things in the world; a profession of the most pure religion with the most impure conversation.

I should have proceeded to the fourth general head of discourse, but shall conclude with one dreadful and tremendous reflection. What apparent danger are we in, of losing that religion from among us, which is more generally professed at this day! principally because of the resistance and opposition, which is made against it, by the practices of those who profess it. For pray do but consider-What does God send his gospel among a people for? Does he aim at any end in this, or does he not? And can that be a wise, intelligent agent, who aims at no end? Or can we suppose him to act wisely who aims at no proportionable and suitable end? What then can we think the great God designed as his end, in sending the gospel into the world; in planting it in this, or any other nation? There are certainly fruits that he expects to receive; and therefore we find how express the threatenings are, when these fruits are withheld. Nothing less is threatened than the taking of the kingdom of God from them, and the giving it to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Mat. 21. 43. Oh! the little correspondency of the hearts and spirits of men to the design of the gospel! And what a tremendous and melancholy prospect does this afford us!

I should not be so afraid of comets and blazing stars †, nor of all the malice and subtilty of earth and hell combined together; I should never be afraid of these things, I say, even though the subtilty of our enemies was a thousand times greater than it is, if I could but see such a love of the gospel, joined to the enjoyment of it, as to form the heart, and influence the practice. But when I find it is God's way, and express threatening, that where the truth is not loved, there to give them up to strong delusions even to believe a lie, that they might be damned, who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness, (2 Thes. 2. 10, 11, 12.) then 1 confess, I fear, I tremble.

I know not why we should think ourselves exempt from a danger of this kind, when we consider how generally ineffectual the gospel is among us. Alas! why should we expect God to be indulgent towards us, in this respect, above all mankind? What have we the gospel for, if we never intend our spirits should be formed by it? If we have no design it should govern our lives, have not we of this nation reason to

*N. B. The author here alludes to the famous comet which appeared in December 1680; and perhaps at the very time when this Sermon was preached.

fear, inasmuch as we do not conform our practice to our religion, that we shall be suffered to conform our religion to our practice? We know there is a religion, too near at hand, that will allow and square well enough with the most vicious practice imaginable. Live as loosely as you will and confess your sins to a priest, and his absolution solves all. Surely we have reason to fear lest our acting contradictory to the end and design of our religion should even lead us to embrace that sottish one of the church of Rome.

SERMON II*.

IN our last discourse we considered the various reasons and inducements, that lead many persons to make a profession of religion, even while they are contradicting it in their lives and practice. To which one more might have been added; and that is, they have a foolish thought that by the good they profess, they shall some way or other expiate the badness of their conduct. Such a hope as this, as fond as it is, too apparently obtains with a great part of the world. And this I mention, not only as a thing too evident, and considerable in itself, but as it most fitly leads to what I intend in this discourse: which is,

IV. To shew the vanity of such a profession, and by consequence the fondness and folly of such a hope as is here spoken of. And in treating on this subject I shall shew, that such a profession in persons of so immoral a character, signifies nothing either to procure them the reputation, or the rewards of the religion that they profess, or unto which they pretend; I would be understood to say, that it is of no avail to entitle them to the reputation of it amongst men, nor to any reward of it from God. These two things we shall distinctly consider.

*Preached January 23, 1680.

1. Such a blasted, self-confuted profession as this, of which we are speaking, is of no significancy for securing the reputatation of being religious amongst men. If it were indeed so far available as to secure them such a reputation, or to procure them that esteem from men, which is due to those who are in reality, what they profess themselves to be, that would be but a poor thing, and very little to their service. It is a small thing, says the apostle St. Paul, to be judged by man's judg ment, 1 Cor. 4, 3. All must finally stand or fall, by the judgment of a superior Judge, whose judgment will controul and reverse all false judgments passed before. Every man must then give an account of himself to God. He is not a jew who is one outwardly, but he is a jew that is one inwardly, whose praise is not of men, but of God, Rom. 2. 28, 29. If one could never so effectually recommend one's self to man, it is "not he who commendeth himself, that is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." 2 Cor. 10. 18. And therefore I should not think this much worth insisting on, but only with design to lay the ground of an argument from the less to the greater that if such a profession of religion cannot do that which is less, to wit, entitle one to the reputation of it amongst men; much less can it do that which is greater, that is, procure the rewards, which God has promised to the constant and sincere.

We must understand here, that by such evil practices, as can be supposed to overthrow a profession, and annul the signíficance of it, cannot be meant such things as are reasonable to be imputed to the infirmities which are incident to the best, and consistent with the most perfect human character: but it must be understood of open hostilities against Christ and his religion; for doubtless the words abominable, and disobedient or unpersuadable, as the word aus. signifies, amount to so much. By the former is to be understood, the heinousness, and grossness of their wickedness; and by the latter, their obstinacy in an evil course. It is true, though the last expression the apostle makes use of in describing the persons whom he censures as reprobate to every good work, denotes an evil habit of mind, not always falling under human cognizance and censure; yet there is enough in the two former, besides the symptoms there may be of the latter, to shew what the men really are. A profession therefore, I say, in men of such a character, can signify nothing, even to this lower purpose, that is, to entitle them to the reputation of religion amongst men. And this will appear from being viewed in several lights.

(1.) Such a contradicted profession is not wont to do so in

other cases. No man can take him to be a friend, who calls himself one against a continued series of actions, which manifestly import habitual hatred, enmity, and malice. No one will call him a good subject, whatever he pretends, who is at present in open hostility against his prince.

(2.) Such a profession in other cases not only gives no reputation amongst men, but brings a disgrace, and casts a reproach upon the person making pretences. When a man's actions are continued, palpable and manifest against his profession, as in this case, it brings, I say, a reproach upon him for pretending to it. And it is so far from being to his reputation that he draws upon himself the suspicion of being either false, or foolish: of being false, that he would design to deceive; of being foolish, that he could hope to succeed in such a case, or, indeed, of both these together.

(3.) A mere profession among men, in every common case, is so far from securing reputation to him who makes it, that it even sinks the reputation of the man that credits it. A very judicious person this to be so easily imposed upon! Therefore he who attempts in such a way to impose upon another, either he, upon whom he makes the attempt, will but regard him as a fool; or will be so accounted himself, because it is supposing him to be one who is capable of being so imposed upon. Which is no less than an attempt to blast the reputation of him, whom he endeavours to deceive.

(4.) A series or course of actions is always to be taken as more significant and expressive of the habitual sense and temper of a person's mind, than words can be thought to be. Words only speak a man's present sense of things, but a continued course of actions shews his habitual sense of them; and is therefore the far greater, and more considerable thing on all accounts.

If I am to form a judgment of another man, it is of more importance to know what the bent of his mind is now, than to know what it was, at this or that particular time. It is manifest that a series of actions is more significant and expressive; whether you compare words and actions together with relation to the same thing, or apply them severally to contrary things.

If you apply words and actions to one and the same thing, let it be for instance to kindness and good-will: suppose then you have for your object a very indigent and distressed person, one exposed to cold and pinched with hunger; let one say to him in this case, "Come be filled, be warmed;" pray what would that signify in comparison of giving him the things which are needful for the body, as the apostle speaks in the