in their own vain imaginations, that they al-SERM, fo on that account ftand faireft in the esteem II. of Chrift, and have the beft claim to his approbation. This is certainly inexcufable, confidering the cafe expreflly determined in the text: for if the higheft offices, and the most eminent abilities and gifts, will not entitle those who profefs them to the kingdom of heaven, much less will thofe of a far inferior nature and importance.

But in general, that the pretence itself is vain and infufficient, and that nothing of this kind can reasonably fupport the hopes of men in a future ftate, if, as it is fuppofed in the text, they are workers of iniquity; that, I fay, it is fo, will appear to any one who confiders it, not only from the express declaration of our Saviour in the text, and indeed the whole current of the fcripture declarations, which absolutely require the prac tice of pure and undefiled religion, and a patient continuance in it; and from the invariable nature of things, that sense of good and evil which is imprinted on our minds, with a neceffary approbation of the one, and difapprobation of the other from whence we infer, that good in us will be only approved by the Deity, and evil difapproved, if we fuppofe

SERM. pofe him to be a perfectly righteous and good

II. Being, which is the firft principle of all religion: but particularly it appears from the nature and defign of those gifts, which have no neceffary connexion with the favour of God, and the kingdom of heaven. They are intended for the advantage of men in this world, for others rather than those who are endow'd with them, and are inftruments which providence makes ufe of to that purpose: but as they do not depend on any inward qualifications or good difpofitions, any virtue at all in them to whom they are granted, fo they are no mark of the divine: approbation. Therefore our Saviour fays to them who are represented as pleading for hisi acceptance at the laft day on this fcore, I never knew you; that is, I never approved you: fo that word is often to be understood in fcrip ture, as * The foundation of God ftandeth fure, having this feal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And †, If any man love God, the fame is known of him. Nay farther, fuch gifts do really aggravate the guilt of men if they continue workers of iniquity: and therefore fet them farther from the kingdom of heaven, inftead of bringing them nearer to it. The reafon is, because the gifts of prophecy

prophecy and miracles were defign'd for the SERM. confirmation of Chriftianity; they were ar II. guments to convince men of the truth of it, that fo it might have a proper influence on their lives. Now if they were arguments to the world, and ought to perfuade them to obey the gospel, much more fhould they have had that effect on the prophets and workers of miracles themselves, to whom they must carry, one would think irresistible evidence; and therefore their difobedience to a revelation which was fo fully confirmed to them, and in fuch a particular manner, thewed the greatest obftinacy in wickedness, defying the strongest means of conviction that men could poffibly have: confequently, their gifts must expose them to the greater condemnation, instead of being any good plea for their admiffion into the kingdom of heaven. I come in the

Second place, to illuftrate that only folid ground of hope, and foundation of our title to the future happiness, which our faviour establishes; namely, doing the will of God; and we find this expreffed in the clearest manner for having faid that not they, who make the moft folemn, and the moft noify profeffion of his religion, fhall enter into the kingdom

SERM, kingdom of heaven; on the other hand, he II. afferts; that they only shall enter, which do the will of his Father, which is in heaven: and having declared that he will reject fome who claim the favour of God under the pre

tence of very honourable privileges and gifts, the reafon is, because they are workers of iniquity, or have not done the will of his Father. What especially requires explananation here, is, doing the will of God. Every one will understand by it keeping his Commandments, which he has giv'n to men for the rule of their actions. In order to their binding us as a law, they must be made known; and they are made known by the light of nature, and by his word. God has written the work of his law on the hearts of men; and nature itself teaches them the difference between right and wrong: which impreffion is fo deep, that no prejudices, evil customs or inftructions, caufing to err, even in the moft corrupt parts, and ages of the world, have been able to erase it, tho' indeed it has been in a great measure obfcured, and in fome inftances men have called good evil, and evil good. It pleased God therefore clearly to reveal his will to men, fpeaking to them at fundry times, in divers manners, by prophets,

prophets, and at last by his fon. He

gave SERM.

his ftatutes and his judgments to Ifrael; and more clearly by his grace, that bringeth fal vation, which hath appeared to all men, he has taught us the feveral branches of our duty; of fobriety, righteousness, and godlinefs.

This being the will of God revealed to us fo plainly, the question is, in what fenfe it is to be done that we may enter into the kingdom of heaven? and a consciousness of the infirmity which cleaves to us all, so that in many things we offend, will lead us to inquire for a more favourable interpretation to give us any ground of hope, than a perfect unfinning obedience: for if God should enter into judgment, and be ftrict to mark all the failings of the best men, no flesh living could be juftified in his fight. Here it is that the gospel relieves us, by declaring the remiffion of fins to the penitent, and the divine acceptance. It denounces indeed the wrath of God against obftinate wilful tranfgreffors; and declares that they shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven: but makes favourable allowances for indeliberate failures and infirmities, which are infeparable from the prefent ftate of imperfection. Indeed,

II.

the