SERM. every one, away from our Iniquities; II. that is, by rooting out all evil Customs and Habits, and by furnishing our Souls with the Gifts and Graces of his Holy Spirit, to give us the Earneft of future Happiness, and to enable us to tafte and relish thofe Joys, which we shall partake of to all Eternity hereafter. For our Souls must be fwept and garnished, before they can become a fit Temple for the Holy Ghost to dwell in; our Glory hereafter, must be begun in Grace here, and, the more fruitful we are, and, the more we abound in every good Work, the greater will our Reward be in Heaven. And therefore, it is not only the Duty, but the Interest of every fincere Chriftian, to covet earnestly the beft Gifts, and to improve to the uttermoft those few Moments of Time, which God has given us in this World, to fit and prepare ourselves for Eternity; that so we may shine like Stars of the first Magnitude, and receive a more exceeding Weight of Glory.

5. and Laftly, LET us confider, that, if we do not grow in Grace, and improve in virtuous Living, we fhall lie under the greater Condemnation; if we do not make Ufe of thofe Opportunities of Grace which God has put into our Hands, and employ

thofe

thofe Talents which are committed to SERM. our Truft, our Condition, at the Laft Day, II. will be far more intolerable than that of the Inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah: For, at that great and terrible Day, there will Inquifition be made, not only for our Abuse of thofe Mercies God has beftowed upon us; but alfo for our Unfruitfulness under them, that we have not managed thofe Tallents we have received as we ought to have done, nor improved them to the best Advantage. And though we shall not be fo blameable for our Sloth and Negligence, as for our Wickedness and Riot, yet it will be equally fatal to us to hide our Talents in a Napkin, as to be unjuft Stewards of what is committed to our Truft; feeing, therefore, there is a Price put into our Hands, let us not be fo ftupid and foolish, as to neglect and undervalue it, but let us employ every Moment of our Time, and take hold of every Opportunity, and make Ufe of all thofe Means which God has appointed for our Growth and Improvement in godly Living ;

which is the

III. GENERAL propofed; and they are fuch as thefe :

I. LET us endeavour to obtain a meek and humble Frame of Spirit. A Mind,

D 4

juftly

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15.

Pf. li. 17.

SERM. juftly fenfible of its own Wants and Exi¬ II. gencies, is the fittest Receptacle for God's Holy Spirit: For that great and glorious Being, who inhabits Eternity, who dwells in the high and boly Place, yet doth not difdain to take up his Abode with him Ifa. lvii. who is of a contrite and bumble Spirit; and he has declared, that a contrite Heart he will not defpife. He takes Delight in bringing down the Proud, but giveth Grace to the Humble. A Man that is fwollen up with the Conceit of his own Excellencies and Perfections, that, with the proud Pharifee, fancies himself to be better than other Men, has no Room for the Divine Shechinah; whereas the humble Petitions of the devout Publican found Favour and Acceptance with God. If, therefore, you are defirous of growing in Grace, let your first Care be, to take a true Value and Eftimation of yourself, which is the proper and genuine Notion of Humility. Confider your own Wants and Imperfections, what Weakneffes you are guilty of, what Graces you want, and how much you ftand in Need of the Divine Affistance, which will both engage the Help and Bleffing of the Almighty, and enable you to comply with and receive it.

2. GIVE

2. GIVE a conftant Attendance to the SERM. Offices of Religion, whether public or 11. private. For thefe are the Means which God has appointed to convey his Grace into the Souls of Men; God who made us, and therefore knows our Frame and all the Springs and Principles of Motion which actuate our Souls, has appointed these holy Ordinances for this very Ufe; that is, to fit and prepare us for the Reception of his Grace, and to furnish' us with fpiritual Strength. For there is a wonderful Efficacy which goes along with the Duties of Religion; fo that it is morally impoffible for a Man, who attends them conftantly, and performs them confcientiously, to be habitually wicked: The Spirit of the Lord moves upon these Waters of the Sanctuary, and makes them fruitful and prolific, and, after fo wonderful a Manner, bleffes them, that though the Words which you hear, and we preach, are the Words of a poor frail Man, yet they are alfo the Meffage and Gospel of the great God of Heaven and Earth, the Judge of us all; and, whoever gives Ear to it, and treasures it up in his Heart, he fhall not depart without a Bleffing.

3. Look frequently into the State and Condition of your Soul; fet a-part fome

SERM. Time every Day, every Week, every II. Year, to call yourself to Account, and w to confider what Advances you have

made in the Ways of Religion and Holiness? What Sins you have been guilty of? Whether you grow better and better, or worse and worfe? Confider that the Concerns of your Soul are your truest Intereft, and of the nearest Importance to you; aud that your eternal Happiness depends on the right Management of them; and, therefore, let the Knowledge of yourself be your firft Care, and what you ought to be moft follicitous about; and, I am perfuaded, were but these three plain and eafy Rules carefully and confcientiously practifed, they would have a wonderful Influence upon Men's Lives and Conversations; to which I fhall add,

4. THAT we should entertain and cherish the Motions of God's Holy Spirit, and, when we find any good Thought fpring up in our Minds, we fhould fecond it, imprefs it upon our Memories, improve it by Meditation, and transcribe it into our Actions. We have daily new Vices to mortify, virtuous Difpofitions to exercise and cultivate, Temptations to refift, Afflictions to undergo, and all these require the Affiftance of God's Grace