might naturally be fuppofed to produce in the conduct of those who fincerely believed them; first, with refpect to God; and, fecondly, with regard to their fellow-men.

First, with refpect to God:-We should hardly be able to doubt, that creatures redeemed from mifery, dignified with fuch honours, and enriched with fuch privileges, would be fond of expreffing their gratitude in the most public and fignificant manner, and embrace every opportunity of celebrating the praises of their great Deliverer. We should certainly take it for granted, that if any day was fet apart for his more immediate worship and fervice, they would long for the return of that precious season, and "wait for it more than they that watch for "the morning." We fhould not be able to fuppofe, that they would reckon it a burdenfome inftitution, and fay, "What a "wearinefs is it?" or, "when will the "Sabbath be over?" far lefs that they would waste it in idlenefs, profane it by gaming, intemperance, and lewdnefs; or even debase it by those employments which are lawful on other days. Such prefumpVOL. II. X

tuous

tuous ingratitude would appear, fo fhocking, that we should not dare to fufpect, and least of all fhould we believe, without ocular proof, that creatures endued with reafon would be guilty of it.

Again, if any ordinance was appointed for the exprefs purpofe of commemorating redeeming love, and fhowing forth the death of that compaffionate Saviour, who was "wounded for their tranfgreffions, and "bruifed for their fins, that by his ftripes "they might be healed," could we doubt, that they would regard it as a diftinguishing privilege, and attend upon it with reverence, love, and joy? efpecially if one great end of its inftitution was to confirm their faith of the divine friendship, by putting into their hands an authentic feal of that well-ordered Covenant, which conveys to every fincere believer an irrevocable title to all the unfearchable riches of Chrift? This appears fo becoming, and withal fo conducive to their perfonal comfort and intereft, that one fhould think a bare permiffion to attend upon fuch an ordinance might suffice, and that there fcarcely needed the authority of a

dying command to enforce the obfervation of it.

Once more, might it not be hoped, that creatures who believed and confeffed that they were redeemed from death by an act of pure grace, would judge it their indifpenfable duty, to live unto him by whofe mercy it was that they lived at all? that they would feel in their hearts, and practically acknowledge the conftraining force of fuch exhortations as thefe: " Ye are not your

t

own, ye are bought with a price; there"fore glorify your Redeemer in your bodies " and in your fpirits, which are his :" "Ye were fome time darknefs, but now are

ye light in the Lord; walk as children of "light" and "If ye call on the Father, "who, without refpect of perfons, judgeth

according to every man's work, pafs the "time of your fojourning here in fear; for"afmuch as ye know that ye were not re"deemed with corruptible things, as filver " and gold, but with the precious blood of "Chrift, as of a lamb without blemish and without fpot?" Would you think it credible, or even poflible, that with fuch great and

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and interefting objects in their eye, they could deliberately and wilfully trample upon his authority, by breaking his laws; or arraign the wisdom and juftice of his government, by fretting and murmuring against any of his difpenfations? Doth it not feem far more likely, that they would habitually be difpofed to fay, "Lord, what wilt thou, "have me to do?"-"O that my ways were "directed to keep thy ftatutes!"—Or if at any time they fhould be exercifed with trials and fufferings, that the language of their lips and hearts would be, “Here am "I, let the Lord do unto me as feemeth "good unto him:"-" The Lord gave, and "the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the "name of the Lord ?"s

Thefe conclufions appear fo reasonable, and indeed fo moderate, that were it poffible for us to forget that we ourselves are parties. to the cause in queftion, I am verily perfuaded this whole audience would readilyacquiefce in them without one diffenting voice. Let us then proceed to inquire, in the

Second place, What influence the faith of

the

the gospel might be expected to have upon the conduct of fuch creatures in their focial intercourfe one with another.

It might fuffice to obferve in general, that the fupreme love to their God and Saviour, which the true faith of his rich and unmerited grace could not fail to infpire, would naturally, and even neceffarily, lead them to liften with becoming attention and reverence to all the intimations of his will, and habitually difpofe them to perform, with alacrity and zeal, what duties foever he fhould be pleased to enjoin. Upon this obvious principle, then, nothing more would be needful for the illuftration of this head, than to collect from the facred records the feveral laws concerning truth, justice, mercy, beneficence, and any other precepts that regarded them in their focial ftate; as fhould not be able to entertain a doubt, that, fo far as the imperfection of their nature. permitted, thefe would be the invariable rules of their conduct. But as the LAWS of the gospel are afterwards to be confidered apart by themselves, I fhall at prefent confine our inquiry to the influence which a feriou

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as we

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