peace, they are mocked and reviled, and hated by you upon that account; nay, which is ftill more injurious, they are branded with the odious name of hypocrites, by those very persons who themselves are the most impudent hypocrites upon earth. For tell me, thou who retaineft the name of Christian, what groffer hypocrify can be imagined, than to hate the ferious practice of thy own profeffion, and to reproach others for living by the influence of those very principles which thine own false tongue profeffeth to believe?

These are all the questions I fhall put to you at prefent: and the main thing intended by them, is to give you fuch a view of the folly and inconfiftency of your character, that if modesty be not altogether banished, I may at leaft bring you the length of being ashamed of your conduct. But though modesty should be gone, yet as fear and felf-love are ftill left behind, I fhall endeavour, in a few words, to give you a juft representation of the peculiar malignity of fuch a course, and of the fatal confeVOL. II. Z quences

quences with which an obftinate continuance in it must neceffarily be attended.

Know, then, that to fcoff at the fanctifying work of the Spirit of God, is a fin of fo deep a tincture, that it approacheth near to the confines of "the great tranfgreffion." This much I may with confidence affirm, that so long as you perfist in it, there is no room for any rational hope that you fhall be faved. With God indeed all things are poffible: he is able of fuch ftones to raise up children unto Abraham; and therefore fome hope is left that you may be converted: but that you fhould be faved in your present courfe, is just as impoffible as it is for God to lie, as impoffible as for the devils to be faved. It is an astonishing proof of the power and cunning of the grand deceiver, that he should be able to hide this alarming truth from your own eyes. The scorner bears upon his forehead one of the most diftinguishing marks of a fon of perdition. Of fuch tranfgreffors it may be faid with an awful emphafis, "their fpot is not the spot “of children.”—Other finners may find fome cloke to throw over their guilt: the

recorded

recorded failings of fome eminent faints may be fo far perverted, as to cherish the prefumption and foothe the confciences of various kinds of finners; but where do we read of any among the faints who fcoffed at holinefs, or spake reproachfully of the ways of God? Surely no man of common understanding can fuppofe, that a fcorner of a holy life is himself poffeffed of that holinefs which he derides. I would not for a world, faid one, be in the cafe of that wretch who fpeaketh well of holiness in others, while he himself lives in fenfuality and wickedness but I would much lefs, for a thousand worlds, be in the cafe of him that is neither godly, nor can fpeak well of godlinefs; who is not only void of the image of God, but hates, and reviles, and perfecutes it in others. Confider, O finners! while yet there is hope, how terrible your eternal state muft be, if death overtake you in this malignant courfe. The Lord Jefus is now calling upon you in mercy, and saying unto you, as once he faid to Saul, "Why perfecuteft thou me?" But if you do not hearken to his voice, and turn from

your evil way, ere long "he will speak to you in wrath, and vex you in his fore

displeasure :" for "behold, the Lord "cometh with ten thousands of his faints, "to execute judgement upon all, and to con"vince all that are ungodly among them, "of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their bard Speeches which ungodly finners have fpo"ken against him." There is an alarming paffage, (Pfal. vii. 11, 12, 13.), which I would recommend to your ferious perufal: "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he

turn not, he will whet his fword; he hath "bent his bow, and made it ready. He "hath alfo prepared for him the inftru

ments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the perfecutors." God himfelf hath undertaken the defence of the juft: Chrift will finally be glorified in his faints, when all their enemies fhall be caft out of his fight, overwhelmed with fhame, and doomed to everlasting contempt and mifery.

THUS

THUS far have I spoken for the conviction and reproof of those who have the boldness to fcoff at vital religion and practical godliness; and shall now conclude the fubject with a few words of advice and encouragement to the true fervants of Christ, who feel the influences of his gospel, and are determined, through grace, to live unto Him who died for them,

Let me then call upon you to lay your account with oppofition in your way heavenward. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you; but rather rejoice, in as much as ye are partakers of the fufferings of your Lord, that when his glory fhall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. You have good company, you have powerful affistance, and glorious hopes: "If ye be reproached for the name of Chrift, "happy are ye; for the Spirit of God and "of glory refteth upon you." "Stand "fast," therefore, as the Apostle exhorts you in the words following my text,

" in

one fpirit, with one mind, striving to"gether for the faith of the gofpel; and in nothing terrified by your adversaries : " which

Z 3