SERMON XIII.

The Qualification of those that fhall be faved.

REV. iii. 4.

Thou hast a few Names even in Sardis, that have not defiled their Garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.

N thefe later and corrupter SER M.
Ages of Christianity, wherein XIII.
Prophaneness and Impiety have
not only from without affault-

ed and endeavoured to de

ftroy Religion, but also crept in and even openly

I

SERM.openly appeared within all Parts of the XIII. Church of God; and when among those

who are not without fome Degrees even of fincere Defire to become truly Religious, yet Speculations entring in the Room of Practice, and vain Contentions prevailing about Human Opinions, instead of Diligence to obey the plain Commandments of God, have almost eaten out the very Heart and Life of Religion, which confifts in Piety and Righteoufnefs, in Justice and univerfal Charity, in Sobriety and Temperance, and the Practice of all Virtue and Holiness: During this Degenerate State, I fay, of the Christian World, in these later and corrupter Ages of the Church; there is nothing more likely to be of Effect in reviving the true Spirit of Christianity, and reftoring in the Minds of well-difpofed Perfons right and worthy Notions of Religion; than putting them upon confidering, what Chriftian Religion was in the Primitive and pureft Times, when Chriftians were of One Heart and One Mind, ferving God with Simplicity and Sincerity of Devotion, loving one another with Perfect Charity

and

and an undivided Affection, and keeping SER M.
themselves Pure and unfpotted from the XIII.
World. This latter Character of the
Church of Chrift, its Purity and Holi-
nefs; and the Neceffity of all its true
Members answering that Character ;
is
no where more affectionately described,
than in the Epiftles to the feven Churches
of Afia, fet down in This and the fore-
going Chapter. Wherein the excellent
Character that is given to most of them
by our Saviour himself, and yet the Re-
proof added at the Conclufion of that
Character, will give us juft Occafion to
confider, what feverer Admonitions and
Exhortations to Repentance we ftand in
need of, who have not Their Excellent
Qualifications to extenuate our Defects.
To One of thefe Churches, our Saviour

gives this Character, ch. ii. 2. I know thy
Works, and thy labour and thy Patience,
and how thou canst not bear them which
are evil; And haft born and haft pati-
ence, and for my Name's fake haft laboured,
and haft not fainted.
This Church he adds,
fomewhat against thee,

And yet even of Nevertheless I have because thou hast

left

XIII.

ver. 9.

Fear

SERM. left thy first love. To a Second he declares, I know thy works and Tribulation and Poverty, but thou art rich :none of the things which thou shalt suffer. To a Third, ver. 13. I know thy Works, and that thou holdeft faft my Name,

And yet

and haft not denied my Faith.
even of This he adds, But I have a Few
things against Thee. To a Fourth, ver. 19.
I know thy Works, and Charity, and Ser-
vice, and Faith, and thy Patience and thy
Works, and the last to be more than the
first. And yet of This also he adds; Not-
withstanding, I have a Few things against
Thee. Of a Fifth, he gives the follow-
ing character, ch. iii. 8.
I know thy
Works; Behold, I have fet before thee an
open door, and no man can shut it:

Be

cause thou hast kept the Word of my Patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of Temptation, which shall come upon all the World, to try them that dwell upon the Earth. No Man, that has a true Senfe of Religion upon his Mind, can read these Characters, without confidering immediately within himself, How are they Now applicable to the Chriftian World? and