against them ; and that they were Vol. II. convinced, not by what they faw, but what they heard: but 'tis certain, their own Confciences represented what the finger of Chrift did not; and the reproaches of that were so keen and liveÎy, that there needed nothing more to abate the edge of their Severity. And truly, he must have but an odd Notion of Sin, whose Confcience, upon Examination, does not pronounce him a Sinner; and he muft, I doubt, not be as penitent as he should, who does not look upon his own Sin as very great.

3. No man ought to disparage Religion for the fin of him that profeffes it. There is nothing more unjust than this: Was there ever any Sect of Philofophy, or any Difpenfation of Religion; was there ever any Difcipline, or any Law, that could prevent Sin and Vice, and reftrain Human Nature within the Bounds of Wisdom and Virtue? We daily fee that even Secular Laws in forcing Divine Ones, and the Terrours of this World joyn'd with those of the other, are not able to keep Sin under, fo strong is the propenfion of Man to it; fo obftinate is the Corruption of M 2

the

Vol. II. the World! how much lefs can Religion alone effect this? and yet, what is there in Religion weak or defective? No Man objects against the Precepts of it, unless this, that they be too ftri&t, too pure: no Man will fay the Rewards it proposes Virtue, or the Punishment it threatens Vice,are too little.

And thus I might go on, and fhew from the Obligations God has laid upon the World, from the efficacy of Christian Sacraments, the Wisdom of its Difcipline and its Counfels, and from its gracious tenders of Pardon and Strength, that we have no reason to charge Religion with our Sins. But what can Obligations fignifie to an ungrateful World? what can Rewards or Punishments fignifie to those who do not believe, who do not confider? what, finally, can the Affiftance of the Spirit fignifie to those who do not seek it, or who refift and quench it? Alas! what Cure is there for Negligence and Folly, for wilful Lufts and Paffions ? what Remedy is there against Incogitancy, Obftinacy, and Prefumption? what Motives can ever prevail upon Men, who do not reflect on them? or what Truths can purifie the Soul, if it

do

do not believe them? Alas! alas! fuch Vol. II, is our State, and fuch our Nature, that it is very difficult to become good; and when we stand, it requires great care not to fall; inceffant Prayer, unwearied Diligence, holy Fear, wise Humility, and the most vigilant Caution and Circumspection ought ever to be the Companions of a Chriftian ; and without this, no Precepts, no Examples, no Exhortations, no Admonitions, no Threats, no Promises can ever fecure us. The Gospel is certainly the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God unto Salvation; but yet our Carelesness and Confidence, our Freedoms and Indulgences may render it very ineffectual to us; but this were the higheft Injustice, to charge the Gospel with the Sin and Folly of those who profess it, and to impute the Negligence of the one, to the Incompetency or Infufficiency of the other. 'Tis true, this has ever been the method of Atheists and Infidels, of Pagans, Hereticks and Schifmaticks, and of ill Men in general: Thus Nathan told David, that his Fall had occafioned the Enemies of God to blafpheme; and ill Men ever lye in wait for the flips of the good and vir M 3

tuous

Vol. II. tuous; but I hope none amongst us will, upon any fuch occafion, be followers of Infidels and the Wicked, but of Christ, or the Prophets and the Apostles; these bewail'd the Sins of others, with the trueft forrow; they wept for those who were themselves härden'd, and offered Prayers for those who instead of putting up any for themselves, were daily provoking Heaven by their Crimes: Mine eyes run down with tears, fays David, because Men keep not thy Law. Oh that mine head, fays Jeremiah, were waters, and mine eyes tears! Jer. 9. 1. Thus have we our Saviour weeping over Jerufalem, and St. Paul praying for his Countrymen, Rom. 9. with a Paffion very traniporting. This is the true Spirit of Christianity; this is a Zeal becoming the Gospel: In fuch bosoms we are fure that the Love of God and their Neighbour, Humility and Mercy reign: but what Paffions, whatHumours reign in the bofom of the Cenforious Pharifee, or any other that Exercifes, either his Wit or Spite, to the disadvantage of his unhappy Neighbour, or the dif paragement of Religion, the laft Day will discover.

Directions

Directions how to run
Successfully.

I Cor. IX. 24.

Know ye not, that they which run in a race,run all,but one receives the prize? So run that ye may obtain.

I

Will not insist on the Metaphors

175

in my Text,and the Context, which feveral Commentators have given us an elaborate Account of, partly because I think I can spend the time allotted me more usefully; and partly because you your felves, without the help of an Expofitor, do easily understand, that the Race the Apostle here fpeaks of, is a Spiritual one, and the Prize a Heavenly and Incorruptible Crown: one thing only is necessary to be obferved, that as we must not argue from any circumftantial Part of a Parable, but from the main Design of it; fo neither muft we prefs a Simile or an Allegory too far. Thus here, we must not infer that there is but one Crown in Heaven, and that amongst those numbers which contend earnestly

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