2d place; To enforce it by fome motives and arguments. Confider then,

זי

At, That the fame reasons which at first determined you to choose the ways of God, are equally forcible for inciting you to perfevere in them to the end. Upon what grounds did ye embrace your religion at firftd? Why was it that ye ratified, when ye came to years, that profeffion into which ye were baptized? Was it because of the divine authority upon which your religion refts? This reafon furely ftill holds, to make you adhere to it amidst the strongest temptations: for divine authority is always to be obeyed, whatever difficulties lie in the way; nay, though the commands of the highest powers on earth fhould interfere with it. Was it concern for your eternal falvation, and a conviction that "there is "no other name under heaven, given a→ "mong men, whereby you can be faved, "but the name of Chrift ?" and does not this reafon bind you as much to cleave to the Lord, as to come to him at firft?" The "Lord is with you while ye be with him, "and if ye feek him he will be found of you;

"but

"but if ye forfake him, he will forfake you.” "He that endureth to the end," faith Chrift, "fhall be faved."-" But if any man draw "back, my foul fhall have no pleasure in

him." Nay, the cafe of apoftates is reprefented every where in Scripture as inconceivably more dreadful than that of any other finners. Once more, did you enter upon a religious courfe of life, because your confciences would not fiffer you to be at peace till you had done fo? This reafon alfo binds you to perfevere as you have begun; for the more faithfully you cleave to the Lord, the more ftedfaftly you refift temptation, the greater peace and tranquillity you will have in your own minds. Nay, the obstacles which now make your progrefs difficult and painful, will gradually difappear, and at length you fhall find, that "wifdom's ways are ways of plea "fantnefs, and that all her paths are peace." In a word, whatever good reason we had to fet out in the Chriftian courfe, the fame reason will hold for our perfeverance in it. If we began it from bad or from worldly mo→ tives, our religion is but an empty profeffion, without

without any reality. In this cafe we are not yet Chriftians; and therefore the exhortation in the text doth not belong to us.. Confider, in the

2d place, That all the bribes which can be offered, in order to feduce you from your adherence to the Lord, are vain, precarious, and unfatisfying. How often have men "made fhipwreck of faith and of a "good confcience," for a mere fhadow of expectation which was never realized to them? But though you fhould obtain all that this world can present to you, yet how bitter is that advantage which is purchased at the expence of inward peace and tranquillity? Nay, how vain and precarious are the enjoyments of this world at the beft? "Riches often make to themselves wings "and flee away;" and then they leave the perfon much more unhappy than they found him, under the dominion of inflamed appetites, without the proper objects to fatisfy them. The joy of the wicked is like the "crackling of thorns under a pot;" vain whilft it lafts, and foon at an end. Balaam loved the reward of unrighteousness,

and

>

"

and he obtained it; but what did he reap from it at laft? he returned to his own country loaded with riches, but all his enjoyments were embittered by an evil con

fcience," and he himfelf was foon after brought to an untimely end by the vic torious arms of the Ifraelites. So deceitful are the offers with which this world would

feduce you from your adherence to the Lord. But in cleaving to the Lord, you can never be disappointed in your expectations; for he hath faid, "I will never leave "thee nor forfake thee." -Confider, in the

3d place, What obligations you lie under to this Lord to whom you are exhorted in the text, to "cleave with purpose of heart." He it was that befriended you in your greatest neceffity, and that brought falvation with his own arm, when there was no other eye to pity you, nor any other hand that could help you. Think on the greatnefs of the love of Chrift, and on the coftly proofs he gave of it, in condefcending to become a man, and " a man of forrows," and at last to die under the bittereft agonies, for the redemption of your fouls; and then

let

let gratitude fuggeft to you what returns may reasonably be expected from creatures fo infinitely indebted to him as you have been. Did the Lord Jefus, without any importunity from us, and even contrary to our defires, perfift in his gracious defign of faving us, till he could fay upon the cross, “It is finished?" and fhall not we perfevere with stedfastness in our duty and allegiance to him? Surely, if his heart clave to us, when we had nothing to merit or invite his love, much more fhould our hearts cleave to Him, who is not only infinitely amiable in himself, but, which is ftill more interesting, infinitely kind and gracious to us.Once more, in the

4th place, Confider that this duty, although difficult, is by no means impracticable. Thousands of our brethren, all men of like paffions with ourselves, have perfevered to the end in cleaving to the Lord, and are now enjoying the glorious reward of their ftedfaft adherence to him. All neceffary aid is provided for you, and ready to be conveyed to you as often as you fhall afk it. For " God is faithful, who will not "fuffer