what it is, that chiefly prevents our making this difcovery. The world-the world-our attachments to the world, and its delufions, are the great obftacles, which lie at the bottom of our hearts. Let us arm ourselves therefore against these delufions by confidering that we all, even the youngest amongst us, ftand on the very edge of another world. How foon we may drop into it, is one of those secrets of the Lord, which we can never difcover. But it is of no confequence, if we make ourselves masters of these other secrets of the Lord, of which I have been difcourfing.

Nature is full of wonders; but among all the ftrange things, which pass before our eyes, nothing is fo ftrange, as that a rational creature placed between two worlds-one of which is to laft only a few years, and the other to all eternity-should yet defpife the latter, and fix all his affections, and all his hopes on the former.-But however wonderful this is, we all know it is often the cafe: and that it is this, which locks up from us the fecret of the Lord.

Let us then, my brethren, endeavour to fee the world in its true light; and with the best exertion of our faith compare its vanities, and follies with an

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eternal

eternal weight of glory.-This will enable us to find out this great fecret; and not only fo, but will prove by our finding it out, that we are among those who fear the Lord.

SERMON XXXVIII.

MATTHEW, V. 19.

WHOSOEVER SHALL BREAK ONE OF THESE LEAST COMMANDMENTS, AND SHALL TEACH MEN SO,

HE SHALL BE CALLED THE LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

OUR

JR bleffed Saviour in his fermon on the Mount, had carried the precepts of religion higher, than they had been carried by the jewish interpreters but left the people fhould fuppofe he was fetting up a religion in opposition to the law of Mofes, he tells them, that every tittle of that law fhould be fulfilled-its precepts were confirmed by chriftianity-and its types and ceremonies compleated in himself. Whoever thereL 2 fore,

fore, faid he, fhall treat these least commandments -meaning chiefly the ceremonies of the jewish law-with difrefpect, fhall be least in the kingdom of heaven-that is, as the expreffion fignified, fhall be unfit to receive the gospel--he has not been introduced to it in that convincing manner, which he might have been by the typical representations of the law.

Notwithstanding however this may be the im mediate meaning of the text, it may, without any force, be extended into a more general one. It may apply to any person who fhall think it enough to be exact in great points, but not in small-who avoids great fins, but indulges in little fins-and who not only does these things himself, but teaches his neighbour by his example to do them alfo.

More or less, no doubt, we are all finners. The beft of us cannot avoid the breach of these small commandments. But he is the guilty perfon, who commits them with his eyes open. In the fol lowing difcourfe therefore I fhall fhew you first the guilt that attends even the leaft fins, when we allow the commiffion of them-and Secondly, the mischief of leading others into them by our example,

And

And first, let us confider, that the least fin, if we commit it with our eyes open, is equally a contempt of God's law, as the greatest, tho' it is not of so malignant a nature. The fame authority that forbids perjury, forbids fwearing. If you have a regard for God, it is plain you will obey him in both cafes. If you do not, it is as plain, that in one cafe, you have fome other fear upon you-you are afraid of the law, and therefore avoid perjury: but in the other cafe, you are under no such fear, and therefore fwear without fcruple. The fear of God is plainly no restraint in either case.

Again, the pernicious nature of little fins appears, if we confider them, as carrying on, as it were, the trade of wickednefs. In the commerce of the world we must have small money, as well as pieces of a larger value. And indeed thefe smaller pieces generally carry on the briskest part of the traffic. They are in every body's pocket, and always at hand for every little purchase.

Thus it is with fin. Little fins are always ready to carry on the trade of iniquity; which without them, would often be interrupted. It is not every man, that dares commit murder, or adul tery, or open theft: but numbers of men have their oath to fwear, their commodious lie to tell,