(1st.) This is a rule that will not fail men: whatever in public actings is not done with a single eye for the glory of God, is done for self. These two divide all the general ends of men; and where one is not enthroned, the other is. Now though some men may so far proceed in public actings, that it may not be evident wherein their self-interest lies, though that also be but seldom, yet if they do not eye the glory of God with a single eye in these their actings, it is all for self, and so it will be found at the last day. Now how few will be left not turning into self on this rule, now pretences run so high of public aims, might be easily evinced. It were no hard matter to discover, how in things of a public tendency, men make some fleshly imagination or other the god they worship; so that be enthroned, they are little solicitous about the glory of God himself.

(2dly.) The difference of these ends even in public actings may be seen from the ways, means, and frame of spirit in which they are carried on. Let men pretend what they will to public ends, yet if they press after them with a proud, carnal, wrathful, envious, spirit, by the ways, wisdom, and in the spirit of the world, without faith and submission to God, it is self and not God that is their aim. And this also might be improved to strip men of glorying in their public designs, were that my present business. Jehu's spirit spoiled

his work.

2dly. There is a particular end that regulates the public actings of men. This in the saints is their doing the work of their generation; that, as Noah, they may walk with God in their generation. This is their integrity as to the special course of their lives, and their particular employment, how they may fulfil the work of their generation. The special 'end of the men of the world, is the satisfaction of one particular lust or other. Will this increase my wealth, my power, my carnal interest in this world, my reputation for wisdom and ability, or give me advantage to grow in this or that corrupt end, in particular? This is the secret inquiry of their deceived hearts; this influences and regulates all their particular actings.

[5.] As to their separation in worship, I shall only point to that one place, and leave it, 2 Cor. vi. 14-18. and chap. vii. 1. which belongs to that discourse.

Now I wish I had a more difficult task in hand: I wish it were harder for me to manage any principle of conviction, that we have not been prepared to meet Christ in his coming, from this consideration of our little difference from the world in these great things of principle, spirit, walking, ends, and worship. For

What a fleshly, wrathful, carnal, worldly spirit hath discovered itself in many professors, nay, in the most? How little of the humble, lowly, meek, loving spirit of Christ? Many think it their glory to be unlike Christ in the spirit of their minds, high, heady, self-full, proud, revengeful: what little difference between them, and the men of the world? How like to one another? What oneness is found in them? Is this to learn Christ? To put on Christ? Is this the image of Christ, that manifests itself in most professors? Nor

Are they at a distance from the world, as to the principle of their walking and working. Do they walk by faith, and work by faith? Are they guided by the wisdom that is from above? Make they God their refuge? Or are any men more dipped into a principle of carnal wisdom, than most professors are? To seek counsel of God, to take the law of their proceedings at his mouth, to look up to him for guidance and direction, to derive strength from the Lord Christ by believing for the work of their employments; in how few are these things found? Their own wisdom, their own counsel, their own contrivance, their own abilities, shall do their work. Carnal policy, and fleshly wisdom are their net and drag.

Moreover, what is our conversation? How like the world in our persons, in our families, in our spirits, callings, in whatever the world may properly call its own? Professors have justled the men of the world out of the possession of the ways of the world. How few are found walking in a world-condemning conversation? a gospel-glorifying conversation? a fruitful, holy conversation? We are known from the world by word more than by deed; which is not the way that James directs us unto.

I might go through with the rest of the considerations mentioned, and manifest that there is another evil found ongst us; for as we have great differences among our

selves about little things, so we have little difference from the world in those which are great and weighty.

(3.) Consider the general miscarriage almost of all professors in things prejudicial to the advancement of the gospel; the pretence, whereof we have served ourselves all along, hath been of the furtherance, propagation, and advancement of the gospel. Our Lord Christ hath sent out light, and given opportunities suitable unto such a design. Never greater advantages, nor greater opportunities from the foundation of the world. If ever they be required at the hands of this generation, they will be found to have been so: whence then hath it been, that the work hath not gone on and prospered? Why doth it yet stick? Hath it not been from the woful miscarriage of those, who were looked on as the means and instruments of carrying it on? Have there been a few saints in a place? It is odds, that they have been at variance among themselves, and made sport for the vain multitude by their divisions: or they have walked frowardly, provokingly, uselessly, worldly, that their pretence for the gospel hath been despised, because of their persons. Have they, as men concerned in the honour of Christ and the gospel, as men enjoying the blessed principle of his Spirit, laboured to be useful, fruitful, to do good to all, to be meek, lowly, self-denying, charitable, abounding in good works, patient towards opposers, not reviling again, not returning evil for evil, bearing, suffering, committing all to Christ? Alas, how few are there who have so walked! Could some see believers making it their business to be like Christ in the world, to deny themselves as he did, to do good to all as he did, to be patient under persecution and reproaches as he was, to be tender, pitiful, merciful like him, to abide in faith and prayer as he did; what might we not expect, as to the advancement of the gospel amongst us? We complain of cold preaching among ministers, of dead and dull attendance in hearers, of contempt of the word in the most, whereby the power of the gospel is kept within narrow bounds; but the truth is, the prejudices that have been raised by the miscarriages of professors, have had a greater influence unto that evil event, than any of the rest. And hath this been to meet Christ in his coming?

(4.) Of the like nature are the scandalous offences of

many. I shall not insist on the scandalous apostacies of many professors, who, some by one great sin, some by another, are fallen off from the profession of the gospel. I wish that too many other instances might not be found among them that remain. Are there not some proud unto scandal, or sensual unto scandal, or covetous unto scandal, or negligent of their families and relations unto scandal, or conformable to the ways, customs, and fashions of the world unto scandal? I wish no such things might be found among us.

(5.) Add hereunto, the general backsliding, or going back from God, that is amongst professors; we scarce seem to be the same generation of men that we were fifteen or sixteen years ago: some have utterly lost their principle. Zeal for God, reformation, purity of ordinances, interest of Christ in his saints, are things to be despised, things that have no concernment in our condition and affairs; as though we had no more need of Christ, or his interest amongst us : and in the best, is not a fresh spirit of our present engagement. almost lost?

But why should I insist farther on these things? Are not the things that have been spoken, sufficient for a rebuke, or a conviction at least, that the professing people of Christ have not walked as though they had a just respect to his coming, or his peculiar presence amongst them? May we not justly fear, that our multiplied provocations may at length prevail with him to withdraw, to put a stop to his work that is upon the wheel; not only to leave us to manifold entanglements in the carrying of it on, but also utterly to forsake it, to cast down the tower, and pluck up the hedge that he hath made about his vineyard, and leave it to be laid waste? He must have a heart like the flint in the rock of stone, that doth not tremble at it. But complaints will not be our relief. That which is incumbent on us, if yet there may be hope, is our answering the exhortation in my text. If then any sense do fall upon our spirits, that Christ is come amongst us in a peculiar manner, in the providential alterations and dissolutions that have been among us; and that we have not hitherto demeaned ourselves as becometh them who are called to meet him, and to walk with him in such

vs and paths as his amongst us have been; then I say, let

us apply ourselves in our next use to the exhortation that lies before us, to all manner of 'holy conversation.'

Use 2. Of exhortation. That I say then which we are now to attend unto, is the exhortation that is included in this expression: What manner of persons ought we to be?' To further the efficacy of this exhortation, give me leave to premise some few things.

First, There are general reasons of holiness and godliness, and there are special motives unto them. I am not now dealing upon the general reasons of holiness on the account of the covenant of grace, and so shall not press it on those considerations, upon believers as such. But I speak of it in reference unto the peculiar motive mentioned in the text; namely, The providential dissolution of temporal concernments, and so speak to believers as men interested therein, as persons whom Christ hath a special regard unto in these his dispensations. It is one thing to say, What manner of persons ought ye to be, whom God hath loved with an everlasting love, whom Christ hath washed in his own blood, who have received the Spirit of Christ? and another to say, Ye that are loved with an everlasting love, are washed in the blood of Christ, and made partakers of the Holy Ghost. Seeing that Christ is come amongst us, to the dissolution of the great things of the nations, what manner of persons ought you to be? That is it in a peculiar pressing unto holiness on the account of the motive that is intended.

Secondly, There is a holiness and godliness that is required universally at all times, in all places and seasons, and in all persons whatever by the gospel; and there is a peculiar improvement of that holiness and godliness at some seasons, and in some persons, that is not required at some times, and of some persons. Christ hath work for all the grace of his people in this world; and according as opportunities for that work are presented unto them, they ought to stir up their grace for it. In the times of Christ's coming, he hath great work to do for and by the holiness and godliness of his people: a great testimony is to be given to himself thereby; his work is much to be promoted by it; the world to be convinced, condemned, his judgments against them justified in the sight of all; and much more hath Christ to do with the holiness of his people at such a season. Now