the reformation of his brother; and therefore he goes directly to God himself, who hath the hearts of all men in his hand, and can turn them as the rivers of water. He lays the finner's cafe before the compaffionate Saviour, not by way of complaint, but to move his pity, and to obtain his help. He uncovers the poor leper in the fight of the Phyfician who can heal him; and at the fame time would be extremely well pleased, that his loathsomeness were hid from every other eye. True grief will restrain us from speaking evil of our neighbour, or detecting his fecret faults, except in cases of abfolute neceffity, when the concealing them would either be hurtful to the innocent, or prejudicial to the public interest. Nay, it will be painful to us to hear of the mifcarriages of our brethren; and we shall be very flow to believe any reports to their disadvantage, without the strongest and most convincing evidence; and after all, we shall neither despise nor hate them, far lefs expose them to the contempt and hatred of others on the contrary, we fhall pity them, and pray for them in fecret, commending

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their cafe to the God of love, before whom all their fins are already naked and open, and earnestly implore his pardoning mercy and fanctifying grace in their behalf, with the fame fervour and importunity that we afk these inestimable bleffings for ourfelves.

3dly, Our grief for the fins of others, if pure and genuine, will be accompanied with proper endeavours to reclaim them. Every true mourner will confider himself as "his "brother's keeper," and will leave no means unattempted to prevent his ruin. He will not think it enough to plead with God for mercy to the finner; he will likewife plead with the finner to have mercy upon himfelf. He will fet his guilt and danger before him in the most prudent and affecting manner he can; and though he meet with many repulfes, nay, though his labour of love fhould be requited with fcorn and hatred, yet he will repeat his application again and again, and take hold of every favourable opportunity that prefents itself; remembering, that "he who converteth a finner from "the error of his way, fhall fave a foul from death, and hide a multitude of fins," and

may

may look for more diftinguished honour in that day," when they that be wife, fhall "fhine as the brightnefs of the firmament;

and they that turn many unto righteous "nefs, as the stars for ever and ever. Once more,

4thly, If we are in truth poffeffed of this gracious temper, if our grief for abounding iniquity flows from the pure fountain of love to God, and zeal for his glory, we shall own his caufe in the most perilous times, and reckon nothing too dear to be hazarded in his fervice. That faying of our Lord will be continually founding in our ears, "He that is afhamed of me and of my "words, in this adulterous and perverfe generation, of him alfo fhall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the

glory of his Father with all the holy angels." Many can weep in fecret for the fins of others, who have not the fortitude to appear against them in public. But fuch perfons would do well to confider, that neither their tears nor their prayers can avail them any thing, fo long as they fold their hands like the fluggard, and neglect the proper

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proper means for obtaining what they ask. God permits, nay commandeth us, to caft our care upon him; but he giveth us no allowance to difpofe of our work in that way. -We must be doing in a humble dependence upon his grace; and then we may both afk, and hope to obtain, his bleffing upon our endeavours. But if we pray, and fit still; if we lie howling upon our beds, when we fhould be abroad at our labour; we offend God in ead of pleafing him; and can look for no other anfwer but this, "Who "hath required these things at your hand ?" -This, my brethren, is very neceffary to be attended to. There is hardly any man who maintains the profeffion of religion, who will not readily acknowledge, that we stand in great need of a reformation; yet where is the man to be found who feems heartily disposed to contribute his affistance? -When God is calling, "Who will ftand

up for me against the evil doers? Who "will rife up for me against the workers of

iniquity?" inftead of replying, with the Prophet Ifaiah, "Lord, here am I, fend me," we are rather inclined to fay, each one for himself,

himself, Lord, fuch another perfon is fitter for the work, fend him; but I pray thee have me excufed.-I fhall be accounted a zealot, faith one, if I engage in this fervice: I fhall offend my friends, faith another: A third pleads the doubtfulness of the event: A fourth hath fome worldly gain or preferment in view, and therefore it is too early to appear for God as yet; but he refolves, that after he hath got his aim in the fervice of the devil, then he will turn about, declare himself to be on the Lord's fide, and confefs him openly, when it can no longer hurt his fecular intereft. Thefe maxims, however oddly they may found, are in reality the hinges upon which the bulk of nominal Christians turn: by these despicable rules do they fquare their conduct, in a matter which of all others, is the most weighty and interesting. Whereas the true mourner prefers the glory of God, and the intereft of his kingdom, to every thing else. He is not governed by the low and flexible maxims of worldly policy; he doth not confult with flesh and blood, but makes the will of God, and the dictates of confcience,