But in vain do they thus worship God. To render these outward fervices acceptable, they should add to them the inward devotion of their fouls. True religion is a vital principle, regulating the whole conduct of life. It makes a man a new creature; and fubdues every thing in him, that exalts itself againft the difcipline of CHRIST. He who is truly actuated by it ; is fo far from refting in the outward privileges he enjoys; that he makes those very privileges an argument to himself, for working out his falvation with more fear and trembling well knowing, that the greater his advantages are, the greater his obligations to improve by them.

Accordingly, he watches every opportu nity, and lays hold of every incidence, that opens the way to a good action. He endeavours to yield an univerfal obedience

to

to the laws of GOD. He never overvalues fome kind of duties to the difparagement of others; but gives every duty its due place in his esteem; and is ready to fhew the fincerity of his regard, by complying with it as occafion requires. In all this, however, he has no view to the praise of men, but only to the approbation of GOD. It is the confcience of his duty that is the great spring of all his actions ;-and therefore he is always confiftent-always like himself as religious and devout in pri vate, as he is in public;-as careful of himself and his proceedings when nobody fees him, as when the eyes of the world are fixed upon him. Yet, he is far from affuming on this account. What he has been enabled to do he afcribes entirely to the goodness of GOD; and humbly applies it to his glory. He is ftill in his own apprehenfion an unprofitable fervant;

he

has

has done his benefactor no good-" he "has only done what he ought to do ;" and therefore pleads no merit. But with God he knows there is mercy; and as he has already derived from his grace the power of ferving him in the manner he has done; fo he hopes to receive, from the fame grace, in futurity, the reward of those imperfect, but well-meant fervices.,

These are the genuine marks of Chrif tianity: And he that has thefe characters upon him, is a real and fincere Christian :

-one that is now in the favour of God; and fhall hereafter enjoy the promises of the Gospel. No other pretences, no privileges, no endowments, will ever stand us in any stead. For they are not the hearers of the Law, or the profeffors of the Gospel, but the doers and obfervers of it, that fhall be juftified. Therefore, we muit fuffer

fuffer our Religion to fink deep into our hearts; and to produce the fruits of righteousness in our lives; if we mean to be the better; nay, if we mean not to be the worse, for the profeffion of it. We must carefully apply it to the government of our paffions to the improvement of our difpofitions and to the reformation of our lives and manners. If it can become us to fuppofe any one time fitter than another for taking fuch pains with ourselves; when, I beseech you, can the good work be more feasonably undertaken, than at this very time? The time that opens a new scene of life, by introducing us into a new year. And may the new year, we are now commencing, effectually infpire us with new refolutions of employing it better than we have done the last! When this is fincerely determined upon, and we live like those who must give an account, then

C

then these additions or lengthenings of life become a matter of real joy. For, the the more fervice we pay, the greater reward we fhall be fure to receive. But let us in no wise deceive ourselves by false calculations; and, because the Sun is returned to the fame point of the Heavens that he was in a year ago; imagine ourfelves to be also in the fame fituation, and the fame state of life. In truth, our circumstances are now very different from what they were a year ago. The state of our accounts is greatly altered; and the time when we fhall be called to deliver them up, is fo much the nearer to us. How many have been called upon already, within the compass of this last revolution, who promised to themselves as long a continuance, as any of us can reasonably do? Think then of their fate: and let that thought instruct you-whether you ought