pocrisy is a bad thing, not because it wears the form of religion, but because it wants the power of it: and the way to avoid hypocrisy, is not by doing less than the hypocrite, but by doing more and better. Our Saviour, who spent whole nights in prayer, cannot be supposed to condemn the Pharisees for praying long, but for making their prayers a cloak to cover their covetousness and oppression. He does not find fault with them for their outward beauty, but for their inward pollution and deformity. If holiness be really within us, we have no occasion to dread any harm from its appearing outwardly. It will at length overcome the malice of the world, and prove its divine original, both by its native lustre, and its powerful influence upan those who behold it.Once more, in the

4th place, The exhortation in my text requires, that we persevere in our adherence to the Lord to the end of our lives. It is not sufficient that we begin well, and conti nue faithful for a while. We must hold on our way, and wax stronger and stronger, as we proceed. We must not be wearied with the length of the way, but "lifting up the hands that hang down, and strengthening the feeble knees," we must "run without wearying, and walk without fainting, pressing towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." We must not give up religious exercises, either because of the fre quent repetition of self-denying duties, or of the bodily decay which old age brings on, or of the increasing infirmities of the mind. We must not give over our work in despondency, because of the slowness of our progress, the smallness of our success, or the number and strength of our enemies.-For all these discouragements will soon be over," and in due time we shall reap if we faint not," a glorious and everlasting reward. Having thus explained the exhortation in my text, I proceed now, in the

2d place, To enforce it by some motives and arguments. -Consider then,

1st, That the same reasons which at first determined you to choose the ways of God, are equally forcible for inciting you to persevere in them to the end. Upon what grounds did ye embrace your religion at the first? Why was it that ye ratified, when you came to years, that profession into which ye were baptized? Was it because of the divine authority upon which your religion rests? This reason surely still holds, to make you adhere to it amidst the strongest temptations; for divine authority is always to be obeyed, whatever difficulties lie in the way; nay, though the commands of the highest powers on earth should interfere with it. Was it concern for your eternal alvation, and a conviction that "there is no other name under heaven, given among men, whereby you can be saved, but the name of Christ ?" and does not this reason bind you as much to cleave to the Lord, as to come to him at first? "The Lord is with "The Lord is with you while ye be with him, and if ye seek him, he will be found of you: but if you forsake him, he will forsake you,"-" He that endureth to the end," saith Christ, "shall be saved."—" But if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Nay, the case of apostates is represented every where in scripture as inconceivably more dreadful than that of any other sinners. Once more, did you enter upon a religious course of life, because your consciences would not suffer you to be at peace till you had done so? This reason also binds you to persevere as you have begun; for the more faithfully you cleave to the Lord, the more stedfastly you resist temptation, the greater peace and tranquillity you will have in your own minds. Nay, the obstacles which now make your progress difficult and painful, will gradually disappear, and at length you shall find, that "wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and that all her paths are peace." In a word, whatever good reason we had to set out in the Christian course, the same reason will hold for our perseverance in it. If we began VOL. II.

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pocrisy is a bad thing, not because it wears the form of religion, but because it wants the power of it: and the way to avoid hypocrisy, is not by doing less than the hypocrite, but by doing more and better. Our Saviour, who spent whole nights in prayer, cannot be supposed to condemn the Pharisees for praying long, but for making their prayers a cloak to cover their covetousness and oppression. He does not find fault with them for their outward beauty, but for their inward pollution and deformity. If holiness be really within us, we have no occasion to dread any harm from its appearing outwardly. It will at length overcome the malice of the world, and prove its divine original, both by its native lustre, and its powerful influence upan those who behold it.Ónce more, in the

4th place, The exhortation in my text requires, that we persevere in our adherence to the Lord to the end of our lives. It is not sufficient that we begin well, and continue faithful for a while. We must hold on our way, and wax stronger and stronger, as we proceed. We must not be wearied with the length of the way, but "lifting up the hands that hang down, and strengthening the feeble knees," we must "run without wearying, and walk without fainting, pressing towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." We must not give up religious exercises, either because of the fre quent repetition of self-denying duties, or of the bodily decay which old age brings on, or of the increasing infirmities of the mind. We must not give over our work in despondency, because of the slowness of our progress, the smallness of our success, or the number and strength of our enemies.-For all these discouragements will soon be over," and in due time we shall reap if we faint not," a glorious and everlasting reward.—Having thus explained the exhortation in my text, I proceed now, in the

2d place, To enforce it by some motives and arguments. Consider then,

1st, That the same reasons which at first determined you to choose the ways of God, are equally forcible for inciting you to persevere in them to the end. Upon what grounds did ye embrace your religion at the first? Why was it that ye ratified, when you came to years, that profession into which ye were baptized? Was it because of the divine authority upon which your religion rests ? This reason surely still holds, to make you adhere to it amidst the strongest temptations; for divine authority is always to be obeyed, whatever difficulties lie in the way; nay, though the commands of the highest powers on earth should interfere with it. Was it concern for your eternal alvation, and a conviction that "there is no other name under heaven, given among men, whereby you can be saved, but the name of Christ ?" and does not this reason bind you as much to cleave to the Lord, as to come to him at first? "The Lord is with you while ye be with him, and if ye seek him, he will be found of you: but if you forsake him, he will forsake you,"-" He that endureth to the end," saith Christ," shall be saved."—" But if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Nay, the case of apostates is represented every where in scripture as inconceivably more dreadful than that of any other sinners. Once more, did you enter upon a religious course of life, because your consciences would not suffer you to be at peace till you had done so? This reason also binds you to persevere as you have begun; for the more faithfully you cleave to the Lord, the more stedfastly you resist temptation, the greater peace and tranquillity you will have in your own minds. Nay, the obstacles which now make your progress difficult and painful, will gradually disappear, and at length you shall find, that "wisdom's ways are ways of pleasantness, and that all her paths are peace." In a word, whatever good reason we had to set out in the Christian course, the same reason will hold for our perseverance in it. If we began VOL. II.

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it from bad or from worldly motives, our religion is but au empty profession, without any reality. In this case, we are not yet Christians, and therefore the exhortation in the text doth not belong to us. Consider in the

2d place, That all the bribes which can be offered, in order to seduce you from your adherence to the Lord, are vain, precarious and unsatisfying. How often have men "made shipwreck of faith and of a good conscience," for a mere shadow of expectation which was never realized to them? But though you should obtain all that this world can present to you, yet how bitter is that advantage which is purchased at the expence of inward peace and tranquillity? Nay, how vain and precarious are the enjoyments of this world at the best? "Riches often make to themselves wings and flee away ;" and then they leave the person much more unhappy than they found him, under the dominion of inflamed appetites, without the proper objects to satisfy them. The joy of the wicked is like the "crackling of thorns under a pot," vain whilst it lasts, and soon at an end. Balaam loved the reward of unrighteousness, and he obtained it; but what did he reap from it at last? He returned to his own country loaded with riches, but all his enjoyments were embittered by an evil conscience," and he himself was soon after brought to an untimely end, by the victorious arms of the Israelites. So deceitful are the offers with which this world would seduce you from your adherence to the Lord. But in cleaving to the Lord, you can never be disappointed in your expectations; for he hath said, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."- -Consider in the

3d place, What obligations you lie under to this Lord to whom you are exhorted in the text to "cleave with purpose of heart." He it was that befriended you in your greatest necessity, and that brought salvation with his own arm, when there was no other eye to pity you, nor any other hand that could help you, Think on the greatness of the love of Christ, and on the costly proofs he