SERM. from it. Chrift has indeed brought Life IX. and Immortality to light, and opened an abundant entrance into the Kingdom of God, but 'tis not that any unreformed and unrenewed nature fhould be made partaker of that Spiritual Happiness, or be admitted to have a fhare in those pure and undefiled Rewards; but that those who have broken off their Sins by Repentance, and their Iniquities by Righteousness and fhewing mercy to the poor, (which is the Wedding-garment required by our Lord in the Parable,) fhould be entertained at the eternal Supper of the Lamb: For as impoffible as 'tis for God to cease to be holy, or for the purity of the Divine Nature to be reconciled to Sin, fo impoffible is it for a wicked man to obtain remiffion whilft he continues wicked, or for a Sinner to be admitted into the kingdom of Heaven. Be not deceived, faith St Paul, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themfelves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, that is, no unrighteous per

fon

be

IX.

fon that continues in the practice of any SER M. known Sin, fhall inherit the kingdom of God, I Cor. vi. 9. Again, Gal. v. 21. having reckoned up the like catalogue of Sins, he adds, of the which I tell you fore, as I have alfo told you in time past, that they which do fuch things, shall not inherit the kingdom of God. And Ephef. v. 6. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for becaufe of thefe things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of difobedience. 2dly, If Chrift delivers no man from the dominion of Sin any otherwise than by giving him a clear knowledge of his duty, and a fufficient power to peform it, then no man who makes not use of that knowledge and power to an actual performance of his duty, can be delivered from the dominion of Sin. Chrift hath completely performed his office for us; but if We will not alfo perform what remains for us to do for ourselves; if we will yet chuse rather to continue in the fervice of Sin, than to come forth into the glorious liberty to which we are called; we muft, notwithVOL. V. standing

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SER M. ftanding all that Chrift has done for us, IX. continue ftill under the dominion of Sin,

and fhall at last fall into the punishment thereof. The Imputation of the Righteoufness of Chrift, (which fome have vainly depended upon, while they themselves continue to live in open contempt of his righteous laws,) is a falfe and groundless imagination: 'Tis the unalterable Nature · of Things, and the Will of God; that if we expect to be made happy for ourfelves, we must also become righteous for ourfelves. Righteoufnefs is not an outward imaginary quality, but an inward and real difpofition of the heart and soul, which muft fhow forth itself in real and fubftantial acts of Holinefs and Piety. Little children, let no man deceive you; be that doeth righteousness, is righteous, 1 Joh. iii. 7. And St James, ch. i. 27. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to vifit the fatherlefs and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Let no man therefore deceive himself with vain imaginations, in hopes of being accounted

us,

IX.

n

accounted righteous any other way, than SER M. by that which God has proposed to us in his holy Scriptures: Let us confider how great things Chrift has done in order to our Salvation; and let us fhew forth our thankfulness for what he has done for by heartily setting about what he has abfolutely required that we should do for ourfelves: Let us fincerely endeavour to obey the Will of God as difcovered to us in the Gofpel; and then we may firmly hope for (and shall certainly obtain) remiffion, not through the merits of that our Righteousness which is imperfect, but through the redemption purchased by the Blood of Chrift, wherein we are by that fincere, though imperfect Righteousness, made capable of having a share.

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