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of our duty with willing minds, and perform the whole with a cheerful and persevering zeal : till which time, all remains imperfect and ineffectual. Every attainment that comes short of uniform universal obedience, however specious it be, leaves us in effect very nearly, if not quite where we were. St. James's comparison is perfectly just. Be ye doers of the Word: and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer: he is like unto a man, beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way: and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was *. Yet this too plainly appears to be the common method. A great part, even of those, who come to hear from a principle of conscience, such as it is, mind exceedingly little at the time, reflect less afterwards, and continue just the same men they were before. They wonder indeed, that their neighbours take no more notice of what is said; and can even wrest passages in sermons to meanings, which they were never intended to have, and are scarce, if at all capable of, in order to point them against the faults of others; while they think not in the least of correcting their own, be they ever so plainly described as if religion were made for every one else to practise, but. themselves. It would really seem quite impossible, if daily experience did not shew it, that men could be told so plainly, and warned so frequently of transgressions and follies, which they cannot deny to be such, by which often they not only do great harm, but suffer great uneasiness, in this world, and which they are sensible must bring on them, if not forsaken, the heaviest

* James i. 22, 23, 24.

vengeance of God in the next; yet sit all the while as unconcerned, as if the discourse were about some perfectly indifferent matter; and go away at last, without so much as a single thought of ever changing their conduct. Or if they do think of reforming, it is at some distant time; like Felix, when they have a convenient season*; and this they look on as a very pious intention: whereas indeed it is only determining to live on wickedly for the present, and leave off they know not when. Or they resolve from henceforward to perform some parts of their duty, the more easy, or profitable, or fashionable, perhaps but neglect the rest, as much as ever. Or they go farther, and will break loose from all their sins: but they will not avoid those temptations, that must in all likelihood bring them back soon into their former bondage; nor make use of those means, that would preserve them from it. Thus one way or other, they contrive to hear the Word and not to do it: and all they get by this artful management, as St. James, in the passage abovementioned, hath excellently observed, is deceiving their own selves. For God we can never deceive; men we very seldom do; nay even ourselves, for the most part, we are able to cheat but poorly; and could we succeed in it as completely, as we wish, we should be only the more irretrievably ruined.

Take heed therefore, how ye hear: and begin your care with considering so seriously, and improving so faithfully, what hath been delivered to you for that purpose now, that you may reap the truest and utmost advantage you can, from whatever shall be any where taught you hereafter. Laying aside all malice, and all guile and hypocrisy, as new born

VOL. I.

Acts xxiv. 25.

babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby *: grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: to him be glory, both now and for ever. Amen†.

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SERMON XIII.

PHIL. IV. 8.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report ; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

As the excellent characters of the first believers and teachers of Christianity are in general a strong recommendation of it to mankind; so that of St. Paul in particular shines with distinguished lustre through his whole history; but especially his Epistles, the faithful pictures of his soul. Even in this short one to the Philippians, it is surprising to observe, how great a variety of most exalted and engaging virtues he shews. The authority of the Apostle is so perfectly tempered with the condescension of the fellowChristian: the expressions of his tenderness for those to whom he writes are so endearing and instructive at the same time: his acknowledgments of their kindnesses to him, so equally full of dignity, humility and disinterestedness: his mention of his past persecutions is so mild; and of his present danger, (for he wrote from a prison) so cheerful: his attention to the supporting of their courage is so affecting; and his confidence, that both he and they should persevere and conquer, is so noble and yet so modest: his deliberation, whether life or death be eligible, is so

calm; and his preference to live, even in misery, for their sakes and that of the Gospel, is so genuinely heroic, yet fully equalled by the composed and triumphant mention, which he elsewhere makes, of his approaching martyrdom: his zeal for propagating religion is so ardent; yet attended with so deep a concern, that it be indeed true religion: he is so earnest to guard them, both against a superstitious reliance on outward observances and a licentious abuse of the doctrines of faith and grace; so solicitous to improve them in rational piety, and meek beneficent virtue; so intent to fix their minds on every thing worthy and amiable, and raise them above every thing gloomy or anxious: his warmth in this glorious cause, is so far from being affected or forced; and every expression so evidently flows from a heart which cannot help overflowing, that whoever shall read but this one epistle with attention and fairness, under all the disadvantages of a translation made word for word, and broken into short verses, will feel a strong impression on his mind, that the writer of it must have been an uncommonly great and good man; every way deserving of the high rank, which he claims, of a commissioned servant of God, and incapable of claiming it falsely.

But besides being thus moved with the admirable spirit expressed, and the sublime precepts diffused, throughout the whole; it will be still a new subject of esteem and wonder; to see the force and substance of them all collected at last into one brief exhortation; comprehending in so narrow a space, the intire compass of virtuous dispositions, and right behaviour, as is done in the text: to which he subjoins with conscious boldness, appealing to all which they had learned, and received, and heard and seen

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