you, to draw you into many things which you do not inwardly approve? and are you not often reftrained from doing what conscience tells you ought to be done, by the fear of incurring the ridicule and cenfure of others, even of thofe whom, in your hearts, you do not, and cannot, efteem? If fo, then these very hearts must testify against you, that hitherto you have not been living unto the Lord.

3dly, What regard do you feel for the honour of your Lord?

may.

Are you willing to become any thing, to do any thing, and to fuffer any thing, for his fake? Are you contented to serve him in the meanest station in his family? or if you aspire to an higher place, is it folely to enlarge your sphere of usefulness, that you labour more abundantly, and serve him to greater advantage, than your prefent inferior fituation will permit?-When we see you climbing upwards as fast as you can, may we really fuppofe that this is your aim?-That it ought to be you aim, is obvious; for he who came not to be ministered unto, but to minifter, keeps no idle

:

attendants about his person for mere parade and show. Earthly princes, who are made of the fame materials with other men, need many external appendages to eke them out, as it were, and to give them bulk and importance in the eye of the world: but he who made the heavens and earth, infinitely difdains to borrow any fignificancy from the workmanship of his own hands. The angels that excel in ftrength, do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word the highest seraph hath his task: "They are all miniftering spirits, fent forth "to minifter for them who fhall be heirs of "falvation.”—And can any of the fons of men be fo befooled by temporal profperity, as to imagine, that any little elevation they can attain on this footstool, relaxes their obligation to ferve God fo ftrictly as meaner men do? They may imagine it; and when we furvey the upper ranks of life, we find too juft caufe to fufpect, that this abfurd and impious conceit is entertained by many: but the faithful and true Witnefs hath affured us, "that unto whomfoever much is “given, of them much will be required;"

and

and that the greater talent, if not faithfully improved, fhall only heighten the condemnation of its poffeffor, and entitle him to more and heavier ftripes. Once more, let me afk,

4thly, What is it that gives the highest value to every thing in your esteem?

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"One thing have I defired of the Lord," faid David," and that will I feek after, "that I may dwell in the house of the Lord "all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple," "I count all things but lofs," faid the holy Apostle Paul," for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus my Lord; for whom I have fuffered the lofs of all "things, and do count them but dung that

66 I may win Chrift." If you are fincerely

devoted to the Lord Redeemer, you will value other things, in exact proportion to their connection with him, and the relation they bear to him. You will prefer the Bible to all other books, because it is the word, the testament of your Lord. You will rejoice at every return of the Sabbath, because it is the Lord's day. You will delight in his faints,

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faints, and account them the "excellent "ones in the earth," because they are dear to your Lord, and bear his image. Prayer will be your sweetest entertainment, because it is the means of correfpondence and intercourfe with your Lord; And doing good to the bodies, and more especially to the fouls of men, will be relished by you as the most pleasant and honourable employment, because it renders you moft like unto your Lord," who went about doing good," leaving us an example that we should follow his steps. And thus will you estimate all other things.

These, and fuch like queftions, I would have you to put to your own hearts, as in the presence of that God who is already perfectly acquainted with you; who will fhortly cause you to know yourselves, and will make all others to know you too, in that day when every disguise shall be torn off, and your real character shall be publifhed in the prefence of an affembled world.

I SHALL Conclude this difcourfe with re

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minding

minding you of thofe peculiar obligations that lie upon all who name the name of Christ, to live unto the Lord in the manner I have endeavoured to defcribe.

ft, Unless we live unto the Lord, we shall counteract the very design of that marvellous love he hath manifested towards us, in giving himself for us an offering and facrifice to God for a fweet-fmelling favour. "He "bore our fins in his own body on the (6 tree, that we being dead to fin, fhould "live unto righteousness.". "He gave "himself for us, that he might redeem us " from all iniquity, and purify unto him"felf a peculiar people, zealous of good "works.". "He died for all, that they "who live," by the merit of his death, "fhould not henceforth live unto them"felves, but unto him who died for them, "and rofe again." This is fo much infifted upon in the New-Teftament writings, that the Socinians have reprefented it as the fole end for which our Lord both lived and died. But though we juftly maintain, in oppofition to them, that the death of Chrift was, in the ftricteft propriety of lan

guage,