IT is on these great Doctrines, that the whole Frame of Chriftianity is built, forbidding only fuch Things as faften us to the Disorders of Sin, and commanding only thofe Duties which lead us into the Liberty and Freedom of the Sons of God.

THE Corruption of our Nature makes Mortification, Self-denial, and the Death of our Bodies neceffary. Because human Nature must be thus unmade, Flesh and Blood must be thus chang'd, before it can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

OUR new Birth makes the Reception of God's Spirit, and the Participation of the holy Sacraments neceffary, to form us to that Life to which the Refurrection of Jefus Chrift has entituled us.

So that would we think, and act and live like Chriftians, we must act suitably to these Terms of our Condition, fearing and avoiding all the Motions of our corrupted Nature, cherishing the fecret Infpirations of the Holy Spirit, opening our Minds for the Reception of the Divine Light, and preffing after all the Graces and Perfections of our new Birth.

WE muft behave our felves conformably to this double Capacity, we must fear, and watch, and pray, like Men that are always in Danger of eternal Death, and we must believe and hope, labour and af

pire,

pire, like Christians, that are call'd to fight the good Fight of Faith, and lay hold on eternal Life.

THIS Knowledge of our felves, makes human Life a State of infinite Importance, > placed upon fo dreadful a Point betwixt two fuch Eternities.

WELL might our bleffed Saviour fay to one, that begg'd first to go and bury his Father, Follow me, and let the Dead bury their Dead.

FOR what is all the Buftle and Hurry of the World, but dead Shew, and its greatest Agents, but dead Men, when compar'd with that State of Greatness, that real Life, to which the Followers of Chrift are redeem'd?

HAD we been made only for this World, worldly Wifdom had been our highest Wisdom; but feeing Christianity has redeem'd us to a contrary State, fince all its Goods are in Oppofition to this Life, worldly Wisdom is now our greatest Foolishness.

IT is now our only Wifdom to understand our new State aright, to let its Goods and Evils take Poffeffion of our Hearts, and conduct our felves by the Principles of our Redemption.

THE Nature and Terms of our Chriftian Calling is of that Concern, as to deserve

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ferve all our Thoughts, and is indeed only to be perceived by great Seriousness and 'Attention of Mind.

THE Chriftian State is an invifible Life in the Spirit of God, fupported not by senfible Goods, but the fpiritual Graces of Faith and Hope; fo that the natural Man, especially while bufied in earthly Cares and Enjoyments, eafily forgets that great and heavenly Condition in which Religion places him.

THE Changes which Christianity maketh in the prefent State of Things, are all invifible, its Goods and Evils, its Dignities and Advantages, which are the only true Standards of all our Actions, are not fubject to the Knowledge of our Senfes.

IN God we live, and move, and have our Being, but how unfeen, how unfelt is all this!

CHRIST is the Lamb flain from the Foundation of the World, the true Light, that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and End of all Things. The whole Creation fubfifts in him and by him; nothing is in any Order, nor any Perfon in any Favour with God, but by this great Mediatour. But how invifible, how unknown to all our Senfes, is this State of Things!

THE

THE Apostle tells us, that we Chriftians are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the City of the Living God, to the heavenly Ferufalem, and to an innumerable Company of Angels, and to the general Affembly of the First-born, which are written in Heaven, and to God the Fudge of all, and to the Spirits of juft Men made perfect, and to Fefus the Mediatour of the New Covenant, &c. (a).

BUT our Senfes fee or feel nothing of this State of Glory, they only fhew us a Society amongst vain and worldly Men, labouring and contending for the poor Enjoyments of a vain World.

WE are Temples of the Holy Ghost, confecrated to God, Members of Christ's myftical Body, of his Flesh and of his Bones, receiving Life, Spirit, and Motion from him our Head.

BUT our Senses fee no farther than our Parents and Kindred according to the Flesh, and fix our Hearts to earthly Friendships and Relations.

RELIGION turns our whole Life into a Sacrifice to God, a State of Probation, from whence we must all appear before the Fudgment-Seat of Chrift, that every

(4) Heb, xii. 22.

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one may receive the Things done in his Body, &c. (a).

BUT our Senfes, the Maxims of this Life, and the Spirit of the World, teach quite another Turn of Mind; to enjoy the good Things of Life as our Portion, to feek after Riches and Honours, and to dread nothing fo much as Poverty, Difgrace, and Perfecution. Well may this Life be deem'd a State of Darkness, fince it thus clouds and covers all the true Appearances of Things, and keeps our Minds infenfible, and unaffected with Matters of fuch infinite Moment.

WE muft obferve, that in Scripture Christianity is conftantly reprefented to us, as a Redemption from the Slavery and Corruption of our Nature, and a raifing us to a nearer Enjoyment of the Divine Glory.

Ir knows of no Mifery, but the Death and Mifery which Sin has made, nor of any Happiness, but the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghoft, which form us to a greater Likeness of God.

THUS faith the Apoftle, Jefus Chrift gave himself for us that he might redcem us from all Iniquity (b).

(a) 2 Cor. v. 9.

(b) Tit. ii. 13.

HE