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vexation and anxiety. For between the care of keeping, and the fear of losing this idol of his heart, he is deprived of the enjoyment of that which, perhaps, he has been toiling for the greatest part of his life. So idle and so fruitless is all the industry of ambition and

covetousness!

Behold the unthinking man, who breaks his sleep, and racks his brain, and employs his skill to no purpose, but to be more unhappy and uneasy than he was before. He labours continually to gratify his passions and appetites, and is so far from paying that homage which is due from a despicable worm to an all-glorious Creator, that his life is one continued series of rebellion. He never allows himself time to consider, that the great God is a constant spectator of all his actions. He little thinks that he is acquainted with all his ways; that he has beset him behind and before; that he is present in our hearts, and beholds all the impurity that is acted in our thoughts and desires.

The supreme Being is conscious to the fraud of the unjust deceiver; there is not a proud thought or secret lust in our hearts but he views with the utmost indignation.

No idle pretences, no pitiful excuses, no pleas of necessity, will avail that man (in the day of judgment) who has habitually neglected the service of God, and apostatized from the faith. For however he may stifle his conscience and impose upon the world, yet the great King of Heaven cannot be deceived. He can discern the heart of an hypocritical Pharisee under all

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his broad philactory, and knows from what fountain his actions proceed. There is no trimming with the world without his knowledge; nor can the most sly and subtle sinner act any thing so secret as to escape the all-seeing eye of that God who is too pure to behold iniquity without punishing the offender. With what awful reverence, then, ought we to think of this all-powerful and all-seeing God! When we consider that there is a day of retribution hourly approaching us, when we shall all be called to an account, and the most minute circumstances shall be evidently disclosed. But, alas! how little do men make of that day; and how greatly do they slight that judgment.

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In this world there appears to be no difference between the just and the unjust, but that it fares much alike with him that sacrifices, and with him that sacrifices not; this draws men, inconsiderately, into the paths of vice, as if things would never have an end, but should always continue as they now are; and so they go on, adding one day's crime to another, 'till they are surprized with the arrest of death; at which time they would give, if it were possible, a thousand worlds but for Hezekiah's lease of life, to provide for that dreadful day hereafter.

How vain is man! Every man, says holy David, at his best estate is altogether vanity. His soul is deceived and ensnared by the suggestions of his senses, which represent the visible objects of this life so pleasing to his carnal appetites, that things of a spiritual nature are to him as

mere matters of fancy and conceit. And when the world has got possession of his heart, it has all the powers and faculties of his mind at command, and he is captivated and made a slave to ungovernable passions; the consequence of which is a coolness for spiritual improvement, a disrelish for religious duties, and a very dangerous'state of his soul.

Indeed, it is very observable that those temptations in the world which appear very innocent and natural, are very often of fatal consequence. For instance, it is very natural, and very reasonable, that a man should endeavour to make a provision suitable to his station, and the state of his family. Our reason and conscience dictate, that we should be diligent in our callings, in order to the support and comfort of life. But then our minds are continually intent upon these things, without any regard to the one thing needful; if we place our affections upon them, and are continually anxious about them, they will be dangerous temptations. For when we covet the riches, honours, and pleasures of this world, they exclude the love of God from our hearts; they lead us intɔ sin, which produces misery, and the end is eternal destruction.

Secondly, The next thing by which mankind are so easily deceived is, that they imagine God is very easy to be pacified, and is pleased with every little appearance of virtue, without regarding men according to the whole tenour of a virtuous or vicious life. And hence, though they indulge themselves in the habit of any

plain vice, though they live in a state of adultery, fornication, intemperance, fraud, or any other unrighteous act; yet they hope to appease God with some external forms of worship; they think that their attendance at some place of public worship will screen their villainies in this life, and sufficiently atone for them in the next. Poor deluded sinners! thus idly to impose upon themselves, and presumptuously to affront the Majesty of heaven!

Let them but consult the scriptures, and they will find, that no ceremonious methods of attonement will satisfy an offended God. This the prophet very strongly declares in these words: To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hands to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons, and appointed feasts, my soul hateth; they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. when you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make long prayers, I will not hear your hands are full of blood. Wash ye, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes. Cease to do evil learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

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Finally, Let not the sinner deceive himself. God is not to be mocked. If he goes on in an habitual course of debauchery, and thinks that God will accept of a few empty ceremonies, he will find himself sadly mistaken at the last. His hope will be the hope of the hypocrite, which is as the spider's web. Rather let him remember that his future harvest will be answerable to the actions of this life: and that as he hath sown, so he must expect to reap; i. e. he that soweth to the flesh, he that gratifieth his sensual desires, shall reap corruption; decaying pleasures here, and eternal perdition hereafter. must be his portion. But he that soweth to the Spirit, he that makes a conscience of his duty, that adheres, as near as human frailty will admit, to the eternal laws of truth and reason, he, we are told, shall, of the Spirit, reap everlasting life, the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, shall raise up him also; and, at the final day of retribution, shall reward his fidelity in this life with a crown of eternal glory in the next.

Thirdly, Another delusion by which wicked men impose, upon themselves, is that of their going on in a vicious course of life, upon the general notion of the mercy, patience, and goodness of the Almighty, never considering whether they themselves are proper and capable objects of his mercy and compassion."

And these deceive themselves by fixing their attention wholly upon one single attribute of the Almighty; and consider not the great God as endowed with all those perfections together,

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