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world calls joy, he may often possess. He may have pleasures in various kinds; either in gratifying the desires of the flesh, or the desire of the eye, or the pride of life: particularly if he has large possessions: if he enjoy an affluent fortune. Then he may cloath himself in purple and fine linen, and fare sumptuously every day. And so long as he thus doth well unto himself, men will doubtless speak good of him. They will say, he is a happy man for indeed this is the sum of worldly happiness: to dress, and visit, and talk, and eat, and drink, and rise up to play.

It is not surprising, if one in such circumstances as these, dozed with the opiates of flattery and sin, should imagine, among his other waking dreams, that he walks in great liberty. How easily may he persuade himself, that he is at liberty from all vulgar errors, and from the prejudice of education, judging exactly right, "I am free and keeping clear of all extremes. (may he say) from all the enthusiasm of weak and narrow souls; from superstition, the disease of fools and cowards, always righteous over much; and from bigotry, continually incident to those who have not a generous way of thinking." And too sure it is, that he is altogether free from the wisdom which cometh from above, from holiness, from the religion of the heart, from the whole mind which was in Christ.

For all this time, he is the servant of sin. He commits sin, more or less, day by day. Yet he is not troubled: He " is in no bondage;" (as some speak) he feels no condemnation. He contents himself, (even though he should profess to believe that the Christian revelation is of God) with, "Man is frail. We are all weak. Every man has his infirmity." Perhaps he quotes Scripture: "Why, does not Solomon say, The righteous man falls into sin seven times a day? And doubtless, they are all hypocrites or enthusiasts who pretend to be better than their neighbours." If at any time a serious thought fix upon him, he stifles it as soon as possible, with, "Why should I fear, since God is merciful, and Christ died for sinners?" Thus he remains a willing servant of sin, content with the bondage of corruption; inwardly and outwordly unholy, and satisfied therewith: not only not conquering sin, but not striving to conquer, particularly that sin, which doth so easily beset him.

Such is the state of every natural man; whether he be a gross scandalous transgressor, or a more reputable and decent sinner, having the form, though not the power of godliness.

AN EXHORTATION TO AN INSENSIBLE SINNER.

Wherefore, "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead. God calleth thee now by

my mouth; and bids thee know thyself, thou fallen spirit, thy true state and only concern below. What meanest thou, O slecper! Arise! Call upon thy God, if so be thy God will think upon thee, that thou perish not. A mighty tempest is stirred up round about thee, and thou art sinking into the depths of perdition, the gulph of God's judgments. If thou would es cape them, cast thyself into them. Judge thy self, and thou shalt not be judged of the Lord.

Awake, awake! Stand up this moment, lest thou drink at the Lord's hand the cup of his fury. Stir up thyself to lay hold on the Lord, the Lord thy righteousness, mighty to save! Shake thyself from the dust. At least, let the earthquake of God's threatenings shake thee. Awake, and cry out with the trembling gaoler-What must I do to be saved? And never rest, till thou believest on the Lord Jesus, with a faith which is his gift, by the operation of his spirit.

If I speak to any one of you more than to another, it is to thee, who thinkest thyself unconcerned in this exhortation. I have a message from God unto thee. In his name, I warn thee to flee from the wrath to come. Thou unholy soul, see thy picture in condemned Peter, laying in the dark dungeon, between the soldiers, bound with two chains, the keepers before the door keeping the prison. The night is far spent, the morning is at hand, when thou art to be

brought forth to execution. And in these dreadful circumstances, thou art fast asleep; thou art fast asleep in the devil's arms, on the brink of the pit, in the jaws of everlasting destruction.

O may the angel of the Lord come upon thee, and the light shine into thy prison! And mayest thou feel the stroke of an almighty hand, raising thee, with, Arise up quickly, gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals; cast thy garments about thee, and follow me.

Awake, thou everlasting spirit, out of the dream of worldly happiness. Did not God create thee for himself? Then thou canst not rest, till thou restest in him. Return, thou wanderer. Fly back to thy ark. This is not thy home. Think not of building tabernacles here. Thou art but a stranger a sojourner upon earth: A creature of a day, but just launched out into an unexchangeable state.-Make haste, Eternity is at hand. Eternity depends on this moment. An eternity of happiness, or an eternity of misery!

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH THE MORAL LAW REQUIRES.

The righteousness which is of the law, saith, The man which doeth these things shall live by them. Constantly and perfectly observe all these things to do them, and then thou shalt

live for ever. This law or covenant (usually called, the covenant of works) given by God to man in paradise, required in obedience, perfect in all its parts, entire and wanting nothing, as the condition of his eternal continuance, in the holiness and happiness wherein he was created.

It required, that man should fulfil all righteousness, inward and outward, negative, and positive that he should not only abstain from every idle word, and avoid every evil work, but should keep every affection, every desire, every thought in obedience to the will of God. That he should continue holy, as he which hath created him was holy, both in heart and in all manner of conversation: that he should be pure in heart, even as God is pure; perfect as his Father in heaven was perfect; that he should love the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his mind, and with all his strength that he should love every soul which God hath made, even as God hath loved him : that by this universal benevolence, he should dwell in God (who is love) and God in him: that he should serve the Lord his God with all his strength, and in all things singly aim at his glory.

These were the things which the righteousness of the law, required, that he who did them might live thereby. But it farther required, that this entire obedience to God, this inward

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