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to whom it was addreffed; for fuch as had never been joined to the Lord could not, with any propriety, be exhorted to cleave or to adhere to him. And as this exhortation, when addreffed to us, fuppofeth that we have already chofen the ways of God; fo it implies also, that our choice is the fruit of mature and folid confideration. "This " purpose of heart," with which we are to "cleave unto the Lord," is not a blind and obftinate bigotry, which pusheth men headlong in a way which they know not. Perfons of this character may have a fair fhow in the time of profperity: but when they are brought to the trial of adversity, they will relinquish against reason what they began without it; and will turn as violent in oppofing religion, as ever they feemed zealous in promoting it.In the

2d place, The exhortation in my text requires the habitual exercife of all the graces of the Christian life; the conftant performance of every commanded duty. It is not enough that we draw near to the Lord on fome stated occafions, or have fome tranfient flashes of devotion, like the Ifraelites

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of old, concerning whom it is faid (Hofea vi. 4.), that their goodness, like “ the "morning cloud and early dew," appeared for a little, and then "vanifhed” away. We muft cleave to the Lord at all times; devotion must be the prevailing temper of our minds; and our habitual practice must correfpond to it. It must be our fixed defign, and fincere refolution, to keep all God's commandments, at all times, and in all places and circumftances.

Some there are who lay down refolutions for the performance of certain duties, with a defigned exception of others: Or perhaps they purpose to perform all the branches of duty for a particular feafon, with a fecret referve, that when that time fhall be elapfed, they will then return to their former couffe of life. But all fuch refolutions are an abomination to God, as being hypocritical and infincere; and plainly fhow that the firft ftep in religion is not yet taken. For at the leaft, it is effential to the character of a true Chriftian, that there be a fixed and peremptory defign to adhere to all duty, at all times. Grievous failures

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and fins there may be, even where there are fuch honest and upright purposes; but if thefe are wanting, our profeffion of religión must be altogether vain. In the hono

3d place, The exhortation in my text requires that we make an open and honeft profeffion of our adherence to the Lordise And I mention this, not only because of the importance of the thing itself, but also on account of the fhameful and pernicious failure even of fome good people in this matter. Instead of confeffing Christ boldly before men, they take as wide steps as their confciences will allow them, to speak the language, and to act the manners of a corrupt generation, from the dread of appearing fingular, or of incurring the charge of oftentation or hypocrify. But this method of concealing, or rather indeed of giving away a part of our religion, to fecure the reputation of the reft, is neither honeft nor wife. Honeft it cannot be; for it is just as fraudulent to impofe upon men, by feeming worse than we are, as by feeming better: And furely it is not wife; for if we refolve to have the appearance of no more

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religion than corrupt minds will allow to be fincere, I am afraid we must give it altogether, and preferve the opinion of our honesty, by appearing to have no religion at all. Hypocrify is a bad thing, not because it wears the form of religion, but becaufe it wants the power of it; and the way to avoid hypocrify, is not by doing lefs than the hypocrite, but by doing more, and better. Our Saviour, who spent whole nights in prayer, cannot be fuppofed to condemn the Pharifees for praying long; but for making their prayers a cloak to cover their covetoufness and oppreffion. He does not find fault with them for their outward beauty, but for their inward pollution and deformity. If holinefs be really within us, we have no occafion to dread any harm from its appearing outwardly. It will at length overcome the malice of the world, and prove its divine original, both by its pative luftre, and its powerful influence upon those who behold it.Once more, in the

4th place, The exhortation in the text requires, that we perfevere in our adherence

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to the Lord to the end of our lives. It is not sufficient that we begin well, and continue faithful for a while. We must hold on our way, and wax ftronger and stronger as we proceed. We must not be wearied with the length of the way, but " lifting "up the hands that hang down, and "ftrengthening the feeble knees," we must "run without wearying, and walk without

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fainting, preffing towards the mark, for "the prize of the high calling of God in "Christ Jefus." We must not give up religious exercifes, either becaufe of the frequent repetition of felf-denying duties, or of the bodily decay which old age brings on, or of the increasing infirmities of the mind. We must not give over our work in defpondency, because of the flowness of our progrefs, the smallness of our success, or the number and strength of our enemies. For all thefe difcouragements will foon be "and in due time we fhall "faint not a glorious and everlasting re"ward."-Having thus explained the exhortation in my text, I proceed now, in the

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