, to every duty; he does not habitually allow himself in any iniquity; there is some change in his course actually appearing; and this he purposes to himself and sets his heart upon, to grow up daily to a more thorough and universal conformity to all the principles of godliness which are set before him in the Scriptures. This is as certain as the two former: He that is sincere would be perfect. In the true love of holiness, are necessarily included a love and longing-for it in the perfection of it. He that loves holiness for itself will love it most when it is most itself, in its perfection; and love and longing will infallibly bring forth laboring, and following after. Therefore,

(6.) Whosoever is not a person of a precise life is certainly in a state of damnation. This so clearly follows from the former propositions, that it needs no farther proof. He who is not inwardly, habitually, universally sanctified; he who loves any tiling more than GOD or Godliness, that is, lie who is not new-born, and so become a new creature, is actually in the state of damnation: and lie who is not a precise walker, is not thus new-born or sanctified; for whoever is made this new creature, will in fallibly make it appear, as has been proved, by this newness of life.

You see, Beloved, to what issue this matter is brought; -either you must take up this strict way of holiness, or be reprobates from GOD. Whosoever there be amongst you, that have the most rooted enmity in your hearts against this holiness of life, and have cast the greatest slight and contempt on it, and on those who thus live, and, as MICUAL did DAVID, do despise them in your hearts; whoever among you are most peremptorily resolved against hearkening to any farther treaties about this thing, casting them off with the greatest scorn and indignation;-I must be bold to tell you from GOD, that if you live and die in this mind, GOD must cease to be true, the Scriptures must be proved to be a lie, the doctrine of the Gospel a mere forgery or falsehood, or you will be shut for ever out of the Kingdom of GOD.

And do you not yet see enough to persuade you to come in and be of this number Are you not yet convinced that it is your duty, and that it will be your wisdom to be such; and that none but fools and brutes will continue to be libertines Whilst you charge folly on the Saints, will you, at the last, prove yourselves to be the only fools And will you verify that proverb,” Bray a fool in a mortar, and yet his folly will not depart from him” Shall it be said of you, ”Let them be instructed, let them be convinced, let them be warned; yet still all is one; fools they are, and fools they will be” O ye fools, when will ye be wise! Search the Scriptures, and learn of them; come unto CHRIST, and learn of him; and if he do not speak the same things which have been here spoken, if lie do not teach you the same lesson which. you have been here taught, then go on and take your liberty still. But if CHRIST says, “Beholy;” if CHRIST says, “Be circumspect;” if CHRIST says,” Be perfect;” and you still refuse to hearken, then carry this inscription upon your foreheads,” We have rejected the word of the LORD, and what wisdom is there in us”

Wesley Center Online

A Vindication Of Godliness, Discourse I