Whoever thou art who readeft thefe lines, if thou art yet unrenewed; but particularly if thou art one of those whofe fins are open and manifeft, I beseech thee in the moft earnest manner, to be reconciled unto God. "Be"hold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day "of falvation. God is in Chrift reconciling the world "unto himself, not imputing their trefpaffes unto them." The blood of this Saviour is of infinite value. His Spirit is of irresistible efficacy. He is "able to fave to the ut"termoft all that come unto God by him." Delay not one moment. Give immediate thanks that thou art not already in the place of torment. Believe in the Son of God for righteousness and ftrength. Add not to all thy other fins against him, by undervaluing his atonement and defpairing of mercy. And may it pleafe God, by his own power, to reach thy heart, to fnatch thee as a brand from the burning, and make thee an everlafting monument of his grace and love.

2. In the fecond place, we may often find an appearance of religion or virtue in a character, fupremely governed by reputation, or a defire of refpect and honor from the world. I fay fupremely governed, because no doubt there may be a mixture of other principles whilst this is the leading, the directing, and the governing view. I am fenfible there are fome who have no other view of any kind, by a religious profeffion, than to deceive others; and under the fair difguife of piety and feeming devotion, to carry on, with more fecurity and fuccefs, their unrighteous defigns. That fome fuch are to be found in the world, fad experience is a melancholy proof. The greatness of their guilt it is not eafy to conceive, and ftill more difficult to exprefs. As it must always proceed upon a known deliberate contempt of God, there is usually such a hardnefs of heart and fearedness of confcience attending it, that there is little probability of making any impreffion upon them or rather to speak more properly, they have all the fymptoms of being given up of God and left to themselves. But there is fomething extremely harsh and unnatural in fufpecting any of wilful deliberate hypocrify, till it is plainly and openly detected. The truth is, I am

perfuaded, that as it is a dreadful, fo it is a rare character. The far greater part of thofe who are under the power of hypocrify, deceive themfelves as much as, or rather more than the world. Thefe laft fall more properly in my way to be confidered, as having undergone a feeming or ap parent, without any real change.

In order to illuftrate the character and ftate of thofe who are fupremely governed by reputation or a defire of honor and respect, it will be proper to obferve, that as the law of God is a tranfcript of his own perfect inherent excellence, true religion must be in itself amiable and lovely. Nay, it must appear fo even in the eyes of those who are engaged in a stated oppofition to its intereft. You will fay, how is this poffible? Is it not a manifeft contradiction? I anfwer, That though the fpirit and principles from which true religion muft flow, be directly contrary to the bent of an unrenewed heart, yet their effects are both amiable and beneficial. Bad men cannot endure inward mortification and felf-denial, being humbled as finners in the fight of God, juftified freely by his grace, fanctified by his Spirit, and having nothing whereof to glory. Against thefe vital principles of piety the natural mind fets itself with violence, and the unrenewed heart rises with indignation. But the effect of true religion, or a diligent compliance with the duties of the moral law, as it is amiable in itself, fo it is alfo of good report among men. We are told in fcripture," that the righteous is more excellent "than his neighbor." And the apostle Paul exhorts us to our duty in the following terms: Finally brethren, "whatfoever things are true, whatfoever things are honeft, "whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any "praife, think on these things."*

Does not this at once difcover how many may attain to a confiderable degree of regularity in the practice of their duty, while their governing principle is no better than a defire of the esteem of others. That character acquires a value in their eyes, which is in general repute, and will

* Phil. iv. 8.

fet them in the most favorable light. This hath often a fecret and infenfible influence, to which they themselves do not attend. What favors the deceit is, that many of the very fame duties are commanded in the law of God, and reputable in the fight of man. They gladly embrace them therefore as the fervice of God: it pleases them to think, they fhall by this means be acceptable to him. They fondly flatter themselves, that this is the chief ground of their choice, and are not fenfible that they are but offering incenfe to their own vanity. Self-partiality often hides the truth from our view, and conceals the chief fprings and motives of action. Since diforder was introduced into the human frame by fin, there is no creature whofe character is fo mixed, variable, inconfiftent, and self-contradictory as man. Other creatures are regular and uniform, and fteadily fulfil their functions; their nature and difpofition may be known without ambiguity, and they always reach their end. But man is, as it were, torn to pieces by the conflicting principles of light and darkness; and from the different and contrary fymptoms which often appear, it is hard to tell in what clafs he should be ranged.

From this will evidently appear, the neceffity of an inward and effential change. That which is done to gain the applause of men, will never be reckoned an acceptable part of the fervice of God. On the contrary, he holds it in the higheft deteftation. See the exhortation of our Saviour: "Take heed that you do not your alms before "men, to be feen of them, otherwife ye have no reward

" of your Father which is in heaven."* I cannot help

obferving here, that men of this character may be divided into two claffes, who commonly ftate themselves in opposition to, and have the greatest hatred or contempt for each other, and yet are acted by one common principle.

There are fome who feem chiefly to confine their views to a fair and honorable carriage in their correfpondence and commerce between man and man. These are commonly perfons of higher rank, and all who defire to emu

* Matth. vi. 1.

late them, and wish to be claffed with them. In fuch, honor holds the place of religion; or, at least, is a fuperior and more powerful principle. They would not willingly ftain their reputation with any thing that is base or mean, according to the standard they have formed to themselves

of decency of character and dignity of carriage. This ftandard of decency, however, is very changeable. It is either more narrow or more extensive, according to the sentiments of those with whom they most frequently converfe. And there is often fome mixture of religion, which ferves under, and co-operates with, the commanding motives.

There are vaft multitudes of this character in the prefent age, who cannot be defcribed in juster or more fignificative terms than thofe of the Apoftle Paul; they are "conformed to this world." They tread in its steps, they act upon its maxims, they ask its approbation, and they have their reward.

How far fuch perfons are from being renewed in the fpirit of their mind, and how much they are the fervants of men, may be plainly discovered by the following fign; that they are almost as much afhamed of unfashionable duties, as of difhonorable crimes. How different is their boasted dignity of mind from a truly holy refolution and christian magnanimity? Are there not fome, whofe integrity in ordinary cafes may be depended on, and who would abhor the thoughts of a mean and dirty action, as it is ufually filed, but who would be covered with nearly equal fhame, if surprised in any act of devotion, as if detected in difhonefly and fraud? How many, who would brave the king of terrors in the field of battle, from a sense of honor; but who, though far from being infidels, have not fufficient courage to worship in their families, the great, Creator and Preferver of men? Such may fee the reception they fhall meet with at laft, and even feel the juftice of their own condemnation, in thefe words of our Saviour:

Whofoever, therefore, fhall be afhamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and finful generation, of "him alfo fhall the Son of man be afhamed, when he "cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels.”*

*Mark. viii. 38.

There are others of a different ftamp, who feek the ap probation of men, more by an appearance of piety and devotion, and the duties of the firft table of the law. That there are fome fuch alfo, not only the word of God, but daily experience puts beyond all doubt or queftion. "This people," faith our Lord, "draweth nigh unto me with "their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their "heart is far from me."* I fet afide, both in this and in the former inftance, the cafe of grofs, intended, and deliberate hypocrify. But are there not many, who, in their religious duties, feem chiefly to have in view the attaining or preferving the esteem and approbation of others? They are not determined from any inward and perfonal conviction of the excellence or neceffity of religion; but from their youth up, they have still heard religion spoken of with reverence, and feen religious perfons treated with respect. This makes them confider an entire neglect of religious duties as fhameful rather than finful; and fome degree of profeffed attachment to them, as neceflary to their character and credit.

This, like many other motives, has a ftrong, though at the fame time an infenfible influence, and when mixed with imperfect convictions of fin, will produce no small degree of regularity in religious exercises, while yet the heart is habitually fet upon the world. In whatever age or place there is a regular and fettled administration of the ordinances of Chrift, there will be many whofe religion is no more than a blind imitation of others, and a defire of fome title to that character which is in esteem and repute for the time being. Wherever there is much real, there will also be much counterfeit religion. Wherever there is much true piety, it is always loaded with the lead weight of many cuftomary profeffors. Wherever there is much outward esteem waiting upon the fervants of God, there will always be many of thefe fair-weather chriflians, who follow Chrift whilft the profeffion is honorable, but are unacquainted with that part of his fervice, which confifts in taking up the crofs, and fuffering

* Matth. xv. 8.