folutely effectual for fuppreffing all fin and
wickedness among us.
But the truth is-
we do not confider them they pass in the
mind, but fo lightly, that they are scarce
felt as thoughts, certainly are not weighed as
confiderations.

Well weighed, they would have good effect;

the pious man weighs them well, and the fear of God, which they fuggest, does not affrighten, but instructs, directs, and strengthens him. It is a fear of lofing the favour of God, which immediately checks him from complying with any fin which may advance to feduce him, and prompts him with an averfion to what would bring on him the displeafure of God, and spoil the quiet of his confcience. This fear becomes the good man, and keeps him fo. This fear the apostle recommends, when he fays" Let us fear, left we come short of the promise that is given

us. This fear the apostle felt" Left, "when I have preached to others, myself "should be a caft away."

This fear of God, which is previous to fin, and keeps us from it, is highly commendable and useful, and is fo far from making us uneafy, that it leads to eafe and fatisfaction of mind in fubmitting to it. But the fear

of God, which we feel in confequence of our having finned, is another thing. It is then a fear of condemnation, a fear of God's anger and judgment, which our confcience dictates for having offended him. Good men feel no fuch fear as this. "There is no con"demnation," fays St. Paul, "to them which "are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the

flesh, but after the fpirit." Rom. viii. 1. And it is to this fort of fear St. John alludes, when he fays—" There is no fear in love; but

perfect love cafteth out fear; because fear "hath torment: he that feareth is not made

perfect in love." 1 John iv. 18.

Yet this fort of fear, which belongeth not to good men, may be of ufe to those to whom it doth belong, as it may lead them to repentance, and, through that, to an amendment of their lives, and the favour of God. Happy they, on whom it works this effect, as they must be most miferable, who are difmayed at the profpect of God's judgment, yet feel not the spirit of true repentance in their hearts.

And for those, who, in fuch fituation, feel such a spirit of repentance-let them not diftruft the merit and fuccefs of it, as proceeding from an improper motive; God fhews the wicked his judgments, that they may repent and be reclaimed, and it cannot be improper

proper for us to make that a motive to repentance, which God hath appointed should be so. But we must be careful, that our repentance be the true repentance of the heart, and not a mere external compliance with duty, arifing from the fear of punishment. Such obedience hath no merit; the fear which produces it is a fervile fear, and the obedience itself only fhews a base and degenerate mind.

The fear of God, which is acceptable to him, and useful to ourselves, is not a fervile but a filial fear of him. For God is not a tyrant, but a father. And our fear of him should be that which springs from the joint confideration of his goodness and his authority; and is strictly confiftent and united with our love of him. The good man loves God, as we love a kind parent, whom yet we fear to offend, left by provoking his anger we lofe his favour. This is true filial fear, which is a fear of a liberal and ingenuous kind, and produces alacrity in duty; and though a filial fear looks at the divine threatenings, yet the manner in which it looks at them fufficiently diftinguishes it from fervile fear filial fear regards them, but fervile fear is afraid of them; the former leads us to goodnefs and happiness, the latter is the effect of wickedness and a prelude to destruction.

SERMON XXV.

RELIGIOUS HOPE.

1 PETER i. 13.

Gird up the loins of your mind, be fober, and hope to the end.

R

ELIGIOUS hope is a very material part of internal piety.-We are made to live upon hope--and, ready as we are to cherish it in the common affairs of human life, where it often fails us, it were ftrange, should we neglect it in the business of religion, where we may affuredly depend upon it-that we should govern our conduct by the hope we place in man, and not be guided by that we place in God and our Redeemer.

The objects of our religious hope are, all bleffings we may enjoy from God; especially those which are promised in the gospel of Chrift both spiritual and temporal — whe