be too late; but let it be likewife granted, SERM.IV. that a late Repentance is very feldom in this Senfe fincere. If the Man were reinftated in his former Health, Eafe poffibly might recant the Vows, that were made in Pain, as null and void.

2dly, As you are to avoid evil Habits, be sure betimes to acquire good Habits, as the neceffary Qualifications for Heaven. Some feem to think, that Religion confifts in fome broken disjointed Acts of Piety: But let them not deceive themselves: True Religion confifts in the inward Frame of the Mind, in the standing Bent of the Inclinations, in fettled Habits of Piety conftantly refiding in the Breast, and, as often as there is Opportunity, breaking forth into outward Acts. Thus a Man fhall think himself devout, if he now and then occafionally fays his Prayers, and frequents the public Worship; though he often abfents himself upon every flight Occafion, upon no Occafion at all. But let him not deceive himself: If he were really devout, he would have a Relish for Acts of Piety, his Heart would cleave ftedfaftly unto God: and then he would not neglect private or public Prayers upon frivolous Pretences. Thus again a Man fhall think himself charitable,

2

SERM.IV. ritable, because he now and then performs occafional tranfient Acts of Charity: But he alone is a charitable Man, who loves Mercy and Charity, and fheweth that he loves them, by the main Tenor and Current of his Actions; who, with a ftrong Benevolence of Soul, is glad to relieve proper Objects of Charity when he can; and fincerely forry when he cannot. And yet the very Sorrows of the Charitable give more substantial Satisfaction than the Joys of the Selfish. For Compaffion for the Diftreffed (a Sorrow of which the charitable are most fufceptible) gives them to understand, that the habitual Difpofition of their Mindis right; And he, who does not feel that lovely Dispofition within, must want a Pleasure, the Abfence of which no other Pleasure can counterbalance. He is a thoroughly good Man, who has often tried and found his Virtue genuine, and clear of all Oftentation; who, instead of boasting or complaining, loves to conceal the Good he does, and the Ills he suffers; who thinks that Happiness scarce any at all, which is folitary and uncommunicated; as Paradife was no Paradife to Adam, till he had a Partner of it. Till we have acquired an habitually-good Bent of Temper, we have not acquired those Qualifications, which

are

are the main Ground-work and Foundation SERM.IV. of our future Happiness: We are not meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light.

Therefore, 3dly, Let us all confider, that our future Mifery or Happiness depends upon our prefent Behaviour. Our Happinefs in Manhood depends upon those early Accomplishments, which we have acquired in our younger Years. If that proper SeedTime of Life be neglected, we must expect no Harvest in the Autumn of it. Just fo our Felicity in another Life must be owing to the Preparations we make for it here. And what we must be to all Eternity, will be the Confequence of what we have been in this World.

There is a certain Fool-hardiness prevailing among us in relation to a future State. Men live as carelessly or profligately, as if they never were to depart this Life; and then depart this Life with as much Stupidity and Hardness of Heart, as if they never were to live again. They rush unprepared into the Prefence of the just, the holy Legislator of the whole World, as inconfiderately and audaciously, as the Horfe rushes to the Battle, a Creature not capable of being frighted with Confequences, because incapable of reflecting

SERM.IV. reflecting upon them.

God, fay they, is all Goodness; and therefore they dare to be what he must necessarily hate, the very Re verse of Him all Wickedness: Not confidering, that the Goodness of God fhould lead them to Repentance. For God cannot love a Nature directly and habitually contrary to his; and cannot but love what is in fome degree conformable to his Holiness and Purity. Now what he loves must be for ever happy; and what he hates for ever miserable. Let Men think or fay, what they will, to the contrary; it is Goodness which ought to make every immoral Agent afraid, a determined, impartial, univerfal Goodnefs in a Being, who, because he is infinitely Good, will inflict every deferved Evil, which is productive of a prepollent Good; and will inflict none, but what is productive of fuch; who will confult the universal Interest, and not that of a few incurable Members of the whole ftupendous Body of the Universe.

Such Men would do well to reflect, that Men even here in the natural Courfe of Things bring upon themselves fuch ill Habits of Body, and Miseries of all Kinds, that they can never extricate themselves from, as long as they live. The Course

of

of Nature is fo established, that Death alone SERM.IV. fometimes puts a Period to those Ills, which they have plunged themselves into by their Follies and Vices: If they were to live for ever, they would be probably miferable for ever, by the ill Confequences of their Sins, which take place in a natural Way. Now whatever comes to país by the settled Course of Nature, is as much done by him, who appointed the Course of Things, and forefaw every Confequence that would arise from every Manner of Acting; as if he had immediately inflicted the Punishment himself. And as the fame God, who appointed the Nature of Things here, is the God of the other World as well as this may not fomething like this come to pafs in that other State? May not the Impenitent be for ever lamenting those Ills, which no Prudence can redrefs, no Patience make supportable, and no Time put a Period to?

;

I cannot conclude this Head, without wifhing, that all of us may believe the Doctrine which I have here inculcated, to be true; and that this Belief, with the Concurrence of other Motives, may have that Effect, that none of us may feel it to be fo.

SER