when our Hearts are ready, we may praise the Lord with the beft Member that we have; that that Meeknefs and Charity which the Gofpel infpires, that Innocence and Simplicity which adorn a Christian Conversation, may run through all our Difcourfe; and that while we minister Grace unto the Hearers, we may treasure up our own Juftification against that Day, wherein by our Words we shall be juftified, and by our Words we shall be condemned.

SERMON

SERMON XI.

ROMANS Vi. 21.

What Fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now afhamed? for the End of those things is Death.

W

HERE Intereft and Happiness are apparently con

cern'd, there feems to be no Room at all left for Perfwafion; and the Suggefti

ons of our Nature, one would imagine, should anticipate the Force of any enticing Words of Exhortation, in the Purfuit of whatever may be good and profitable to us, and in the rejecting whatVOL. I. Q 2

ever

ever is hurtful and prejudicial. Yet continual Experience evinces, how palpably Men act against their higheft Intereft; and how strongly our Affections, the Tendency of which is to the Attainment of Happiness in general, prompt us to the Prosecution of finful Objects, at the fame time that we cannot but be fenfible upon the leaft Recollection, that nothing brings upon us more certain and fubftantial Mifery.

THE Senfualift in his cooler Thoughts cannot but condemn thofe Vices as odious, which through the Heat of Defire, he acts over with fo much Greediness; and could he but fo regulate his Affections, as to fubmit them to the conftant Guidance of his Reafon, Vice would ever appear equally deteftable; and the Danger and Bafenefs of Sin would fill his Mind with fuch glaring and affecting Apprehenfions of its Nature and Confequences, that he would live in an habitual Fear and Shame of falling into the Commiffion of it.

THE Holy Scripture is very large and frequent, in defcribing Sin under every Character and Allufion, that may pro

voke

voke our Deteftation and Abhorrence: Thus, for Inftance, the Continuance in a State of Sin is called walking in the Night, the being in a State of Darkness; Circumftances full of Horror and Uncertainty, Confufion and Danger: Awake out of Sleep, and awake to Righteousness, says the Apostle, intimating that Sin is a State of Sleep, a State of Infenfibility and Delufion.

BUT we need not go on to recount all the Particulars, wherein the Sacred Writings express the wretched Condition of Sin; the Words before us will be found to take in the whole Argument: For here the Apostle, under the Allegory of a Service, is fhewing the Reasonableness of performing our Duty in the most entire and chearful Obedience, and this is the Amount of his Reafoning: While we were under the Slavery of Sin, we yielded our Members Servants of Iniquity unto Iniquity; i. e. we gave up ourselves to fulfil every Luft and Affection; but being made free from that, and admitted into another Service, viz. that of Religion, we ought to yield our Members Q3 Servants

Servants of Righteoufnefs unto Holiness; i. e. with the fame Fidelity and fincere Submiffion, we ought to fatisfy the Duties of Pure and Holy Living: And this will appear much more reafonable, if we reflect upon the different Characters, wherein thefe Services ftand recommended us: The fervice of God is truly lovely and beneficial; we thereby have our Fruit unto Holiness, and our End everlafting Life: But, on the contrary, the Service of Sin is unfruitful, it is fcandalous, it is deftructive; and for Proof thereof, the Apostle appeals even to the Experience and Sentiments of those who have been engaged in that Service: What Fruit had ус then of those things whereof ye are now afhamed? for the End of those things is Death.

Now the only Circumftances which are the true Grounds of Hatred, are either the Mischief which we do, or may receive from, or the inherent Foulness and Uglinefs of the Objects, towards which we exercife this Affection: And how eminently these Circumstances agree with Sin; with what Fulnefs of Truth

and