doth our Saviour ask, "What doth a man profit if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" That world, when gained, he could not keep: nor, if he could, would it make him happy.

But our Saviour delivered his powerful admonition, not so much for his disciples to reason upon, as to carry into practice: that is, that his words might strike into their souls upon these occasions (which are but too many), when the business, the bustle, or the allurements of the world are in danger of shutting out futurity from their thoughts.-These are the times for calling to mind our Saviour's question. Whenever, therefore, we are driving on in the career of worldly prosperity: meeting with success after success: fortunate, rich, and flourishing: when every thing appears to thrive and smile around us: but conscience, in the mean time, little heeded and attended to; the justice, the integrity, the uprightness, of our ways and of our dealings seldom weighed and scrutinized by us; religion very much, or entirely perhaps, out of the question with us; soothed and buoyed up with that self-applause, which success naturally begets in this no very uncommon state of soul, it will be well, if we hear our Saviour's voice asking us, What does all this prosperity signify? if it do not lead to heaven, what is it worth? when the scene is shifted, if nothing but death and darkness remain behind; much more, if God Almighty be all this while offended by our forgetfulness both of his mercies and his laws, our neglect of his service, our indevotion, our thoughtfulness, our disobedience, our love of the world to the exclusion of all consideration of Him; if we be assured, and if, in reality, it be the case, that his dis

pleasure shall infallibly overtake us at our death, what in truth, under all this appearance of advantage, are we getting or gaining? The world may amuse us with names and terms of felicitation, with their praises or their envy, but wherein are we the better in the amount and result of substantial happiness? We have got our aim, and what is the end of it? Death is preparing to level us with the poorest of mankind; and after that, a fearful looking-for and expectation of judgment; no well founded hopes of happiness beyond the grave; and we drawing sensibly nearer to that grave every year. This is the sum of the account. Or, which is another case no less apposite to our present argument, is it some sensual pleasure that tempts us, some wicked enjoyment that has taken such hold of our passions, that we are ready to rush upon it, whatever be the consquence. If we gain our object; if we possess our wishes, we are happy: but what, if we lose our own souls? What if we find ourselves condemned men for hardly venturing upon crimes, which will, and which we were forewarned that they would, render us the objects of God's final indignation and displeasure? Will any gratifications which sin affords be a recompense or a consolation? Are they so even for the diseases, shame, and ruin, which they often bring upon men in this world? Ask those who are so ruined or so diseased. How much less then for the gnawings of that worm which dieth not; the burnings of that fire which will not be quenched! In hopeless torment, will it assuage our sufferings, or mitigate the bitterness of our self-accusation, to know that we have brought ourselves into this state for some transient pleasure, which is gone,

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lost and perished for ever? Oh that we had thought of these things before, as we think of them now! That we had not been infidels as touching our Lord's declaration! that we had believed in him; and that believing that he had a perfect knowledge of the future fate of mankind, and of the truth of what he taught, we had listened in time to his admonition!

Universally the true occasion for remembering and applying the passage of Scripture before us is, when we are deliberating concerning the conduct we are to pursue, in the contests which arise between temptation and duty, between the flesh and the world, or between both united and our own souls. Be the temptation what it will, either in kind or strength, this is the thought to be for ever set against it, that if we give way, we give way in exchange for our own souls; that the perdition of the soul is set forth in Scripture in terms most tremendous, but not more tremendous than true; that the sinner, the man involved in unrepented, unforsaken sins, can never know how soon he may be reduced to this state.

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XXXII.

PRESERVATION AND RECOVERY FROM SIN.

TITUS, ii. 11, 12.

For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

THERE are certain particular texts of Scripture which are of inestimable use; for that in a few short, clear words they show us the sum of our duty. Such texts ought to be deeply infixed and imprinted upon our memories; to be written indeed upon our hearts. The text which I have read to you is entitled to this distinction. No single sentence, that ever was written down for the direction of mankind, comprises more important truth in less room. The text gives us a rule of life and conduct and tells us, that to lay down for mankind this rule, and enforce it by the promise of salvation, was a great object of the gospel being published in the world. The gospel might include other objects, and answer other purposes; but as far as related to the regulation of life and conduct, this was its object and its purpose. The rule, you hear, is that, "denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." We must begin "by denying ungodliness and worldly lusts:" which means, that we must resist or break off all sins of licentiousness, debauchery, and intemperance; for these are what

are specifically meant by worldly lusts. And these must be denied; that is, they must either be withstood in the first instance, or the evil courses into which they have drawn us must be broken off.

When a rule of morals is plain and positive, it is seldom that there is any advantage in enlarging upon the rule itself. We only weaken it, by dilating it. I shall employ, therefore, my present discourse in offering such heads of advice as may be likely, by God's blessing, to assist us in rendering obedience to the rule laid down for us; an obedience, upon which salvation depends.

First then, I observe concerning licentious practices, that it is most practicable to be entirely innocent; that it is a more easy thing to withstand them altogether than it is to set bounds to their indulgence. This is a point not sufficiently understood: though true, it is not believed. Men know not what they are doing, when they enter upon vicious courses: what a struggle, what a contest, what misery, what torment, they are preparing for themselves. I trust that there is hardly a man or woman living, who enters into a course of sin with the design of remaining in it to the end; who can brave the punishment of hell; who intends to die in that state of sure perdition, to which a course of unrepented sin must bring him or her. No: that is not the plan of the worst, much less of the generality of mankind. Their plan is to allow themselves to a certain length, and there stop; for a certain time, and then reform; in such and such opportunities and temptations, but in no more. Now to such persons and to such plans, I say this, that it would not have cost them one tenth of the